His Love Match

by Shirley Hailstock

  She was in no mood to go out now. She’d make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and wish she had some milk to go with it. Then a warm bath and bed would round out a long day. Tomorrow promised to be just as long and stressful, but once the reception was underway, Diana would be free to leave. And hopefully put Scott Thomas out of her mind and out of her life.

  As soon as she got the peanut butter from the cabinet, the doorbell rang. Frowning, Diana wondered who would be dropping by without calling. Padding barefoot to the door, she checked the side windows and jumped back. Her heart skipped a beat or two, then hammered in her chest. Scott was out there. What was he doing there?

  “I saw you,” he said through the door. “Open up.”

  Diana hesitated a moment then taking a long sustaining breath she unlocked the door. “What do you want?” she asked, blocking his entrance.

  Scott held up a pizza box and a bottle of wine. “Since you couldn’t come to dinner, I brought it to you.”

  “How do you know I didn’t already eat?”

  “I assumed.” He raised his eyebrows. “And it is an assumption that because you’ve been out of town, you didn’t buy food before you left.”

  “I could have stopped somewhere before I got here.”

  “But you didn’t.” His voice was teasing. “Are you going to invite me in? I’ll let you share my dinner.”

  Diana hesitated a moment. She smelled the cheese and tomato sauce. Her stomach growled. “Didn’t you go to the rehearsal dinner?”

  “I did.”

  “Then you can leave the pizza and return to the bachelor party. I’ll get your money for the delivery,” she said, reducing him to a mere driver. “I’m sure you’ll have much more fun with your friends.”

  Her comment didn’t seem to touch him in any way. He stared at her with the same boyish grin he had when they were students and he was chiding her for some infraction of his personal rules.

  “Can’t. They had shrimp in the salad. I’m allergic to seafood.”

  “You know everyone in the wedding party. I’m sure they’ll miss you.”

  “Let’s see.” Scott tucked the wine under his arm and leaned against the doorjamb, holding the pizza box in two hands. “Sit around with a bunch of guys and drink while watching X-rated movies versus sitting around with a beautiful woman while drinking and...”

  “There is no and,” she finished for him, even though him thinking she was beautiful made her heart do something close to a tribal dance. “The party’s at the Marriott. I’m sure you can find it.” Diana pushed the door to close it, but Scott proved both agile and quick. Taking the tiny space she used to step back, he slipped past her and into the room.

  “Nice house,” he said, looking around. He walked through the foyer and into the main living room. With just a few steps he’d taken ownership of the place. He moved as if he had a right to be here. “Is this the way to the kitchen?”

  Diana closed the door and said nothing. She hadn’t been in Princeton that long, but when she chose this house, it was because the kitchen was state-of-the-art. While the business kept her out of it most of the time, Diana loved to cook.

  Scott walked to the great room-kitchen combination. Diana found him making himself at home as he looked through cabinets for plates. Her shoes lay in front of the sofa and the television was muted on an old black-and-white movie. Even though she was taller than the average woman, Scott dwarfed her, especially since she was without her five-inch shoes.

  “Where do you keep the wineglasses?” he asked, still moving comfortably from cabinet to cabinet.

  Diana went to the china cabinet and took out one glass. Coming back, she set it on the dark granite countertop.

  “Aren’t you having any?”

  “You’re assuming the glass is for you.”

  “You wouldn’t throw a guy out on a cold winter’s night without a glass of his own wine.” Although his voice was completely sincere, he was still teasing, and Diana wasn’t in a teasing mood.

  “I wouldn’t,” Diana told him. “But it’s June, not January. And while it is night, I need a clear head tomorrow. I’ve had a long day and a plane ride, wine is not a good choice for me.”

  “Where did you go again?”

  “Montana.”

  “Montana,” Scott echoed.

  “My partner, Teddy, usually takes care of the wedding planning. I do some of it when we’re busy, but mainly my focus is on additional franchise sales and operations.”

  “Is Teddy a man or a woman?”

  It wasn’t the question Diana expected. She wondered why he wanted to know. Most people wanted to know about franchising: what it cost, how was set it up. Or how she got into building her own business. “Her name is Theresa Granville.”

  Scott nodded. “So, Weddings by Diana can be found in how many places?”

  “Right now we’re in six states. I’m working on adding Montana.” She left it at that, not going into detail about the difficulties she was having. She was sure they would iron out soon and things would return to normal.

  Scott placed two slices of pizza on each plate and offered her one. “Are you putting me out or eating with me?”

  Diana’s stomach growled in answer.

  * * *

  The kitchen was too intimate. It was huge, a chef’s delight with light blue walls and rich cherry cabinetry. The appliances were stainless steel, and everything was coordinated. Diana could easily see her sister and brothers gathering here for a meal, talking over old times and catching up on their lives since they were last together. But she couldn’t sit here with Scott. The space would be too personal, too open to confession. And she didn’t want him to learn anything more about her than she was willing to expose.

  Taking her plate, she went to the great room and wedged herself in the corner of the long sofa. Stretching her legs in front of her, she rested the plate on her lap, preventing him from sitting close to her. He took a place on the love seat across from her.

  Diana took a bite of the pizza triangle. “What is Jennifer going to think about you throwing her numbers off?”

  “I don’t know. She’ll probably force the waitress to sit down just to keep the table balanced.” They both laughed. Diana relaxed a moment. Scott could be charming and funny when he wanted to be. She had only seen a couple of sides of him, the angry landlord and prankster college student.

  “Why did you come here tonight?” she asked. Diana didn’t know if he’d tell her the truth, but she wasn’t a person Scott ever sought out. He was perfectly content to let her remain a face in the crowd unless he wanted to embarrass her in some way.

  “I brought you dinner.”

  Diana acknowledged it by glancing at the plate and the box he’d carried from the kitchen and set on the square coffee table between them.

  “I see, but you were out with a lot of people who know you well enough to include you in their wedding. Yet you left them to come here.” She paused. “You said it had nothing to do with my offices. So what is the draw?”

  “You sell yourself short,” he said.

  Diana laughed. “One thing I don’t do is lie to myself. We never got on all those years ago. We didn’t get along when you tried to evict me.”

  “I never tried to evict you,” he protested.

  Diana went on as if he hadn’t spoken. “And at the coffee shop we agreed the computer should never have matched us. So, I don’t understand why you’re sitting in my great room eating pizza and drinking wine, when you could be letting go at a bachelor party.”

  Scott set his wineglass on the table. His plate, now holding only crumbs of cheese and a slosh of tomato sauce, was set next to it. He leaned back in the chair and stared directly at Diana. She didn’t think he was going to answer her. Finally he stood up. Diana thought he might go to t
he door and leave. Her heartbeat increased. She wanted him to both go and stay.

  He did neither. He moved around the coffee table and stood in front of her. Diana bit her bottom lip to keep it from trembling.

  “I came by because when we stood at the altar tonight you kissed me.”

  * * *

  “I kissed him.” Diana was dressed for the wedding, which was scheduled to begin two hours from now. She liked to be at the bride’s home an hour before she was to leave for her last ride as a single woman. Often there was chaos, and dealing with that needed a level head. Unsure if that would be the case today, Diana hunted for everything she needed. The trip to Montana and her return yesterday hadn’t given her time to come to the office and make sure she had everything. Consequently, she’d risen early and dropped by before going to Jennifer’s.

  “You did what?” Joy spread across Teddy’s face like the sun rising. “Where?”

  “In the church.” Diana searched for her scissors. Finding them, she hooked them on the inside of her jacket. The outside was lace, but the lining held a myriad of possible necessities. Diana wanted to be prepared. Nothing could go wrong today.

  “Why?”

  “He volunteered to stand in for the groom, who wasn’t there. And the bridesmaids were too superstitious to stand in for Jennifer. You know Jennifer’s many beliefs. Apparently her friends are just as bad. So I ended up doing it.”

  “But you’re not supposed to practice the kiss,” Teddy said, her eyes following Diana as she moved from place to place collecting supplies.

  “I know that. It was Scott who started it.”

  “And you finished it?” Teddy questioned.

  “Not exactly.” Diana stopped searching and turned to look at her partner. She wanted to tell someone. She wanted to explain her feelings and have someone sympathize with her. Teddy was the perfect choice, but Diana was unsure of her feelings. She hadn’t had time to process the changes that she saw in Scott or the way she felt about him. And there was still the matter of her offices. Could he be using this tactic to get her to do what he wanted?

  But the worst part, the reason she couldn’t explain everything to Teddy was she didn’t even realize kissing Scott was anything but natural. They stood at the altar. The ceremony was over. Father Ryan said, Kiss the bride, and Scott kissed her. She’d fallen into his arms so easily, it was as if she belonged there, that it was natural for her to be there. She’d become unaware of the other people in the church until she’d heard Jennifer clear her throat. She would have remained in his arms and gone on kissing him. Thank goodness Jennifer interrupted them.

  “Did you like it?” Teddy’s voice intruded on her thoughts bringing her back to the office.

  “It’s been a long time since anyone kissed me.”

  “I’ll take that as a yes,” Teddy said.

  “Well, I only have to deal with him for one more day.” Diana went back to getting everything she needed. “Once the ceremony is over and the requisite photos are taken at the reception, I’ll be out the door faster than she can get the white off that dress.”

  Teddy laughed. It was a saying they used to mean the consummation of the vows. Diana’s mother had coined the phrase and the two women adopted it.

  “How did you get out of the church without explaining?”

  “I asked Father Ryan if he had any further details to share. Then I left.”

  “Your face must have been burning.”

  Her entire body was burning. Even now, she felt the heat of last night. “I think that’s everything,” Diana said, finally feeling she was ready to leave. She looked at her desk, her bag of essentials, her notebook, assessing that everything was in order.

  “What are you going to do about it?” Teddy asked.

  Finally Diana looked at her partner. “About what?”

  “About your attraction to our landlord. Maybe you can use that attraction to get him to back off about the offices.”

  “Teddy!” Diana was appalled at the suggestion. “Have you stopped to think that his attraction for me, if there is an attraction, may be for the same reason?”

  Teddy’s happy face turned to one of concern. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

  “Think about it.” Diana looked around one more time, then checked her watch. “I have to go. You’ve got everything under control here, right?”

  She nodded. “My wedding isn’t until five, so I’ll head over to the bride’s house this afternoon.”

  “See you tomorrow, when we can go back to business as usual.” Diana threw the words over her shoulder as she headed through the door.

  “Wink at him during the reception...maybe ask him to dance,” Teddy shouted at Diana’s back.

  Diana wouldn’t even make eye contact with him if she could help it. She wanted things to go back to the way they were just twenty-four hours ago. She’d been on a plane from Montana. Anything after she arrived at the church she wanted expunged from the universe.

  That would include his kiss, a voice spoke in her head. Diana stumbled and twisted the toe of her shoe on the broken parking lot pavement. A large gash appeared in the front.

  “Damn,” she cursed. “This is Scott’s fault.”

  Everything was his fault. Well most of it. From the moment she walked on campus ten years ago until he left her house last night, he’d been a thorn in her side. After the wedding today, she didn’t want to see him again. He could deal with her lawyer regarding their offices if any more discussion was necessary—and as far as she was concerned, there wasn’t.

  So life could go back to normal. Diana thought it, but she didn’t feel it. She knew something more would happen, something unexpected. Scott wasn’t the type of man to just drop things. He had a plan in mind, and Diana wondered what it was. She needed to be on guard for whatever he might spring on her. His appearing at her home last night was unexpected and designed to throw her world out of kilter.

  He’d succeeded.

  Diana took a deep breath as she parked along the curved driveway of the house where Jennifer lived. The street and drive leading to the house was ringed with cars. Only Jennifer would have a procession leading to the church. For days workmen had been setting up for the reception. Thankfully, the weather was cooperating.

  Getting out of the car, Diana went to the trunk and changed her broken shoe for another pair. She had learned the necessity of being prepared for every contingency. Not only did she have extra shoes, she had several changes of clothes in case they might be needed. Diana turned and took a long look at the cathedral. She’d done a few weddings here before, but this was the first one where she felt as if a huge weight was on her shoulders. Even when she first started and bluffed her way through her first solo as a wedding consultant, she hadn’t been this nervous.

  The limousine arrived carrying the bride. Behind her car was a succession of stretch limos carrying the twelve bridesmaids. Diana greeted the bridesmaids and ushered them into the rooms set up for them. Then she accompanied the bride. Jennifer truly looked wonderful. Her face had that bridal glow to it. Or was it that she was so in love with Bill that it was visible? For a moment Diana envied her. She wondered if she’d ever look like that when she thought of a man.

  Jennifer had a perfect day for her ceremony. Diana assumed all the numbers had clicked into place, and from this point on Jennifer’s life would be on the schedule she’d set up for herself.

  Diana could only hope her own life had a plan. She thought it did. Or it had. Until a few weeks ago when an innocent cup of coffee had thrown her world into chaos. Maybe she should have given up the offices and been done with any dealing with Scott. But fate wasn’t on her side. Fate had brought him to this wedding. Even if she had agreed to relocate, he would still be an honored guest at the head table. But they wouldn’t have stood before the altar. He wouldn’t ha
ve come to her apartment. And she wouldn’t continue to feel the tingle of his mouth on hers.

  “We’re ready,” Diana told the bridesmaids as she shook thoughts of Scott out of her mind. A hush settled over the women as if everyone was afraid of opening night. “Just do what we rehearsed. It’ll all be fine.”

  She looked at one particular bridesmaid, younger than the rest. Her color was paste-white. “Breathe,” Diana said. “And smile.” She gave the girl a smile, and after a second the girl returned it. Diana leaned close to her and whispered, “Even if you fall on your face, it won’t be a catastrophe. One of those hunky groomsmen will rush to your rescue.” The girl tried to hide her laugh behind her hand. Diana pulled it away and watched as she relaxed.

  One by one the bridesmaids floated down the aisle. Diana stood up from her crouching position as the ring bearer and flower girls took tentative steps down the long aisle. As Jennifer embraced her father’s arm and headed toward wedded bliss, Diana breathed a sigh of relief. It was almost over for her. So far she’d avoided making eye contact with Scott, although she’d felt his eyes on her several times. She knew he was looking at her by the heat that surged through her body and inched up her neck. Everyone else would think it was exertion and stress from making sure every detail was going as planned. Scott would know differently.

  “You may kiss the bride,” Diana heard the priest say. She couldn’t help remembering Scott’s kiss on her mouth. The church organ started to play, and the bride and groom rushed down the aisle as man and wife. Scott looked directly at her as he went by. Diana kept her eyes on Bill and Jennifer.

  As the bridal motorcade—that was the only name she could think to call it—arrived at the reception hall, Diana wanted to run and hide, but she couldn’t. She was in charge. From the second car, Scott was the first person to step out. He turned to help his female companion, and Diana ushered them toward the reception line. The assembly moved like a coordinated dance. Jennifer and Bill led the procession and took their assigned places in the reception line. Obligated to go in, Scott moved away from Diana, a bridesmaid on his arm. As he passed he whispered, “You can’t avoid me forever.”