by Jeannie Moon
“I haven’t seen Luca in forever. I barely talk to him. Even when I was in California and he was working in Seattle… I mean, we were on the same coast, you would think we could find time to hang out. But he’s always so busy.” Her brother was a high-powered divorce lawyer who had started with a practice in Seattle, but was now a partner with one in Chicago. Closer to Long Island, but still far enough away that he didn’t have to spend any time here. She never understood why he avoided it. He was the golden boy, the star athlete, the perfect student, and he never gave her parents trouble. Until he left and started ignoring them.
“I haven’t heard from him in a while,” Jack said. “We used to catch up if we were ever in the same city, but that hasn’t worked out the past few times. It must drive your mother crazy.”
Lilly thought about it. “Not crazy; she’s hurt. Neither she nor my dad can figure out why there is such a rift.”
She knew Jack didn’t understand. Even when Adam, his former pro football playing brother, was at his worst, the family was tight. She envied the Millers. Even a crisis didn’t cause a rift; they handled it as a team. She was beginning to feel like that was the exception rather than the rule.
Jack nodded politely to the busboy who came by to clear his plate. “That’s not right. If I see him, you want me to kick his ass?”
Lilly laughed. “Only if I can watch.” Pushing her plate away, her appetite was gone. “I can’t eat any more. If I do, I’m going to need a nap, and Maddie will not be happy with me.”
Lilly expected a chuckle for the comment, but instead his eyes were focused on hers, steady and intense. It was enough to make her stomach roll with nerves. What was he thinking?
“You’re going to look beautiful, I’m sure. And if Maddie is the magician you say she is, she’ll make sure it fits.”
It was a simple statement, nothing untoward about his compliment, but Lilly’s heart thudded like a bass drum. Lord, she was pathetic. Even now, as a grown woman, a compliment from this man sent her poor sad, little heart into overdrive. Pffft.
When would she learn?
When the check was dropped on the table, she reached for it, but Jack was quicker.
“I got it,” he said.
“No, tell me what I owe.”
Opening the red folder with the Rinaldi’s logo emblazoned on the outside, he examined the check. “Look at that. It’s free.”
“Jack…”
“Fine, leave the tip. But I’m buying lunch.” He tucked some cash in the folder and smiled at her. So damn smug.
Lilly dug in her purse and pulled out some bills, leaving them on the table. “I can pay my own way.”
“I know you can, but I wanted to. You ready?”
Lilly didn’t have it in her to fight, probably a symptom of onion ring overdose. And to be honest, there was something chivalrous and kind about him wanting to take her out to lunch. It was gallant and charming. Anyone casually glancing their way would think they were a couple. It was a lovely thought, and crazy. Completely crazy, and one she’d chased out of her head earlier in the day, but she couldn’t help it. There was something comforting about being with him. Something very real. Personal.
As they left Rinaldi’s, Lilly took a look over her shoulder and saw Kat Barnes glaring at her. She wasn’t the type to gloat, but at that minute, Lilly was walking out of the café with what Kat wanted. There was satisfaction in that, even though Jack was nothing more than a friend.
That’s right. Keep saying it, she thought to herself. He’s just a friend.
*
The Bridal Shop on Main was just about a year old, and her friend Maddie was on the phone with a vendor when she and Jack walked into the shop. Maddie saw them from her cream and gold desk and raised a finger, letting them know she’d be with them in a second.
Jack turned in a slow circle while they waited. “I feel like I fell into a can of frosting. Holy hell.”
The room was filled with the most beautiful dresses Lilly had ever seen. Yards of tulle and lace filled the space. There were dresses made of silk, delicate chiffon, and sheer organza. Colors were soft and feminine, and the lines of the dresses were subtle and sexy. Nothing was overt or pushy. A woman in a Madeline King design would wear the dress, the dress wouldn’t wear her.
“It’s amazing. She’s been open less than a year, and already she has brides coming from all over the east coast for one of her dresses.”
Jack took a sample gown off a hook on the wall and held it up to himself. “What do you think?” He moved side to side and the skirt swished around in front of him. “Is it me?”
“I like the style, but I’d recommend a soft mocha blush for the color. You have a very ruddy complexion. The white washes you out.” Maddie stepped forward and stuck out her hand to a very embarrassed Jack. “I’m Maddie King. You must be Jack Miller.”
Hanging the dress back on the hook, Jack took her hand and flashed that killer smile in Maddie’s direction. He didn’t know his charm wouldn’t affect her. At all.
Maddie was a gorgeous woman. She was at least five-ten, slender, and her curly hair was piled on her head in a massive mess of a bun. Nothing was going to hold all her hair in place, so long ringlets slipped around her face and neck. Her coal black eyes seemed to hold the secrets of the universe, and her deep brown complexion was flawless and glossy. Maddie was a stunner. Based on the look crossing his face, Jack agreed. It took him a second to form a sentence, but he finally found his words. “Yes. I am.”
“I’m glad you’re here. We need to fit your wedding suit.” Walking around and surveying his body up and down, Maddie said, “You’re smaller than I expected. I mean, compared to Adam.”
Jack’s eyebrows shot up.
Lilly covered her mouth so she wouldn’t laugh. At six-one, Jack was hardly small. But yes, compared to Adam, who was around six-four, he might seem, well, short.
“I’m in better shape,” Jack said. “He’s gotten soft since he stopped playing ball.”
Maddie rolled her eyes behind his back, and Lilly walked away so he wouldn’t see her giggle.
“Let me get your suit and we can get you fitted. Lilly, I also want to check your dress. It’s on the hook by the dressing room. Go put it on.”
“You did my fitting.”
“And I know how you eat when you’re stressed. Let’s head off a wedding day disaster, shall we?”
Lilly thought about the burger that was lying in her stomach, and there were the pastries she had this morning… the dress might still fit, but probably not. She was planning on a week of protein shakes before the wedding to make sure there would be no disasters. Now she’d been caught.
Trudging into the dressing room, she slowly peeled off her clothes and looked at herself in the full-length mirror. She’d definitely put on weight since she’d come home from California. It was her profile that shocked her most, the small belly bulge and the puckers in her thighs were so different than the toned body she worked for when she was walking down the red carpet with her movie star boyfriend.
Everything was different in Compass Cove. Not only was the pace easier, the people were softer, and she’d gotten that way too. Try as she might, there was no keeping her edge when she was here. Which was why she’d visited less and less while she lived in California. She believed she needed her edge to survive in Hollywood. The irony was her toughness—the thing that had pushed her away from so many people—failed to protect her.
The dress, which was a blush pink dupioni silk, flattered her figure with its bateau neckline, full skirt, and knee length silhouette. Lilly loved the dress, and that she might have messed up Maddie’s good work with her stress eating didn’t help how out of control she was feeling.
It was new for Lilly. Even when she was a teenager, she prided herself on not losing control of her emotions. Since she’d found out Gio was in town, she was a ball of nerves. And unfair as it was, Jack was getting on every one of them.
For the life of her, she didn
’t know why, or what it meant.
Reaching around her back, Lilly fingered the zipper, but couldn’t get to it. “Damn.” With her arm flipped around her back, she tried again, to no avail. “Maddie,” she called. “I need you to zip me up.”
Lilly got no help and no answer from Maddie. “Ugh. Why did I have to be short?”
Right then, there was a gentle tap before the door opened, but instead of Maddie, Jack stepped in, gorgeous in his navy blue suit. The man was born to dress up. He said nothing, and neither did she as he stepped behind her and worked the zipper up her back. It didn’t glide up easily. No, he had to stop at one point, allowing Lilly time to suck in her breath. The dress closed, but it was a bit snug.
Their eyes met in the mirror, and something in Jack’s expression caused a flicker of awareness low in Lilly’s belly. It was a good thing her dress was making it impossible to breathe, because Jack was taking all the air.
“You look…” He stepped back and drew a long, labored breath. “You look beautiful, Lilliana.”
Holy shit. She was dead. No one called her Lilliana, and hearing it come from him, so low and personal, was like magic and torture rolled into one. They stood there, staring at each other in the mirror, frozen for way longer than was comfortable. For a second, the flash in his eyes, the mischief, reminded her of the boy she fell for all those years ago.
“Um. Thank you,” she finally croaked. “It’s tight. I have to lose ten pounds before the wedding.”
“Nah.” He surveyed her in the mirror. “You look perfect to me. The dress suits you.”
“I’m chunky. I was never like this.”
“Chunky?” The look on his face was shock. And there might have been a little anger. Not what Lilly expected. “Knock it off. You look fine.”
Lilly couldn’t take the way his eyes were focused on her, so she pulled a quick maneuver around him to get away from his heat. It was crazy how attracted she was, even after all this time. Walking into the main salon, she found her friend waiting with a critical eye.
Maddie didn’t hesitate. With skilled hands, she pinched the sides of the dress and examined the back. “Okay. I’m going to let this out a bit. We have room.”
“No, I’ll lose ten pounds. I don’t need to eat for the next two weeks. It’s overrated.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re fine the way you are. The alterations will make it more comfortable.”
“I agree,” Jack said. He was leaning into the doorframe by the dressing room, forcing the temperature up ten degrees. God, the man was hot. “You can’t starve yourself.”
“Watch me. I’ll go on a juice fast. Five days, and you’ll have to take the dress in.”
Maddie rolled her eyes, but it was Jack who moved in, taking her shoulders with the softest touch and bringing his eyes level with hers. “You are perfect the way you are. You don’t need to do some crazy fast for the next week to fit into a dress.”
He didn’t waver or flinch, his blue eyes staying locked on hers. There was something so visceral about this moment. “I… um…”
His mouth ticked into a grin, and her knees went absolutely weak. Lilly had lost all her words. She stuttered and stammered, unable to form a thought.
“Did I just render you speechless? I think that’s a first.” His eyes danced with amusement; he thought he was being charming. And clever. And he was. He was both those things, but Lilly was also pissed off.
“You’re such an ass.”
“For saying you’re perfect?”
“Yes,” Lilly snapped. “That.”
Jack raised an eyebrow and squinted his annoyance. “You’re also nuts. Is that better?”
Lilly nodded. “Uh huh. Yep. And you’d do well to remember that.” Spinning on her heel, Lilly headed back to the dressing room.
“You need a hand with your dress?” Jack’s voice trailed behind her like the challenge that it was.
“No. I don’t!” Slamming the door so there would be no doubt about how she felt, Lilly fumed as she stood in front of the mirror. But she wasn’t just mad at Jack; she was mad at herself for letting him get to her to the point she lost her temper. It was his game, and even though their relationship was purely platonic, she wasn’t going to let any man have the upper hand again.
“Lilly,” he called through the door. “Don’t be such a baby.”
A baby? She whipped the door open, and as she stared him down, she could feel the heat rising in her face. “Excuse me? Do you want to rephrase that, Jack?”
Rolling his eyes, Jack glared at her. Not that she cared. He could be as annoyed as he liked. He was the one who’d volunteered to spend time with her. No one asked him.
“I’m sorry. Do you need any help?”
Maddie pushed in front of him. “I got it. You go take off your suit. Leave it in the dressing room and I’ll have it ready for you next week.”
“But…”
“I’ve got it,” Maddie reiterated. Lilly smiled, knowing Jack was no match for her friend. FBI agent he may be, but Maddie had wrangled with the most difficult Hollywood actresses. They were much tougher customers.
It was his turn to stalk off, angry and annoyed.
Maddie gave her a light shove between the shoulder blades and closed the door behind them. “Do you want to tell me what that was all about?”
“What?” Lilly looked at herself in the mirror, smoothing the dress over her midsection. She had no intention of answering Maddie’s question.
“What? Are you kidding? The sparks were flying between you two. I was afraid you were going to set the shop on fire.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. He’s a pain in my ass.”
Now Maddie was rolling her eyes. What was with people today? So much attitude.
“Right. You like him.”
“I tolerate him.”
“Honey, I was not born yesterday. Trust me. There’s stuff between you and Mr. FBI.”
Lilly didn’t want to think about Jack or any of the “stuff” Maddie was referring to. There might have been stuff in the past, but not anymore. Not. Any. More. “Do you want to get me out of this dress?”
“Are you really going to try and lose ten pounds? I mean, I get where you’re going, but you might not lose it in the right spot.”
Lilly sighed and locked eyes with her friend in the mirror as she stood behind her. Why couldn’t she be tall and willowy like Jordan, or petite, like Jack’s sister, Natalie? “You’re right. Are you sure it won’t be a problem to let it out?”
“None at all. And if you do manage to lose a few pounds, I can alter it the day before. But you really don’t need to. You have an adorable shape.”
Lilly exhaled as Maddie unzipped the dress and held it while she stepped out. Weddings were so complicated—everyone depended on everyone else. Lilly didn’t know why people went through the trouble. But maybe all that dependency was part of the idea. Families—lives—would always be complicated. Weddings were just good preparation.
Granted, she’d been annoyed when Nick and Jordan got married without telling anyone, but she could see the sanity of the decision. And they were so happy—she couldn’t begrudge her friend happiness.
It was barely a year ago that Jordan had called off her wedding to Chase the snake—jilted, alone, and vowing to give up on the romantic fantasy. Lilly couldn’t believe the difference. Now Jordan was married and expecting a baby. Life sure moved fast.
Once Maddie left the dressing room, Lilly sat on the pretty upholstered bench and took a few minutes to collect her thoughts. If only her own life could flip around. But the difference was clear: regardless of the bad things that had happened, Jordan, and Mia for that matter, both had open hearts. They’d allowed themselves to trust again.
Lilly didn’t know if she would ever be able to do that.
Pulling the knit dress over her head, she stood to face the rest of the day. That included Jack, and the supposed ‘stuff’ that Maddie brought up. He confused her, but glancing at
her reflection in the mirror, she had to admit, she confused herself.
But she couldn’t hide. There was too much hiding going on, and Lilly didn’t plan on letting fear overrun her daily life. Not again.
With a quick movement, she shook out her hair and grabbed her purse. Once she was in the main salon, she faced Jack. “Are you ready?”
“You’re not going to tell me to get lost?” His grin was sheepish, amiable, but there was a little caution in his voice. Good.
Lilly smiled and patted his arm. “Not today.”
Chapter Ten
An hour later, with her fitting at the bridal shop forgotten, Jack watched Lilly polish off a waffle cone filled with frozen custard. It was the perfect weather for it, and he loved seeing a woman enjoy her food. Of course, every time she licked her lips, his dick twitched in response. If he didn’t know better, he’d think she was doing it on purpose.
“So, have you given up on the crash diet idea?”
When she took a long lick of the chocolate sauce that was stuck to the side of the cone, Jack damn near died. Lilly simply nodded.
“It was a dumb idea. You were right.”
Angels sang. Did he hear her correctly? “Excuse me? What was that?”
“You and Maddie are right. It’s not a good idea. I have to be sensible.”
The words were reasonable, but there was something behind the admission that bothered him. “You know, I meant what I said. You look fine. Great, even. I don’t think you need to go on any diet.”
“I don’t know. I’ve gained about twenty pounds since I came back from California. I’m not at my fighting weight, that’s for sure.”
Her word choice was ironic, and it sent a chill right through him. He remembered the pictures he’d seen of her when she was dating the douchebag—he always thought she looked too thin. He’d never say that to her. She’d obviously done what she wanted, but the Lilly he’d known never looked gaunt like the girl on the red carpet.
He liked the way she looked now. He just wished she could see herself the way everyone else did.
*
“What’s going on in that head of yours?” Her eyes were trained in his direction, and Jack debated if he should tell her the truth or keep his mouth shut.
