Mess With Me

by Kylie Gilmore

  She sighed. She hadn’t seen or heard from Ethan since last Sunday morning when she’d headed out to Lauren’s bachelorette brunch. Six days ago. He wasn’t one of those guys who called or texted just because he missed her. Maybe he didn’t miss her at all. He got in touch only to schedule a time to meet up. When she saw him, he was great, tender and caring, but then when they were apart, which was most of the time, it was like he forgot about her. Absence might make the heart grow fonder, but it made her feel hurt and put aside. Like she was only a sometimes thing when it was convenient. She hated that her emotions were all tangled up. She’d been trying to do things differently this time, better.

  At the very least he could’ve checked in to see if she was pregnant. Not pregnant, thanks so much for your concern.

  Organ music began inside the church. Hailey, both maid-of-honor and the wedding planner, walked over and took Viv’s hand. The little girl had been bouncing all around the bride, wearing her special Princess Kei-Kei dress, a character from a beloved animated movie—pink satin with a pink tutu covered in a pattern of neon green elves. The neon green continued on large bows on her shoulders and waist. And, like any self-respecting princess, she wore a rhinestone tiara. She clutched the handle of a small basket of red rose petals in one hand. The princess fantasy started young.

  Hailey leaned down to Viv. “It’s time. You remember what to do? Walk slowly to your daddy and gently toss the petals.”

  Viv nodded vigorously, her tiara bouncing askew on her wavy light brown hair. Hailey fixed the tiara before opening the church door for her and gesturing for her to go.

  Viv hurried through the open door and into the aisle.

  They all gathered close, watching through the door that Hailey propped open with a small doorstop.

  Viv was doing beautifully, walking instead of running like she had at rehearsal last night, and tossing fistfuls of rose petals to her left at regular intervals. Everyone awwed and whispered because she was just so dang cute.

  Unfortunately, she ran out of petals halfway down the aisle and came to a dead stop, turning the basket upside down and shaking it.

  Alex Campbell, the groom and Viv’s daddy, gestured for her to blow kisses instead.

  Viv shook her head, turned and stomped back toward the bridal party still waiting their turn to go down the aisle, with a disgruntled expression on her face.

  The crowd tittered, craning their necks to see what she’d do next.

  Alex rubbed the back of his neck. The groomsmen were all grinning. Ethan wasn’t among them or she would’ve given him a good glare. Alex had had to limit the number of brothers in his lineup.

  Viv headed straight to Lauren, showing her the upside-down basket. “All gone!”

  Sweet Lauren pulled a red rose from her own bouquet, handing it to Viv. “This is a super special flower so you need to hold it carefully. Don’t throw this one, okay?”

  Viv stared at the rose in awe and tossed the basket behind her.

  Ally set the basket out of the way and pulled a white carnation from her own bouquet. “Here you go.”

  Everyone quickly followed suit. Viv’s eyes were wide as she clutched her very own bouquet of white and red flowers in both hands. Hailey appeared in a rush from a side door, holding a white satin ribbon that she used to quickly tie the flower stems together.

  “Go, flower girl,” Hailey said, lifting Viv and depositing her at the end of the aisle again.

  Viv walked jauntily down the aisle, holding her bouquet in front of her and beaming.

  A chorus of awws struck again.

  Viv almost made it down the aisle.

  Ally cringed. At this rate Lauren was never going to get her turn down the aisle. Just before Viv made it to the groom, she veered right, dropped the bouquet, and climbed into her grandfather’s lap.

  “Close enough,” Lauren announced. “Let’s roll.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Ally stood in the ballroom of Ludbury House, a sprawling two-and-a-half-story white clapboard mansion with white columns and a beautiful wraparound porch just across the street from the church, for the reception. Like all of historic Ludbury House, the ballroom was spectacular, lit with an elaborate gold and crystal chandelier in the center of the room over a hardwood dance floor. Round tables with white tablecloths and colorful floral centerpieces surrounded the dance floor, and tall white candles glowed on long tables on the far side of the room, where appetizers and drinks waited. Ally had seen Ethan filing in with the guys and had gotten a smile and a raised hand of acknowledgment from across the room, but nothing more.

  Hailey sailed by. “We’re getting ready for the bride and groom’s special dance. Then everyone from the bridal party.”

  Ally was paired up across the aisle with Ben Wright. He caught her eye and winked at her. She gave him a thumbs-up. That one had trouble written all over him. He was a flirt with a mischievous twinkly look in his eyes and a dimpled smile he used liberally. She imagined he left a string of broken hearts wherever he went.

  The music started and the DJ announced the first dance of the bride and groom. Lauren and Alex moved perfectly together. Lauren was tall and graceful, Alex a smooth and confident lead. The bridal party was big, though it could’ve been huge if Hailey hadn’t stepped in as wedding planner and explained the logistical difficulty of getting all of Lauren’s friends and Alex’s brothers up at the altar. They ended up with Hailey and Lauren’s sister, Anne, both as maid of honor, and Carrie, Ally, Mad, and Claire as bridesmaids. Of course, with movie star Claire in attendance, the curtains had to be closed in the ballroom and a full security detail on guard both inside and out to keep away paparazzi. In any case, the large bridal party was mostly to match up with Alex’s groomsmen, his biological brothers, best man Josh, then Jake, Ty, Logan, and the two honorary brothers closest to his age, Park and Ben. The couples were partnered up across the aisle—Claire and Jake, Mad and Park—the rest of them paired randomly. Josh and Hailey did not pair up. That was definitely not random.

  Her gaze drifted, seeking out Ethan again in his dark gray suit. She spotted him standing in the far corner of the room, holding a beer and talking to Zach. Their eyes met across the room. He said something to Zach and headed straight for her.

  “Hi,” he said warmly when he reached her side. “You look gorgeous.” She glanced down at her lavender halter-style full-length dress. Not the most flattering style for her—being petite, it sort of swallowed up her body.

  “Thanks, you too.” He looked unbelievably handsome in a suit. Her mind flashed to their impromptu hookup the last time he’d worn a suit. So hot neither of them had thought of protection. She went up on tiptoe to whisper in his ear, “I’m not pregnant.”

  “I know,” he said casually. “You told me it wouldn’t happen.”

  “I thought I might hear from you.”

  “I knew I’d see you here.”

  She clenched her teeth, irritated with his casual attitude about what could’ve been a big deal.

  “Was I supposed to call?” he asked.

  “It’s fine.”

  “Sorry. I thought you said it was okay, so—”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  He fingered the tendril of hair that had been left down in her updo and spoke low near her ear. “I know enough to know that ‘fine’ and ‘don’t worry about it’ means I screwed up. I might not always get it right, but I’ll try.”

  She nodded, hating that she was so peeved, wishing for once she could be as laid-back and cool as men always were with her.

  He tipped her chin up and kissed her. “You dancing with Ben?”

  “Yeah. He’s my match across the aisle.”

  “Who you dancing with after him?”

  “Depends who asks.”

  He snaked an arm around her waist. “You’re dancing with me.”

  She rested her hand on his chest, breathing in his clean woodsy scent, relaxing again. “I didn’t hear you asking.”

  He leaned d
own to her ear. “Dance with me.”

  “Didn’t hear a question mark in there.”

  He smiled one of his devastatingly handsome smiles. “Can you hear question marks?”

  “Sure. Do you want to dance?” She lifted her voice at the end to show him.

  “I’d love to.”

  “Hey! You tricked me into asking you.”

  He grinned and kissed her.

  “Stop moving in on my dance partner, you horndog,” Ben said, elbowing Ethan out of the way.

  Ethan narrowed his eyes.

  “I’ve got all the embarrassing stories on this guy.” Ben grinned at Ally, his blue eyes twinkling mischievously. He bent his arm, offering it to her. “Hailey says we’re supposed to join in now.”

  She took his arm and he led her onto the dance floor, where the rest of the bridal party was slowly gathering around Alex and Lauren. The photographer was circling them, taking pictures of all the pairings. She and Ben paused to smile for the camera.

  “So you and Ethan, huh?” Ben asked, leading her in a waltz with enough space between them for polite manners.

  “Nothing serious,” Ally said. She was pretty sure Ethan wasn’t serious. Otherwise, wouldn’t he want to be in touch with her when they were apart? Didn’t he think about her at all?

  “You sure about that?” Ben asked.

  “Uh, yeah. I think I would know.”

  “He’s watching us like a hawk.”

  “He’s just doing his cop thing, checking out the room.”

  “He’s checking you out.”

  “He is not.” She peeked over her shoulder. Ethan appeared to be looking at something in the distance. She turned back to Ben, who must’ve been teasing. “Ethan told me you and Logan are doing fantastic in your business.”

  “Yeah, business is good for Checkin. We’re looking into getting some investors to expand even more.”

  “Why don’t you just ask Jake for the investment?” Jake Campbell was rolling in it. He was already a wealthy tech CEO in his own right, and then he married Claire, who was wealthy on her own.

  Ben grimaced. “Ever hear don’t take money from family?”

  “Yeah, but it’s Jake.” She wiggled her fingers at Jake, who smiled and turned so Claire could see her. Claire held up a finger to Ally and mouthed, “Hold on.”

  “Exactly,” Ben said. “He’s like a brother to me and I don’t want to muck things up with money.”

  A few moments later, Claire and Jake were dancing next to them. “Ally, great news!” Claire exclaimed. “Misty Davies needs a second assistant.”

  Ally’s stomach flipped. “Seriously?” Misty Davies was America’s leading funny lady. Ally had always thought if they ever met, they’d immediately be best friends.

  Claire smiled brightly. “Really! You interested? I’ll text you her private number.”

  “Omigod! I can’t believe this.” She dropped her hold on Ben and shifted over to Claire, who was still slowly swaying with Jake. “Would it be in LA? What would I do?”

  “You’d move with her wherever. She has a house in LA, but she spends most of her downtime at her house in Maui.”

  “Maui! I’ve never been to Hawaii!”

  Claire smiled. “I know for sure she’s heading to Rome next August for a remake of Roman Holiday.”

  “Rome,” Ally said in awe.

  “She really is a sweetheart,” Claire said. “I think you’d get along with her great. She treats her staff like friends, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have to work hard. She’s got a killer publicity machine going at all times, plus security is a must. You have to scout out every location before she arrives and coordinate with the rest of her staff. You’d be working with bodyguards, publicists, manager, agent, movie directors, producers, and press. Her personal makeup artist and hairdresser travel with her, along with her assistant, Hannah, and her two little Maltese doggies. You’d basically be joining the Misty entourage. Hannah is so overwhelmed she asked for an assistant. That’s where you come in.”

  “Wow.” She felt light-headed over this incredible opportunity.

  The song ended and Claire gave her a hug. “Sleep on it, okay?”

  “I love Misty. I feel like we could be best friends.”

  “Don’t confuse the woman with the role. This will be more like looking behind the curtain. She’s not going to be ‘on’ all the time. She’s human.”

  “Thanks so much! I’ll sleep on it, promise.” Ally walked off the dance floor in a daze, her elation fading as she caught Ethan’s eye from across the room. She didn’t want to say goodbye to him. Maybe he could go with her and be a security guard for Misty. Or maybe she had a hard decision to make.

  She halted in her tracks. Ethan strode confidently toward her, his expression serious, his naturally tough demeanor bringing an air of authority. Except she knew him differently, knew he took care with her, even if it was in a gruff way. His intense gaze was locked on her, and the closer he got to her, the more her body reacted, her skin flushing with heat, her pulse thrumming faster, her mouth dry.

  He stopped in front of her abruptly. “What happened? You look shell-shocked.”

  She blinked up at him. “Claire just offered me the most amazing opportunity. She says Misty Davies—you know who that is, right?”

  “Yeah, everyone knows her.”

  “Well, her assistant needs an assistant. Claire recommended me. I could be part of the Misty entourage, traveling to LA, Maui, Rome, and who knows where else. I can hardly believe it.”

  Ethan frowned. “You want to be an assistant to an assistant to a movie star?”

  “It’s Rome! I’ve never been to Rome. Even better, I’ll get to see movie sets, all the exclusive areas that only movie stars can go like VIP rooms of clubs, private rooms of restaurants, penthouse suites. This is the glam exciting opportunity I was hoping for.”

  He took her hand. “Come on, let’s talk somewhere private.”

  She swallowed hard and followed him out of the ballroom. If Ethan wanted to have a serious talk, if he told her that he loved her, she’d stay. She knew she would. Love was a precious fragile thing and she didn’t ever take it for granted when it happened. But if he didn’t love her, if he just liked her a lot and enjoyed their weekend hookups, well, then, she’d have to say goodbye.

  He led her to an empty parlor, where they sat in two red velvet cushioned chairs. He shifted to face her. “I know movie star stuff sounds exciting, but it’s work.”

  “You don’t understand. For Hollywood, work and fun are mixed together.”

  He let out a long breath. “I guess.”

  “You don’t approve.”

  He hesitated before saying, “Is this what would make you happy? Is this your true purpose?”

  “It’s an adventure. Maybe you could come with me? Like as part of her security detail?”

  He shook his head. “I didn’t become a cop to follow around some actress. And I’ve put in a lot of years with Eastman PD. I’m not that far from retiring with a full pension.”

  “Retiring? You’re not that old.”

  “Cops can retire after putting in twenty years.” His gaze was intense. “Besides, everything I need is right here.”

  “Do you not want me to take the job?” She held her breath. Now she’d know where she really stood with him.

  He clenched his jaw before saying in a low voice, “I’d never stand in your way, Ally. I want you to be happy.”

  Her heart sank. Why had she hoped for a declaration of love? Why did she get her hopes up like this every time? She always read too much into her relationships.

  “Claire told me to sleep on it,” Ally said. “So I will, but Misty needs someone right away.”

  “For how long?”

  “I don’t know.”

  They were quiet for a few moments. She took in his serious expression and gave it one last try because she had to be sure about him before she made her decision.

  She leaned close. “Eth,�
� she whispered, “how do you really feel about us? About me.”

  “I like you.” He nodded once. “A lot. I like you a lot.”

  “I love you,” she blurted.

  He jerked straight up in his seat and stared at her like she’d grown a third head. Maybe he was in shock. Maybe she’d held back so much before that he hadn’t realized how much he meant to her.

  “I love you, Ethan,” she said again through the tightness in her throat.

  Still no response.

  Because he didn’t feel the same way.

  She stood on shaky legs, her heart sinking to the pit of her stomach. “Okay. I’m going to go now.”

  He remained still and silent.

  She headed back toward the ballroom, needing the comfort of her friends, nausea rising in her throat. Ethan was just like every other guy she’d gotten involved with; they never cared about her as much as she cared about them. Or maybe they were all just closed off, emotionally stunted. What did that say about her that she seemed to find this kind of guy?

  She took one step into the ballroom, took in all the happy couples, and made a beeline for the ladies’ room, where she promptly threw up.

  So much for single me, happy me. Nothing with men had ever been easy for her.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Ethan punched the living room wall and then shook his sore knuckles. Dammit. Ally had just texted that she took the stupid movie star assistant opportunity. The woman was true to her word. She said she’d sleep on it and literally the very next day she made her decision. She was hoping to leave in two weeks. He should’ve told her he loved her, but he’d choked. He couldn’t get the words out. Why couldn’t he say it? His whole life he’d been waiting for someone to say it to him, she finally did, and he’d gone numb. Something in him just shut down. What the hell was wrong with him?