Love on Beach Avenue

by Probst, Jennifer

  She knew she was being unprofessional, but he was trying to sabotage her choices on purpose. He just wanted to win. “You don’t care about flowers and cake and all this other stuff—I know you don’t.”

  “I care about a lot of things you don’t give me credit for,” he growled, leaning in.

  She sucked in a breath at the naked gleam of want in his eyes, and suddenly her body was on full alert. The room shimmered with raw energy.

  “How come you never returned my texts?”

  “There was no reason.”

  “Oh, there were plenty of reasons. You just took the coward’s way out.”

  “I don’t want to talk about the kiss!”

  His expression practically seethed with hunger and heat. “Neither do I. I just want to do it again.”

  Her mouth fell open.

  Devon sashayed back into the room with a small bouquet. “Here we go! Here’s the lisianthus, and these are some other flowers we can pair them with. What do you think?”

  Avery stayed silent as Carter studied the flowers with an intense scrutiny. His features slowly softened, and in that moment, she imagined him picturing his sister walking down the aisle for the first time.

  “I love it,” he said.

  “Oh, good.”

  “But there was this other flower I thought might work better for Ally. It’s called a vanda—have you ever heard of it? I have a pic on my phone.” He whipped out his cell and handed it to her. “Scroll through. I found these on Pinterest.”

  Devon promptly shot him an excited look. “I adore the vanda, but it’s extremely expensive and hard to get.”

  Avery wondered how this man had once again ended up hijacking the appointment. “What’s a vanda?”

  “It’s an exotic orchid. Highly unusual but powerful. Gorgeous scent. Here.” Devon angled the phone toward her. Of course, the flower was the same vivid purple, but it had a lush sensuality that the lisianthus didn’t.

  “It’s quite beautiful, but I’m sure it would be impossible to get on such late notice,” Avery said.

  “Definitely difficult but not impossible.” Devon’s face lit up with excitement. “I’d love to arrange a bouquet with vanda. Maybe some Pittosporum greenery to encase the orchards?”

  “Yes. Or even stephanotis?” Carter suggested.

  Devon’s green eyes sparkled. “And we wrap it around and let it trail to the ground! Definitely some parrot tulips.” She grabbed a pencil and began sketching out the bouquet on her pad.

  He nodded. “Maybe some striped roses?”

  The pencil scratched madly over the paper. “I’ll use a silver bow and construct the shape like a horn to accent the flow.”

  “I love it!” he declared, and Devon squealed.

  Avery had never seen the florist get so excited over an appointment. And she’d never been ignored to this extent before.

  “This is brilliant, Carter. It’s so nice to talk with a client who knows his flowers.”

  Oh. My. God.

  Caught in a nightmare, Avery watched as Carter smiled with pure charm and tipped his head. “Thank you. It’s wonderful to work with a florist who listens and isn’t afraid to change her vision.”

  Avery winced at the direct hit. Her hands clenched into fists, and she counted slowly to ten so she wouldn’t reach across and try to strangle him. After a few minutes of them exchanging praise for each other, she jumped in. “I’m glad we came to a decision,” she said with a tight smile. “Why don’t we send Ally all of our choices and have her confirm?”

  “And let her choose between the centerpieces,” Carter reminded her.

  Avery refused to look at him as she gathered up their final picks and texted pictures of them to Ally.

  Devon and Carter launched into a deep discussion on the ceremony flowers for the beach, and she agreed with the decision for a floral archway and tall baskets for accent. By the time the appointment ended, Carter and Devon were chatting like old friends, and even made arrangements to meet for drinks later that week for fun. If Avery didn’t know the florist was in love with her current partner, Lily, she would’ve thought the woman was trying to hook up with him.

  They walked out into scorching heat. Immediately, her wraparound jersey dress stuck to her, and she felt strands of hair pop out and escape the tight clip.

  “Well, that was fun,” he said. “Want to grab lunch?”

  She stared at him. “No.”

  “Dinner?”

  “No.”

  “Avery, I think we need to—”

  Her phone shrieked. She glanced down. “It’s Ally.” Without pause, she answered the call and put it on speaker. “Hey, sweets, how are you? How’s Jason’s mom?”

  Her friend’s voice sounded tired. “Doing much better. We’ll get her to walk down the aisle just in time. I got all your goodies from the bakery and the texts with the flowers. Do you have time to go over everything?”

  “Yes, of course. Your brother’s here with me.”

  “Perfect! Hi, Carter. How’s your beach vacay?”

  He grinned. “Good, but we miss you, Ally-Cat. I hope you’re not stressing about anything. Avery has it under complete control. She’s been amazing.”

  Avery blinked, staring at him, but he’d sounded sincere. Probably just trying to be nice to his sister.

  “I told you she was the best,” Ally said.

  “She is,” he answered. “Listen, we’re standing outside the florist, and it’s a hundred degrees. Why don’t you stay on the phone while we walk over to McGlades for lunch and some cold lemonade? Avery needs a break after that long appointment. Then we can go over all the details.”

  Avery sputtered. “No, I don’t. I need—”

  “That’s a great idea! Get the shrimp salad on a croissant, Carter. It’s my favorite.”

  “I will.” He scooped Lucy out of her carrier, hooked on a pink leash, and set her on the ground. “Avery, you lead the way.”

  She was going to murder him.

  She looked like she wanted to kill him.

  He kept up a steady stream of nonsense chatter with his sister to keep Avery distracted, and settled in at the restaurant. Situated with a beautiful view of the beach, McGlades boasted fresh sandwiches and salads, fruit, and tart, sweet lemonade that he was beginning to crave on a daily basis. It was quiet, but busy enough to be able to hold a conversation on the phone while they had lunch. Too bad the woman by his side looked like she’d rather be anywhere than with him.

  Maybe his plan had backfired.

  He hadn’t meant to act like an arrogant ass at the florist. He’d been looking to impress her with his knowledge, but the woman was competitive as hell. Her need to dismiss him only spurred his need to prove her wrong. Of course, she didn’t know that before every vendor meeting, he called his sister and went over each detail. He gave suggestions, Ally tweaked them, and they sent pics back and forth.

  Was that considered cheating?

  Maybe.

  Avery impressed him more every day. He’d had no idea how many choices went into a wedding day. Each pick was both thoughtful of the bride and groom, price, vendors’ capabilities, and her obvious need to please everyone involved. She had a vast knowledge on all subjects, and each vendor’s respect had seemed well earned. Tricking her into lunch seemed the only way to gain some private time with her. There was one thing he wanted with Avery Sunshine.

  More.

  More time. More conversation. More kissing.

  He switched his focus back to the phone conversation. His sister was speaking. “I can’t believe everything is coming together so fast! We’re down to only a month now—it’s crazy.”

  “Wedding planning usually goes faster than imagined,” Avery said with a smile. “Did you make any final decisions on the items we sent?”

  “Yes, I tasted the cake samples with Jason. It was such a hard decision because they were all amazing, but we decided on the carrot cake.”

  He caught Avery wince. “That�
��s great. Um, I’m surprised, though. I didn’t think you liked carrots.”

  Carter raised a brow at the obvious challenge, but also admired her for the subtle hit. The woman did not surrender easily. “I know! But I never had carrot cake before—I always avoided it because it sounded like a health thing. The moment I tasted it, with the hint of bourbon and the cream-cheese frosting, I thought I’d died and shot to cake heaven. You’re brilliant, Avery. I never would’ve imagined sending me something so risky.”

  Carter pressed his lips together to keep from laughing.

  Avery shot him a glare, huffing a bit, but kept her tone chirpy like the excellent planner she was. “To be honest, that was your brother’s choice.”

  “Big brother always knows best, huh?” Ally teased.

  “Something like that,” he said, trying to keep the triumph from his voice so he wouldn’t piss off Avery any further. Still, it felt good he’d been right. He liked pleasing his sister. “So the cake’s done. We’ve also been back and forth on your bachelorette party. I know you told Avery you wanted something low key and relaxing, like the spa, but I think this is an important time for you to get out and party. Have some fun with the girls. I say let’s nix the spa and head to Atlantic City.”

  Avery chimed in. “There’s a bunch of restaurants and clubs we can hit if you want to dance and drink a bit. We certainly don’t have to go to AC.”

  “But I think we should,” he added.

  A pause hummed over the line. “I never would’ve thought of AC as an option,” Ally said slowly. “Figured we’d just stay in Cape May and keep it low key, but maybe you’re right, Carter. Maybe we should take the opportunity to party. God knows it’s been forever since I had a real girls’ night out.”

  “Exactly,” he said.

  Avery tilted her chin up and gave him a steely stare. Why did he find her annoyance with him so damn sexy? Was it the challenge to see if he could take all the prickly fire and turn it into pleasure? Since their kiss, he’d thought of nothing else.

  “It’s up to you,” Avery said through gritted teeth. “But I still think the ladies may prefer a relaxing evening before the wedding. Get pampered. I’m sure Carter doesn’t want to pressure you.”

  “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but let’s do it. Let’s party in AC and make it a night to remember.”

  “Good choice,” he said. The waitress came by and set their plates on the table. “Ally-Cat, our lunch just got here. Anything else you decided on?”

  “I flipped through the floral options and think the bouquets are to die for. And the centerpieces were so different—I loved having a choice.”

  “Which one do you prefer?” Avery asked.

  Carter leaned in.

  “Definitely the tall. It’s unique, and I think it makes a stronger impression.”

  “I thought so, too,” Avery said with triumph. “Good choice.”

  “Thanks, guys. I cannot believe you’ve been working so hard together for me. I owe you big-time.”

  Avery lifted her gaze and locked with his. Electricity rippled through the air, ramping up a sweet sort of tension he was beginning to get used to around her. Even look forward to. She shifted in her seat, and he could practically feel the imprint of her lips over his, the taste of clover and honey coating his tongue. Her cheeks reddened, and a satisfaction surged through him. Good. She was just as aware of him and their connection. He bet she couldn’t get the kiss off her mind, either.

  “No worries, that’s what I’m here for,” Avery said. “After all, it’s my job.” Her emphasis on the last word flicked at him in warning. “I’ll take care of all this. Let me know if anything else comes up. The final proof for the favors should be in this week, and I’ll shoot them out to you ASAP.”

  They exchanged love and goodbyes, and Avery clicked off.

  “I think that went well,” he said.

  She shot him a look and concentrated on her plate. For the next few minutes, she ate in silence. He decided not to push and gave her space to settle. He broke off pieces of bread to feed to Lucy, who ate with an aristocratic grace and calm that allowed him to take her everywhere.

  “I’m sure you’re quite satisfied with yourself,” she finally said. She nibbled on a watermelon slice, the rest of her plate clean. “I guess you won.”

  He forked up a bite of potato salad. “I’m satisfied Ally’s happy with our choices. Don’t you think we both won?”

  She narrowed her gaze. “You know what I mean. This little competition between us? You scored on the cake and the bachelorette party.”

  “And you successfully picked the centerpieces and the rehearsal dinner. I’d say we’re even.”

  She shook her head. “No, I booked the rehearsal dinner without you knowing. Plus, you found her dress. Maybe you’re right. Maybe I’ve stopped looking for a fresh perspective for my clients.” She nibbled her bottom lip, seeming defeated.

  Guilt hit. Ah, hell.

  He cleared his throat. “Well, to be honest, I had a bit of help.” She tilted her head, waiting. “I, uh, spoke to my sister at length before each appointment.”

  “Yeah, but I’ve spoken to her, too. You listened better.”

  He shifted in his seat. “Actually, we sent pictures back and forth. Did she tell you about her private Pinterest board?”

  She squinted in suspicion. “No.”

  “That’s where she saves all of her ideas so she won’t forget. I pull a bunch of them, and we go back and forth until we narrow it down.”

  The slice of watermelon dropped from her fingers as the dawning knowledge hit. “Wait. Are you telling me this is how you knew about those special flowers and the cake design and the AC thing?”

  He winced. “Kind of. I go through her pins and find a common theme, then research a bit. She kept saving these bouquets with vandas, so I lasered in. And she had a bunch of websites with designer dresses, shoes, and trendy clubs, so I figured she really wouldn’t want a spa. I just know my sister. Sometimes what she says out loud isn’t what she really wants.”

  “You cheated.”

  He shrugged. “Not really. I just used the information at my disposal to help you out. The bottom line is we made Ally happy.”

  She jabbed a finger at him. “You made me think I was beginning to lose my mojo! I should’ve known you couldn’t be this good. For God’s sake, you’re a guy!”

  “A smart guy. But I’m glad you know everything now. We can move on with a clean slate.”

  Her laugh made him nervous. It wasn’t really filled with genuine humor. “Oh, we’ll be moving on, all right. This little partnership is officially dissolved. We’re done. Everything’s been picked and confirmed, so there’s no need to see each other until the bachelorette party.”

  His gut lurched. “I need to meet the photographer this week,” he reminded her.

  “No need. We booked Pierce Powers because he’s the best and was willing to pull a twenty-four-hour shift just to squeeze Ally in. I don’t need you grilling him or whipping out some crazy ideas for the wedding. I’ll take care of it.”

  “I thought you were going to help me with AC?”

  She smiled so sweetly, he wondered if she’d get a cavity. “No. You wanted that job all for yourself, remember, ManOH?”

  “What about the DJ? That’s too important to skip.”

  “Already sent Ally a few CDs so she can make her choice.”

  “My tuxedo?”

  “I’ll be happy to make an appointment and send over Gabe. He’s my expert liaison for groomsmen.”

  He was running out of excuses. Time to throw her off-balance. “Fine, I won’t bother you about any further wedding activities.”

  Surprise flickered in her hazel eyes. “Really?”

  “Really.” Her shoulders relaxed, and she took a sip of lemonade. “I want you to go on a date with me.”

  She choked and spluttered, grabbing a napkin and pressing it to her lips. “What?”

  “A date. I th
ink we should date. I think that kiss proved we have a connection, and we owe it to ourselves to explore it this summer.”

  “You are unbelievable. Do you just always state your feelings for the record?”

  He blinked. “Sure, isn’t that what women want? For a man to tell her what he wants or thinks or feels? That’s what magazines and television are always groaning about—that men don’t share or explain their needs and intentions.”

  This time, a genuine smile curved her lips. He wished he could kiss her again now and ingest all that warmth. “I guess. But, Carter, we don’t even like each other.”

  “I like you. Well, I didn’t like you before, but now I do.”

  She groaned and rubbed her eyes. “We’re completely different. And I can’t date my best friend’s brother.”

  “Why not? We’re all adults here. Ally won’t care.”

  “It’ll be too confusing, especially while planning her wedding. Besides, I’m too busy to date anyone.”

  “I understand your schedule, and I’m happy to work around it, whether it be a late-night cocktail or a simple lunch. All I know is that I enjoy being around you, and I felt something when we were on that beach together. Something I haven’t felt before. Wouldn’t it be nice to take advantage of the summer and my time here? Unless you didn’t feel anything with our kiss . . .”

  Her breath skittered, and a flare of vulnerability shone in her eyes. Relief crashed into him. Thank God. She wasn’t going to lie, which made this a hell of a lot easier.

  Her nails tapped against the table in a steady rhythm, as if considering how much to reveal. “The kiss was good,” she finally said.

  He grunted. “‘Good’?”

  Her eyes half closed. “Fine, great. The kiss was great. But you and me? I don’t know.”

  His male ego stung, but he wasn’t about to waste time stewing. “Give me a chance. Hell, maybe we’ll spend more time together and I’ll agree with you. But I’d like a shot. We can start with me collecting on my bet.”

  Uh-oh. The softness fled and was replaced by her hard, glittering gaze. “Excuse me?”

  He barreled through. “Remember you lost the bet for the cake? You have to spend the day at the beach with me. Won’t that be a great beginning for us?”