Her Second Chance Dream Groom

by Emma St Clair

  When they got up to leave, Sy grasped Amy’s hand in his, interlocking their fingers. The simple touch ignited her nerves into a heady buzz and she tried not to let a giant grin overtake her. This felt official. Real.

  Amy wanted to pinch herself. She was on a date—her first date ever—with the guy she had crushed on for years. A professional football player that other women would have killed to date. Even her sister. Amy shoved away the tiny thread of guilt thinking about Delia. If she liked Sy, it was because Delia thought he could help her career. And Sy had promised to tell her that he wasn’t interested. Amy wasn’t doing anything wrong.

  As Sy drove them back to the bed and breakfast, Amy’s nervousness increased. Would Sy kiss her at the end of the date? If he wasn’t truly interested in her, he wouldn’t. But if he did …

  Her stomach fell when he didn’t take her hand as they got out of his Range Rover. He held the door for her, but then walked beside her, his hands in his pockets. Amy felt like Cinderella, waiting for the clock to strike midnight. Only, she wouldn’t be leaving a glass slipper behind with the prince. Amy feared that she’d be leaving her heart.

  They stopped at the door, but Sy stood with a safe distance between them. A friendly distance. Amy hoped she hid her disappointment better than she had her jealousy. “Well, thank you for my very first date.”

  He grinned. “Think the next guy will live up to this?”

  Not a chance. “I guess I’ll know in a few hours.”

  Sy frowned and looked down. Amy wanted him to tell her not to go out with the other guy. She wanted him to tell her how he felt—even if the attraction she felt was one-sided. But Sy said nothing, which spoken volumes.

  Amy turned and unlocked the door. But when she started to walk inside, Sy didn’t follow. “Aren’t you coming in?”

  Sy shook his head and gave her a slow smile that made happiness pool in her stomach. “This is a date, remember? I’m walking you to the door. This is goodbye.”

  “Oh, okay.” Amy stepped back onto the porch, closing the door behind her. Then her eyes went wide. Oh, no—did he think she came back out because she wanted to kiss him?

  Her mouth went dry and her knees wobbly. She opened and closed her mouth, trying to figure out how to end the sudden awkwardness. She put her hand back on the doorknob, ready to bolt.

  Sy chuckled. “Don’t look so scared, Ames. You don’t look like the kind of girl to kiss on the first date.”

  Her cheeks burned. “I wasn’t—I didn’t mean—” She made a frustrated noise and covered her face in her hands. “I just wanted to give you a proper goodbye.”

  “I know. Hey, how about a goodbye hug? That’s simple.”

  Simple, ha. Not a single touch from him was simple. And as Amy walked into Sy’s open arms, there was definitely nothing simple about the embrace.

  She stood on tiptoes to get her arms around his neck. When he squeezed her around the waist, her feet left the ground. She giggled, feeling his soft laughter rumbling through his chest. He made her feel weightless as he held her up, delicate and protected. Secure. Maybe even loved.

  Tears pooled in her eyes. Being in Sy’s arms felt too good. But it also hurt, because she knew it would end. Every word, every touch, every moment spent in his presence felt like it tangled her more up with him than she had been before. He was leaving Saturday. Which meant she only had a few more days with him. Then it would be back to her life here at the B&B and he would finish out the rest of his season.

  Trying to be subtle about it, Amy breathed in the strong, masculine scent of him. Her hands brushed through the soft hair at his neck. She wished there was a way to bottle up this moment and keep it forever. But the sooner she pulled away, the safer her heart would be.

  “Better let me down, big guy,” she said, tapping his shoulder.

  Sy set her gently down and pulled away. His eyes looked rich and dark now, more serious than they had. “Guess you’ve got to get ready for your second—and far less exciting—date, huh?” The teasing glint reappeared.

  “I guess so. You did set the bar high.”

  A devilish grin lights up his face. “Good.” Before Amy could react, Sy leaned forward and pressed a kiss against her forehead, then darted down the stairs to his car. “Don’t worry! I’ll be back in time to scare your date!” he called.

  Giggling and feeling like she finally understood what people meant when they said they were floating, Amy walked inside the house. Closing the door behind her, she leaned against it, letting herself revel in the moment. She just had her very first date with the guy she’d always dreamed about and it was perfect. Though his kiss on her forehead probably cemented her firmly in the friend zone for him, Amy could still feel the softness of his lips and how it stirred a fire for more.

  Sighing, Amy pulled away from the door. She needed to get back to her room before Sy walked in and caught her all dreamy-eyed. He kissed her on the forehead and hadn’t asked her on a second date, which really told her all she needed to know. The thought made her heart sink, but she tried to push it away, just so she could enjoy this moment a little while longer.

  Chapter 9

  NINE

  Sy had to force himself to stay outside for a few minutes after Amy went inside. He wanted this to feel like a real date, after all. Her first date should be perfect. The waiting stretched his sense of control. He hadn’t wanted to let her walk inside alone. Everything in him had been screaming for him to kiss her, then sweep her into his arms and carry her over the threshold.

  Which would have made him a total caveman.

  He was trying to be slow, to be careful. At the same time, he only had a few more days with her. He wanted to squeeze all that he could into the few days he had. Already, he didn’t want to go, and had been thinking about when he could see her again.

  Katy wasn’t such a far drive from San Antonio, but with his schedule, even three hours was a lot. The off-season was coming up, but he still had the next game to get through and hopefully the playoffs, if they could pull things together on the field. Thinking about this made Sy feel pressured to figure out what he wanted and what she wanted in just a few days. Could he know that fast?

  For the first time maybe since Delia, Sy really was considering a relationship. Thinking about Delia made him shudder. How had he liked her so much? Not that she was a terrible person, just that she wasn’t the kind of woman he wanted to date. Sy still hadn’t had that awkward phone call, which he was dreading more than his apology to her. He wouldn’t have thought it possible, but there it was. “Sorry I ruined your prom” was much easier than “Sorry, I don’t want to date you, but I DO want to date your sister.”

  When Amy had been inside for five minutes or so, Sy made his way into the B&B. She had about an hour before her date, and he planned to up the intimidation factor as much as possible. While on their date, seeing Amy jealous had made Sy laugh, but he shouldn’t have. There was nothing funny about how possessive he felt, just thinking about her going out with some other guy.

  Amy didn’t seem excited about these dates Delia set up for her, but maybe these guys would be amazing. And they lived close by. They probably had a normal life and typical schedule, not Sy’s very abnormal pro-football life. With the B&B, would Amy even consider moving? Sy couldn’t believe he was already thinking about the idea of a long-term relationship.

  Totally getting ahead of yourself there, buddy. Probably should be sure she likes you first. And that she doesn’t fall for whatever guy she’s about to go out with.

  He looked through his workout shirts until he found a tank top that was skin-tight, showing off his heavily muscled arms and part of his chest. Perfect. Sy wasn’t cocky about his appearance, but realistically, he knew that his frame dwarfed the average guy.

  Rather than being a dad scaring a guy off with a shotgun, Sy would be the potential boyfriend, scaring this guy off with his other guns. He flexed in the mirror, practicing his scariest game face. That would do. Slipping on a pair
of athletic shorts, Sy started down the stairs.

  If Amy wanted to date this guy, Sy could step aside. The thought killed him, but he didn’t have any claim there. Yet. But he would make sure to weed out any losers or guys who couldn’t be man enough to deal with whatever Sy threw at him.

  He found Amy in the kitchen downstairs, sipping on a mug of coffee. When Sy walked through the door, her eyes widened, and she choked, spitting coffee into the sink. Sy grinned. When she turned back around, her eyes had narrowed. She gestured to his body.

  “You’re wearing that?”

  “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” He blinked innocently.

  “Sy, you know exactly what’s wrong with it. I know you said you wanted to be my date-vetter, but this might be a little extreme.”

  “Nope. It’s perfect.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

  “Sy …” She eyed his arms and Sy felt himself swell under her gaze.

  “Look, if this guy can’t handle this, you shouldn’t date him.”

  Amy rolled her eyes and put her mug in the sink. “I can’t think of a guy who wouldn’t run screaming for the door after seeing you.”

  “Are you saying you find me attractive?”

  Her cheeks flushed. “I’m saying that you have the body of a professional athlete. Instead of a shotgun, you’ve got another kind of gun show going on.”

  “You didn’t answer the question.”

  “Go change.”

  “Nope.”

  The doorbell rang, and Amy’s eyes went wide. Sy smirked. “Guess we’ll see if he runs or stays.”

  “Sy!”

  She squealed and raced around the counter, but Sy grabbed her by the arms. He held her in place. “You’re waiting here. No arguments.”

  “Ugh. Fine.” As the kitchen door swung shut behind him, she called out, “Be nice!”

  Right. Nice wasn’t the word he would use. Sy pulled open the front door quickly, making the tall guy on the front door jump. Crossing his arms over his chest, Sy stared him down. The man had wavy blond hair and a hipster beard. He wore a button-down shirt tucked into jeans with red Adidas sneakers.

  He blinked at Sy in confusion, shifting from foot to foot. “Um, I’m here to pick up Amy? Is this the right house?”

  “Yes.” Sy knew he was pushing this, but he couldn’t help it. This was too much fun. Plus, every instinct he had made him want to chase this guy down the street. He hadn’t expected the tug of possessiveness in his chest at the idea of Amy going anywhere with someone else. Every instinct in him was to claim her. But did she even want him?

  To his credit, the guy didn’t run. “Well, is Amy here? I’m Brandon.”

  Sy grunted. “Brandon what?”

  “Brandon Trellis.”

  Enjoying this way more than he should, Sy leaned casually against the door frame. “And what are your plans this evening with Amy?”

  Brandon squinted up at him. “Are you her brother or something?”

  A hand grasped Sy’s arm, trying to pull him back in the house. Amy glared up at him, but Sy didn’t budge. “Or something,” she muttered, glancing at Brandon. “Sorry about him.”

  When she stepped in front of Sy, holding out her hand to shake Brandon’s, Sy felt it like a punch in the gut. He hated everything about this. Irrational or not, he didn’t want this guy—or any guy—near Amy.

  Brandon grinned at Amy, shaking her hand while shooting Sy concerned looks. “Are you ready to go?”

  “Yep.”

  When Brandon held out his arm and Amy hooked hers through it, Sy felt his stomach clench. He should have done more at the end of their date. Why hadn’t he asked her to go out again? Or told her to cancel the dates she set up?

  He had been trying to go slow. But maybe he’d just been scared to admit how drawn to Amy he was and how he wanted something more. Had he ruined his chance with her?

  He swallowed the thickness in his throat as they walked away. Brandon said something low and Amy laughed. This was torture, plain and simple. Sy thought it would be fun to mess with Amy’s dates, but the joke was on him. Instead, it was completely messing with him.

  Brandon opened the car door for Amy. Just before she got in, Amy paused and shot Sy a look. He lifted his hand, trying to unclench the muscles in his jaw. But he couldn’t bring himself to smile. For a moment, Sy thought he saw longing in her eyes. She hesitated, halfway in the car. But then Brandon said something, and she smiled, climbing all the way in. Brandon shot Sy another glance before getting in and practically screeching away from the curb.

  The emptiness in his gut as he watched them drive away threatened to consume him. It was official. Sy had fallen fast and fallen hard. Now he needed to decide what to do about it. He knew one thing: he had come home to Katy to deal with past regrets. He wouldn’t leave with a new one.

  If Sy had wanted to ruin all other dates forever, he had accomplished his goal. Amy sat across from Boring Brandon, trying really hard to listen to what he was saying about … something. She had no idea. For the last ten minutes, he had been talking and Amy had been nodding, while replaying every detail of her date with Sy in her head.

  Brandon, who couldn’t help the fact that there was zero chemistry. Even if she hadn’t gone out with Sy first, Amy didn’t think she would have been enjoying herself. But Sy had been totally right: he set the bar high, and no one else could compete.

  And Sy’s show at the door! It had been totally over the top. She had to spend the whole car ride explaining why a pro football player had been playing defense at the door. It didn’t set a good tone for the evening.

  Amy couldn’t complain about Brandon’s choice for dinner and a movie at Alamo Drafthouse. It was like the quintessential first date. Dinner and a movie, but at the same time. It would also keep talking to a minimum, once the movie started.

  Brandon smiled, and Amy tried to force herself to smile back. “You sure you don’t want anything else? A beer? They have a really fantastic microbrew aged in a whiskey barrel.”

  “Not really a beer girl.”

  Sy would have asked her what kind of drink she liked. Brandon just shook his head. “You’re missing out.”

  You’re right. I’m missing out on being with a better date.

  Amy relaxed when the lights dimmed, and the previews started. As long as Brandon wasn’t the kind of guy who talked through the whole thing, she could at least sit in silence and try to enjoy the movie. Which was unfortunately a romantic comedy.

  Brandon had already purchased the tickets when he picked her up. Which meant either he chose the movie based on the profile Delia created for Amy on the dating app, or Brandon actually liked rom coms. Or—and this was the one Amy currently leaned toward—he thought it would set the tone.

  Every few minutes, Brandon shifted in his seat, moving as close to Amy as he could without climbing into her lap. Trying to be discreet, Amy inched further away every time he encroached. This was going to lead to an aching back. Thinking about her back lead her thoughts to Sy and how he’d requested a massage when he checked in. Should she offer one? The thought of having an excuse to touch him for a long period of time sent a shiver through her.

  Would he keep his shirt on? Or off?

  Brandon leaned closer. “Are you cold? I could give you my jacket?”

  “I’m fine,” she whispered softly, hoping he’d get the hint and stop talking.

  “I’m loving this so far! You?”

  “Mm-hm.” Amy tried to pull away, but she was going to end up in the lap of the man next to her.

  “What do you think about—”

  “Shh!” Someone from behind shushed him, and Amy had to stifle a giggle. Brandon turned back to the screen.

  Poor Brandon. He’d probably make some other girl happy. A girl who liked full beards and microbrews and talking through movies.

  Amy preferred … Sy. Not even a type. Just him, checking off any box she might have. Did he feel the same way?

  With so little to
compare it to, Amy kept second-guessing herself. He seemed interested even from the moment he recognized her on the porch of the bed and breakfast. Their conversations were full of teasing and flirting. He asked her on a date and definitely gave her more-than-friends vibes. Except that he didn’t ask her out again. Or kiss her. Probably the no-kissing thing had been a wise and gentlemanly choice. She still wished he had kissed her. That would have made this very clear.

  Then there was the possessiveness that had rolled off Sy in heated waves when Brandon picked her up. Could he have faked that? Or did he really feel jealous of Amy’s date?

  Amy’s heart leaped at the thought. Clearly, she would rather be here—or, really, anywhere—with Sy. What she needed to know before she made a fool of herself was how Sy felt. The part of her that felt insecure about everything kept insisting that he felt sorry for her. That he still saw her as the sick girl she’d been. Heck, she often still saw herself that way. Why wouldn’t he? He felt sorry for her back then and felt sorry for her now. Everything she imagined between them was just Sy being nice.

  But another part of Amy had hope. The date this afternoon had been his idea. It definitely felt romantic. Even the kiss he pressed into her forehead sent shockwaves through her body.

  But did he feel them too?

  Her distracted thoughts caused her to miss Brandon’s latest move closer and before she could stop him, he grabbed her hand. She glanced at him, seeing his face lit up with a grin like he had won a game they were playing.

  As Amy tried to figure out a way to disentangle herself from his grip, she understood how Sy felt with Delia clinging to him. It wasn’t that easy to say no when someone was pushy.