by Rachel Magee
Paige smiled, but didn’t comment. The connection between them sizzled again, a bit stronger this time. She held her arm out to gesture to the door in question, just for show.
Brody stepped off the last step and turned for the door. “Maybe I’ll catch up with you later.”
Another burst of warmth swirled through her. Yep, even the earrings were worth it. She watched him for another moment, cherishing the glow of success before she turned to the mom.
“I think he was the last guest. Now, let’s get your beautiful daughter married. Such a lovely day for a wedding, isn’t it?” And for the first time that day, she meant it.
The mom’s perma-scowl melted into a more neutral expression. It wasn’t a smile, per se, but it was the most pleasant expression Paige had witnessed from her so far. Paige’s optimism soared. She’d had a rough start, but things were looking up. She was getting this day under control.
Hopefully.
Aiden pulled into the parking lot two minutes before the wedding was supposed to start. He knew he was late, but he didn’t care. Coming to this particular wedding had the same draw as a trip to the DMV. It had nothing to do with his college buddy getting married or even the wedding in general. Normally, he loved celebrating with his friends at a party with good food, great conversation and dancing. He was dragging his feet to this particular event because he’d have to spend the evening sucking up to an investor he’d never met in order to sell his restaurant.
It was a task that shouldn’t have been a problem. Selling his startup companies for big bucks was what he did. It was the business he was in. A deal offering a crazy profit should have made him elated. Instead, he felt heavy, like he was trudging through mud.
He climbed out of his car and shrugged on his suit jacket. On the bright side, his tardiness meant he wouldn’t have to sit outside as long in the sweltering June heat. The heavy air hung around him like a wool blanket while cicadas serenaded him from the trees with their hypnotic buzz. Summer was here in full force.
Despite the humidity, this was the season he loved best. He loved the long days and the excuse to take a break from normal hectic schedules. It was the season people flocked to his restaurant. Every night from June through August was packed with the happy hum of summer vacation. By far, this was when the restaurant had its highest sales. Last summer was more profitable than the year before, and this summer was shaping up to follow suit.
Although, as he walked around the building to sneak in the side door of The Chateau, Aiden decided he might keep the summer talk centered around the awful humidity when he was with his new investor friend tonight.
“I’m starting to think I need to permanently reserve a latecomer’s chair for you.” The hint of laughter in her familiar voice coaxed out a smile. He should’ve known he wouldn’t have been able to sneak past her. There wasn’t a detail small enough to slide by Paige Westmoreland.
She stood next to the doors in the center of the wall of windows overlooking the gardens where the bride was already marching down the aisle. She hugged her ever-present tablet against her chest, a sarcastic smirk pulling at the corners of her mouth. Just the sight of her seemed to lighten whatever it was about this evening that was weighing him down. Her presence always had that effect on him. Maybe this wedding wasn’t going to be as painful as he’d feared.
“The problem is not that I’m late. It’s that you jumped the gun. According to my watch, I still have a solid thirty seconds until five o’clock and yet your bride is already halfway down the aisle.” He tapped his watch and strolled across the wide-open marble floor to where she was standing as “The Wedding March” drifted in through the closed doors.
Paige tucked a lock of her long chestnut hair behind her ear, highlighting her face. It dawned on him that he didn’t usually see her with her hair down. It was pretty. For a second, he was distracted by it.
“Today I’m not apologizing for straying from the schedule. If I could’ve gotten away with sending this bride down the aisle fifteen minutes early so she would stop terrorizing the entire staff, I would have.”
“Bad day at the office?”
She chuckled. “You have no idea.”
There was a pause as her attention returned to the action outside. The bride made it to the end of the aisle and the music stopped. In a second everyone would sit down, and his discreet late arrival would become much more noticeable.
“I guess I should grab a seat while I still can.” He nodded at the far door he intended to use, but he made no move toward it. He liked the company in here.
“There are a few empty chairs over there on the aisle.”
“Thanks.” Aiden took two steps toward the door, then stopped. “You look nice today, by the way.”
Looking nice was an understatement. The way her dress skimmed her curves and the sassy smile that brought out the sparkle in her eyes made her downright gorgeous.
A look he couldn’t quite interpret washed over her face. She stared down at the dress, as if considering something, and ran her hand across the front of the skirt to smooth it out. Then she met his gaze with a look of sincerity. “Thanks. That means a lot.”
Something was troubling her, he could tell, but before he could ask her about it something outside caught her attention. She stared out the window with a look of confusion that shifted into concern.
“Oh my. That’s not good.” She tossed her tablet onto a nearby cocktail table then skittered across the floor to the side door, the click of her heels echoing through the room. Since the ceremony seemed to be going on uninterrupted, Aiden wasn’t sure what the emergency was, but he followed her anyway.
She pressed the button on the headset she wore. “Lucy, call the medical team. One of the bridesmaids collapsed.” As soon as she finished speaking, she pushed through the door to the garden.
From this angle, for the first time, Aiden could see what must have captured Paige’s attention. The bridesmaid on the end lay in a crumpled pile on the ground. He was impressed Paige had caught it from inside because most of the guests, even the ones standing close to where the incident happened, were still focused on the happy couple.
Paige scurried down the aisle, taking quick little steps his own long strides struggled to keep up with. She had just reached the bridesmaid when a gasp from the front row alerted the rest of the guests to what had happened.
The bride’s head whipped around, a look of dismay distorting her face. “This is supposed to be my big moment!”
If this was any indication of how she’d been all day, Aiden now understood why Paige wanted to get her down the aisle early. Paige didn’t pay the huffing bride any attention. Instead, she pressed the bottom of her skirt against the back of her legs and squatted down next to the fallen bridesmaid.
“Are you okay?” she asked in a voice so gentle even Aiden could feel its calming effect.
“I’m so sorry, I don’t know what happened. My heart started racing, then everything just went black.” The bridesmaid’s voice was weak, but she threw a hesitant glance in the direction of where the bride was still throwing her fit.
Paige rubbed her arm. “These things happen, especially when it’s this hot out. Did you hit your head when you fell?”
The bridesmaid gingerly touched the back of her professionally styled hair. “I don’t think so.”
Paige placed her other hand behind the girl’s shoulder and helped her sit up. “Why don’t we move you into the air conditioning and get you some water. Do you think you can stand?”
The bridesmaid nodded, but the lingering cloudiness in her eyes made Aiden doubt her answer.
“Here, let me help you.” He slid his arm around her waist and, supporting most of her weight, pulled her to her feet. As he expected, the bridesmaid’s legs wobbled underneath her. Paige snagged the bouquet she had dropped and flashed a sweet smile at the crowd.
“Sorry for the disruption. Bria is in good hands. Please, continue. Nothing is going to stop these two from getting married.”
The officiant took the cue, making a joke and pulling most the attention back to the wedding couple.
Supporting the majority of her weight so her feet barely skimmed the ground, Aiden started walking toward The Chateau with the fallen bridesmaid. Paige stepped up on the other side, allowing the girl to drape her arm over Paige’s shoulder. Together, they made their way to the side door rather quickly, but Aiden could tell Paige was struggling to keep up. The heels of her shoes sunk into the grass with every step she took. Aiden didn’t know how girls could wear stuff like that.
The resort’s medical team met them at the door and took over, carrying the girl to a nearby chair. One person put an icepack on her head while the other took her pulse and asked her questions. Paige’s assistant appeared from the direction of the kitchen holding a bottle of water.
Paige stepped away from the patient and checked on the action outside. Everything seemed to be back on track, to Aiden at least, but worry lines crinkled her forehead. She chewed on her lip and her breathing was still labored from the exertion of supporting the bridesmaid.
Aiden stepped up next to her. “The grounds crew owes you a favor, since you aerated the wedding lawn for them.” He pointed at her shoes.
An amused grin pulled at the corner of her mouth, and she lifted her foot to touch the mud caked to the spikey heel. “I’ll remind them of that next time I make them replant flowers for a high-profile wedding.”
“You weren’t kidding about this wedding being a challenge.”
She glanced over her shoulder at the medical exam and then looked at him. “Today has kept me on my toes, for sure.” The movement outside distracted her again, and she turned her attention to the scene beyond the wall of glass. The guests were taking their seats as the bride and groom turned to each other, holding hands in anticipation of the coming vows. A warm smile softened Paige’s face. “But usually, watching couples get their happily-ever-after makes it all worth it.”
Paige was a stunning person and seeing her in action at what she did best reminded him of some of the qualities he admired about her, like her strength and positive attitude. “The bride and groom are lucky to have you on their side.”
She waved the compliment off. “It’s all in a day’s work. But thank you for your help out there. I wouldn’t have been able to carry the bridesmaid out by myself.”
“It’s what I’m here for. To rescue damsels in distress.” He jerked his thumb toward the door. “I’m going to head out and catch the rest of the I-do’s, but call me if anything else goes wrong and you need another hand.”
Paige chuckled. “That’s one offer I really hope I won’t have to take you up on.”
Chapter Four
Paige didn’t want to jinx it, but in the four hours since the fainting bridesmaid incident, there hadn’t been any other issues at the wedding. Not even a single petty complaint from the bride or her mother. In fact, the bride seemed to be enjoying herself for the first time since Paige had met her. Maybe marriage agreed with her. With less than thirty minutes before their grand exit, Paige was cautiously optimistic that this wedding might have a happy ending after all. Knock on wood.
But the recent run of good fortune wasn’t enough to keep the over-stressed muscles in Paige’s shoulders from tensing when she spotted the mother of the bride walking toward her. She hoped the knots weren’t evident, promising herself she would schedule a massage, and refreshed her smile.
Mom-of-the-bride held her arms out and grasped both of Paige’s hands. “Dearest Paige. How can we ever thank you for all your hard work? You have gone above and beyond to make this day truly special for all of us.” It took Paige a second to process the compliment, as this particular mother of the bride did not have a history of handing them out. It seemed watching her daughter get married might’ve eased some of the stress she’d been carrying around since Paige met her.
“It has been my pleasure,” Paige said, letting the kind words resonate within her. It was nice to know all her sweat, tears and blisters had been noticed.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to ask one more favor. The bride’s father and I would like to offer one last toast to the happy couple before they’re off. Could you get champagne for the four of us and bring it to the DJ stand?” She gave both of Paige’s hands a gentle squeeze before she released them and gestured to the dance floor.
“Absolutely. What a great way to end the night.” Paige headed for the kitchen. After the long, rather stressful day, she was ready for this event to be over. One more task. One more happy toast, and then they could send everyone on their way and finally have a chance to relax.
Lucy was standing next to the kitchen entrance when Paige walked up. “Final task of the night,” she said to her assistant. “Four glasses of bubbly for one last toast.”
Lucy followed her into the kitchen. “That’s it? She didn’t ask for the same crystal used at the royal wedding or a brand of champagne not sold in the U.S.?”
Paige giggled. “Nope. And let’s get it out to her before she changes her mind.” She grabbed one of the last bottles of champagne chilling in the cooler and popped the top. Lucy set four flutes on the stainless steel counter in front of her, then propped her chin on her fists.
“Since this wedding’s under control, tell me what’s going on with your handsome European businessman.”
Paige poured the first glass, trying to push away the frustration rising up in her. Other than the brief conversation when he arrived, which still sent tingles running through her, Brody hadn’t so much as glanced in her direction the entire night.
“He’s not European. He was just living there for a while.”
Lucy waved the difference off. “Did he say anything about your dress? I want your mom to get one for me.”
Paige tugged on the bottom of the frock in question. “You can have this one, but I have to warn you. It might not have the effect you want.”
Lucy gave her a knowing look. “I think it had more of an effect than you think.”
Before Paige could question her assistant about what she meant, Lucy stood up and popped one of the cherries from the bar service into her mouth. “While you’re delivering that, I’ll start getting the sparklers out for the exit. Let’s put this wedding to bed.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Paige hoisted the tray to shoulder level and followed Lucy out the door of the kitchen, still replaying what she’d said in her mind. Had Lucy seen something Paige had missed?
Lucy took off to the left toward the storage closet while Paige paused in front of the kitchen door to adjust the tray. She needed to be balanced if she planned on walking across the slick marble floors from one end of the massive room to the other in her ridiculous-yet-unnoticeable shoes. At this point, she had walked so much that the balls of her feet were going numb, and she was pretty sure the blister from the strap had spread across her entire baby toe. But, with any luck at all, this would be her last mission. She took a deep breath and stepped out of the kitchen.
“Great wedding.” The strong voice caught her by surprise, but it was a good surprise.
She turned to Brody, who was leaning against the wall next to the kitchen doorway. Had he been waiting for her? The thought sent a jolt of exhilaration darting through her. She could feel the wide, silly smile spread across her face, but she didn’t bother trying to fix it into something more alluring. Brody Paxton was here, waiting to talk to her. Maybe Lucy was right. Maybe the dress had worked after all.
“All in a day’s work.” Perhaps it had required a little—or a lot—more effort than that, but what could she say? Seeing Brody here made her glow with optimism.
He crossed his arms in front of his toned chest and gazed at her with a smoldering look. “You had just started this job when I
left. It suits you.”
His low, seductive voice left her feeling like someone had turned up the heat in the room. “Thanks. It’s easy to come to work when you’re doing something you love. I always was a sucker for a happy ending.”
This conversation right here was what she’d waited for all night. This was the reason she’d endured all the pain.
“What about you? You haven’t told me why you’re back in town.”
Brody stood and slid his hand into his pocket. “Promotion. I’m running my old department.”
“So they finally got rid of Janis, huh?”
The mention of his old, awful boss brought out a grin more personal and intimate than anything she’d seen since his return.
“I was beginning to think it would never happen, but wishes do come true.”
Something sparkled in his eyes. A memory, perhaps? She took it as a positive sign, and a golden ray of confidence shot through her. Her plan was coming together!
“And I hear we’ll be seeing more of each other soon.” The thought filled her with giddy excitement. “You’re going to be at Georgia and Lane’s wedding next week?” The two of them would be at the very same beach where they first fell in love. It had certain poetic justice to it.
“I will.” There was a pause and something in the air between them shifted. “And I’m bringing Sasha with me.”
Paige’s soaring spirit plummeted to the ground like a balloon that had popped. Her focus slipped off his face, which caused her to wobble. Or was it the news he’d shared that knocked her off balance? Of course Sasha would be going. She was his girlfriend, and the beach was a romantic place to go. Especially this beach.
“Seacrest is amazing. It’ll make a great getaway.” Defeat was thick in her voice, but she didn’t bother trying to fix it.
“I absolutely can’t wait. I’ve never been to the Florida panhandle before, and I’m hoping it’s as picturesque as I imagine,” a voice said from behind her.
Paige whipped her head around to look at Sasha walking toward them. The quick movement sent her heavy earring swinging wildly and caused a sharp pain in her left earlobe. Her hand flew up to see if it was bleeding.
