Chapter 37
“I would like to start by saying what a pleasure it is to be best man at Manolo and Junie’s wedding.”
Sam paused his speech to look out at the guests assembled under the stars at Broken Hart Vineyards. There was Manolo’s mother, her walker within easy reach, next to her chair.
His father, who had come to his senses and shown up for his only son’s nuptials. Keval, with—who was that tall dude with the biceps that threatened to burst through the sleeves of his suit jacket?
“Marriage is going to be great for Manolo. It will teach him loyalty, compromise, and all those other qualities he wouldn’t need if he had just stayed single.”
Laughter rippled across the crowd.
“But I doubt that anything could ever teach Manolo to be humble. He has always been conscious of his good looks. In fact, just this morning he asked if there was anything I could do to not show him up at his wedding. I told him not much, short of wearing a bag over my head. And I’d rather not do that again.”
He exchanged significant glances with the groom.
“Sorry. Private joke from our Army days. Lieutenant Santos is a living reminder of the values we share: loyalty, integrity, and personal courage. At different times throughout our lives he’s been my brother-in-arms. My confidante…” He paused to clear his throat. “My conscience. Manny is the finest friend any man could ask for. Were it not for him, I wouldn’t have this woman.” Sam looked at Red. “The best thing in my life. The woman I’m proud to call my girlfriend. Red McDonald.” He held his hand out to her.
From her nearby table, Red shook her head, but Sam was insistent, and so to cheers and applause, she finally got up and stepped under Sam’s outstretched arm. There, in front of the whole town, Sam dipped her backward and kissed her.
After the main course, Pat Berg sidled up to Red at the crowded dessert buffet.
“How are you?” Red asked congenially.
“Three weeks, and no nightmares,” Pat replied, holding up crossed fingers. “Who would have thought our minor marital spats would cause Cassadee so much worry? Then again, how were we supposed to know the parents of not one, but two, of her friends were divorcing?”
Red shrugged. “Never hurts to talk. Communication is everything.”
“Speaking of communicating, how is Sam’s ‘little problem’?’” she said, making air quotes.
Red frowned. “Sam has a problem?”
“You know,” Pat winked, “between the sheets?”
Over Pat’s shoulder, Red saw Sam approaching, holding a small plate. She straightened up to her full five foot eight. “Thanks for your concern,” she said. Then, enunciating each syllable loudly enough to be heard all the way over at the strawberry shortcake, “Sam Owens is a freaking stud. Nice talking with you.”
Heads turned as Sam escorted Red back to their table.
“What do I owe you?” asked Sam, watching Pat scamper off to spread the word of his virility.
“A bite of your chocolate mousse,” Red said, without missing a beat.
The patio had been cleared of furniture to make room for dancing. As Sam and Red left the floor after Michael’s “The Girl is Mine,” the tall man Sam had noticed during his speech tapped him on the shoulder.
“Excuse me. My name’s GQ. Have we met?”
Sam’s gaze traveled over his size forty-eight shoulders to his thirty-two waist. Coolly, he said, “You must have me mixed up with someone else.”
Unconvinced, the man frowned. “I could have sworn—”
“Hear that?” Sam asked Red at the prelude to Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed & Delivered.” “Our song.”
He grabbed Red’s hand and pulled her back onto the patio. But instead of joining in with the other eager dancers, he dragged her across the patio to the abandoned tasting room.
Slipping in behind her, he wrapped her up in his arms and kissed her.
“Our song, huh?” she asked, puzzled yet smiling, when they came up for air.
“Mm,” he said, smacking his lips, pulling her tight against him. Over her head he mumbled, “You taste good.”
“Strawberry shortcake.”
“Not bad.”
“I thought you didn’t like strawberries.”
“I didn’t used to. But I’m developing a taste for them. They make your kisses taste sweet.”
She leaned back from the waist and straightened the knot in his tie. “Are my kisses as sweet as Manolo’s?” she asked with a sparkle in her eye.
e held her at arm’s length. “How long have you known?”
She threw her head back and laughed out loud.
“Manny told Junie the minute they got home.”
Sam pulled her close again. “Damn. Don’t those two have any secrets between them?”
“Why else do you think they’re so happy together?”
As her words sank in, Sam took Red’s hand and twirled her to the music playing outside.
“Here I am baby,” he sang. “Signed, sealed, delivered, I’m yours.”