Chapter 8

Feeling better about how she was dressed for this dinner and more chipper than usual, Mal sat in a corner of the room, observing the others as they entered.

Hunter was a genius, really. One hour in her new place, and already she felt rejuvenated. She would have to talk with Jenna tonight, just to make sure she was okay with it. It had been so important to her to have Mal there, and this hardly seemed like an appropriate thanks.

Mal waved at her aunt and uncle as they entered and earned waves and a wink in return.

“Can I sit here?”

Mal turned in surprise to see Tom indicating the chair next to her. “Where did you come from?” she asked.

He grinned. “I was out on the terrace there. Came in to greet Cady and Drake, but I saw you and wanted to come here first. We haven’t had a chance to get to know each other.”

Mal couldn’t help but smile back. Tom was that kind of guy. “Of course, please sit.”

“Thank you,” he said as he did so, leaning back casually in his seat. “So, Mal . . . I’m sorry. Can I call you Mal?”

She laughed and waved her hand. “Please do.”

He chuckled. “Jenna never calls you anything else, so I got used to it. It means a lot to her that you could come.”

Mal sighed and twisted her fingers. “I was stunned when she asked me. It’s . . . it’s been years. And there are other photographers, better-qualified ones.”

“She wanted you, Mal. And after I saw your work, I was almost as excited. The fact that you were family was just a bonus.” He gave her a half smile that probably melted kneecaps. “You really are very gifted. I trust you know that.”

There wasn’t a good way to answer that, so Mal murmured, “Thank you.” Then she asked the question that had been eating at her for months now: “How in the world does a UNC boy get a Tennessee girl? How does that even work?”

Tom laughed out loud and rubbed his ear as he glanced over at his soon-to-be in-laws. “Well, it hasn’t been without its difficulties. Drake and I don’t ever talk about sports, and Caroline lords over me whenever she can. Lucas doesn’t care; he’s just happy I’m not from Florida or Georgia.”

Mal had to laugh at how perfectly her family fit into the stereotypes she’d pegged them for.

“Cady’s just happy there’s a wedding,” Tom added, smiling fondly. “And Jenna doesn’t say anything about it unless our schools play each other, so it’s safe most of the time.”

“How did you meet?” she asked, feeling more comfortable with him by the minute.

He turned back to her with a raised brow. “You don’t know the story?”

She shook her head. “All I know is the public version, of which there are at least seven, and I know Jenna better than to believe you guys met at a Tough Mudder.”

Tom threw his head back for one barking laugh. “Yeah, that one is the most ridiculous of them all. Truth is, we met at a hotel in Lexington. I was in town for business meetings; she was getting ready for the Kentucky Derby. One morning, we were both in the workout room at the same time—she was wearing a UT tank top and I was wearing a UNC shirt, and somehow it didn’t matter. I couldn’t take my eyes off her, and she ‘accidentally’ broke the treadmill, so I offered my assistance.” He grinned, and his eyes twinkled at the memory.

“Of course you did.” Mal laughed, shaking her head. “Did you fix it?”

He smirked and made an amused noise. “No. It turns out she actually did break it in her enthusiasm. So we ran away and agreed to meet up for lunch to see if we got caught. The rest is history.”

Mal burst out laughing and put a hand over her eyes. She could see Jenna trying to be smooth, pretending to break something, but ending up actually breaking it in the process. She was a cute and uncoordinated person when she got excited, though she was all grace and poise at every other time.

“I’ve been addicted to her ever since,” Tom said with a smile. “She could ask me for anything in the world, and I would get it for her.”

“Does she?” Mal asked, turning in her chair to face him more. “Ask you for things?”

Tom gave her a look, his eyes seeming bluer for the pinstripe in his shirt. “What do you think?”

Mal considered that. “Honestly, I can’t see Jenna asking for much. She’s pretty much the most perfect person I know.”

“Try getting perfection to fall for you.” He shook his head and took a drink of the water on the table.

“Try being related to it,” Mal muttered.

Tom smirked and turned thoughtful. “I get the impression you don’t ask for much either, Mal.”

She shrugged and sipped her own water. “I’ve learned not to. For all my ambition to be someone in the world, I try to live as quietly as possible. Which reminds me,” she added, sitting up, “why didn’t Hunter know I was Jenna’s cousin?”

Tom exhaled and craned his neck. “Yeah, he asked me that one too. Jenna would have told everyone in the entire world that her cousin was taking the pictures, and that would have been enough for some people. Not her bridesmaids, of course,” he admitted, “but everyone else. I’m afraid the decision to keep that a secret was mine.” He gave her an apologetic look.

She frowned. “Why, though?”

“Business,” he said simply. He put his glass back on the table and sat forward. “You see, Mal, I know what it’s like to be tossed into the Hudson world when you’re not ready for it. I come from a wealthy, high-end family in North Carolina, it’s true, but I didn’t have Jenna’s star appeal until I was dating her. I’m used to it now, so I don’t mind. But when she wanted to bring you in, I was hesitant. No reservations about you, but this is a big thing, and for someone who doesn’t have any connections to this world, it would be hard to sell it to you. I didn’t want your connections to be an issue. And I figured if we could get you something that might appeal to your artistic and professional side . . .”

“The resort contract,” Mal said, nodding in realization.

“Uh-huh.” Tom smiled. “I knew this place well enough to know that someone with vision could have a lot of success. I mean, the place is beautiful enough for hobby photographers to have once-in-a-lifetime shots; what could a professional do? But again, I didn’t think you’d want someone to bring you on just because of Jenna. So we kept that under wraps. Sold it to them on your skills and portfolio alone. Hunter looked at them himself and was convinced, and the lawyers did the rest.”

Mal shook her head and sat back in her seat, crossing an ankle over her knee. “So I really did get it on my own.”

Tom’s smile grew. “You really did, kiddo.” He winced. “Sorry, you’re not that much younger than me. I shouldn’t call you that.”

She chuckled and took her glass of water again. “You can call me whatever you want, Tom,” she assured him. “We’re family now. Anything goes.”

He inclined his head in thanks.

Mrs. Yardley came by then, looking much more relaxed than when Mal had first seen her. “Mallory, dear, thank you so much for sending some of those pictures to me. My house is covered in photos of my grandkids, and none of them look that amazing.”

Mal blushed in embarrassed pleasure. “I’m glad you like them.”

“Like them? I love them! I may use them as a Christmas card mosaic and leave my adult children out entirely!”

“Hey!” Tom protested with a smile for his mother.

Mrs. Yardley patted his cheek fondly. “It’s all right, dear. Not everything is about you.”

“So Dave and Trent tell me.”

“Leave your brothers alone,” she scolded, patting his cheek again.

“But it’s my wedding.”

Mrs. Yardley sighed and looked at Mal. “If you can manage a picture of my three sons without one of them punching the other, it would be much appreciated. I’ll pay you double if it happens.” She winked at Mal, then went to her husband, who stood quietly across the room.

“You sent pictures to my mother?” Tom whispered, laughing.

Mal shrugged. “I’m trying to get on her good side. Thought it might help.”

Tom chuckled and sat back. “You succeeded.”

They sat there in a companionable silence, watching the rest of the group trickle in for dinner. Jenna saw them together and grinned, waving at Mal, looking much more at ease than she had been earlier.

Tom whistled low under his breath.

Mal glanced at him in surprise, but he grinned.

“Just when I think she can’t get any prettier,” he murmured, shaking his head.

Mal laughed. “You are completely head over heels, aren’t you?”

“So far gone,” he groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Three years with her, and I still can’t breathe.”

Mal shoved at his knee, making an exasperated noise. “You sound like a Hallmark movie.”

He laughed and shrugged his broad shoulders with ease. “I know, and I fully admit it.”

Mal looked over at her cousin, mingling and smiling nonstop. “That’s good,” she said quietly. “Jenna’s that sort of person.”

“Hunter really likes you, you know.”

She jerked and gave Tom a strange look. “Say what?”

Tom glanced to the doorway, and Mal followed his gaze to where Hunter and two of the guys had come in, talking to each other. Hunter was engaged in conversation with the others, but his eyes were on Mal. For several heartbeats, she couldn’t move, couldn’t look anywhere else.

This guy was single? And looking at her like that? In public?

She swallowed and dropped her gaze to the table. “I’ll kill him,” she muttered.

Tom chuckled quietly. “Somehow I doubt that, Mal. Hunter likes you, and he doesn’t like anyone.”

“He told you?” she asked, meeting his eyes.

“Didn’t have to. He’s my best friend, Mal. I know him. He’s private about just about everything in his life, perfectly composed, professional, reserved almost to a fault. But in addition to being generous and ambitious, he is driven; he makes things happen.” Tom shifted and nudged Mal with his foot. “In college, they didn’t have a rowing team at UNC. Hunter wanted to row—something to get him on the water and keep him in shape for rugby. The school wouldn’t sanction it, so Hunter started a club. Raised the money from frats and other organizations at school, and before you knew it, there was a club rowing team. He was a freshman at the time.”

Mal choked on her water. “Good heavens,” she gasped, coughing.

“What Hunter wants, he gets,” Tom said simply. “No matter how much work he has to do for it.”

Mal twisted her lips and considered the man in question for a moment. “You’re saying I should give in.”

“No way.”

She turned back to Tom in surprise. “No?”

He shook his head with a mischievous grin. “No. A little fight never hurt anyone. Make him work for you. Trust me, it’ll be worth it.”

She gave him a look, and he laughed. “I know,” he said. “You’ve known me for like a minute, and I said trust me.”

She grinned, as that had been her thought, more or less. “I’m willing to take you on good faith,” she told him. “Any advice?”

He mused on that for a moment and eyed Hunter in thought. Hunter caught both of them staring at him and looked between them in confusion, then concern, then outright wariness.

Mal smiled at Tom. “Well?” she prodded, seeing the rest of the girls come in and knowing that Tom would have to go make nice soon.

“Don’t let him take control,” Tom said slowly. “Not all the time, anyway. He’s used to being in charge. Throw him off a bit. Could be fun.”

She raised a brow as he got up. “Fun for me or fun for you?”

He smiled. “Hopefully both.” He looked at her for a long moment, then added, “I’m glad you’re here, Mal, and I’m glad Hunter likes you. Like I said, he doesn’t like anyone.”

“He likes you,” she pointed out.

“Well, I didn’t give him much of a choice there,” he scoffed, his smile going crooked. “And neither did you.” He winked and pushed off the chair, going toward the rest of the group and slipping his arm around Jenna’s waist as if were designed to fit there.

Taryn and Dan were suddenly on one side of her, chatting about something or other.

“What were you doing?” Taryn asked absently as she set her purse down.

“Getting to know my new cousin,” Mal said, nodding her head at Tom as he pointed at her from across the room.

“Oh yeah?” Dan asked, fidgeting with his collar.

“Quite possibly my new favorite person ever,” Mal said without hesitation. Then she turned to face them. “How did the rest of the day go?”

Hunter didn’t think they would ever get away. He’d done his part by getting to the farthest corner of the room, the one closest to the door, but that was as far as he’d gotten. If it wasn’t because of Mal snapping random pictures, it was because just about every person in the room would notice if they left. He could hardly toss Mal over his shoulder and say, “Well, we’re leaving now!” without causing some serious problems. He wouldn’t make it three steps before someone else or Mal herself would make going anywhere impossible.

He wanted to know what she and Tom had been talking about. He wanted to know what she thought of the house. He wanted to know whether anything had changed in the last hour.

He wanted to be alone with her. Because that was the only way he could have her. In public, he was the best man, and she was the photographer, and it seemed that those roles were some insurmountable obstacle. Only in private could they be together.

“Hey, Mal!” Jenna called, breaking through the various conversations. “Didn’t you want to get a sunset shoot before the week is out?”

Mal looked confused for just a moment, wrinkling up her nose. “Yeah . . . ,” she said slowly, not comprehending.

She was cute when she did that.

Jenna had a knowing look on her face. “Well, tonight is probably your best bet. Y’all better take off now before you miss it.”

Mal still looked confused, but she and her assistants got up and gathered their things.

Jenna was now Hunter’s favorite person ever. He liked her possibly even more than he liked her fiancé, and he was indebted to her. He was able to slip out the door since no one had spoken to him in at least five minutes. Hopefully, it would be ten more before his absence was remarked on. Maybe someone else would leave, and then it wouldn’t even be a thing.

He waited for them out by the carts, crossing and uncrossing his arms like an anxious teenager, looking at his watch, and wondering what in the world was taking so long for them to get down there. Finally, they appeared, and Mal was talking to her assistants, not looking ahead.

“Honestly, you guys go back to the house. I’ll take some quick shots and be done in a jiffy. Then we can edit together tonight, and it’ll be great.”

Dan opened his mouth to respond, but he saw Hunter, and his mouth curved into a smile. He nudged Taryn, and she, too, caught sight of Hunter. Her eyes lit up, and she fought to keep from laughing.

“Know what, Mal? That’s a great idea,” Taryn said, clearing her throat. “We’ll head to the house while you go shoot. But we don’t need to edit tonight. There’s plenty of time. Just take your time. Relax. Enjoy.”

“What?” Mal said, looking at her. “What are you . . . ?” She followed Taryn’s gaze and saw Hunter, then stopped dead in her tracks. “Aha.”

Hunter sighed and looked at the others. “She says that like it’s a bad thing.”

Mal rolled her eyes. “I take it you’re going on the sunset shoot with me?” she asked him.

“Am I invited?”

“Yes,” the assistants said together.

He nodded. “Thought so.”

“Isn’t that up to me?” Mal asked, looking around.

“No,” all three answered at the same time.

She threw her hands up in the air, but smiled. “Fine. Care to drop them off at their place?”

“Sure thing.” He started toward the parking lot. “We’ll take the truck. You guys mind riding in back?”

They didn’t mind at all.

Hunter put his arm around Mal’s shoulders. “I like these two,” he murmured. “Very smart kids.”

“Shut up,” she muttered as she pushed at him.

Soon enough, they were alone, and the moment they were, he took her hand, sighing at the relief of being able to touch her again. He was getting more pathetic by the minute. But despite Mal’s cynical expression, she was holding his hand just as tightly.

If that wasn’t enough to make him rightfully pathetic, he didn’t know what was.

She gave him no direction, letting him drive them around however he wanted. He took her to one of his favorite spots, the place they had gone the previous morning on their first sunrise shoot. It would be better in the evening, and he couldn’t wait for her to see it. Hand in hand, they walked from the road up to the spot, and he heard Mal’s soft “oh” of appreciation.

“We’ve been here,” she said, glancing at him.

He nodded. “It’s better in the evenings, so I didn’t think you’d mind.”

She turned and looked over the expanse before them, sighing. “I don’t.”

“Do your thing,” he encouraged, letting go of her hand and sitting down to watch.

She surprised him by only taking a few pictures and then coming to sit by him. His look made her duck her chin bashfully and shrug. “I’ll get what I need.”

They sat without speaking for several minutes, and Hunter spent most of that time looking at Mal, who purposefully stared ahead at the view. She was stunning, just like this place. The golden glow of the fading sun on her skin, the warm evening breeze sending stray tendrils of hair dancing, the green in her eyes dancing with flecks of gold . . . He was transfixed by her, heart and soul.

“What are you looking at?” she finally asked, still facing forward, though the hitch in her voice told him she knew exactly where he was looking.

He smiled at her defensive tone and the very telling catch in her voice. “You,” he said simply. “In the evening light. It’s beautiful.”

She swallowed. “Stop it.”

“Stop what?” he asked as he reached out to replace a strand of hair the breeze had dislodged, keeping his fingers on her jaw.

“I can’t think,” she whispered.

“Then don’t.”

He turned her face toward him, caught her eyes with his own, and felt his breathing match her own uneven pace. His hand moved, and he gently parted her full lower lip from her upper with his thumb. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers for a sweet, soft kiss.

Surprisingly, he was shaken by such a simple connection and instantly wanted more, but he didn’t want to overwhelm her. He broke off gently, touching his forehead to hers, and felt satisfied at her small sigh. He started to pull away, but her hands came to either side of his stubbled jaw, and she pulled him back to her.

“You’re going to miss it,” he whispered, teasing her, barely keeping his lips from touching hers.

“Miss what?” she replied, her eyes still closed.

He smiled against her lips and then kissed her again, taking all the time in the world to do it properly.