Holly stood back by the musicians, but the soothing lullabies they played had yet to calm her. She had moved past stunned to pissed. It was one thing for Kevin to have left without saying good-bye, but the bastard had lied to her about being single.
The guests were mingling, and her job was to make sure things were going smoothly while Nicole played belle of the ball. Never mind that it was Megan’s shower, not that she seemed to mind. Megan used the opportunity to come check on her—often with her friends Libby and Blair in tow—but she’d sent them way, insisting she was fine. And she was. Mostly. She’d slept with Kevin with no intention of anything more. That was exactly what she got.
But for a guy who was engaged, he sure didn’t seem interested in his fiancée. After Bethany had greeted him, he’d bolted back to his bartending station. Not that Holly was specifically watching him. Her job was to watch everything, which included making sure the bartending station was stocked and functioning. At least that was what she told herself, because no self-respecting woman would still be interested. Mostly she just wanted to see if he’d squirm. And, from the looks he kept sending her, he was squirming plenty.
Soon Nicole announced that it was time for games. “The first game is to match baby names with celebrities. Holly’s going to pass out the papers and pens, but don’t look at your paper until I say go. The first one done wins this mystery surprise.” Then she held up a white gift bag stuffed with white, fluffy tissue paper, smiling like she was a game-show hostess.
Nicole had an assortment of items waiting for Holly’s attention in the back corner of the deck. She looped a wicker basket with a big white satin bow over her arm, but as Holly made her way to the guests, ready to pass out the slips of paper and the pens inside, Kevin intercepted her and reached out a hand.
She shot him a deadly glare. “I’ve got this.”
“Let me help, Holly.” His voice was low but firm.
“I don’t need your help.”
“There’s over fifty people here, and I don’t have anything to do. Let me help you.”
“Kevin,” Bethany called out in a singsong, waving at him with a princess wave. She sat at a table with an older woman who looked a lot like her. “Come sit with me, pooh bear.”
Holly arched her eyebrows. “Go sit with your fiancée.” Her tone was snottier than she’d intended.
“She’s not my fiancée.” He snatched half the stack of papers out of the basket before she could stop him. She considered snatching them back, but she wasn’t about to make a scene. With a resigned shrug she lifted the basket so he could grab a handful of pens.
She had to admit that it went faster with Kevin’s help. She kept sneaking glances at him, telling herself it was to track his progress. From the glares Nicole bestowed upon her son, it was obvious she was unhappy he was helping. After Holly had passed out the last form she started back to the deck, but Nicole handed Holly an empty crystal pitcher. “I need you to make some fresh lemonade.”
Holly gave her a tight smile. “Of course.” She’d hoped to ditch Kevin, but he was hot on her heels.
“Holly, please just let me explain,” he said as soon as they went through the kitchen door.
“You really don’t have to do that, Kevin.” She snagged a bag of lemons from the counter and dropped them onto the island counter. “I told you last night that I had no expectations, so no explanation needed.”
He stood at her side. “I didn’t know you worked for my mother.”
She set the cutting board on the kitchen island and picked up a large knife. She grabbed a lemon and chopped it in half with more force than necessary. “And I didn’t know you were her son. So no harm, no foul. Go join your fiancée.”
“Holly, listen to me. She’s not my fiancée.”
She stopped and looked up at him. “Then why does she say she is?” She shook her head.
“She’s crazy,” he said. “I knew her in high school and my mother set me up on a blind date with her last night. That’s why I was drunk. I couldn’t handle her. I called my sister to pick me up and bring me home.”
So Megan was the woman she’d seen him hugging on his front porch. She hadn’t been able to see enough of the woman through the trees, but she supposed it could have been Megan. “But Bethany came into the office this week. She told your mother she wanted a winter wedding and the two of them left to plan it.”
“Holly, I swear to you, I have no part of it. Before last night, I hadn’t seen her since high school. She’s flat-out crazy with her crystals and her talking grapes.”
Talking grapes? Her eyes darted up to his to see if he was serious. His eyes were pleading with her, but he could be lying to cover his tracks. She returned her attention to the lemons.
“If you don’t believe me about the date, just ask Megan. She’ll confirm it.”
The sound of the knife whacking the cutting board was louder than expected. He was driving her crazy standing next to her like this. Asshole or not, all she could think about was the things he’d done to her body the night before. Never in her life had she felt anything even close to what he’d made her feel, and even though she’d gone into the experience with her eyes wide open, she wasn’t prepared for the heartache that stole her breath now. What if she never experienced anything like last night again?
But right now, she had to get him to leave. Because her nerves couldn’t handle him so close, the smell of his shampoo filling her nose. “Fine. You’re not engaged, not that it’s any of my business. Thanks for helping with the game. So now that that’s settled, see you later.” Oh, Lord. See you later?
“I’m not done.”
She pushed out a sigh, keeping her eyes on the cutting board. “I’m busy, Kevin, and your mother will be pissed if I’m not out there fairly soon.” She froze, thinking over what she’d told him the night before. Her gaze darted up in panic. “Oh, God. Your mother…I told you that she’s a horrible boss. …”
He put his hand on her arm and she sucked in a tiny breath, her body reacting to his touch. Apparently her brain had forgotten to tell everything from the neck down that he was off-limits.
But if he noticed he didn’t let on, leaving his hand on her bare upper arm. “I’m not going to tell her. Trust me, I know how bad she can be. I feel like I should be apologizing to you for her behavior.”
“I’m not an indentured servant. I’m here of my own free will.”
“But that’s not entirely true, is it?” he asked. “Last night you told me you needed your job to pay your grandmother’s medical bills.”
“I told you much too much last night for someone who’s a one-night stand. Because that’s all it was, so I really wish you’d just been honest with me that that was what you wanted, too. I never had any expectations—you know that. Why the deception if you were just going to leave the next morning?”
“I never meant it to be just a one-night stand.”
A lump filled her throat. “This morning suggested differently.”
“I fucked up, Holly.”
She shook her head. “This is all a moot point. It’s not like we can see each other anyway.”
“Why not?” he asked, looking genuinely confused.
She glanced up at him in exasperation. “Your mother.”
His body tensed with anger. “I don’t give a damn what my mother says.”
“Well, bully for you, but I don’t have that luxury.”
His eyes widened with understanding and disappointment.
“Yeah,” she said, trying to keep the bitterness from her voice. “She would never approve. She has a certain woman in mind for you, and I am definitely not her.”
“I don’t give a shit.” But he sounded less convincing.
“Unfortunately, I do,” she said, refusing to look at him.
“That’s it?” he asked, sounding angry. “This thing between us is over?”
“Kevin.” She shook her head. “This thing between us never began.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it.”
Tears burned her eyes. “I don’t have time for a relationship right now. I have a wedding that could make or break my future as a wedding designer that literally got dumped into my lap yesterday. I spent several hours last night pulling a theme and a plan together, but I have three weeks to get all the pieces in place, which will be next to impossible. Add to that your very jealous mother, who wanted the wedding for herself and can’t decide if she wants me to fail so she’ll feel better or succeed so she can take credit for the clout it will bring her company.”
“Holly, you’re good. If you weren’t she wouldn’t feel so threatened by you. Just quit.”
“I can’t. Not until I’ve built a solid enough reputation to start my own business. So now I have to endure her belittling and introducing me as her assistant when she and I both know I’m generating more income for the business than she is. I could go back to hotel management and get an additional part-time job to help cover my grandmother’s expenses, but I don’t want to. Because, my grandmother’s private-room fees aside, I really love what I do. I don’t want to give it up.”
“I don’t know what to do here.” He sounded like the admission was ripped from his chest.
She shook her head, biting her lip. She started to turn away to get the juicer, but he grabbed her arm and spun her around, pulling her to his chest. He just held her, one hand tangled in her hair, his other arm wrapped around her back, cradling her against him. She tensed, waiting for him to make a move, but he didn’t, just rubbed the back of her head with his fingertips. She dropped her guard and let herself sink into him, fighting the urge to cry. How long had it been since someone had just held her, offering her comfort and asking for nothing in return? Not since her parents died and Grandma Barb had rocked her night after night, singing softly to chase away her fears.
But after a few seconds the comfort she felt turned to longing, and she couldn’t afford to let herself feel that. She took a step back, already missing his body against hers. She offered him a tight smile. “Thanks for your help. You better get outside.”
“Holly.”
She shook her head and picked up the knife. “Look, I have no idea why you ran this morning—”
“I ran because I’m an idiot. I saw your wedding photos spread out on the table and I jumped to conclusions. I freaked out and bolted. But all it took was a few hours, and several cups of coffee, for me to come to my senses and realize I’d screwed up.”
“You thought I was planning a wedding for us?” she asked, slicing another lemon. “I hardly know you!”
He tilted his head, lifting his mouth into a wry grin. “In my defense, it hasn’t stopped the crazy woman on the pool deck who said you agreed to help plan a special celebration, which I’m guessing might be her wedding. To me, apparently.”
She grimaced. “Yeah, I can see your point.”
“Look.” He took a step toward her, then took the knife out of her hand and put it on the counter. “This is the second time I’ve encountered you with a deadly weapon.” He grinned down at her. “You could give a guy a complex.” He grabbed her shoulders, bending at the knees to look into her face. “If you knew all the insane situations I’ve been in, you might be more inclined to understand why I automatically went with Door Number Three: the crazy edition. But after just one night with you, I can tell you’re not like any other woman I’ve been with.”
“You mean I’m the most sane?” She gave him a teasing grin. “You sure know how to flatter a girl.”
“No. That’s not it.” He looked frustrated and groaned. “I felt something with you I haven’t felt before. I don’t want to let it go without at least giving it a chance.” His voice lowered, turning husky and sending a shiver down her spine. “Tell me you felt something, too.”
Damn him. Why did he have to be so tempting? “I did—”
Before she realized what was happening she was in his arms again, his mouth on hers, demanding her response. Her body complied, her desire taking over her senses as her fingers dug into his hair, pulling him closer.
His hand slid up her side, then cupped her breast. His thumb brushed over her bra cup, finding her nipple. Molten desire raced through her veins, but something in the back of her head set off alarms. She had to stop this—now.
She took a step back, out of his hold, her fingertips resting on her lips as she tried to catch her breath. “We can’t.”
“Because of my mother?”
“I can’t risk it.”
“What if I talk to her?”
“No! What if she fires me?”
He groaned and ran a hand through his hair, then he turned to her with new hope in his eyes. “What if we just don’t tell her?”
“You mean lie?”
“No, just keep it a secret.”
“So no one would know? We’d hide like we were ashamed?”
“No. Dammit.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I’m trying to make this work.”
She shook her head, more disappointed than she’d felt in a long time. “I can’t lie. I hate lying.”
“Keeping it a secret isn’t lying.”
“It is to me.” She took a step back. “Say we see each other in secret, if nothing comes of it, then your mother never knows and no big deal. But what if something does come of it? We hide it from our friends and family? Because no one could know. All it would take would be one slip and your mother could find out and fire me. Do you really want to live in secrecy?”
“But what about your big job? The one you said Mom wanted but could help you break free to start your own business.”
She froze, trying to remember what she’d told him. He could run and tell his mother everything. “You were paying attention.”
His eyes darkened. “I’m not sure what assholes you’ve been with before, but, yeah, I pay attention.”
“You could tell her every word I said—”
“I’m not going to tell my mother anything. So what about that wedding?”
“The Johansen wedding. The bride’s mother is a wedding-dress designer and Modern Bride is coming to take photos for a ten-page spread. But nothing is guaranteed. First the wedding has to go well, and people have to realize I planned the wedding. …”
“Basically you’re saying it’s not a sure thing.”
She gave him an apologetic smile. “I could have the chance to leave her in four weeks or four years. I just don’t know. What if we see each other and really fall hard? Do you think you could hide that? Or would want to?”
His eyes clouded. “No. If I loved you, I suspect everyone would see it.”
His admission surprised her. “Then you agree this can’t happen.”
A war waged across his face before defeat settled in. “Yes.”
“Okay,” she said, the disappointment evident even to her ears. “That settles that.”
“But I still want to be friends,” he blurted out.
She sighed, her heart breaking all over again. “That will never work.”
“Why not?”
“You know…” she hedged.
“No. I don’t.” The seriousness in his eyes caught her off guard.
“This thing between us…I don’t…” Her face flushed.
“We’re both adults. Why not?” He seemed to grow more confident with each word. “I’m capable of self-control. How about you, Holly?”
Damn him. “Of course I am.”
“Then there’s no reason we can’t be friends. Besides—” he paused as though weighing his words “—I don’t know shit about remodeling my house. You said you’d come over and give me your opinion. You wouldn’t leave me hanging, would you?”
The triumphant look in his eyes told her he knew he had her. She wouldn’t refuse him help and he knew it.
“Fine.”
His grin lit up his face, drawing her like a moth to a flame. Dear Lord, what had she gotten herself into?