What Jackson remembered most about Katie as a teenager was how pretty she'd been, even when she'd threatened to beat him up. He hadn't wanted to waste his afternoon with a kid, but the second he'd seen her, he'd been...intrigued. As much as a repressed, nerdish sixteen-year-old boy could be.

He wasn't repressed anymore, he thought, doing his best not to stare at her br**sts bouncing along in time with her movements. Not only didn't he want to get caught looking, his workout shorts wouldn't hide the inevitable reaction to his interest and wouldn't that make for an awkward moment.

"You worry too much," he told her.

"You weren't ever fat," she told him, her blue eyes bright with amusement. "But it's okay. I've been exercising regularly for nearly twelve years and I'm to the point where I almost like it."

He chuckled. "Is that the goal? To enjoy it?"

"Everyone deserves a fantasy life."

"Is that when you got interested in sports? You were exercising?"

She reached for her water bottle and took a long drink. "No. I've always loved sports. I think it's my dad's influence. My mom says instead of reading me fairy stories at night, he would read the sports page. I grew up interested in football and baseball."

"Do you play any?"

She shook her head. "I wish. I've tried them all. The best I can say for myself is I wasn't hideously bad at soccer. I wasn't close to good, but that's okay. I'm just not coordinated. Or fast. Or athletic. You met Aunt Tully. Physically, I take after her. So it's that old saying--those who can do. Those who can't write about it. I went to Ashland College to learn how."

"Where you studied sports communications."

Something flashed in her blue eyes. "You remembered."

He'd remembered nearly everything she'd said, he thought. She was the kind of woman a man would have trouble forgetting.

"You're my first sports communications major," he said lightly. "A guy remembers his first time."

She laughed. "You're good. Seriously. Have you been back to your high school reunion?"

He shuddered. "No, thanks. I'd rather face the fires of hell."

"You should think about it. You're the guy who will cause quite the reaction. All those girls who blew you off will be all over you."

"Maybe I don't want them all over me."

"You're not into revenge?"

"No. I don't need their approval to enjoy my life." He studied her. "Are you into revenge? If you are, this is the weekend for it."

She wiped her face with a towel. Even sweaty and hot, she looked good, he thought. Her hair stood in spikes, her br**sts continued to bounce. This was his idea of a great morning.

"To quote you from a second ago, no, thanks. I'm not interested in Alex. He had his chance with me and he blew it."

"The man's an idiot."

Katie smiled. He felt the heat of if all the way down to his groin.

"You say the nicest things," she told him. "Courtney can be a pain. But you have to understand the context. She was sick when she was a kid. Cancer. Everyone spoiled her and when she got better, we all kept treating her like she could die any second. She got used to the attention, and then she grew up gorgeous and guys kept falling for her. She'll grow up someday, and when she does, she'll be a good person. For what it's worth, I think Alex really does love her. This is their weekend. I want everything to go well for them."

Although his workout was over, he kept going until she was done. They walked out of the gym together and headed for the stairs. On the main floor, he was about to ask her to breakfast, when someone touched his arm.

"Jackson? Hi."

He turned and saw Ariel standing in the lobby. She was still tall and beautiful, with golden-red hair and eyes the color of spring grass. Pretty enough, but not anyone he'd missed after she'd left.

"Ariel," he said, then shifted his attention to Katie. "Katie, this is Ariel, cake decorator extraordinaire."

Katie glanced between them, then gave a smile that didn't seem happy. "Great. We're thrilled you're here. Have you had a chance to see the kitchen yet? We spoke to the staff and they've set up a work area for you. The pastry chef made the cakes last night, so they should be cooled and ready for you to work on. We all really appreciate you helping us out."

Ariel focused on him instead of Katie. "No problem. This gives me a chance to take care of a few things myself." She gazed into his eyes for another second, as if willing him to understand something, then looked at Katie. "I haven't been to the kitchen."

"Why don't you two take care of that now," he said, wondering why Ariel was acting strange. Was she pissed because he'd called her about the job? If she hadn't wanted it, she could have refused.

"Sure," Katie said. "The kitchen is right this way."

Ariel was one of those women who entranced men and intimidated women without breaking a sweat. Katie, on the other hand, had been sweating for the past forty minutes. She was not at her best as she showed the tall, gorgeous redhead back to the kitchen. Fortunately, Katie didn't seem to register on Ariel's radar, so she hadn't appeared the least bit critical.

Katie showed the other woman the freshly baked cake, the decorations and introduced her to Andre, who was their "kitchen liaison." Then she headed for the coffee station in the lobby.

After taking her first sip, she closed her eyes and inhaled the aroma. It wasn't that she needed the caffeine to feel awake--it was that the ritual would ground her in a world where goddesslike women weren't ex-girlfriends and former nerds like Jackson didn't make her heart beat faster with just a kiss...or a smile.

Just when she'd been thinking about possibilities, she thought grimly. She'd been so sure they'd had great chemistry, that he really liked her. That he'd been interested. Maybe he had been, but there was no way she could compete with someone like Ariel. Not that it was a competition, but still. Couldn't Jackson have dated someone slightly more...ordinary?

She refilled her cup and headed for the elevators. When they opened, her sister, Courtney, stepped out. It might be early, but Courtney was charmingly dressed in a flirty little skirt and formfitting top. Her long hair gleamed, her makeup was perfect.

"Katie." Courtney looked and sounded shocked. "What happened to you?"

"I worked out."

"You look awful." Her gaze narrowed. "Are you sure you're okay? Your face is really red."

"That's what happens when I exercise," Katie said cheerfully, trying to maneuver around her, only to have the elevator doors close. Sighing, she pushed the up button again.

"I know you have to work out because of your weight, but you really shouldn't be out like this in public. Alex always said--" Courtney paused and smiled tightly. "Did you sleep well?"

Katie could have pushed and discovered what Alex always said. That she wasn't at her best in the morning? That she didn't wake up looking radiant and tall? Then she decided it didn't matter.

"Fine," she said. "And you?"

Instead of answering the question, her sister put a hand on her arm. "I know this is hard for you."

Sleeping? Not so much. Most nights it was amazingly easy. "What is hard for me?"

"Seeing me with Alex."

"I've had nearly a year to get used to it."

"I know, but this is different. We're getting married. I know you thought you'd marry him."

"Not anymore," Katie assured her, silently begging the elevator to return and rescue her. "I'm fine."

"Mom had to buy you a date."

Katie sucked in a breath. "Jackson isn't an escort. No one paid for him." At least she didn't think so. "He's a friend of the family." Sort of.

"Still." Courtney looked both sympathetic and pitying. It wasn't a combination designed to make Katie feel better. "It's just so sad that more guys don't see beyond appearances. I couldn't stand it. You must be lonely."

Kill me now, Katie thought. Or maybe just Courtney. Before she could make a decision, the elevator arrived and she practically threw herself into it.

As the doors closed, Katie promised herself she was having wine with lunch.

Five

Katie fluffed her curls and sprayed them for the third time since using the curling iron. As long as she avoided open flames, she would be fine.

Tonight's dinner was to officially welcome the rest of the family members who had arrived that day and to serve as a celebration for the happy couple. The event was somewhat formal, so she'd chosen a cocktail dress that fit her perfectly. She'd paid extra for tailoring, but it had been worth it, she thought as she put down the hair spray and turned so she could see herself from the back. In the right light, and wearing her three-inch heels, she could almost pass for tall. Given how her day had begun, she deserved a little sass in her evening.

Although to be honest, after a hideous start, her day had gone reasonably well. She'd spent the morning welcoming the rest of the family members as they'd arrived. Jackson had been a friendly and handsome escort for lunch. They'd been seated at a table that didn't include Courtney and the willowy Ariel hadn't been seen. Katie was willing to call that a win.

She left the bathroom and walked toward her purse. As she reached it, someone knocked on the door.

Jackson, she thought, her heart beating a little faster than it should. Right on time.

Sure enough, her date for the weekend stood in the doorway, looking handsome and sexy in a dark suit, white shirt and gray tie.

"Is this formal enough?" he asked. "I brought a tux."

"You look great," she said honestly, thinking it didn't get much better than a good-looking man who was prompt and owned his own tux. "I'm going to have to provide a physical barrier between you and Aunt Tully."

"I'd appreciate that. Although I noticed at lunch she seemed more interested in the groom's father."

"Well, wouldn't that cause some fireworks." Katie made a mental note to pass on the info to her mother. Not that she'd forgiven the other woman for the sexual outburst in the elevator. Knowing about parental sex was one thing, but having to hear about the details was just plain wrong.

"How are you holding up?" he asked.

She checked that her room key was in her small beaded evening bag, then pulled the door shut. "I'm fine. Counting down the days until it's all over. What about you?"

"It's not my family," he pointed out. "Although I have decided that when I get married, I want a simple ceremony. And everything done in a day."

"I agree. This is like a special kind of hell--it never ends."

As the party had grown larger, their dinner was to take place in one section of the small ballroom. The ceremony would be held there on Saturday, with the reception to follow in the bigger ballroom.

As they got closer to the party, Katie heard the sound of laughter and the clink of ice in glasses. She mentally braced herself for a whole night with her extended family. When she would have entered the room, he drew her back into the hallway.

"I want you to know you look amazing," he said, staring into her eyes.

She could see his thick lashes, the light of appreciation in his gaze. Even though she'd always wished to be taller, she had to admit there was something to be said for having a man tower over her. At least this man.

"Thank you," she murmured. "You're nice."

His dark brows pulled into a frown. "Excuse me?"

"You're really nice."

The frowned deepened. "I tell you that you look great and you insult me?"

Although he looked fierce, she saw the slight tug at the corner of his mouth. As if he were trying not to smile.

"Who does that?" he asked sternly. "I'm leaving."

She fought back the urge to giggle. "Jackson, wait. I'm sorry. You're not nice."

The frown didn't budge.

"You're actually..." She hesitated, then lowered her voice. "Bad. Very bad. You're the guy my mom warned me about."

"Better." His tone was grudging. "Just remember that."

He leaned in to kiss her. Her muscles tensed in anticipation of a really good time, her breath caught and the nerve endings in her trembling lips did a fair imitation of yearning.

"There you are." A shrill, quavering voice jerked Katie from anticipation all the way into nightmare. "Katie, darling. Come give me a kiss."

Katie stepped back from Jackson and smiled at the tiny old lady teetering toward her. "Nana," she said and moved toward the woman.

Sucking in a breath--for reasons no one could explain, Nana Marie always smelled like fish--Katie leaned in and kissed her papery cheek.

"There's a good girl. Let me look at you."

Katie stood still, then turned when she was directed.

"Very good. I see you're keeping off the weight. We were all so worried you'd stay fat. But you've proved us wrong." Nana Marie glanced at Jackson. "Who are you?"

"Jackson Kent."

"Jackson, this is Nana Marie," Katie told him. "She's..." Katie shook her head. "Nana, how are we related?"

"We're not. I was a friend of your grandmother's." Nana smiled at Jackson. "Aren't you handsome? We're all so happy that Katie finally has a man in her life. That Alex--leading her on and then falling for Courtney. That girl is about as emotionally deep as a potato chip. Not like our Katie."