Changing Scenes (Changing Teams #2) (22 page)

Chapter

Forty-Three

Donnie

As it turned out, almost everyone liked my Mediterranean-themed dinner, and in my book, an approval rating of ninety-nine percent is a success. Unfortunately, the only one who put up a stink about the menu was the guy paying for it all.

“I mean, he scowled when the oysters were served, frowned so hard I thought he’d lose a tooth when the mussels came out, but he almost lost it over the paella,” Britt said. Most of the wedding party had gone back to their hotel rooms—or in the case of Michael and David, out searching for Darien’s nonexistent nightlife—but me, Astrid, Britt, Sam, Melody, and Diane were hanging out in the bar. The restaurant had closed about an hour ago, but Christa didn’t mind us staying late as long as we cleaned up after ourselves. Gabe had stayed on as well, which was a first for him. After he gawked at Melody for half an hour we all figured out why he was hanging around, and Sam asked if he’d like to sit with us. And so we were seven.

“Yeah, Christa told me about his little fit,” I said. “He ran out of wind when he saw the special plate I made him.”

“Yeah, he did,” Britt said as she giggled. Just when Mr. Sullivan was ready to walk out of the place, I walked over to him with a plate just for him, filled with roast chicken, sautéed green beans, and garlic mashed potatoes. “He was so mad that he couldn’t be mad!”

“I for one thought everything was perfect,” Sam said. “I’ve got to say, Donnie, you cook almost as well as Britt does.” His bride-to-be beamed, then she turned aside and said something to Melody. While they whispered, Sam leaned toward me and said, “I have to say that, or she might change her mind tomorrow.”

“You’ve got nothing to worry about,” Astrid said. She was sitting right next to me, her hip pressed against mine, holding my hand under the table. “Britt loves you beyond sense or reason. Nothing in God’s green earth would keep her from marrying you.”

Sam smiled, then he hooked an arm around Britt’s shoulder and kissed her hair. I squeezed Astrid’s hand, both excited and nervous over going back to her room, though I had no reason to be. I mean, we’d known each other for months and been messing around almost as long, we might be having a baby, we had sex like three hours ago—

My face warmed as I remembered Astrid on the office floor, her beautiful ass up and naked and in my face. Astrid glanced at me and blushed as well; I guess it was kind of obvious what I was thinking. Britt and Melody saw our grins and laughed, proving that they were on to us.

“So, Donnie,” Britt began, tracing her fingertip around the rim of her glass, “I hear you’re Astrid’s date for tomorrow.”

“That I am,” I said. “Don’t worry, I clean up real nice.”

“No, you are not someone’s date,” Diane said. “You said you’d help with me with the cake.” Shit, I had said that. Before I could reassure Diane that I could be both a date and a cake helper, Gabe spoke up.

“I’ll help,” Gabe offered. When Diane and I just stared at him, he continued, “What? I have tomorrow off, and I’m perfectly capable of handing out slices of cake. Besides, I look great in a tux,” he added, waggling his eyebrows.

“You’re hired,” Britt declared. “We can’t have anything messing with our lovebirds.” She smiled at Astrid, who cuddled closer to me. If only I could keep her there forever.

“Hear that, babe?” I asked. “You’re my lovebird.”

Astrid smiled the sweetest smile I’d ever seen, her green eyes dancing. “I sure am.”

***

Things got awkward when it was time to go back to the hotel.

Between Diane and myself we got the bar cleaned up and the glasses washed. Even Gabe helped, though I think he only did that to impress Melody; man, if that boy thought putting used glasses on a tray was a way to impress women he was never getting laid.

After we’d cleaned up and locked the doors, Diane said goodnight and took off, and the rest of us stood in a loose circle in the parking lot. Conveniently, that was when Michael and David pulled in.

“Man, this place rolls up the sidewalks at sundown,” Michael announced as he joined us.

“Didn’t we tell you that?” I asked, and Astrid swatted my arm.

“It’s hardly even midnight,” Michael continued. “Hey, what time does the hotel bar close?”

Melody pulled out her phone and keyed in a few things. “Two a.m., and the last call is at one-thirty.”

“This night is turning around,” Michael announced. “Come on, everyone, back to the hotel. Drinks are on me.”

As Britt and Melody piled into Sam’s BMW, I called over, “Hey, I need to make a stop first. Meet you at the hotel.”

“Sure thing,” Sam said, and then he and the girls drove away. I turned to get in my Jeep, but Gabe was blocking my way.

“Do I get to go to the hotel too?” Gabe asked.

“You’re not going there with me and my girl,” I said. “What’s up with you? You’ve never hung around after a shift before.” Gabe stared after Sam’s car, scuffing his feet against the gravel.

“Just bored,” he muttered.

“Ah. Listen, Melody will be at the wedding tomorrow. Hell, she’s in the wedding. You can stare at her all day if you want.”

Gabe’s eyes went wide. “How did you know?”

“You been staring at her all night. All right, see you tomorrow.” Since I wasn’t interested in helping Gabe with his love life, I got in my Jeep and drove off, going left out of the parking lot where Sam had turned right.

“What’s this stop that’s so important?” Astrid asked.

“Here.” I pulled into the drug store parking lot, then I leaned over and gave her a quick kiss. “Need anything?”

“I’m good.”

I was in and out of the store in less than five minutes, which was amazing considering that I had little prior experience with the subject matter of my purchase.

“What did you get?” Astrid asked when I got back in the Jeep.

“Have a look,” I said, handing her the bag. She opened the bag, then she closed it and set it on the floor by her feet.

“Oh. I didn’t…oh.”

I glanced at Astrid, saw her hands clenched in her lap. “Pregnancy tests really freak you out that much?”

“I guess,” she mumbled. “I mean, this is all so new. I’ve never before thought…” She shook her head. “Have you ever thought you’d gotten a girl pregnant before?”

“Once, when I was nineteen.”

“What did you do?”

“Same thing we’re doing now. I bought a test, she peed on a stick…and it turned out the guy down the block knocked her up, not me.” I’ll never forget my relief when Jimmy Turner admitted he slept with my girlfriend.

“And you were happy it wasn’t yours,” Astrid said.

“Hey.” I grabbed her hand, kissed her knuckles. “It’s not like that now.”

She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I know. I just…I guess I shouldn’t be nervous.”

I kissed her hand again. “Sure you should. I’m nervous as fuck.”

“You are?”

“Course. Most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen asked me back to her hotel room. What if I disappoint her?”

Astrid pulled my hand into her lap and held it in both of hers. “You won’t.”

I pulled into the hotel parking lot and saw Sam, Britt, and Melody waiting for us. Michael and David pulled in right behind me; trust the New Yorker to get lost in a town the size of his foot. We all got out of our cars, and Michael led us into the bar. There was a rear booth that was big enough for all of us, and we slid around the table.

“Drinks?” the waitress asked.

“Champagne all around,” Michael declared, then he reached over and put Sam in a headlock. “My best man here is getting married!”

“Aren’t you the best man?” Britt asked. “And let go! Sam’s turning blue.”

“Oops. My bad.”

Michael released Sam before any lasting damage occurred. Our drinks were delivered a few minutes later, and Astrid looked at her glass as if it might bite her.

“Hey, can I get a water too?” I asked.

“Sure,” the waitress replied. Astrid smiled at me, so I kissed her cheek.

“When are you two getting married?” David asked.

It took me a second to realize he was talking to Astrid and me. “I don’t know,” I said, sliding my arm around Astrid’s shoulders. “Spring wedding, babe?”

“Maybe the spring after next,” she said. “Unlike Britt, I don’t marry the first cute boy I meet.”

“I’ve met plenty of cute boys,” Britt said. “Sam’s my sexy man.”

We laughed, and everyone at the table teased Sam and Britt, and left Astrid alone. The last thing I needed was her any more nervous than she already was; her hands were shaking, and she was having a hard time following the conversation. I pulled her close and kissed her temple.

“You want to take off?” I whispered.

Astrid leaned back and smiled. “I’m good, but thank you.”

“Any time.”

We finished our Champagne, with me switching Astrid’s glass with mine after ten minutes or so, and then Britt called it a night. We rode the elevator up, then Melody said good night and went off to her room. I soon learned that Sam and Britt were in the bridal suite, which wasn’t surprising. What did surprise me was that Astrid’s room was right across the hall.

“I thought you weren’t supposed to see the bride before the wedding,” I said.

“You kidding?” Sam asked. “Tonight is the last time I’ll get to be with Britt Sullivan. Starting tomorrow, it’ll be all about Britt MacKellar.” Sam pulled Britt close. “I don’t want to miss a moment with my angel.”

Britt giggled and hid her face against Sam’s chest. “Me either.” She peeked at us around Sam’s bicep, and added, “Just so you know, the rooms are soundproofed. And don’t forget to use protection.”

Astrid blanched, but Sam and Britt didn’t notice as they disappeared inside their room. Astrid withdrew the keycard and unlocked her room, and I followed her inside. The room was huge, with a king-sized bed competing for space with a seating area and kitchenette. I looked through the bathroom door and saw a tub as big as a bed.

“This is nice,” I said, the understatement of understatements.

“Yeah, Sam paid for it,” she said. “Britt wanted everyone close together. Melody’s two doors down, and past her are Jorge and Matilda.”

“Huh.” I looked around while Astrid puttered around the room, sorting makeup and shoes and other things for the wedding. “That your dress for tomorrow?” I asked, jerking my chin toward a sparkling dark red gown hanging on the back of the bathroom door.

“Sure is,” she replied. “Jorge outdid himself for this wedding.”

“He sure did,” I said, even though I had no idea who this Jorge was. “Wait, Jorge? You mean the little Hispanic dude from dinner?”

“Yes, him. He’s a tailor,” Astrid replied, laughing. “He made all the wedding clothes, even the tuxes.”

“Huh.” I watched Astrid straighten the dress for a moment, then I crossed the room and took her hands. “The dress is nice and all, but it’s not what’s going to make you beautiful tomorrow. You can’t possibly get any prettier.”

Astrid’s cheeks darkened. “Thank you. Um, I should take a shower.”

“What about the test?”

Astrid’s hands trembled in mine. “Yeah. Okay.”

She released my hands and grabbed the box before she went into the bathroom, while I paced across the room. I knew exactly what I’d do if the test was positive—marry Astrid and give her and our kid the best life possible. If it was negative, I’d marry Astrid and give her and our future kids the best life possible.

I thought back to our time in Christa’s office, and realized that Astrid hadn’t said yes. Did she even want to marry me?

Astrid emerged from the bathroom a minute or so later. I stopped pacing and stared. “It has to sit for a few minutes before we get results,” she explained. “I think I should take that shower now.”

“Really? Why?”

Her cheeks darkened. “It takes forever for me to dry my hair, then I have to straighten it, and—”

“Can I wash your back?”

She smiled. “Maybe.”

Astrid stepped back, grabbed a robe and headed toward the bathroom. “Aren’t you gonna take your clothes off?” I asked.

“I was…” She stopped, then she turned and faced me. “I guess I can do that here.”

Astrid sat and pulled off her shoes, then she stood and wiggled out of her panties and tossed them onto the dresser. She reached around her back to undo her dress’ zipper, and that was my cue.

“Let me,” I said. She dropped her hands, and I slowly drew down the zipper and slipped the dress off her shoulders. Even her shoulders were gorgeous, small and round and covered in her soft, soft skin. I kissed them as I pushed her dress down over her hips and onto the floor.

“Donato,” she breathed when I kissed her neck.

I turned her around and kissed her hard. She wound her arms around my neck and I picked her up, my hands under her ass, and walked her to bed. I pushed her flat on her back and made my way down her body, caressing one breast and then the other, while my hand moved between her thighs.