Authors: Kelly Jamieson
She looked at Tyler, panic filling her eyes.
“She doesn’t know you’re here,” he said quietly. “But don’t answer it, if you’re not ready.”
She nodded, pressed a button that silenced the buzz, then covered her eyes with one hand. “Okay, I have to go.”
“Just let me get dressed.”
“No! I said it’s okay, I’ve got my car. Gotta go. See you guys later.”
And she flew out the door.
Tyler turned and scowled at Nick. “Thanks for the help, buddy.”
“Christ, I’m still asleep, man.” Nick shook his head. “Sorry, but you know I’m not awake until my third cup of coffee.”
Coffee. That sounded good.
“We must have had about two hours sleep last night.”
Tyler grinned. “I’m not complaining. Holy hell. What was that?”
Nick’s eyebrows drew together above his nose. “I don’t know. But I hope she’s okay.”
“Kaelin? Why? Because she left in such a hurry?”
“No. Because she stayed.”
Chapter Ten
Kaelin’s heart raced as she waited for the elevator, waiting for someone she knew to step out of a room, like Scott or Hardeep or Maddie. No, their rooms weren’t on this floor. But still. Someone else she knew could be staying there. She looked at her watch, nibbled her lip, and when the elevator arrived, thankfully empty, she bolted into it and stabbed the button for the lobby. She slumped against the wall. Dear god, what had she done?
Well, she had no time for regrets or analysis or even some pleasurable memories, she had a gazillion things to do. She rushed out of the elevator, remembered there was a back door so she could avoid the lobby and headed that way. Her car was out front, but oh well, she’d just jog around the hotel to it.
In high-heeled sandals and a black silk cocktail dress. The late June day was hot already, the sky a perfect clear blue, the sun directly overhead. Finally she arrived at her car, sweaty and breathless. With no underwear, beard burn on her chin and who knew where else, mascara under her eyes and her hair in knots. Jesus.
She slammed the car into gear and peeled out of the parking lot. She had to get home, take a shower. She probably smelled of sex and Tyler’s cedar and spice aftershave. Her tummy did a little flip and she groaned out loud, hands tight on the wheel. She must have lost her mind last night.
Not now, not now. She had to focus. She was supposed to pick up the flowers before noon then take the bouquets to the Wirth home. The big arrangements for the church were being delivered as well as the centerpieces for the tables, but she was supposed to meet the delivery guy at each place to give instructions on where to put everything. All the decorations and favors were at her place.
She chewed the inside of her lip as she drove on autopilot, so at first she didn’t even notice the flashing lights behind her. When the police car whooped its siren at her, she jumped. Her eyes flicked to the rear-view mirror then forward again. She frowned. He couldn’t be pulling her over. Could he? Maybe he just wanted to pass her. But no. When she pulled up at the curb, the police car pulled in behind her.
She dropped her head to the steering wheel. No. No, no, no.
When she turned to open her window, Brent stood there. Oh, thank god. He wouldn’t give her a speeding ticket.
The window lowered at her touch on the button.
“I thought that was you,” he said.
“Brent! What are you doing? You scared the crap out of me.”
He frowned at her. “You were going kind of fast, Kaelin.” He studied her hair, her face, her braless breasts beneath her wrinkled silk dress. “Are you okay? You look…” His voice trailed off.
Heat scorched her cheeks and washed its way down under that silk dress. “Yes, I’m fine, but I’m late…the wedding… Are you giving me a ticket?”
“I should.”
She lost patience. “Well, then do it, and do it quick. I’m in a hurry.”
His frown intensified. “Kaelin.”
She wanted to scream.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“Home!”
Then his eyes narrowed even more as he studied her clothing and she knew, she just knew, he recognized that she was wearing the same clothes she’d had on at the police station last night.
“Where were you?” he asked.
She gritted her teeth. “That isn’t really your business. Seriously, Brent, I need to go. Can you mail me the ticket or something?”
He stared at her, and she saw emotions flicker over his face—disappointment, hurt, anger.
Shit.
“No,” he said. “I can’t. License and registration, please.”
“Forget Me Not Flowers,” Avery said. “On Main Street downtown.”
“I know it. Okay, thanks.” Tyler snapped his phone shut as he strode through the lobby of the hotel with Nick. “Okay, now we know where she’s going. We’ll meet up with her there.”
“Why isn’t she answering her cell phone?” Nick muttered.
“I don’t know. Maybe she’s in the shower or something.”
“Maybe we should go to her place.”
They got into Tyler’s Jeep. Should they? It had been half an hour since she’d rushed out. He and Nick had showered and dressed in record time, grabbed coffees to go from the hotel restaurant and were now trying to track down Kaelin so they could help her get done what needed to be. If they drove there, they’d likely miss her and then they might miss her at the florist. Shit. This was stupid. Why couldn’t she just have waited a few minutes?
He parked on Main Street, a block away from the flower shop, and they loped up the street. He’d thought he didn’t miss Mapleglen, but the downtown was kind of pretty with its brick sidewalks, vintage-style streetlights and baskets of bright hanging flowers everywhere. They shoved into the flower shop, which smelled all fresh and green and flowery.
“Hi.” Tyler greeted the young girl behind the counter with a grin. “We’re here to help pick up the flowers for the Wirth-Richards wedding.”
She smiled at him, straightened her shoulders and flicked back her long blonde hair. “Oh yes. They’re all ready.”
“So Kaelin Daume hasn’t been in yet?”
“No.” The young girl blinked. She checked the order. “She was supposed to pick them up before noon, actually.”
Tyler shot a glance at Nick. Should they take them and go? Wait for her? Then he got a thought. What if something had happened to her?
That was crazy. This was Mapleglen and she’d just left the hotel less than an hour ago, fine, although flustered. But maybe she shouldn’t have been driving when she was all distracted. Again, shit. He tapped his fingers on the glass counter.
The shop phone rang and the girl smiled as she held up a finger and answered it. “Oh yes!” she exclaimed. “Good timing. Your, um….someone is here to pick up the flowers.” She moved the phone away from her mouth. “Your name?” she asked Tyler.
“Tyler Wirth.”
“Oh. Of course.” She spoke into the phone again. “Mr. Wirth is here to pick them up. Shall I send them with him?” She listened, nodded, said, “Of course.” And handed the phone to Tyler. He tried to not to rip it out of her hand.
“Kaelin? Where are you?”
Her voice sounded funny. “I’m on my way home. Again.”
“What happened?”
“You won’t believe it.”
Now she sounded pissed. What was going on?
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. But now I’m running even later.”
“We’re getting the flowers,” he said, keeping his voice calm. “What else do we need to do?”
“They need to be dropped off at your mom and dad’s place. They should be put in the fridge.”
“No problem. What else?”
She sighed. “That’s enough. I’ll just go straight to the church.”
“We’ll meet you there.”
“No, you don’t—”
“Bye, Kaelin.” He handed the phone back to the girl before Kaelin could argue with him. He gave her another of his most charming smiles. “Thanks. We’ll take the flowers.”
They put them in the back of the Jeep, drove back to his parents’ place, encountering Avery dressed in a butt-ugly terry cloth robe with a towel turban on her head. “Nice,” he said. “Is that your dress?”
“Smart-ass. Why are you bringing these and not Kaelin?”
“She’s running late,” he said, making room in the refrigerator.
“How do you know?”
“Never mind.”
He stood and closed the door, the bouquets safely resting in coolness. He brushed his hands together.
“Tyler, what are you doing?” His mother appeared in the door, also in her bathrobe, her forehead furrowed.
“We’re going to help her decorate now,” he said, starting for the door.
Avery followed them to the door. “Maddie’s supposed to help.”
“Um. Yeah.” Had Kaelin finally answered her phone? His gut clenched with worry, something very unusual for him. “She’ll find us.”
“Kaelin’s supposed to be here by two,” she called to them from the front door as they hoofed it down the sidewalk.
Tyler snorted and jumped into his Jeep. Not damn likely. “She might be a few minutes late,” he called to her and his mom, both standing there gaping at them, and he and Nick pulled out, leaving them staring after them.
“Nice,” Nick said. “Nobody’s wondering anything.”
“Fuck off.”
Nick just shook his head, smiling.
Tyler returned to the church where they’d just had the rehearsal the night before. Christ, that seemed liked days ago. They pulled up out front at the same time as Kaelin. She jumped out of her Mazda, wearing jeans and a snug little T-shirt and flip-flops. Not the ladylike attire he’d seen her in the last couple of days. Huh.
Her hair was wet, she had no makeup on and her cheeks were red. She didn’t seem to notice them, instead raced up the front steps to greet the delivery guy standing there, leaning against the doors looking annoyed.
“Sorry I’m late!” she said to him. “You can bring everything in now.”
“Kaelin.”
She whirled to face them. “Oh. Hi, guys. Did you get the bouquets?”
“You bet. Safe and sound and waiting for you. What do we need to do here?”
They helped carry in the massive arrangements of flowers. Tyler had no clue what they all were, big fluffy pink ones, small fuchsia ones, waxy white ones, lots of greenery. They set them up at the front of the sanctuary on either side of the altar. Then they helped her decorate the oak pews with bows and small sprays of flowers.
“So what happened to you?” Tyler asked.
She sighed. “I got a speeding ticket.”
His head snapped up. “You’re shitting me.”
“I wish I was.” He watched her mouth press together. “It was Brent.”
Tyler paused in the act of attaching a satin bow. “And he gave you a fucking ticket?”
“Watch your language. We’re in church.”
Nick choked on a laugh. “Seriously, Kaelin, he gave you a ticket?”
“Yes.” She scowled at the flowers in her hand. “I think he sort of figured out what happened last night. I was still wearing the same clothes and…” She looked around the church as if to make sure the minister wasn’t within earshot.
“Sweetheart, nobody could even
imagine
what
happened last night,” Tyler said. “Which reminds me. Your panties are sitting on the desk in our room.” She glared at him and he firmed his lips to keep from laughing. “Sorry.”
“Whatever. He wasn’t impressed.” She took a long breath in, then out, stood back to survey their work then nodded. “Okay, we’re done here. Now back to the hotel.” She glanced at her watch.
They found Maddie waiting in the ballroom where the wedding was to be held. “There you are!” she cried. “I tried to call your cell phone. When you weren’t answering I called Avery and she said you were running late.”
“Yes. Sorry, Maddie. We’re here now.” She smiled brightly. “Tyler and Nick are going to help, so we can get over to the house and get ready.”
“The photographer’s coming at three,” Maddie reminded her.
“I know,” Kaelin said tightly.
It seemed like a shitload of decorations to Tyler, but he dutifully did as asked, setting out more floral centerpieces, the same pink and fuchsia and white flowers. Nick helped Kaelin drape masses of white tulle and little white lights around tables. Finally they had to set candles into each centerpiece and lay out little wrapped packages at each place setting.
They dimmed the lights and Kaelin studied the room. She sighed with relief. “It looks beautiful.”
“Yeah.” Tyler and Nick exchanged a grimace.
“Your mom would have my ass if it didn’t,” she said to him and he burst out laughing.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I think you’ve pretty much got her wrapped around your finger.”
It was her turn to make a face. “
Not.
” She picked up empty boxes and stacked them.
“We’ll get those,” Nick said. “Are you done?”
“Yeah.” She picked up her purse. “I still have to go home. All my makeup and hair stuff is there. I didn’t have time to pack it earlier.”
“I’ll just head over there now,” Maddie said. “See you soon.” With a wave she disappeared out the door, leaving the three of them alone in the vast empty ballroom.
Tyler set his hands on Kaelin’s waist. She tried to pull back, but he held on. “I’m sorry, Kaelin. We shouldn’t have all crashed like that.”
She shrugged, avoiding eye contact. “Only to be expected when you stay up all night, I guess.”
He looked down at her. Her jaw was pink and he rubbed a thumb over the whisker burn. She had dark circles under her tired eyes. “What else can we do?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Nothing. Thank you.” She paused. “Really.”
“I’ve heard if you put tea bags on your eyes it helps with the puffiness.”
Her eyes flew open wide and met his. “My eyes are puffy?”
“Just trying to help.”
She must have seen the laughter in his eyes, because her mouth slowly curved into a smile. “I look like hell, I know,” she said. “And I have to pose for pictures.”
“At least you don’t have a black eye.”
She touched her fingertips to his cheekbone. “It’s barely noticeable today.”
“Yeah. Whatever.”
She sighed. “I better go pack a huge bag of makeup.”
“You look beautiful.”
“You do, Kaelin.” Nick moved behind her and squeezed her shoulders. “It’ll be fine. Go on, we’ll finish cleaning up here.”