Chapter 5
Chapter Five
W hat the hell was she doing here? She smoothed down the silk dress she’d hastily purchased in Edgeview yesterday. She’d planned on skipping the main event, but something told her that it might be a good time for Abe to let his guard down.
So she’d purchased a modest dress and slapped on the most uncomfortable shoes she owned.
The moment she parked her car at Sunset Event’s large barn, she second-guessed her outfit choice.
Especially when a couple of women walked past her wearing very skimpy dresses that showed a hell of a lot more skin than hers did.
Dylan let out a slow breath, adjusted the strap of her dress, and stepped out of the car. The moment the cool night air touched her skin, she considered turning right back around.
This was a mistake.
She wasn’t one for fancy events, and she sure as hell wasn’t one for parties where everyone knew everyone.
It was bad enough she’d spent most of the bonfire dodging small talk and pretending she didn’t recognize half the town and Abe.
Now she was walking straight into the lion’s den, dressed in silk and strapped into heels that felt more like medieval torture devices than footwear.
But she wasn’t here for fun or comfort.
She was here to work.
Abe Collins was her job, and if she wanted to get a read on him and find out what Kevin Sinclair had hired her to find out, then she needed to see him in his element. Relaxed. Unfiltered.
Still, as she moved towards the barn doors, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was out of place. Women strutted past her in barely-there dresses, all legs and confidence. She felt like a fraud playing dress-up.
Get it together, Dylan, she berated herself.
During her years as a PI, she’d played many roles. This was just another one. With a quick inhale, she straightened her shoulders and walked inside.
The massive barn had been transformed years ago into one of the best event venues along the coast. Strings of twinkling lights hung from posts outside the doors, casting a warm, golden glow over the entire entryway.
The wedding portion of the night was to be held just outside the barn, on the beach. There were signs and tiki torches that led guests down the pathway to the sand.
Many guests were already seated in the rows of chairs, so she slipped in and sat at the back on the bride’s side.
Soft music floated through the air, blending with the rhythmic crash of waves against the shore.
The sun hung low in the sky, painting the horizon in warm hues of orange and pink.
A gentle breeze carried the scent of salt and flowers, and ruffled the white linen draped over the wedding arch at the front of the aisle.
Dylan took in the picturesque scene. The chairs were arranged in neat rows, filled with many familiar faces from town.
She’d never been one to dream about the perfect wedding, but this was a damned good spot for it.
Nothing seemed out of place.
The music changed, and Max appeared near the front, along with a priest. He stood there near the arch, grinning like it was his best day. His usual easygoing demeanor had been replaced with something deeper, an emotion that softened his features as he watched the pathway leading to the aisle.
Abe suddenly appeared, a pretty brunette on his arm. The woman looked familiar.
Dylan narrowed her eyes and tried hard to place her. But her eyes kept returning to Abe.
Damn. The man looked sexy as hell in a monkey suit. She enjoyed the view as other bridesmaids and groomsmen walked down the aisle. When the music changed again, everyone stood up.
All eyes turned towards the barn as the large wooden doors swung open.
Juliette appeared, radiant in a flowing lace gown, her hair in long curls pinned back with delicate pearls. Her father, Rafe Elliott, walked beside her, his expression a mix of pride and nostalgia as he led her towards the man waiting for her.
Dylan’s heart sank when she suddenly realized that her own father wouldn’t be around for her special moment.
Not that she’d ever have a day like this.
Hell, she’d never even gone out on a second date with a man before, let alone seen someone long enough to think about spending the rest of her life with them.
She had faced the facts years ago—she wasn’t the marrying type.
Max’s breath visibly hitched as Juliette stepped onto the pathway. His fingers curled at his sides, and for a moment, he looked as though he might take a step forward, as if he couldn’t bear to wait another second to be with the woman he loved.
Dylan felt something stir inside her. Weddings weren’t usually her thing. Too many emotions, too much attention on one moment. But there was something about this one. The way Max looked at Juliette, like she was his entire world. Like nothing else existed beyond her.
Juliette’s father placed a gentle kiss on her cheek before stepping back, and Max stepped forward and immediately took her hands.
As the officiant began to speak, her gaze flickered to Abe, who stood watching the couple exchange vows with an unreadable expression on his face.
She wondered what he was thinking, if he’d ever looked at someone the way Max looked at Juliette. Had he looked at Kara like that? Had her death caused his world to sink and disappear?
She dove deep into those thoughts as the vows were exchanged, as a mixture of laughter and teary-eyed promises were shared.
When the officiant finally pronounced them husband and wife, cheers erupted as Max pulled Juliette into a romantic kiss, lifting her slightly off the ground as the waves crashed behind them.
Dylan found herself clapping along with the crowd, despite her dark, selfish thoughts.
Maybe she didn’t believe in fairytales, but even she had to admit this one felt pretty damn good.
Guests waited as the couple made it down the aisle, followed by the best man, groomsmen, and bridesmaids.
She hid out of sight as Abe walked by, and then she suddenly realized it was Sophia, Juliette’s best friend, whom he had been walking with. The girl had moved to Pride shortly after her sixteenth birthday. Her brother, Lucas, owned the Mexican restaurant in town.
Out of the near one hundred kids that had been in her class during school, these two girls had been most like her, an outsider. Most important, they’d been kind to her. It was one of the reasons she’d agreed to come to the wedding in the first place.
She followed all the other guests back down the sandy pathway and into the barn.
There, a live band started to play on the stage in the corner, though they were nowhere near as good as the actual superstar that was somewhere in the crowd. The air buzzed with laughter and clinking glasses as champagne was passed out, and for a moment, Dylan let herself take it all in.
She spotted Max and Juliette and the wedding party and family members upstairs, posing for photos.
Deciding she needed a beer, she headed to the bar. She leaned on the counter as she waited to place her order.
“Hey,” someone said behind her. She glanced over and held in a groan.
Tommy Leif had been an all-star-player in every sport. He was a jock through and through. And one of Dylan’s worst nightmares. The amount of teasing she had received from this boy alone left deep scars that still stung today.
“Hey, Tommy.”
“Tom,” he corrected, his eyes narrowing. “Holy shit, it is you. Dylan Beck.” He said her name like an announcer at a prize fight and shook his head, as if not believing his eyes.
“In the flesh,” she replied dryly as she waved at the bartender, praying the woman would come over and take her order soon. If Tommy was going to be the first one she talked to tonight, she knew it was going to be a very long night. Maybe she needed something stronger than a beer.
“Yeah, and such pretty flesh it has become,” Tommy purred as he leaned on the counter and ran a fingertip down her arm. She cringed.
“You don’t want to touch me, Tommy,” she said clearly.
His eyebrows shot up.
It wasn’t that Tommy, or Tom, wasn’t good-looking. He fit the image of the all-American small-town hero to the tee. Blond hair, sexy blue eyes that some women instantly fell for, dimples when he smiled, and a body that everyone in town knew well, thanks to his many shirtless runs through town.
“I heard you were back in town for a while.” He leaned closer. “Care to have some fun while you’re here?”
“No thanks,” she said, waving again at the bartender.
“No?” Tommy lowered his voice. “I always thought you were stuck-up. How about you prove me wrong?”
“No, thanks,” she said again, this time getting the bartender’s attention.
“Whiskey, straight, and a beer. Any beer,” she added.
When Tommy’s fingers wrapped around her upper arm, she stilled. “Come on, Dylan, we all know how much you wanted to get with me back in the day.”
She turned slightly until she was nose to nose with Tommy. “Like I said, you don’t want to touch me.” She glanced down at his fingers and winced when they tightened.
“Oh yeah.” Tommy smiled, showing off those dimples. “I like challenges.” He moved closer until his body was practically plastered against hers.
Even though the bar area was packed, she knew there was enough room for her to take a step back. Instead, she shifted slightly until her knee came up tight against his groin.
“Oh yeah, I knew you’d be fun.” He chuckled.
Then she shifted and he winced. “Tommy, you’ve got about three seconds to let go of me before you find out what I spent five years learning in self-defense classes.” She smiled brightly.
His eyebrows lowered. “Like I said…”
“One,” she started, and his smile grew.
“I like…”
“Two.” She tilted her head and moved her knee slightly to the right, causing him to wince again.
His hand dropped to his side.
“Maybe some other time.” He abruptly turned and walked away.
“Here you are.” The bartender set down her shot and a beer.