Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
DAVE
“If everyone will take their seats, dinner is about to be served,” Jason, my captain and one of the four groomsmen, announces.
I rub my palms together in eager anticipation. Okay. So, I may have starved myself over the last twenty-four hours, knowing this feast was coming. But Ellie’s cooking is the best I’ve ever eaten, bar none. Sad that she had to cook for her own wedding reception. But hell if I’m not glad she did.
Following the crowd, I walk over to the seating chart and scour the list until I locate my name.
Ugh. Brecken is sitting at my table. Guess I might be drinking more than I planned.
That guy is constantly busting my balls.
It’s like every day is a fraternity party with him.
Thankfully, he pulls his shit together when we’re on a call. But if he plays one more stupid prank—
Focus on the food, man. Don’t let that tool ruin this meal for you.
At least they didn’t put me at the kids’ table. Well, with Brecken there… it is kind of the kids’ table.
Shit, is the table full of nothing but single men?
I almost turn around to double check when I consider the alternative.
At least I won’t have some overly emotional single chick there looking at me with hearts in her eyes after the all-day love fest. Again, focus, Dave.
You survived the four weddings. Now it’s time for the reward.
Heading in the direction of a long rectangular table in the center of the tent, I scan the place cards until I find mine.
It’s not an easy task with the little cards written in calligraphy, tucked between water goblets and decorative floral arrangements.
I must be at Ellie’s table, as I recognize that the centerpieces match her bouquet.
Don’t ask me how the hell I remembered that, given the long day of ceremonies and flowers, except to say, they reminded me a bit of my mom’s flower garden when I was growing up.
She didn’t fuss with heirloom roses or exotic orchids like a lot of the rich snobs my parents socialized with.
Mom preferred the vibrant wildflowers you’d find in a meadow.
Not that the other girls’ choices weren’t attractive.
Tuesday used sunflowers for her bouquet.
But given the nickname Alex had given her, Sunny T, I wouldn’t have expected anything less.
Quinn and Addison seemed to have the usual.
I couldn’t tell you what they were. One was all white, and the other had some blue in it, I think.
Ah! Here it is. My smile widens at finding my name card. My stomach is growling just knowing I’m one step closer. Acknowledging everyone around me as I pull my chair back, I take my seat and look up to find her.
The exquisite auburn-haired woman from earlier. And as luck would have it, she’s seated right beside me.
My mouth suddenly goes dry. My pulse quickening. What the hell is happening to me? “Hi.” My greeting comes out more as an exhale than a fully formed word. Jesus. When did I turn into a middle school geek with a crush on his English teacher?
The stunner turns to fully face me, and I lose any ability to breathe. “Hi. I’m Char.” There’s the faintest recognition in her mesmerizing eyes. But how is that possible? Hell, I’d never forget meeting a woman like this.
Holding out her hand to me, I grasp it in mine. While her skin is petal-soft, her grip is firmer than I anticipated. Yet, I can barely acknowledge the sensation for the spark of electricity surging from her palm to mine.
If I thought she was eye-catching before, that view didn’t do her justice.
Her dark lashes seem to cast shadows on her flawless skin.
And her big green eyes and dazzling smile are breathtaking.
As noted by my inability to string two words together at the moment.
Hell, she must think I’m having a stroke. “Hi.”
“You said that already,” Breck goads. This cocky rookie is on borrowed time.
I’ve tried hard not to let him get under my skin like many of the guys at my station, but this may have sealed his fate.
I swear I’m going to— “I’m Brecken. This is Smoke.
” He points the end of his knife in my direction before returning to spreading butter on his roll.
“Dave,” I correct, rolling my eyes.
“Hi, Dave. It’s nice to meet you.” Her voice, a mix of raspy and sweet, coats my skin like a caress.
It’s almost too much to look directly at her.
I feel like I’m drowning in her beauty when her eyes are locked on mine.
Her irises are a brilliant green, like emeralds sparkling under the setting sun.
Her skin is fair, not overly made-up. Natural.
When she blinks wordlessly at me, I realize I’ve gone speechless again.
What the hell? No game, numb nuts. You have absolutely no game.
An hour later, I’m practically stuffed to the gills.
I’d piled my plate high with perfectly prepared pieces of grilled chicken, macaroni and cheese, green beans, baked apples, collard greens, and the flakiest, buttery biscuit I’ve ever tasted.
I allowed my eyes to wander to Char’s plate and found a generous helping of chicken, spicy cucumber salad, green beans, and biscuits topped with honey.
It’s nice to see a woman who enjoys eating at these functions for a change.
Not that I care what they do or don’t eat.
But it’s such a waste. There’s no way I’m passing up anything on Ellie’s menu.
Char isn’t the willowy waif I’d grown accustomed to in college.
The ones who looked like they’d rather die than be caught with a single hair out of place.
From the time I’ve spent with her so far, I can tell she has the C’s covered.
And I don’t mean her bra size. This woman is curvy, confident, and by all accounts, comfortable in her own skin.
Watching her enjoy herself without putting on airs is refreshing.
I dip my head in the direction of her plate. “Good, huh?”
She glances up at me, fork halfway to her mouth. “Oh, you have no idea how much I’ve missed Ellie’s cooking.” She drags her tongue across her plump lower lip to underscore her statement, and my dick jumps in my pants. I nervously shift in my seat.
Holy fuck, man.
I swallow hard and pray it doesn’t look like I’m choking on my tongue.
“It’s my favorite.” My voice breaks at the effect she’s having on me.
I try to push down the lump in my throat, hoping to sound more like a firefighter in his thirties than Peter Brady during the episode of The Brady Bunch when his voice changes from prepubescent boy to man.
“If her grandma Joan was still alive, I’d kiss her.
” I chuckle before taking another bite of creamy macaroni and cheese. “You’ll have to come visit more often.”
Yeah, that wasn’t at all forward, you dumb ass. Who knows? Maybe she thinks I’m just making small talk.
Reaching for my glass, I lift it to wash down the cheesy goodness when my eyes connect with Breck’s. His shit-eating grin means he’s on to me. Man, someone really needs to release a little whoop-ass on this douche canoe. And I nominate me.
Not long ago, I’d contemplated buying this gizmo I’d found online.
It was a mechanical cricket that chirps every few minutes throughout the night.
Thought about ordering one and hiding it near his bunk.
But knowing my luck, this idiot would sleep right through it while the rest of us were up all night going stark raving mad.
The nimrod in question stands. “I’m heading to the bar for another beer. Anyone else need one? Smoke?”
I shake my head. Clearly, I’ve already lost control of my faculties sitting next to this beauty. No telling what would happen if I added too much alcohol to the mix.
“Char? Can I get the lovely lady a drink?”
“Sure. I’ll take a margarita if they have one.”
“For you, I’ll make it myself if I need to.” Brecken winks before turning to crook a brow at me in a was that so hard, old man? sneer.
As he walks away, I grumble to myself, “I swear that motherfucker—”
My thoughts are cut short by the distinct sound of a muffled snort to my right. Peering out of the corner of my eye, I wince when I see Char’s hand covering her mouth.
“I said that out loud, didn’t I?”
She wrinkles her nose adorably. “Maybe.”
Spinning toward her, I plead my case. “That jockstrap has literally rubbed all of us the wrong way since the moment he arrived at our station. I can’t even put my finger on what it is. He’s like Stiffler from American Pie.”
“Oh my god.” She hoots. “Haha. That reference is priceless. I can definitely see it.”
“Then you went and let him get you a drink. Now he’s acting like the prize stud at the county fair.”
Char spews water into her goblet in response to the ridiculous admission, and I quickly reach over to rub her back. “Shit, sorry. You okay?”
“Jeez. No.” She coughs. Wiping the tears from the corner of her eyes with a cocktail napkin, she leans back in her chair. “Oh, I needed that. I haven’t laughed like that in… God, I can’t remember when.”
“Taking great glee in the fact I have no game, huh?”
She stills. “What?”
“He’s rubbing it in that I’m completely tongue-tied around you.”
Lifting her hand to her heart, her eyes widen before giving me a lopsided grin. “Around me?”
“Yes, you.”
Hell, how doesn’t she know? I mean, doesn’t she own a mirror?
“You could save me from myself though.”
Sitting up taller in her seat, her smile is spectacular now. “Name it.”
“Promise me a spin on the dancefloor.
She dips her chin, those hypnotic green eyes sparkling. “Done.”
Breck returns with a beer in one hand, a margarita in the other. He slides it over in front of Char with a flourish before plopping down proudly in his seat. He starts to open his obnoxious trap to speak, and I decide to seize the moment to make my speech.
Everyone’s had the opportunity to eat their fill of Ellie’s incredible cooking.
So, I swiftly push myself to standing and clink my champagne glass in an attempt to rouse the crowd’s attention, effectively cutting him off.
“Thank you, everyone, for coming to the wedding of the century. If I’m ever lucky enough to find Mrs. Right, we have our work cut out for us to compete with all of this. ”
A low rumble of laughter echoes amongst the guests. Hell, it’s probably just my friends chuckling at the thought I’d ever consider marriage a fortunate event.
“For the record, I admit I’m probably the only man on the planet to say he’s feeling a little left out of the wedding festivities.
” My words are met with more chuckles. “But I’ve watched as four of the greatest men I know, ones I’m proud to call brothers, married their perfect partners.
If I manage to find a girl who is even half the woman that Addison, Tuesday, Ellie, and Quinn are, I’ll be blessed indeed. ”
“Here, here!” the crowd chants in unison, clapping and clinking their glasses.
As I lower myself into my seat, I’m startled by another jolt of electricity shooting through my arm as Char’s hand comes to rest on mine.
“Well done,” she says as she leans playfully into me.
My brown eyes hold her emerald ones. “Thanks.”
What is it about this radiant woman? Peering into those luminous eyes gives me an unnatural thrill. The excitement over meeting this alluring creature, while simultaneously having the sense I’ve known her all my life.