Forty-Two
“Nevaeh said to pick them up at Piper’s room. The ladies got ready together,” Lamont said.
Tuck slid his hands into his tux pockets. “Good to know. You ready?”
“Yeah. Just waiting on Chris.”
“Great.” Tuck moved to the full-length mirror near the door. He stared at the haircut he’d gotten at the hotel salon. The man had trimmed the length up at the top and shaved off his beard.
“Stop worrying,” Lamont said. “You look clean. Piper’s going to love it because she loves you.”
He sighed. “Right. I don’t know why I’m so nervous.”
Someone knocked on the door, and Tuck moved to look through the peephole. “Chris is here.”
Chris’s mouth dropped open when Tuck opened the door. “You got rid of the beard.”
“Does it look bad?” Tuck rubbed his bare chin.
“Nope. You clean up nicely. Piper will love it.” He clapped a hand on Tuck’s good shoulder. “Where are the girls?”
“Waiting on us in Piper’s room,” Lamont responded.
“Then let’s go get them.”
They headed for the elevator. Piper’s suite was on the floor above, which made it a short ride up. As they exited, Tuck moved ahead of the other guys and soon found himself knocking on her door. He leaned against the doorjamb, feigning nonchalance. He had no idea if she would hate the lack of beard or not. He hadn’t been clean shaven since high school.
The door swooshed open, and Tuck’s breath swooshed out.
He was vaguely aware of his mouth being wide open and Chris and Lamont’s voices in the background. But all he could focus on was the woman of his dreams looking absolutely stunning in a red dress that cinched in where her waist dipped and curved out along the lines of her hips.
Piper blinked, then a slow smile curved her ruby red lips, showing off her high cheekbones.
“Say something, Tuck.”
His heart stuttered back to life. “Amazing.”
“You like?” She made a three-sixty turn with an impish grin on her face.
“Darlin’, I have no words.”
Piper trailed a finger across his chin. Tuck wasn’t ashamed to admit tingles erupted down his spine.
“This bit of skin has left me speechless.” She placed a small kiss where her finger had been. “Ready to party, Mr. Hale?”
“Put me on your dance card,” he countered.
She laughed and linked her hand with his. “Let’s move out of the way so we can watch Lamont’s jaw drop,” she said quietly. “Nevaeh looks magnificent.”
Tuck moved out of the way and couldn’t control the smirk that appeared on his face as Lamont stared, slack-jawed. “You’re right. It’s a lot of fun watching that.”
“I need more friends,” Chris groaned. His blue eyes rolled, almost appearing to make the rotation twice. “Both you couples disgust me.”
“Now, Chris,” Nevaeh commented, leaning on Lamont’s arm, “jealousy doesn’t look good on you.”
“Maybe we can set him up with a friend,” Tuck offered.
“Who do we know around here who’s single?” Nevaeh asked.
Piper tilted her head, then rose on her toes and whispered in his ear. “What about that ortho doc? She was single.”
“How do you know?” Tuck frowned. “Is that something women just tell each other?”
“No.” Piper shook her head. “She didn’t have a wedding ring, but she seemed like an awesome person. So I tried to figure out some basic info about her just in case.”
“Just in case what?” Tuck turned to study Piper. “In case you needed to set up a friend? You do know your friendship pool is small, right?”
“What’s going on?” Lamont asked.
“Tuck is pointing out my obvious lack of friends.” Piper squinted her eyes at him. “And probably thinking I was trying to set him up, which I wasn’t.” She rushed on before the others could interrupt. “But I like knowing interesting tidbits about people I meet since you never know when the knowledge comes in handy.”
Nevaeh moved closer to Piper. “So do you know someone who could be a fit for Chris?”
Chris held up his hands. “Wait a minute.”
“I think so. She was the ortho surgeon who did Tuck’s surgery back home.”
“That’s an impressive job,” Lamont said.
“She was pretty too.”
“Pretty, smart... Sounds like a good combo for Chris,” Nevaeh said.
“I can hear all of you,” he deadpanned.
“Good,” Piper shot back. “And if this worked out, you wouldn’t be lonely anymore.”
“I’m not dating a twenty-something, barely-on-the-brink-of-thirty woman. Remember, oldest member of the group?”
“Doctors are rarely in the twenty-something stage considering how long they’re in school.” Lamont folded his arms. “Surely she was in her thirties at least.”
“Actually,” Tuck interjected, “I think she mentioned being in her forties.” Or was that some anesthesia-induced dream?
“Call her up, then,” Nevaeh said.
“I can’t. I never got her number, and she doesn’t live local,” Piper said.
The group groaned.
Oops.Tuck had completely forgotten she wasn’t from Kentucky. “I don’t even think she said where she was from. She was visiting Kentucky to see her sister.”
“That’s right.” Piper’s bottom lip pocked out. “You should have found out where she lives. It could’ve been close to Chris.”
“Aww.” Chris feigned a sad expression. “Too bad, so sad. Guess we have to go to the gala without an extra woman. I’ll have to put one foot in front of the other and make it on my own for at least another decade.”
“Mark my words, Chris Gamble.” Nevaeh wagged a finger. “We’ll find you the right woman.”
He shuddered. “I’ll pass.”
“Never say never, brother.” Lamont patted him on the back and headed for the elevator.
Tuck pushed down a chuckle and walked up to Chris. “You should have invited someone to come with you just to keep Nevaeh and Piper from plotting,” he murmured.
“Now you tell me.”
Fortunately for Chris, the women forgot their plans as soon as their limo pulled up to the red carpet in front of the Barnstable mansion.
“Oh, wow,” Nevaeh said. “I think I just saw the GOAT walk into that tent over there.”
“Michael Jordan’s here?” Chris looked out the right side of the limo.
“No, not MJ.”
“Lebron?” Lamont asked.
Tuck laughed. Chris and Lamont were always arguing over who was the greatest of all time to play in the NBA. They never agreed.
“No. Ugh. I meant the GOAT for football,” Nevaeh said.
Tuck tried peering out the window now. “Jerry Rice is here?”
“Tom Brady!” Nevaeh cried.
Piper covered her mouth, shoulders shaking with suppressed mirth.
Nevaeh turned her glare onto her fiancé.
Lamont raised his hands. “What? It means something different to everyone.”
“How? When you have a player who’s arguably the best—”
“Arguably,” Chris interjected. “I can say Michael Jordan is the GOAT because of the records he set, championships he won, not to mention what he did with Air Jordans.”
“Or,” Lamont stated, “you could say Lebron actually has better stats—”
“But fewer championships. Not to mention he played more games, and MJ still did more.”
“Guys”—Tuck cleared his throat—“I don’t think Nevaeh cares.”
“I really don’t. I was just surprised to see an NFL player at the gala.”
“Expect to see actors, singers, and other celebrities,” Piper told her. “It was easy to get three extra tickets once I mentioned one of them was for Lamont.”
“It looks good to have celebrities attending the gala,” Lamont told his fiancée. “After all, it’s a charity event.”
“What charity?” Chris asked.
“They’re raising money for diabetes research,” Tuck supplied.
A knock sounded on the limo window.
“That’s the cue. Everyone ready?” Lamont looked around the car, and they all nodded.
One by one, they exited the car, made their way to the tented red carpet, and posed for photos. Lamont even answered a couple of reporters’ questions, as did Tuck and Piper.
As soon as they entered the mansion, they heard music filling the air. Tuck raised Piper’s arm and twirled her in a circle, and they immediately moved into each other’s arms. He sighed and pulled her closer. Somehow, someway, God had seen fit to bless his life with this amazing woman.
“No matter what happens at the Derby...”
“We’ll thank God for getting us this far.” She squeezed him.
He leaned close to her ear. “I love you, Piper McKinney.”
“Oh my goodness. Is that Aaron?” She pointed over his shoulder.
“I’m having a heart moment, and you’re noticing other people?”
Piper clasped his face and turned his head.
“Oh. That Aaron.”
Tuck could do without seeing Aaron Wellington III again. Unfortunately, the journalist took that moment to scan the premises and spotted Tuck and Piper. Surprise colored his eyes, then with a resolute expression, he walked toward them.
“Piper. Tuck.”
“Aaron,” Piper responded.
“Fancy seeing you here.”
Tuck raised both eyebrows. Really? Fake pleasantries?
“Uh...” Aaron cleared his throat. “I just want to apologize again for how this all started. I shouldn’t have tried to direct the narrative of your story.”
Piper tensed, but then her shoulders sagged. Tuck wound his fingers through hers.
“Apology accepted,” she said.
“Thank you for always being so gracious.” Aaron briefly met Tuck’s gaze, dipping his head in acknowledgment. “You two have a good evening.”
Tuck watched the man until Piper squeezed his hand, getting his attention.
“You okay?” His gaze roamed her face.
“Yeah. I’m glad I got to hear him apologize in person. It somehow meant more than him being annoying through voicemail or text.”
Tuck chuckled. “Are you sorry you didn’t finish the story with him?”
She shook her head. “I’ve had enough of the media. I’d like to go back to the occasional social post and then spend the rest of my time with you.” She ran a finger down his cheek. “I can’t get over this new look.”
“I thought I’d try to upgrade for tonight.”
“Tucker Hale, you look fine no matter what your facial hair is doing.”
He kissed her. “They really do say love is blind.”
She pinched him.
“Hey, now that you’re my fiancée, don’t you think the teasing could stop?”
“You’d miss it too much.”
“So true.” He pulled her into his arms, then swayed around the dance floor. “Let’s boogey.”
She groaned. “Don’t say that again.”
He grinned cagily, then proceeded to say all the cringe words he could to get a laugh out of her. As she giggled, his heart soared. No matter what happened tomorrow, he’d bank this memory as a keeper.