Chapter 13
What had she done? Volunteering to plan a wedding? Jayna was not the romantic, wedding-planning type. Why had she opened her big mouth and suggested a surprise wedding? Was it really such a good idea? The bride still had to agree to it. The fact that Derek Brennan was pitching in was even more shocking. That man did not have a romantic bone in his body. Not a single one! He was the complete opposite of a romantic.
She pulled out a chair and sat down across from the romance-phobe himself. Derek shot her a cold, scathing look, one that he seemed to save exclusively for her. Jayna could see the cruel barbs that he also saved for her forming on his lips.
This dislike was mutual. She couldn’t stand him either. Who exactly had started this war between them, she couldn’t remember. Briefly, though, they had shared something that had been far from dislike. Then he broke her heart without a backward glance.
She had probably been the one who had started this feud. But she was not going to be the one to end it. Never again would she set herself up for that kind of humiliation. She would not feel bad for the cruel stares and the mean words that she also sent his way. Pretty boy had it coming. He was an insufferable ass who was completely without any redeemable qualities. A knuckle-dragging, club-carrying caveman.
Derek leaned back in his chair, folding his arms over that hard chest. Her eyes were drawn to the tattoo that peeked out of his short-sleeved T-shirt. The man had been gorgeous in high school, and that was only amplifying as he aged. It was a shame really that he was so damn good-looking. Such a waste on a man so hateful. Those thickly lashed eyes, an impossibly deep violet-blue, promised heaven. His dark hair just begged for fingers to run through the silky strands. Then there was his heavily muscled chest that filled out a T-shirt so well. Jeans always seemed to hang so sinfully well on his hips.
Stop checking him out, she silently scolded herself. The man was a world-class jerk. She gave her head a good shake and licked her parched lips.
Derek continued to stare at her, letting the silence stretch out between them. Damn, she hated how long he could go without speaking, forcing her to break the awkwardness. It felt like losing a staring contest, which they were also having. She hated to lose any competition. But she hated silence more.
It took her straight back to the oversized table in the ostentatiously decorated dining room, where her parents ate in silence. The only thing worse than that was when they weren’t home, and she ate alone in silence. Lonely, deafening silence.
If she was going to lose this contest, then she might as well go down swinging. “When a vampire goes out in the sun, it bursts into flames. What happens when Two-Date Brennan dons a tux and stands up in a church as a groomsman? Does he implode, or spontaneously combust?”
“Ha, ha. You’re hilarious.” The man could talk.
“Seriously, though, does it bother you to be a part of a wedding when you so obviously don’t believe in the sanctity of marriage?”
“I believe in it. I just don’t want it for myself.”
“Why’s that?” She leaned forward and placed her chin on a propped fist.
“None of your business.”
“So, you don’t have a problem with it?” she pressed, enjoying the muscle that she had caused to twitch in his jaw.
He forcibly clenched his teeth together to stop it. She was getting to him!
“The only problem I have is that you’re a part of it!” he spat out.
“Ouch!” She moved her hand from her chin to cover her heart .
“What about you?” He pointed that self-righteous, accusatory finger at her.
“Me?” She batted her lashes.
“Yeah, Jayna Date and Dash,” he winked as he used her latest nickname.
“I don’t have a problem with marriage or committed relationships. I just haven’t found anyone interesting enough yet to continue dating. Unlike you, I don’t like to lead my dates on.” She was nothing like him and wished that people would stop comparing them.
“I don’t lead my dates on,” he hissed, pumping up his chest.
“Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
“I sleep just fine!” The muscle in his jaw was dancing now.
“People without a conscience tend to do that.”
She was pretty sure his left eye was twitching as well.
The chair beside her scraped loudly, and she jumped. Leighton sat beside her, and Nick took the chair next to Derek.
“You two bicker like an old married couple,” Nick commented.
That silenced Jayna and Derek instantly.
“He’d be so lucky,” Jayna retorted with an exaggerated, sarcastic laugh. Not if Brennan was the last man on earth!
“Not even if she was the last woman on earth.”
Now her mouth dropped open. That was her line! He was such an ass. She hated him like she’d never hated anyone before. She hated that he could so effortlessly get under her skin. It seemed like Derek could read her mind. Not just read her mind but that he spoke her thoughts out loud like they were his thoughts, his words. Perhaps though, what she hated most was that they were so similar and suited for each other. NOT if he was the last man on earth!
Derek flashed her that bad boy grin, the one that popped that lone dimple. It gave him a lopsided appearance. Maybe he wasn’t so good-looking after all.
“Let’s just skip the insults and start on the wedding plans,” Leighton suggested, pulling out four folders from her bag. “I made a list of everything that needs to be done and divided it up equally between us.”
Jayna flipped open the folder that Leighton handed her. The list was extensive. Her portion of the list was enormous. Just what had she agreed to? Not only did she have to work with her arch-nemesis, but she had to work!
Jessica would love this well-designed spreadsheet. Her friend was compulsively organized. A slow smile, a bit wicked, lifted her lips. She needed to show this folder to Jessica. Maybe smudge it a little bit, spoil the perfection of it. Jessica would lose her mind, worrying that Jayna would not be capable of fulfilling her duties. Oh, she’d be so worried that Nick and Piper would be let down and offer to take over.
Jayna was not too proud to admit that she sometimes manipulated her friends. Okay, more than just sometimes, she did it often. But it was always for the greater good. And this qualified. Piper was just the sweetest person she’d ever met. If anyone deserved a perfect wedding, it was that woman. It wasn’t like Jessica hadn’t already offered to help. Honestly, what did Jayna know about planning a wedding? Wasn’t it enough that she’d come up with the idea?
Derek wasn’t so subtle in hiding his annoyance at the overwhelming list. “What the hell? I do have a full-time job!”
Leighton sighed, a frown marring her exquisite features. “Maybe you can recruit Ben to help you.”
“Forget that. I’m going to scratch off my name and add his.”
“We could be so lucky!” Jayna shot him a blinding smile like the one he had just given her. “Nick, you seriously can’t want this Neanderthal to help plan your wedding. The only thing Derek is qualified to plan is a raunchy bachelor party.”
Derek held up both hands in defeat. “Okay, first true words Date and Dash has spoken all night! I did hear about this stripper bus we could hire.”
“NO!” Both Nick and Leighton spoke at the same time.
Jayna shook her head. He was so predictable. And disgusting. That man was too much!