Chapter 27 #2
She’d received the message he’d sent her in his speech loud and clear.
What they’d found together didn’t come around every day.
She certainly knew that, but she’d like to think she’d learned from the mistakes of the past and couldn’t gamble her future—or Ethan’s—even for something as wonderful as what she had with Paul.
She would never again allow herself to become financially dependent upon a man, no matter how much she loved him or suspected he loved her.
Her gaze took in the room full of happy people and found Ethan at a table with Seamus, Carolina, Kyle and Jackson.
The three boys were giggling at something Seamus was saying to them, and her heart ached all over again at the thought of taking him away from his new friends.
Ethan had thrived here, and having to tell him they were leaving had nearly killed her.
He’d been furious with her ever since, which had only made a difficult situation worse.
A tap on her shoulder had her spinning around to find Paul standing behind her, extending a hand to her. “Dance with me.”
She noted that the request wasn’t made in the form of a question but rather a plea. Powerless to resist him, she took his hand and let him lead her to the dance floor. Of course the song had to be Elvis Presley singing “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”
For the first time since the last time she’d been in his arms, the ache inside her subsided and the longing intensified.
“You look so incredibly sexy today,” he whispered in her ear, setting off a whole other reaction.
“That wasn’t the goal,” she said with a nervous laugh.
“You’re effortlessly sexy.”
In all the years she’d been married, her husband had never said anything like that to her. Everything about this man was different from the man she’d married, but even knowing that, she couldn’t seem to throw caution to the wind and forget the many lessons she’d learned the hard way.
She’d thought about his sweet offer many times during sleepless nights, and had been tempted more than once to say to hell with lessons learned.
What did they matter if it meant having to live without him?
But then she’d remember what it had felt like to be desperate and alone and deeply in debt, and the fear would drown out the desire every time.
“Ethan is spending the night with Seamus and Carolina,” Paul whispered in her ear. “After the wedding, I need a few minutes of your time.”
Surprised to hear of plans she’d known nothing about, she said, “Wait, since when is he staying with them?”
“Since I asked if he could. They were happy to have him. Seamus said he’s good for the boys because he makes them laugh, and they need that right now.”
“Why did you ask if he could stay there?”
“Because we need to talk, and I want you all to myself when we do.”
Though every part of her wanted to hear what he had to say, her better judgment ruled the day. “It’s not a good idea, Paul.”
“How do you know that?” he asked, his dark eyes dancing with amusement. “You haven’t heard what I have to say yet.”
She shook her head. “I can’t let this get any worse than it already is. These last couple of weeks…”
“I know, sweetheart. Believe me. I know. Give me tonight. Please?”
Her better judgment was going to have to get the hell out of the way, because there was no way she could deny him when he asked for something in that particular tone of voice. “Okay.”
Erin had to work up the nerve, once her bridesmaid duties were officially finished, to take Slim over to meet her parents. Thankfully, her ankle had healed enough to forgo the crutches, but the high-heeled sandals would have to go soon because her ankle was beginning to ache.
“Mom, Dad, this is my friend Slim Jackson,” she said, having practiced the introduction in her mind repeatedly in the last few days. “Slim, my parents, Mary Beth and Tom Barton.”
“Such a pleasure to meet you,” Slim said, full of the charm she’d come to expect from him. He looked amazing in a navy suit with a light blue shirt. His dark hair had been combed into submission, and she’d felt his sexy brown eyes on her all day while she tended to Jenny.
“I understand we have you to thank for rescuing Erin after she hurt her ankle,” her dad said.
Erin had no doubt her parents would love Slim. He was their kind of guy—friendly, accomplished, easy to talk to. In many ways, he reminded her of Toby. He’d been less gregarious than Slim but no less charming.
“That was certainly no hardship,” he said with a smile for her. They talked for a few minutes about Slim’s work as a pilot. “Could I get you a drink?”
“That’d be nice,” Mary Beth said. “White wine for me and a beer for Tom, please.”
“For you?” he asked Erin.
“I’m good for now. Thanks.”
“Be right back.” He walked backward toward the bar. “Don’t talk about me while I’m gone.”
Erin rolled her eyes and laughed at him.
“Well,” her mom said, taking a closer look at Erin. “What’s this I see? A spark of true interest?”
“Perhaps,” Erin said. “It’s very new. Don’t get too excited just yet.”
“He’s lovely,” her mom said. “Handsome as all get-out, too.”
“Is he? I hadn’t noticed.”
That made them both laugh, which warmed her heart. For many years after Toby died, she’d wondered if any of them would ever laugh again.
“I assume Slim is a nickname?” Mary Beth asked.
“It is, and you’re not going to believe what his real name is.”
“What?”
“Tobias Fitzgerald Jackson Junior.”
“Oh,” Mary Beth said, the single word sounding more like a gasp. “That’s…”
“Crazy,” Tom said softly.
“Isn’t it?” Erin asked. “When he first told me… You’re going to think it’s silly, but…”
“You felt like our Toby might’ve sent him to you,” Mary Beth said.
“Yes,” Erin said, relieved that her mom got it. “I’d like to think such things are possible.”
“So would we,” Tom said, smiling at her. “Your brother would be pleased to see Jenny so happy, and he’d like your Slim.”
“I’m glad you think Toby would’ve liked him, but he’s not my Slim,” Erin said. “We’re friends. That’s all.”
“I guess we’ll see about that, won’t we?” Tom asked with a wink for his daughter.
Slim returned with drinks for her parents, which they accepted graciously.
“You two ought to go dance,” Mary Beth said. “I love this song.”
The DJ was playing “When a Man Loves a Woman.”
“May I?” Slim asked with a gallant bow as he extended his arm to her.
“She’d love to,” Mary Beth said.
“Honestly, Mother.” Erin sent her parents a teasingly withering look and let Slim lead her to the dance floor. “Sorry about that.”
“About what?” he asked as his arms came around her for the first time since he carried her into the lighthouse.
Erin had danced with plenty of men, but never before had she been so unsure of where to put her hands or why it seemed so difficult to get air to her lungs. God, he smelled good.
“You okay?”
“Um, sure. Why?
“You’re kind of stiff.”
She blew out a breath and tried to force herself to relax.
“It’s okay,” he said. “I’m used to it. I have that effect on women.”
Erin poked his rock-hard abdomen, which made him laugh and helped her to relax. A little. Why did this moment feel so damned monumental? It was just a dance, for crying out loud.
“By the way, in case I forget to tell you later, that’s the sexiest bridesmaid gown I’ve ever seen.”
“I’m sure you’ve seen a lot of them.”
“Most of them are hideous. That one is H-O-T.”
“Thank you,” she said, pleased and ridiculously aroused by his compliment. “My parents liked you.”
“That’s great to hear. They’re nice people, and it’s good of them to be here.”
“They love Jenny like a daughter. They wouldn’t have missed it.”
Off to the side of the dance floor, her parents were having an animated conversation with Jenny’s parents.
“Hard to think about how differently that relationship should’ve played out,” Erin said, and then caught herself when she realized she’d said it out loud. In for a penny… “They should be sharing grandchildren by now.”
He tightened his hold on her and touched his lips to her forehead, the simple gesture of comfort doing far more to soothe her than words ever could.
When she opened her eyes, she caught Jenny watching her with an astonished expression on her face.
Erin sent her a goofy grin that would ensure a flurry of texts from Hawaii.
“People are looking at us,” he said in a conspiratorial whisper. “I think we’re officially going public here. How do you feel about that?”
“I’m not sure what you mean,” she said, playing for time to formulate a witty reply.
“You, me, dating, public, people knowing. Is that okay?”
“Oh, so now we’re dating?”
“You asked me out today, didn’t you? You agreed to go to dinner with me, didn’t you? When I take you home later, you’re probably going to want to kiss me, aren’t you?”
Erin’s system overheated at the thought of kissing him. “Don’t count your chickens, my friend.”
His low chuckle rumbled through his muscular body, but then he pulled her in even closer to him, and her mind went totally blank of all thoughts except for how much she hoped he’d carry through on that “threat.”