Chapter 7
He helped me down from the truck and then snapped his collar up around his ears. With the snow still falling, he grinned and grabbed my hand, excitement twinkling in his eyes.
“I can’t believe you suggested the park,” I said, kicking at the snow and watching it puff into the night air.
He squeezed me against his side and turned his lips into my ear. “Well, I am new here and I’ve never seen the tree all decked out with Mother Nature’s flocking.”
“Mmm,” I hummed without control of my own throat. “You’re right. You won’t be disappointed.”
“Trust me, I’m not disappointed.”
“You haven’t seen the tree yet,” I said breathlessly.
“First, I’d have to tear my eyes off of you.” We turned the corner to the gazebo and the tree loomed large and bold in front of us. The colors were slightly muted by the snow that had covered the branches and the edges of the bell replica that sat at the top of the tree.
He tugged me up the stairs to the gazebo and we walked to the edge of the railing, looking up. “I’m definitely not disappointed,” he whispered, and my eyes lowered to his. He wasn’t looking at the tree because he was still focused on me.
“Ellis, first you’d have to look at the tree,” I said, my voice wispy.
“Oh, I did, but I prefer this view so much more.” Whatever look was on my face must have bothered him because his hands went into his hair and he puffed out his cheeks. “If I’m making you uncomfortable, I’m sorry. I forget that we just met. I feel like we’ve known each other forever.”
“Well, not forever, but we’ve known each other for over six months now. Doesn’t seem like that long, does it? Remember the canoe race during the centennial celebration in the park in August? I would say we got to know each other pretty well that day.”
He grinned and dropped his hand to his side. “We did have to fall into sync fast, I’ll give you that.”
I grasped the lapels of his coat and held them loosely. “We didn’t have to work very hard at being in sync. It just seems to happen without us even trying. I don’t understand it, and I’ve tried to fight it, but my brain doesn’t compute that whenever you’re around.”
“Same,” he whispered, nodding his head. “Every time we’re at a community event together, my eyes seek you out no matter where you are in the room. When we grab dinner at the diner or run into each other in town, my hands want to hold yours. It’s unnerving, electrifying, and I’m not quite sure what to do about it.”
“Same,” I agreed.
He took a step closer and grasped my shoulders with his sexy, leather-clad hands. “Though, my brain is telling me one thing I could do about it.”
“Oh yeah? What’s that?” I asked, watching his lips. His tongue darted out and licked them, leaving a dewy shine that made me whimper with anticipation.
He lowered his head toward mine while he held my gaze. “I was thinking I could kiss you senseless and then neither of us would have to figure it out.”
“I like your plan,” I sighed, waiting for his lips to finish their journey to mine.
His lips were cold on contact, but within seconds we were both toasty warm. His hands held my face, the buttery smooth leather of his gloves rubbing against my skin as he angled my head to the right. On one especially traitorous moan, he took advantage and dipped his tongue in to taste me. It was his turn to moan when our tongues connected in a shock of electrically charged synapses we weren’t expecting. He pushed me up against the railing, his thumbs rubbing a path along my jaw when he took possession of the kiss. I was along for the ride, and I wasn’t complaining. Complaints definitely weren’t the sounds coming from my lips. Those were sounds of total and complete satisfaction with his plan. I was all about his plan until he ripped his lips away to breathe heavily, his hands still holding my face in suspended animation.
His forehead lowered to mine and he kissed my lips again quickly. “That didn’t help.”
“Help what?” I asked, my own breathing ragged.
“Help me decide what to do about it.”
I laughed and the sound was husky from the kiss. “From where I stand, you absolutely decided what to do about it.”
“You’re saying kissing you is the answer?” He straightened and let his hands fall to my shoulders, but his gaze never left mine.
“I’m saying that kiss told me the answer is simple, we keep seeing each other. As much as that freaks me out, Ellis, I like you too much to stop spending time together.”
He nodded, his forehead back on mine. “Just promise to tell me if I come on too strong or you want to back things up. There’s something about you, Addie. Something alluring, sweet, sexy as hell and yet innocent, that holds me hostage.”
“I must be a real contradiction in your eyes.”
His eyes hooded and they focused on my lips again. “I love a good contradiction.”
“You’re a bit of a contradiction yourself, do you know that?” I asked, hating that my voice was soft and my breathing was unsteady.
“I didn’t.”
His voice was equally sexy and I gulped, but I’d gone this far. “You’re shy but you’re bold. You’re polite but you’re commanding. You’re thin but you’re strong.”
“Mmmm,” he said, his eyes nearly closed and his lips inches from mine. “I guess we were made for each other.”
Then his lips were on mine again and I flipped the switch back to alluring and sexy as hell. That was definitely how I was feeling standing in the shadows of the gazebo, snow falling around us, and his lips on mine.
I breezed through the door of the bridal store at the last second, still wearing my work clothes. “Sorry,” I said, running into the warm building and pulling my coat and gloves off. “My last client was late.”
Ivy hugged me and patted my back. “No worries. We haven’t started without you. We were drinking our virgin mimosas and making an action plan.”
I leaned into her ear. “Did you tell her yet?
She snorted and almost choked on her own spit. “Do I look stupid? No, I’m not doing it without any backup. This was your idea. You’re going to suffer the wrath equally as much as I am.”
“What are you two whispering about?” Melissa called from the circle of couches and chairs in the middle of the bridal store.
“Let’s wait until she’s wearing a gown and can’t chase us,” I suggested, grinning and taking her hand to join Mel on the couch.
“Hi, Mel,” I said, hugging her before taking the mimosa she held out.
“Hey, Addie. Hope you like orange juice and sparkling cider.”
I held it up and sipped it regally. “Love it. Besides, I’m driving, so I’m good.” I sat and took another sip of the drink. “Do you have some gowns picked out?”
Mel sighed and leaned back on the couch. “I think I’ve said this about a thousand times, but I don’t need a gown. It’s just the courthouse. I can wear a simple dress. He’s only wearing a suit and tie.”
I glanced around. “Where’s Holly?”
“Home with her daddy. She said dresses are stupid.”
I reared up and stared at her openmouthed. “Um, what? Miss Holly did not say that,” I said, my own sass escaping. “I know she did not say that.”
Mel smirked. “She did. I know, took me back a few steps, too. I think she’s feeling a bit under the weather, so I decided she should stay home and rest.”
“She can’t be sick. You’re getting married in seven days!” I exclaimed, my hand to my heart. “Let me call my mom. She’ll go over and check on her!”
Mel put her hand on my arm. “Addie, she’s fine. Kids feel punky out of the blue and then are fine the next day. She hasn’t been sleeping well, so she’s probably just tired. Mason will sit with her on the couch to watch a movie and she will decide to lay on his lap. He will stroke her hair until she falls asleep to Frozen and he’ll let her get a few solid hours of sleep before he carries her to her bed. I appreciate the offer, I really do, but if she’s not better by tomorrow I’ll take her to the clinic.”
I relaxed a bit and sighed. “Okay. Why isn’t she sleeping? Excitement for the wedding?”
She shook her head and I noticed tears in her eyes. I sat forward instantly, as did Ivy. “Melissa, what’s the matter?”
She brushed at her eyes and sighed. “I’m worried about her, that’s all. She’s been struggling the last month. This was the time last year when she came home to us, but the emotions and things that led up to that happening are still there. She’s struggling with the loss of the people who raised her. She doesn’t know how to not feel guilty about replacing her grandpa, as she puts it, with Mason when he adopts her. We try to tell her she’s not replacing him, but she doesn’t understand adult concepts yet. Her therapist is working with her, but I think she worries about it late at night. We’ve resisted pulling her into our bed at night because we don’t want to start that, but if she’s not sleeping then we might have to.”
I rubbed her arm while she stared at her drink. “This parenting thing is hard sometimes, isn’t it?”
She laughed, but the sound wasn’t amused. “It is when you’re dealing with a child who had seven years of lies fed to her. I feel guilty for it, even though I know I didn’t do it to her. It’s just really hard to watch.”
I hugged Melissa to me and glanced at Ivy who was frowning, unsure of where to go next. “I think this can wait for another day, honey. Why don’t you go home and check on her? If your heart isn’t into it, you won’t find one you like.”
She bit her lip for a minute but finally shook her head. “I can’t. Mason said he wouldn’t let me back in the door for at least three hours. He said I needed some girl time and a little break from Holly. I know he’s not wrong but I still worry.” A text tone reached our ears and she lifted her phone, a smile tipping her lips. She flipped it so we could see the picture of Holly, asleep on his lap. “Nailed it, didn’t I?”
My hand went to my heart at the sight of her sweet, relaxed face. “You sure did. I’m glad he sent that. Now you can relax and have a little fun, right?” I asked, looking down my nose at her.
She nodded once and set her glass down. “Right. I still don’t think I need a big dress. What’s the point?”
I stood and pulled her up, pushing her toward the dressing room. “The point is, you don’t want to give up on all the fun traditions a bride has before they get married. There’s no reason we can’t find a dress suitable for the occasion without it being obnoxious in looks or expense. We’ll find something that makes him say ‘wow,’” I promised, doing jazz hands, “when he sees you.”
She motioned at my hands dryly. “Is he going to do the jazz hands, too? I would love to see that.”
I laughed and pushed her into the dressing room where the attendant waited with some dresses she had already picked out per our specifications.
I joined Ivy on the couch again and plopped down, blowing out a breath. “You did good, kid,” she said, laughing and patting me on the back. “I can tell you’re used to working with brides.”
I snortled and shook my head. “Brides and kids. They’re a lot alike. Quick to meltdown, but easily distracted with something pretty.”
It was Ivy’s turn to snicker and she leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. “I’m having serious second thoughts about this,” she sighed. “I don’t want to overstep.”
I held up my hand. “Me either, but nothing is firm and there’s no reason we can’t back out. Just relax. It’s not good for you and the baby to be worried.”
She side-eyed me with sarcasm. “Easy for you to say,” she joked. “You don’t have to work with her.”
“She would never hurt a pregnant woman,” I promised, grinning.
For the next hour we sat giving thumbs up or thumbs down on the dresses she tried on, none of them making our hearts truly go pitter-patter.
Melissa tossed up her hands. “There are only two left. I’ll try them on, but then we’re leaving.” She wandered off mumbling about how she was never going to find anything that fits. She looked like a big white Holstein in everything and why did everything have so much lace on it.
Ivy and I sat on the couch trying to hold in our laughter, but it wasn’t working very well. “You’re right, brides and kids,” she agreed. We waited with our chins on our hands for her to come back out to the three-way mirror.
We shot straight up to our feet when she did. She was practically floating on air.
“So pretty,” I sighed. Ivy and I moved around the couches to join her at the mirror. “This is perfect, Mel.”
I took in the gown in all of its simplicity. It was a heavier brocade material with long sleeves that came to a point at her finger, where it attached with a loop. It shimmered with iridescent beads and fell just to the floor with no train to get in the way. “This fits you like a glove. It’s stunning. I love how the shoulders are covered, but oh, Mason is going to love that bodice,” I said, trailing my finger across her neckline. “I know the perfect necklace that would go with this, too.”
“You do?” she asked, tearing her eyes from the mirror for the first time.
“It was my grandma’s. I have it at the salon. It can be your something borrowed or your something old, or both.”
“You don’t think your mom would mind?” she asked, turning back to the mirror, still unconvinced.
“I know she wouldn’t. You’re going to be her daughter-in-law. She’d be honored for you to wear it.”
A smile reached her eyes, but it dimmed again when she turned back to the mirror. “I don’t know, guys. It’s beautiful, don’t get me wrong, but is it too much for a courthouse wedding?”
Ivy shook her head violently. I was afraid she was going to break her neck if she wasn’t careful. “No, you could walk into that courthouse in a full train and it wouldn’t be too much. This is your wedding. If you love this dress then you should wear it proudly. I know with absolute certainty Mason would definitely do jazz hands for this dress.”
Mel laughed with happiness and nodded. “You know what? You’re absolutely right. This is my wedding and I can keep it simple, but it’s also going to be my only wedding, so I deserve to enjoy it, right?”
“Right,” Ivy and I said in unison.
A look passed between us and all it said was gotcha.