All or Nothing (17 page)

“I thought maybe we could.”

She looked at him thoughtfully. She hadn’t been expecting to see him tonight. They had passed each other a few times, sent each other a wave, but nothing more. He never asked her about the note he left, and she never brought it up. She appreciated that he wasn’t pressuring her in the least, letting her decide on her own. “I’d like that.”

Together they walked down the hall to their normal meeting place, no words exchanged. Finally opening the door to the little break room, Presley turned, looked at Ben’s face, stared into his eyes for a moment and blurted out, “Yes.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a key. Opening her palm, he laid it in the center and curled her fingers around it as she had to him.

Her eyes never left his, staring intently. “I’ll always let you know when I’m coming over after my shift,” she said softly.

He pulled her close, kissed her cheek and whispered, “Thanks.”

She trusted him and knew he wouldn’t have anyone at his house that she would be barging in on. But she also knew better than to enter his house at night without forewarning him. She wasn’t stupid. And he seemed to appreciate he didn’t have to ask her to do that either.

They seemed to have a deep understanding of each other, without spoken words. It was unnerving to be honest, and scary.

“Presley. Presley, hello, where did you go?” Lucy asked her.

“What?” she said looking over at Lucy eating her lunch. She had completely zoned out.

“You’re pretty far gone on him, aren’t you?” Lucy asked, a soft smile on her face, matching the dreamy look in her eyes.

Again, no use denying it. She knew it was written all over her face. “No. I’m all the way gone at this point.”

“Knock, knock,” Isabel said, pushing the door open wider with Ryan’s mom, Michele Mathews, right beside her, one holding two bottles of what looked to be champagne and the other holding a tray of glasses. “We wanted to stop in quick and let you girls have a toast.”

Kaitlin turned the minute Beth finished with her hair and rushed forward to give her mother a hug, then turned to give Michele one, too. “Mom, I told you I wasn’t drinking this weekend. I want to remember every detail of the wedding.”

“I know dear,” Isabel said, “which is why I brought sparkling cider instead. I still don’t understand why you won’t have at least one glass.”

Kaitlin laughed like a giddy schoolgirl. Of course it was her wedding day, so she had every right to be that happy. “Blame Brooke. No blame Cori.”

“What did I do?” Brooke asked, all indignant.

“You got me drunk the night before Cori’s wedding and then I had a hangover the rest of the day. I’m not letting that happen for my own wedding.”

Cori laughed. “No one told you two to drink as much as you did. I didn’t need any wine to get through it. I guess that makes you both wusses.”

Sophia, Kaitlin’s maid of honor jumped in. “What happened? Kaitlin, you never told me you were drunk. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen you drunk.”

Kaitlin blushed, looking at her mother and future mother-in-law, who seemed to get the hint, with Michele jumping in and saying, “Since I was there that night, I won’t embarrass Kaitlin further.” She leaned in and gave Kaitlin one more hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Welcome to the family, Kaitlin. Officially as the daughter I never had.” Then Michele walked over to Brooke and gave her a hug and kiss, too. “I don’t know how I got so lucky to end up with two wonderful daughters-in-law.”

“Mom, please get out of here and take Michele with you,” Kaitlin said in desperation, sniffling. “Beth isn’t going to want to do my makeup again.”

Presley sat over in the corner on the couch watching the byplay of everyone. She felt out of place and wondered for the millionth time what she was doing in this room with the bridal party.

But Ben had asked, and asked nicely, telling her he didn’t want her to sit in the room alone until the ceremony and then made her feel guilty by saying Kaitlin asked for her to come down and relax with them.

So she went, but she wasn’t happy about it. Watching not just one mother, but two mothers gush over both Kaitlin and Brooke brought on deep feelings of bitterness. Emotions she hadn’t felt in years, not since she was growing up and in school watching the interactions all her friends had when their parents showed up for sporting events and school activities to support their children.

Nicole was normally passed out on the couch when Presley was at school functions. Even if she wasn’t, Presley didn’t want her there. Not drunk and acting like a fool, tripping over everyone, laughing one minute and then crying the next. No, Presley was better off in the long run. That still didn’t stop the jealousy in this moment, though.

She would have much preferred to be making the rounds with Ben right now for the security of the wedding. The facility had its own crew, but Ryan had wanted something more, so he asked Ben to take care it.

Ryan’s father, Thomas, had decided to throw his hat in the ring and run for County Judge, so they didn’t want anyone on the grounds that didn’t belong, trying to get a photo or anything that could be misconstrued during the elections.

With the door shut behind Michele and Isabel, Sophia walked over to Kaitlin, grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her in the eye. “You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”

Presley had begun to suspect that but had kept her opinion to herself. It wasn’t her place and she could have been wrong. But a few times Kaitlin had cringed when food came out, and that combined with her adamantly refusing to drink got the wheels turning in Presley’s head.

Ironically, Cori had been giving Brooke knowing looks last night and then again a few minutes ago when the cider was delivered, leading Presley to believe they were onto Kaitlin also.

Only Sophia had been willing to ask Kaitlin to her face. Actually, Presley liked Sophia a lot. She was upfront and to the point, much like Presley. Though, Presley had to admit, there seemed to be more to Sophia than she was letting anyone see. Again, she was just guessing at this point, but since she felt so out of place at the rehearsal dinner last night, she had spent a lot of time sitting back and observing everyone.

Kaitlin looked away, but Sophia only grabbed her chin and forced her eyes ahead. “How late are you?”

Everyone waited, holding their breath, when Kaitlin final said, “A week.” Presley had to cover her ears from the loud squeal Cori made, but Kaitlin rushed on. “I haven’t even taken a test. Ryan and I decided we wanted to get through the wedding first. Just in case I’m not, we didn’t want anything to take away from our happiness. You know…” She trailed off, trying not to shed the tears forming in her eyes.

“I knew it,” Sophia said, triumphantly. “There was no way you would wait until after the wedding, but I also knew you wouldn’t jeopardize not fitting into your gown. First try, wasn’t it?”

Kaitlin looked disgruntled. “I hate how you always know everything.”

“That’s because you are so predictable. You plan everything out, so it’s hard not to know what you are going to do,” Sophia answered, pulling Kaitlin in for a hug. “I’m so happy for you. Look at that, engaged and pregnant all in less than a year. Pretty efficient on your part.”

Presley got up and walked forward, hugging Kaitlin after Beth congratulated her. She walked past Cori suspecting she wasn’t the only one hiding something, then leaned down and whispered in her ear, “When are you going to share your news?”

Cori’s eyes went wide with shock, and she pulled Presley aside. Everyone else was still talking excitedly with Kaitlin, so they didn’t notice. “I should have known you would have figured it out, too. How did you guess?”

“The alcohol, and the fact you didn’t eat any dessert last night. I’m surprised no one else caught on,” Presley said in a whisper.

“Dang it. It stinks, it really does, but chocolate is making me ill right now. That doesn’t seem fair. But no one said a word last night about it.”

“Maybe because Jack ate your dessert when no one was looking.”

“Really, Presley, are you like a spy right now or what?” Cori said, putting her hands on her hips and trying to scowl, but she only ended up laughing.

“What are you two talking about over there?” Kaitlin asked.

Cori turned, plastered a bright smile on her face and said, “Nothing. Presley is telling me how good your brother is in bed.”

“Cori,” Presley said, shocked, the heat rushing up her neck and face, but she couldn’t stop the laugh from spilling out.

“Oh, Cori, just tell Kaitlin. Stop trying to pretend it’s a secret,” Brooke said.

“You know, too?” Cori accused Brooke.

“I’m sure everyone here does. Well, maybe not Sophia. She doesn’t know you as well as the rest of us.” Brooke turned to Kaitlin. “Go ahead, ask her.”

“When are you due?” Kaitlin asked with a silly knowing grin.

“Dang. You guys all suck.” She pouted, then giggled, bouncing on her toes, her eyes filling with tears as she happily said, “I’m having a baby.”

Everyone rushed forward, offering their congratulations again, leaving Presley to take a few steps back toward the couch. She was happy for Cori, actually happy for everyone in the room, even though she still felt out of place.

But everyone was trying to make her feel welcome and she appreciated that. Especially Kaitlin, by requesting Presley hang out with the girls before the wedding. And yesterday for a spa day. Presley had never been one for going to the spa, but she had to admit, it was nice to lie there and let someone pamper her.

“Why didn’t you say anything? You of all people… I expected you’d be telling everyone,” Beth said, handing over a tissue to Cori and ordering her in the chair so she could fix her makeup.

“We were going to wait until after Kaitlin’s wedding.” Cori made eye contact with Kaitlin in the mirror. “When you two came back from Hawaii. We didn’t want to take anything away from your wedding. And besides, I’m only eight weeks, so really only a few ahead of you. Imagine that, Brooke and Beth were pregnant together, and now you and I.”

Kaitlin walked closer to Cori and put her arms around her shoulders. “Come here, everyone, group hug. I know it’s corny and I don’t care. It’s my wedding day, so I’m entitled. You too, Presley, get over here. Look at us, all just one big happy family.”

***

Presley watched Ben, standing at the alter gazing at his sister while she walked down the aisle. What a softie he was. There was moisture in his eyes. He couldn’t hide it from her, not that she really thought he was hiding it from anyone. Everyone there knew how close Kaitlin and Ben were.

Then he turned his gaze on her, and her breath caught in her throat. The look he was sending her was so full of tenderness and, well… love. At least it looked like love to her. It was the same look Ryan was giving Kaitlin as she walked down the aisle.

Three hours later, with Ben’s hands on her hips, resting just above her behind, and her arms wrapped around his neck on the dance floor, Presley said seductively, “I can’t tell you how good you look in that tux.”

“I could say the same about you in that dress,” he replied, running his hand up her bare back and shoulders.

“Do you like it? I picked it out especially for you,” she said. She didn’t need to tell him how long it had taken her to find the perfect dress for this wedding. Ryan and Kaitlin’s wedding was nothing like any other wedding she had been to before, and there was no way she had a dress in her closet for it.

She had been thrilled when she saw the long, blue, fitted gown in the boutique. Not that she had been trying, but the dress went perfectly with the blue suede heels Ben had bought her for Christmas. And if the back of the gown plunged low and revealed she was braless underneath, she didn’t care, because he seemed to appreciate every part of the gown. Nor did he seem to care that with those same heels on she was just a few inches shy of his height.

“I like it very much. Matter of fact,” he said, leaning in and whispering in her ear, “I’m going to like it even more when I see what is under it. Or should I say, what little there is under it.”

He ran his hand up and down her back once more for good measure and her body gave an involuntary shiver. “How long do we have to stay here?”

“Oh, I’d say about another hour and we can leave. Can you make it that long?”

“Of course I can.” She turned her head and whispered in his ear, “If you make it worth my wait.”

***

“Looks like you might have another wedding on your hands soon,” Thomas Mathews said to his good friend William.

The two men had been watching Ben and Presley on the floor for a few minutes, and William had to admit it did his heart good to see Ben slowly returning back to his normal self. There was still a ways to go, but Ben was getting there. And it seemed he was slowly getting somewhere else too. “She’s a good girl. I just hope it works out. It’s been a while since I’ve seen Ben this happy.”

Thomas slapped William on the back. “Well, if there is one thing we learned from Ryan and Kaitlin, it’s to keep our distance. If you push, he will pull back.”

“I know,” William said. “Which is why I’m way over here when I would much rather be on the dance floor with Isabel close by to hear what they’re saying to each other.”

“I’m pretty sure we can figure out what they’re saying to each other based on the movements of Ben’s hands.”

“Well, he is my boy,” William said, chuckling.