Breaking His Rules (Feeling the Heat #4) (12 page)

“Don’t be. Paige wanted to find some way to trip you as you walked down the aisle but I talked her out of it.”

“Thanks,” Shauna said, surprising Melissa with a wry grin. “I appreciate that.”

“I didn’t know about the fake tattoo, but I have to admit, I thought it was funny.”

“She accused me of being a Bridezilla.” Shauna shrugged a slim shoulder. “She’s right. I’ve been a little controlling lately. Mother wanted everything to be absolutely perfect. I would have been happy to marry Kurt in Sacramento, but she wanted Pebble Beach.” She paused, then hesitated before going on. “You have no idea how angry she gets when things don’t go according to plan. Or when I’m not perfect. For months I’ve had this weird premonition that something was going to go wrong and upset her. It turns out I was right. I’m sure she’ll never forgive me for embarrassing her in front her and my father’s friends.”

“Shauna, Aunt Beverly has to know you had nothing to do with what happened at the reception. There’s no way she’s going to blame you for...” Melissa stopped short. What was happening? Last night, at the rehearsal dinner, she’d wanted to wring her cousin’s neck and now, here she was, attempting to comfort her. How ironic was that? “Why don’t we go back to the reception? Kurt’s going out of his mind with worry.”

Shauna’s face crumpled as she shook her head. “I don’t know if I can face everyone.”

“Why? You didn’t do anything to be embarrassed about. If anyone should be ashamed to show her face or incur Aunt Beverly’s wrath, it’s Denise.”

“What she said about Jake. It’s not true, is it?”

“No,” Melissa said vehemently. “Jake never harassed her. It was the opposite. She pursued him and was angry when he didn’t reciprocate her feelings.”

“I always thought something was odd about her story, but at the time I didn’t question it.” Shauna tugged at her lower lip with her teeth. “I should have questioned a lot of things about her. But I didn’t.” She sighed. “We should go back now. I’m sure everyone is wondering where I am.”

Melissa took a steadying breath. Now was as good a time as any to put her cards on the table. So to speak. “Before we do, I need tell you something.”

“What?”

“You hurt me, Shauna. You really hurt me. For years I’ve always been too afraid and intimidated to say anything, but I’m saying it now. I won’t tolerate any more cruel remarks about my weight, and I won’t turn the other cheek if I overhear you and Denise making fun of me. I’ll never let you bully me again.”

“You won’t have to. Today a lot of things became clear to me.” Shauna reached out and tentatively touched her arm. Taken aback by the gesture, Melissa fought her natural inclination to pull back. Shauna seemed sincere, but that old cliché about a leopard never changing their spots was more true than not. When she wasn’t feeling so hurt and humiliated, would Shauna still see things differently? “And after what she did at the reception, I’m not sure I can ever forgive Denise, or if I even want to.” She turned toward the restless ocean and then looked back with a devilish glint in her eyes. “Hey, do you think Paige will help me find Denise and toss her into the ocean?”

Melissa burst out laughing and was reminded of the cousin she’d loved like a sister when they were kids. “In a hot second.”

Fifteen minutes later, after leaving Shauna with Kurt, Melissa made her way back to the ballroom and found that, despite the interruption, none of the guests had left.

Except for Jake.

“Did he say anything?” she asked Paige as she sat down next to her.

“No. He just got up and walked out of the ballroom. At first I thought he was going to the restroom, but he never came back.”

Melissa opened her purse and pulled out her cell phone. “I should call him.”

“I think he needs to be alone.” Paige put her hand on Melissa’s arm. “Give him some time. If he doesn’t come back, I’ll give you a ride to the Hyatt.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Melissa sighed and shoved her phone back in her small purse. Paige had a point. Men processed their emotions much differently than women. The last thing she wanted to do was force him to talk when he wasn’t ready. Noticing Rob’s chair was empty, she looked around the room. “Where’s Rob?”

Paige shrugged. “He said he wanted some fresh air. He’s not happy with me right now.”

“Why?”

“The wedding got to him, I guess. Suddenly he wants to get serious.” Paige shifted in her chair and adjusted the bodice of her dress. “And I don’t. I like him and the sex is great, but I’m not interested in a commitment right now.”

“So what are you going to do?”

“Tell him the truth. I can’t string him along. He’s a nice guy, but if I don’t end it soon, I’ll only end up hurting him.” Paige let out a forlorn sigh and rested her forearms on the table. “I’ll talk to him when we get home.”

Melissa didn’t envy her sister that conversation. And it made her wonder if she and Jake would be having a similar one. The subject of their relationship status once they returned to Sacramento hadn’t been discussed since they’d made love. A mere week ago, she’d believed there was no way they could have both a personal and a professional relationship. But now she was willing to give it a chance.

But did Jake feel the same way? And if he didn’t, where did that leave them? Could she still train with him and keep it professional after everything that happened this weekend? Could she be just his friend when she wanted so much more?

“Have you seen Denise?” she asked in an attempt to stop obsessing about her situation with Jake.

Paige’s eyes darkened as she scowled. “Not since her little performance. If she values breathing, she’d better steer clear of Aunt Bev for the rest of her life.”

Melissa leaned back in her chair and watched as Kurt and Shauna cut their tiered wedding cake. Shauna had repaired her makeup and fixed her hair. If Melissa didn’t know any better she wouldn’t suspect that underneath the happy exterior was a woman who’d felt unloved for most of her life. Not that that excused her behavior, but it did help to explain why she’d been so influenced by Denise.

“You feel sorry for her, don’t you?”

Melissa watched as Kurt fed Shauna a small bite of cake. “Yes. I can’t help it. Her wedding day was ruined by her so-called best friend. No one deserves that.”

Paige shifted toward her and lowered her voice. “I’ll go to my grave denying I ever said this, but I feel sorry for her too.”

Melissa turned to Paige and grinned. “I think hell just froze over.”

Chapter Twelve

When her second call to Jake went straight to his voice mail, Melissa let out a frustrated sigh, pressed the end call button and shoved her phone into her purse. She should have followed Paige’s advice and not called him. But she couldn’t help it. She was worried. “He’s not picking up. Where could he be?”

“Maybe he went back to the Hyatt,” Paige said, leaning closer so she wouldn’t have to raise her voice over the music. “Or he drove to the nearest bar and is in the process of getting shit-faced.”

That idea hadn’t crossed Melissa’s mind but now that Paige had brought it up, the thought of Jake doing exactly that worried her even more. She couldn’t blame him for wanting to obliterate the events of the evening with a few drinks, but he was driving in an unfamiliar area. At night. Near the coast. She shuddered at the image of his Land Rover careening out of control and smashing head first into the rocky shoreline along the 17-Mile Drive.

“Can you give me a ride back to the hotel?” Melissa asked, looking past Paige to where Uncle Darren and Aunt Beverly sat at their table watching Shauna and Kurt, the members of the bridal party, and several guests as they danced to a current pop song. The biggest surprise at the reception—aside from Denise’s outburst—was that Aunt Beverly hadn’t hired an orchestra. Melissa could only guess that Shauna had stood her ground on at least one thing. A DJ was in charge of the music, and with his fun personality and excellent song choices he had lightened the mood considerably. At least for everyone except her aunt and uncle who, judging by their stiff posture and dour expressions, were still stewing over the Denise incident. Or maybe they just didn’t care for each other’s company.

Before Paige could answer, Melissa almost jumped out of her skin when a hand settled on her shoulder. She turned, hoping Jake had decided to return, but it was just her mother hovering over her. She forced a smile and tamped down her disappointment. “Hi, Mom.”

Not missing Melissa’s less than enthusiastic greeting, Claire Atherton sat down next to her in the chair Jake had occupied before he left the ballroom. “Are you all right?” she asked, studying her daughter’s face with maternal concern.

“I’m fine.” Melissa managed a half-hearted nod. “Or as fine as I can be after what happened with Denise.”

Claire’s expression softened. “Honey. I have to ask. Is there any truth to what Denise said?”

Melissa shook her head. “None whatsoever, Mom. Jake is a professional. He would never harass any of his clients. She filed a false charge against him out of spite because he wasn’t interested in dating her.”

Her mother’s green eyes narrowed. “But you’re his client and he’s dating you. If he claims he doesn’t get personally involved with his clients then he’s not being professional, is he?”

The disapproving tone in her mother’s voice gave Melissa pause. This was exactly why Jake had instituted his rule. A rule he’d broken because of her. Melissa looked away and fiddled with the clasp of her purse. If her mother—who was one of the most fair-minded people she knew—thought ill of Jake, then it wasn’t a stretch to imagine everyone else in the room felt the same way. She might not be able to change everyone’s mind, but she could at least make sure her parents knew Jake wasn’t the low-life scum Denise had made him out to be.

“Jake and I aren’t dating,” she admitted, and looked back at her mother. “It...it was all an act. Jake is a friend. Nothing more,” she added, wondering if the words rang as hollow to her mother’s ears as they did to her own. Jake had become so much more than a friend, but after this evening, she wasn’t sure where things stood between them. They might be two hundred miles away from Sacramento, but this wasn’t Las Vegas. What happened here wouldn’t stay here.

Claire’s forehead furrowed. “I’m not sure I understand.”

“It’s simple, Mom,” Paige chimed in and leaned forward to fold her arms on the table. “Jake offered to bring Melissa to the wedding because Shauna and Denise thought Melissa wouldn’t be able to find a date.”

Claire looked from Paige to Melissa, blatantly perplexed. “Is this true?”

“Yes. I overheard Shauna and Denise making fun of me at Shauna’s bridal shower. I won’t go into the details, but when I told Jake I was considering hiring a male escort for the wedding, he stepped in and—”

“A paid escort?” Claire’s incredulous interruption was loud enough that a couple at the next table turned to peer inquisitively in their direction. “Are you serious?” She lowered her voice and continued, “Why would you even consider doing something like that?”

“Because I got tired of Shauna and Denise always assuming that no man could be interested in me. And I didn’t have a date to the wedding.” She flushed under her mother’s prolonged scrutiny. It was the same look she’d gotten the time she’d jumped off the roof of their house and into the swimming pool in the backyard when she was twelve years old. “It seemed like a good idea at the time,” she added sheepishly, giving her mother the same answer she’d given to her then.

Claire shook her head in exasperation. “How many times have I heard that line from the two of you?”

Melissa exchanged a quick glance with Paige, who shrugged. “Do you want an exact count or will an educated guess suffice?”

Ignoring Paige’s flippant remark, Claire turned to Melissa. “So, unless Jake moonlights as an escort, I’m assuming you told him about your cockamamie plan and he wisely dissuaded you from going through with it.”

“He’s my friend. He just wanted to help.” Melissa sighed as she remembered the shell-shocked expression on Jake’s face immediately after Denise blasted him with her lies. She’d heard the term
blindsided
before; what Denise did to Jake was the perfect example of it. “And now because of me, his reputation has been called into question.”

“Wait a damn minute,” Paige interjected, shooting Melissa a fierce scowl. “Denise is the one to blame, not you. What happened here isn’t your fault.”

Claire nodded. “Paige is right.”

“Mom, can you say that again?” Paige asked with a wry grin. “I don’t get to hear it too often.”

Amusement flickered in Claire’s eyes. “As I was saying, your sister is right. Whether or not you and Jake are actually dating is moot. Even if there is some credence to her claim, Denise’s behavior was reprehensible. There’s a time and a place to air grievances. A wedding reception isn’t one of them.”

Claire shifted in her chair and gently rested her hand on Melissa’s forearm. “You say you and Jake are just friends. That this so-called relationship of yours was some sort of act. But it didn’t look like an act to me last night at the rehearsal dinner. You and Jake seemed very much in love.”

“We’re not in love,” Melissa denied quickly. “He’s my friend, that’s all.”

“You were never adept at lying, Melissa.” An uncomfortable silence ensued until her mother patted her arm and then stood up. “I’m going to find your father. I think it’s time to call it a night.”

After her mother left them alone at the table, Melissa feigned interest in Shauna and Kurt as they slow danced to “The Way You Look Tonight.” Soon though, she could practically feel Paige’s eyes burning a hole into the side of her head. “What?” She turned to meet her sister’s laser-like stare.

“Mom’s right. You suck at lying.”

“I wasn’t lying. Jake and I are friends.”

Paige’s mouth twisted with an exasperated grimace. “You slept with him last night, didn’t you?”

Melissa’s cheeks grew warm, and while she may have denied it to her mother, she couldn’t deny it to the sister who knew her better than anyone. “Yes.”

“So what happens now?”

An excellent question and one she had no answer for. “Honestly, I have no idea.”

* * *

Twenty minutes later, while Paige went to find Rob to get the keys to his car, Melissa ducked out of the ballroom and made her way to the ladies’ room. Although she was still worried about Jake, the concern she’d felt earlier had given way to annoyance. Would it kill him to return her call? Or at least text her to let her know he was okay and hadn’t driven off a cliff?

Inside the empty restroom, she entered the first stall and went about her business. After she was done and she’d pulled the hem of her dress down over her hips, she reached for her purse on the shelf over the toilet, then froze when the restroom door opened and Shauna’s angry voice filled the room.

“Don’t you dare walk away from me.”

Melissa turned and, just as she had at Shauna’s bridal shower, she peeked through the sliver of the opening near the hinge of the stall door and the wall. It was déjà vu of a different sort as Shauna followed Denise into the restroom and the two faced each other in front of the marble topped vanity. As her pulse raced at warp speed, Melissa remained silent and still. Eavesdropping had gotten her into this mess in the first place, but showing herself at this particular moment didn’t seem like a great idea. Judging from Shauna’s granite-like profile, stepping into a war zone might be less dangerous. And, if she was being completely honest, she was dying to hear how Denise was going to explain away her bad behavior.

“Shauna, you’re upset—”

“You think?” Shauna interrupted sarcastically. “Wouldn’t
you
be upset if the person you thought was your best friend ruined your wedding day?”

“That’s exactly why we shouldn’t talk right now,” Denise replied in a smooth, yet patronizing tone. “You need to calm down. We can talk about it tomorrow.”

“No. We won’t. After what you did I’m not sure I ever want to talk to you again.”

Denise waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t be silly, of course you will. Once you get over it.”

“Get over it?” Shauna’s eyes went wide with disbelief. “Are you serious? Do you honestly believe I’m going to forget what you did to me? To Kurt. To our families.
And
to Jake Sawyer.”

“Oh do
not
feel sorry for him.” Denise’s words dripped with spite. “That bastard deserved exactly what he got.”

Melissa’s blood started to boil and for two furious seconds, she seriously considered yanking open the door and ripping the extensions out of Denise’s hair.

“Whether he deserved it or not, and I’m beginning to believe he didn’t, how could you do that to me? You knew how much I love Kurt and how important this day was to me.” Clearly agitated, Shauna tossed her veil over her shoulder. “And not only that, you knew how terrified I’ve been that something would go wrong. How many times have I confided in you about my mother and her need for perfection? If you think I was joking, you’d better pray you don’t run into her tonight. You’ve ruined the day she’s been obsessively planning since I was born. Her crowning achievement as a mother was this wedding and you blew it all to hell.” Shauna spread her hands in a plaintive gesture. “Why? Just tell me why.”

“I didn’t set out to ruin your reception,” Denise said, after an agonizing silence Melissa thought would go on forever. “But as I started my toast, I saw Jake and Melissa sitting there together and...and I couldn’t seem to stop myself. You know how much I hate her. How can he be with that cow?”

Cow?
Melissa clenched her fists and compressed her lips together in a tight line. It was all she could do to keep quiet.

“Tonight wasn’t about Jake at all, was it? It was about Melissa. You sabotaged my wedding reception because you’re jealous of her.”

Denise let out an affronted snort. “As if.”

“My God. Melissa was right,” Shauna continued. “Jake never harassed you, did he? He wasn’t interested in you so you decided to teach him a lesson. And what better way to ruin his reputation than by charging him with sexual harassment. What the hell is wrong with you?”

“What’s wrong with you?” Denise shot back angrily. “You’ve always been up for sticking it to Melissa.”

“Not always. Bullying Melissa started when I met you.”

“Don’t put it all on me. You were happy enough to go along with it.” For several moments Denise remained silent as Shauna tilted her head and eyed Denise like she was an alien life-form. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because I never realized what an ugly person you are until this moment. And what’s worse, I’ve behaved exactly like you.” Shauna turned to the mirror and stared at her reflection. She shook her head, disgust obvious in her eyes. “I’m a monster. No wonder Melissa and Paige hate me.”

“When did you start caring what those bitches thought about you?”

“Today.” Shauna pivoted from the mirror and pinned Denise with eyes so sharp they could cut glass. “I started caring today when Melissa followed me to the dunes. After how I’ve treated her, she had no earthly reason to check to see if I was okay, but she did. And where were you while I was falling apart? At the bar toasting yourself for a job well done?”

“Shauna, I—”

“Enough.” Shauna silenced Denise with a swift slice of her hand. “I’ve heard enough. As far as I’m concerned, we’re finished.”

Melissa grinned and couldn’t help but pump her fist as Shauna whirled around and stalked out of the bathroom. When the door closed behind her, Melissa jerked open the stall door and met Denise’s stunned gaze in the mirror.

“What’s the matter?” she asked as she slipped the slim chain-metal strap of her purse over her shoulder. “Lose your best friend?”

“Shut up, you fat bitch.” Denise turned around to face her.

No longer intimidated by Denise’s childish insults, Melissa raised a brow. “Really? That’s all you’ve got? Fat bitch? Surely you can be more creative than that.”

Denise’s expression darkened, transforming her face into a mask of ugliness. “Do you know what I hate most about you?”

“I couldn’t begin to guess, nor do I care. But from what I just overheard, it’s obvious you’re out of your mind with jealousy because Jake found me infinitely more attractive than he ever found you.” Amazed she’d finally found the courage to face her number one nemesis, something that felt a lot like strength coursed through Melissa’s body. “Guess what, Denise? This time the fat girl wins.”

“I wouldn’t be so smug if I was you.”

“I’m not smug. I’m just stating a fact.” Melissa took a step forward to place herself squarely in front of Denise. “For years you’ve bullied me and I took it because I was too afraid to fight back. But I’m not afraid of you anymore. If by some miracle Shauna forgives you, you’d better never let me hear you ridicule me again. If you do, you’ll regret it.”