Bride Quartet Collection (37 page)

He collapsed on her, undone. He felt her quaking beneath him, felt the hammer strikes of her heart, and still her hand came up to stroke his back in a gesture of affection that was so utterly Emma.

Jack closed his eyes a moment. He’d lost his wind, had probably lost his mind. He lay, breathing her in, absorbing the way her body, completely relaxed now, felt under his.

“Well, since we promised to be honest,” he began, “I have to tell you that didn’t do much for me.”

Under him she laughed and pinched his ass. “Yeah, it’s a shame. I guess we just don’t have any chemistry.”

He grinned, lifted his head. “No chemistry. That’s why we blew up the lab.”

“Lab, hell. We leveled the building.” She sighed, long and deep as she stroked her hands down. “God, you’ve got a nice ass. If I may say so.”

“You may, and, baby, you, too.”

She smiled up at him. “Look at us.”

He kissed her, softly, then again with light affection. “Are you hungry? I’m starving. How do you feel about cold Chinese?”

“I feel perfectly fine about it.”

T
HEY ATE AT HER KITCHEN COUNTER, DIGGING NOODLES, SWEET and sour pork, and Kung Pao chicken right out of the cartons.

“Why do you eat like that?” he asked.

“Like what?”

“In microscopic bites.”

“Well.” She worked her way through a single noodle as he topped off her wineglass. “It started as a way to needle my brothers, and became a habit. Whenever we’d get a treat, ice cream or candy, whatever, they’d just scarf theirs down. It drove them crazy that I’d have some of mine left. So I started eating even slower so I’d have
more
left and make them crazier. Anyway, I eat less and enjoy it more this way.”

“I bet.” Jack purposely shoveled a huge forkful of noodles into his mouth. “You know, your family’s part of your appeal.”

“Is it?”

“Your family’s probably part of the reason you’re appealing, but I meant they’re all . . . great,” he decided for lack of better. “They’re great.”

“I’m lucky. Of the four—well, six of us counting you and Del—I’m the only one with the whole shot. The Browns were amazing. You didn’t know them very well, but I grew up here almost as much as at home. And they were amazing. It was devastating for all of us when they died.”

“Del was wrecked. I liked them a lot. They were fun, interesting people. Involved people. Losing your parents so suddenly, both of them, out of the blue, it has to be the worst. Divorce is hard on a kid, but . . .”

“It is hard. It was tough on Mac when we were little, then it happened again. And again. For Laurel I think it came out of nowhere. She was a teenager, and suddenly her parents are splitting up and then they’re not, then they’re whatever they are. She hardly ever sees them. It couldn’t have been easy for you, either.”

“It was rough, but it could’ve been a lot rougher.” He shrugged and ate. It wasn’t something he liked to dwell on. Why dwell on something painful that couldn’t be changed? “Both my parents made a real effort not to play tug-of-war with me, and they managed to keep it civilized. Eventually, they figured out how to be friendly.”

“They’re both nice people, and they both love you. It makes a difference.”

“We do okay.” And he’d learned “okay” sometimes had to be good enough. “Plus I think we do better with the distance. My mother has her second family, my father his.” His tone was a shrug, despite the fact he’d never reconciled himself to the ease with which they’d gone their separate ways, made their separate lives. “It got smoother all around when I went off to college. Smoother yet when I decided to move here.”

He studied her as he drank some wine. “Your family, on the other hand, is like one of those rubber band balls you make, all twisted together into a solid core.” He considered for a moment. “Are you going to tell them about this?”

She blinked. “Ah. I don’t know. If they ask me, but I don’t know why any of them would.”

“Could be sticky.”

“They like you. And they know I’ve had sex. They might be surprised. I mean, I’m surprised. But I don’t see anyone having a problem with it.”

“Good. That’s good.”

“The girls are fine with it.”

“The girls?” Those smoky eyes widened. “You told the others we were going to sleep together?”

“We’re girls, Jack,” she said dryly.

“Right.”

“Plus I thought, before, that you and Mac had been together.”

“Whoa.”

“Well, I thought you had, so I had to say something to her because of the Rule, and by the time we got that straightened out, everybody knew I was thinking about you and sex in the same sentence.”

“I never slept with Mac.”

“I know that now. I didn’t, however, know you kissed Parker.”

“That was a long time ago. And it wasn’t really . . . Okay, it was, but it didn’t work.” He dug out more pork.

“
And
you kissed Mrs. G. You man-slut.”

“Now that might’ve worked. I don’t think we gave it enough time.”

She grinned at him, poked at some chicken. “What does Del think?”

“About me kissing Mrs. Grady?”

“No. You and me. This.”

“I don’t know. I’m not a girl.”

She paused with the glass halfway to her lips. “You haven’t talked to him about it? He’s your best friend.”

“My best friend is going to want to kick my ass for thinking about touching you, much less doing what we just did upstairs.”

“He, too, knows I’ve had sex.”

“I’m not sure that’s true. He puts that in another dimension. The other-dimension Emma has sex.” Jack shook his head. “You, not so much.”

“If we’re going to be together in bed, I’m not going to treat it like some illicit affair. He’ll find out. You’d better say something to him before he does. Because if you don’t, and he does, he
will
kick your ass.”

“I’ll figure it out. There’s just one more thing, since we’re on all this. Since we’re together like this, I’d like to know that we’re not together with anyone else like this. Is that a problem?”

She sipped her wine wondering why he’d have to ask. “Blood oath or pinky swear?” When he laughed, she took another sip. “If I’m sleeping with a man, I don’t see anyone else. It’s not only rude and against my principles, but it’s too much trouble.”

“Good. So it’s you and me.”

“It’s you and me,” she repeated.

“I have to be on-site at seven.”

Here it comes, she thought. Early day tomorrow, honey. It was great. I’ll call you.

“Any objection if I stay, since I’d need to get up at about five?”

Her lips curved. “No objection.”

J
ACK DISCOVERED WHEN THEY FINALLY SLIPPED TOWARD SLEEP that Emma was a snuggler. The sort of woman who burrowed in and wrapped around.

He was generally a man who liked his space. Space kept a man from getting tangled up—literally and metaphorically.

But he found, under the circumstances, he didn’t really mind.

She fell asleep like a stone dropped in a pond. Up and moving one minute, submerged the next. He was a drifter, with the movie reel of the day’s events and the previews of the next running through his mind as his body settled down.

So he drifted, with Emma’s head nestled in the curve of his shoulder, her arm flung around his waist, and her leg twined between his.

He woke, in nearly the same position, about six hours later to the beep of his cell phone’s alarm. And as he woke to the scent of her hair, she was his first conscious thought.

His attempt to ease away without waking her resulted in causing her to snuggle closer. Even as his body cheerfully responded, he tried to nudge her away.

She said,
“Hmmmm?”

“Sorry. I’ve got to get going.”

“Time’s it?”

“Just after five.”

She sighed again, then lifted her mouth to brush his lips with hers. “I’ve got about an hour. Too bad you don’t.”

He’d managed to shift her so they were front to-front, and her hand was making slow, lazy circles over his ass.

“There are two things I’m finding really convenient at the moment.”

“What?”

“Being the boss, so I don’t get fired for being late. Even more, my own habit of keeping spare work clothes in the trunk. If I leave right from here, I’ve got most of an hour.”

“Convenient. Want coffee?”

“That, too,” he said, and rolled on top of her.

CHAPTER TEN

W
HILE TIFFANY PROCESSED ANOTHER DELIVERY, EMMA COMPLETED the third hand-tied bouquet. She loved the combination of frilly tulips with the ranunculus and hydrangea. And though wiring the tiny crystals among the blooms abused her fingers, she knew she’d been right to suggest it. As she had with the strips of lace, the studs of pearls securing the stems.

With the steps, the details, the precision required, even with her experience each bouquet took nearly an hour to create. Wasn’t she lucky, she thought, that she enjoyed every minute of it?

There wasn’t a better job in the world, as far as she was concerned. And just now, as she began the painstaking assembly of the next bouquet, with Tiffany working quietly at the other end of the counter, with music and perfume winding in the air, she considered herself the luckiest woman on the planet.

She turned the flowers in her hand, adding tulips at varying heights, adjusting, interspersing the ranunculus to create the shape she wanted. She added the beads, pleased with the touch of glitter, and time clicked away.

“Do you want me to start on the centerpieces?”

“Hmm?” Emma glanced up. “Oh. Sorry, off in another world. What did you say?”

“It’s really beautiful. All the textures.” As she admired the work, Tiffany gulped down water. “You’ve got one more to go after that. I’d start it, but I’m not as good at the hand tied. I can get the centerpieces started though. I’ve got the list and the design.”

“Go ahead.” Emma used a cable tie to secure the stems, clipped the excess plastic with her wire cutters. “Tink should be here . . . Well, she’s already late, so she should be here.” She exchanged cutters for clippers and began trimming the stems. “If you take the centerpieces, I’ll get her started on the standing arrangements.”

Emma wrapped the stems in lace, anchored the lace with pearl corsage pins. Once the bouquet was in its holding vase and in the cooler, she washed her hands—again—rubbed in Neosporin—again—then set to work on the final hand-tied.

When Tink wandered in, guzzling from a bottle of Mountain Dew, Emma merely lifted her eyebrows.

“You’re late,” Tink said, “blah, blah, blah. I’ll stay late if you need me.” And yawned. “Didn’t get to bed—well, to sleep—until after three. This guy? Jake? He’s Iron Man, in all good ways. Then this morning . . .” She trailed off, blowing a streak of pink out of her eyes as she angled her head. “Somebody else got lucky last night. Jack, right? Hey, Jake and Jack. Cool.”

“I managed to get lucky and finish four hand-tieds. If you want to make enough to keep yourself in Mountain Dew, you’d better get started.”

“No problem. Is he as good as he looks?”

“I’m not complaining, am I?”

“Who’s Jack?” Tiffany wanted to know.

“You know. Jack of the excellent ass and smoky eyes.” Tink stepped over to wash her hands.

“
That
Jack?” Gaping, Tiffany stopped with a hydrangea in her hand. “Wow. Where have I been?”

“It’s still breaking news, so you’re pretty up to date. You going back for more?” Tink asked Emma.

“Work,” Emma muttered. “We’re working here.”

“She’s going back for more,” Tink concluded. “Nice bouquet,” she added. “The tulips look like they come from the Planet Zorth, but in a romantic way. What am I on first?”

“The standing arrangements for the terraces. You need—”

“Hydrangeas, the tulips, ranunculus,” Tink began, and rattling off the rest of the flowers and foliage, reminded Emma why she kept her on.

At five, she let Tiffany go and, leaving Tink working magic with flowers, took a break to rest her hands and clear her head. She stepped outside to stroll toward Mac’s studio.

Her friend came out, a camera bag slung on her shoulder, a can of Diet Coke in her hand.

“Five thirty rehearsal,” Emma called out.

“Just heading that way.” Mac detoured toward Emma.

“You can tell the bride the flowers for tomorrow are amazing, if I do say so myself.” When they met halfway, Emma stopped, stretched her back. “Long day, and a longer one coming.”

“I heard a rumor Mrs. G’s making lasagna. Big rafts of lasagna. Carter and I plan to pig out.”

“I’m there. In fact, the thought of lasagna inspires me. Tink’s finishing up her part. I’ll give you and Parker a hand with the rehearsal, indulge, then put in an hour or two later tonight.”

“There’s a plan.”

Emma looked down at her work clothes. “How bad am I?”

Mac took a survey while she chugged her drink. “You look like a woman who’s put in a long day. The bride will be thrilled with you.”

“I say you’re right. I don’t want to clean up, then have to change again.” She hooked her arm through Mac’s free one as they started toward the house. “You know what I was thinking today? I’m the luckiest woman in the world.”

“Jack was that good?”

Snorting out a laugh, Emma bumped Mac’s hip with hers. “Yes, but besides that. I’m tired, my hands hurt, but I spent all day doing what I love. I got a call this afternoon after my flowers got to the off-site, the baby shower? The client just bubbled at me over the phone, just had to call me as soon as she saw the flowers to tell me how fabulous they were. Who else gets what we get, Mac?” She sighed and lifted her face to the sun. “We have such happy jobs.”

“While I agree, in general, here’s what I love about you. You can forget or ignore all the Monster Brides, all the Insane Mothers, Drunken Groomsmen, Bitchy Bridesmaids, and remember all the good stuff.”

“It’s mostly good stuff.”

“It is. Despite the nightmare of an engagement shoot I did today. The happy couple had a vicious fight before I’d taken the first frame. My ears, they still ring.”

“I hate when that happens.”

“You? Screams, tears, storming out, storming back. Accusations, threats, ultimatums. More tears, apologies, wrecked makeup, shame, and horrible embarrassment. Screwed up my day good and proper. Plus, due to red, puffy eyes, we had to reschedule.”

“Still, drama adds interest to the day. Then there’s that.” Emma gestured to where tomorrow’s groom swept tomorrow’s bride up for a spin on the walk to the house.

“Shit. They’re early. Don’t stop, don’t stop,” Mac muttered as she shoved the drink at Emma and yanked her camera out of the bag.

“They’re anxious to get going,” Emma murmured. “And they’re happy.”

“Plus fairly adorable,” Mac added as she managed to zoom in for a couple of candids. “And speaking of adorable, look who just pulled up.”

“Oh.” Spotting Jack’s car, Emma instinctively brushed at her hair.

“He’s seen you look a lot worse.”

“Thanks very much. We both had a pretty full day, so I didn’t expect . . .”

He looked so good, khakis today and a crisp pin-striped shirt, which meant client meetings and office work rather than construction sites. The easy gait, the burnished hair shining in the sun, the quick, killer smile all added up to . . . yum.

“My ass looks fat in these pants,” she hissed to Mac. “I don’t care because they’re for work, but—”

“Your ass doesn’t look fat in those. I’d tell you if it did. The red sweats with the cropped legs? Your ass looks fat in those.”

“Remind me to burn them.” Emma passed the drink back to Mac, then tuned up her smile as Jack crossed to them.

“Ladies.”

“Man,” Mac responded. “I’ve got to get to work. Later.”

She loped off.

“Rehearsal,” Emma explained.

“Are you in on that?”

“Just as backup. Are you done for the day?”

“Yeah. I had to make a stop at a client’s not far from here, so I . . . Am I in the way?”

“No. No.” Flustered, she pushed at her hair again. “I was just taking a break, walking over to the rehearsal in case they needed me for anything.”

He slid his hands in his pockets. “We’re being weird with each other.”

“God. Yes. We are. Let’s stop. Here.” She rose to her toes, kissed him firmly. “I’m glad you came by. I’ve been at it since about eight, and wanted a break. Mrs. G’s making lasagna. Do you want in on that?”

“Oh yeah.”

“Then why don’t you go charm her, have a beer, and I’ll see you inside when we’re finished.”

“I’ll do that.” He caught her chin in his hand, leaned down to kiss her again. “You smell like your work. It’s nice. I’ll see you inside.”

As they separated, her smile bloomed.

E
MMA WALKED INTO THE HOUSE TO THE GOOD, RICH SCENTS OF dinner and Mrs. Grady’s big, bawdy laugh. The combination boosted her already happy mood. She heard Jack relaying what seemed to be the tail end of a work story.

“Then, when she clued in, she says, ‘Oh, well. Can’t you just
move
the door?’ ”

“She did not.”

“Would I lie to you?”

“Every day and twice on Sunday. Are you moving the door?”

“We’re moving the door, which will cost her about twice as much as the armoire she fell in love with. But client is king.”

He took a sip from his beer, and his gaze shifted toward Emma when she walked in. “How’d it go?”

“Easy and fun, which is always a good sign for the real thing. They’re trusting luck and the weather forecaster on tomorrow’s predicted rain holding off until late evening, and going without the tents. So, fingers crossed on that.”

As she would in her own home, Emma got out a glass for wine. “They’re off to the rehearsal dinner. But I think we’ve got the better deal here.” She sniffed the air. “It smells great, Mrs. G.”

“Table’s set,” Mrs. Grady said as she tossed a salad. “You’ll eat in the dining room like the civilized.”

“Parker and Mac will be right along. I haven’t seen Laurel.”

“She’s fiddling in her own kitchen, and knows what time I’m serving.”

“I’ll give her a heads-up.”

“All right then. Jack, make yourself useful since you’re mooching, and put this salad on the table.”

“Yes, ma’am. Hey, Carter.”

“Hello, Jack. They’re right behind me, Mrs. G.”

She gave Carter a steely stare. “Did you teach anything useful today?”

“I like to think so.”

“Did you wash your hands?” she demanded.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Then take that wine in and go sit down. And no picking until everyone’s seated.”

She served family style in the big dining room with its lofty ceiling and generous windows. Because it was Grady’s Rule, cell phones were turned off, and Parker left her BlackBerry in the kitchen.

“Sunday Bride’s aunt stopped by,” Parker began. “She brought the chuppah, she just finished making it last night. It’s a work of art. I’m keeping it upstairs. Emma, you may want to take a look at it, in case you feel you should tweak any of the arrangements. Carter, you’re teaching the aunt’s sister-in-law’s older boy. David Cohen.”

“David? He’s a bright kid, who’s currently using most of his creativity to cut up in class. Just last week he gave a report on
Of Mice and Men
in the style of a stand-up comic.”

“How’d he do?” Mac asked him.

“I’m not sure how Steinbeck would’ve felt about it, but I gave him an A.”

“It’s such a sad book. Why do we have to read so many sad books in school?” Emma wondered.

“We’re reading
The Princess Bride
in my freshman class now.”

“Why didn’t I have teachers like you? I like happy books, and happy endings. And look at you, with your own Buttercup.”

Mac rolled her eyes. “Yeah, that’s me. I’m a real Buttercup. Tomorrow’s event has a nice fairy-tale feel, though. All those fairy lights and candles, all white flowers.”

“Tink complained she was going snow-blind. But they’re beautiful. A couple more hours tonight, and they’re done. All the hand-tying and wiring makes this one very labor-intensive. Plus.” She held up a hand sporting new nicks and scratches. “Ouch.”

“You wouldn’t consider being a florist a dangerous career.” Jack took her hand, studied it. “But you’ve got the battle scars.” And kissed her knuckles.

There was a long beat of silence, speculative stares.

“Stop,” he ordered with a half laugh.

“You’ve got to expect it.” Still watching them, Laurel stabbed into her salad. “We’re making adjustments here. I think you should lay one on her, right here, so we can use the visual to help us adjust.”

“Wait! Wait!” Mac waved a hand. “Let me get my camera.”

“Pass the lasagna,” Jack said.

Leaning back, Parker sipped her wine. “For all we know, the two of them are just having a joke at our expense. Pretending to be involved, then laughing at us behind our backs when we buy in to it.”

“Oooh,” Mac murmured. “You’re good.”

“I am,” Parker agreed. “But really, it’s not like either of them are the shy type. Certainly not too shy for one little PDA, and among friends, too.” She shrugged as a smile tugged at her lips. “So I’m leaning toward practical joke.”

“Kiss the girl,” Mrs. Grady told him, “or this bunch won’t give you any peace.”

“Or lasagna,” Laurel decided. “Kiss!” She clapped her hands together. “Kiss!”

Mac picked up the chant. Even when she elbowed Carter he just laughed and shook his head.

Giving up, Jack turned to a laughing Emma, pulled her over and gave her a kiss that brought cheers and applause from the table.