Secrets (15 page)

Scott.
There was only Scott. He would know what to do. He would ease the burning in her stomach, the chills in her spine, and the fog in her head. She only had to wait for him.

The wedding ceremony was set up on the beach; an arch with flowers strewn over it was like a gate opening to the rolling waves crashing beyond onto the beach. The sun shone down from a spotless sky, over the rolling blue water. The water, sky, and beach had been the obvious inspiration for Kelly’s colors. The flowers, the decor, all of it were meant to complement the beach setting, and the end results were spectacular. Sarah had been out many times during the afternoon, supervising last minute details she was afraid the wedding coordinator would miss. She couldn’t help it, details were her forte, and she could remember and coordinate all the mundane details that made the big picture work.

Finally, the guests were seated at the white chairs over the hard packed surface of the beach, an aisle-way made from a long white runner swept between the chairs. The wedding party stayed in the white limo Kelly had arranged to hide them in to keep peering eyes off the bridal party, until the moment it was time to go down Kelly’s magical aisle.

It also gave the bridal party a bird’s eye view of the guests as they all walked up and found seats. Sarah was annoyed at herself for making every attempt to look for Scott and Vanessa. It annoyed the hell out of her that it wasn’t Brett sitting three rows from the altar that had her all hot and bothered. No, it was looking for Scott. She should feel nothing but total unabashed joy for her best friend, which she did, but she was also distracted by wondering where Scott was.

Off on the left side of the ceremony was the location of the reception. It was a fantastic fantasy the likes of which the town had never seen. A large white tent housed the reception. A make-shift stage, and dance floor had been set up with formal tables set about as if they were dining on a grand patio. Flowers filled it as if they were sitting immersed in the lush vegetation and ocean views of a tropical island. A few tent flaps were rolled up to show off the views toward the water. Later torches would light the area in a fairy tale glow of candlelight after the sun set. Kelly hadn’t spared much in expense for the wedding of her dreams.

Watching her friend choked Sarah up. What was it like? This moment for Kelly? This party for her in honor of their love? It must be magical. She might one day enjoy a wedding day, what she didn’t comprehend was the day after the wedding. What did one do waking and realizing their entire life they’d wake up to that same person? How could anyone commit to staying with someone else for a lifetime? It made her shudder. It was such a final step.

Finally, it was time. The live band, now set up beside the altar began the traditional soft music. Sarah was going first. She emerged from the limo, blinded by the summer sun. She made it down the aisle in the practiced slow march, her heart hammering, her smile genuine.

Luke stood at the end of the aisle, with John, and their father Liam as attendants. John was already looking past Sarah toward his wife, Cassie, as she started down the aisle. Sarah smiled to herself at the look on John’s face. You’d think he was marrying Cassie all over again. John had eyes for no one but Cassie. As did Luke, who went blind and deaf whenever Kelly appeared. Sarah sighed.

That had so never been her experience. John and she had a warm, fun dating relationship that never even broached this proportion of devotion and trust that seemed to spill out of these couples. She just didn’t get it. John was the only serious relationship she’d ever had, and as it turns out, they had never really been all that serious.

The ceremony felt very personal for Sarah, almost as if it were her. She had a sinking feeling that this was as close as she’d ever get to this kind of thing. She was too practical, too busy, too uninterested in this kind of fairy-tale consuming love, that she’d never be what Kelly or Cassie were, to any man. And it was fun, living for a few moments through her friends. To imagine what it must feel like, for a few moments to want this to be possible. Sarah figured every girl felt these longings at some point. Just not every girl was cut out for the reality.

****

Scott watched Sarah walk down the aisle, completely hypnotized by her. She wore a filmy, strapless, ice blue dress that wrapped around her small breasts, leaving her looking impossibly small and delicate. Her shoulders were no wider than a foot, making her arms appear long and delicate. Her hair was swept up off her face, her eyes made bluer than usual by the dress. Her slim profile as pretty and soft as any woman he’d ever laid eyes on. Her facial expression even looked different.

He barely spared a glance at Cassie or Kelly or the actual wedding. Watching Sarah was too interesting. Sarah was usually all business in her expression. Just then, as she watched the wedding her eyes were shining, her smile was soft and her eyes filled with tears when Luke and Kelly were pronounced husband and wife. Who knew Sarah Langston wasn’t just business woman of the year, or president of the chamber of commerce, but a bleeding romantic too? She was beautiful, weepy, and enraptured with emotions for her friend. It made Scott almost like her again even if she was there with Brett Carlton.

“I wonder if she glues the top of the dress to her bra.”

Scott was shaken out of his revere by Vanessa’s voice. “What are you talking about?”

“Sarah. I wonder if she has to glue that dress up. She doesn’t have even a bump for breasts. How else is a strapless dress going to stay in place on her? Poor girl probably still wears a training bra.”

“Shut up.”

“Oh, come on, Scott, it’s true. You think I’m not always so good for Angie to model herself after. Look at Sarah. You’re going to tell me she’s not anorexic? That’s Angie’s current fascination. Don’t worry, Scott, I wasn’t criticizing her because I care if you want to fuck her. I was criticizing because my daughter idolizes her.”

“I don’t want anything from her. She’s not my type. Look at her. Does she look like my type? And you don’t know she’s anorexic, so don’t start spreading anything nasty.”

Vanessa jerked her arm out of Scott’s hand. “Your fascination with that snotty bitch is enough to make me want to get drunk tonight. You’re a lousy date, Scott Delano.” With that, Scott guessed he’d just been ditched as Vanessa stomped off in a snit.

He snagged a drink from the bar, and a table with a pretty girl seated at it, one he just might hit on later. First, he’d see how the evening progressed. He hadn’t been sitting there long when Luke came over on his rounds of being the groom. Scott shook his hand and congratulated him. They started talking when Brett Carlton came past, patted Luke on the shoulder and stopped to talk for a moment.

“How the hell do you tolerate him?” Scott asked Luke after Brett moved on.

“Who Brett? I can’t stand the man. But he’s a longtime friend of Kelly’s, so I’ve got to tolerate him. He’s one of those guys who relate better to women than guys.”

“He looks like an asshole.”

“He’s not. He comes off that way because he’s so pretty. Like I said, a friend of Kelly’s. And he likes me for some reason, when I’ve never been all that nice. He seems to think I treat him like a real person instead of a movie star. I haven’t told him it’s because I don’t give a crap either away about him.”

“Don’t blame you,” Scott said smiling in agreement, glancing around the room, and then he asked, his voice striving for casual, “Is he dating Sarah?”

Luke shrugged. “Don’t ask. Don’t tell. That’s my policy with anything like that. I think he’s staying with her for a few days, so my guess would be yeah.”

They continued talking until Luke was called over for groom duties. Scott sat back down, turning his chair to watch the reception, enjoying the nice buzz he had going on. The now darkened tent was glowing in tiki torches. It was a perfect setting to find a date for tonight. Women loved this stuff. Single women were usually putty to guys like him, on nights like this. The food was limitless and scrumptious. He gorged in both food and drink, enjoying his flirtation with the red head at his table, but a brunette he met in the buffet line also caught his attention.

Scott caught glimpses of Vanessa, friendly with some guy Scott didn’t know, and holding a drink. He’d seen little of Sarah, flashes of color moving quickly here or there. Doing God knows what in her quest to keep things running perfect. Sarah excelled in perfection.

“Can you believe she wore a homemade dress?”

“Pardon me?” Scott asked Tawny, the red-haired woman standing near him.

“Kelly’s dress was made by her bridesmaid. I can’t believe it. Like with the money she’s got, why would you do that?”

Scott glanced around until he spotted Kelly talking amongst her guests. She looked perfect as usual. Tall and well proportioned, the dress slipped over her body to perfection. Sarah had made that? As in sewn it? Designed it? Again Scott knew nothing of such things, but to his eye the dress looked damn good. As good as anything he’d ever seen. Who knew Sarah was so creative? That she sewed? It was hard to picture, but Scott liked the idea of Sarah doing something that wasn’t as practical as everything else she did.

“Wanna dance?”

“Sure,” Scott said, setting his drink down to accommodate Tawny’s request. They joined the building crowd out on the dance floor. Scott held the voluptuous curves that Tawny had encased in a too tight, too short, very pretty, in Scott’s estimation, black dress. He was enjoying the feel of her against him. She was a pretty good dancer, both fast and slow. And he was buzzed enough to appreciate it, and appreciate Vanessa dumping him.

****

Sarah was so annoyed at herself, and at Scott, she snapped unnecessarily at the caterer’s questions about where to find the champagne glasses for the toast. And when one of the tiki torches singed the canvas on the tent, nearly burning them all up, she had a fit at the waiter who had lit it and moved it so close to the tent wall. What idiot wouldn’t realize a canvas and tiki torches did not go together? These details were what Sarah thrived on under normal circumstances, but right then, with the five messages replaying through her head, the details were her lifeline to keep her from falling apart.

She was scared this time. Really disturbed scared. She felt paranoid for the first time in her life. She kept glancing around. Was there anyone watching her? Was anyone studying her with a creepy amount of interest? But so far, nothing.

She finally spotted Scott in the crowd. She was so glad to see him, so reassured by his presence she almost rushed up to him. She needed to discuss this gut wrenching fear with the one person who would get it. But then he was walking toward the crowded dance floor and soon he was blithely gyrating against a girl wearing a skanky, tight, black dress and stilettos. Sarah could give the slut a few pointers on how to look sexy, instead of her current,
please screw me.
Oh, but Scott was enjoying her. His hands were comfortably, totally unabashedly, resting on her ass.

And he had the nerve to look good doing it.

His hair was combed, and sexy scruffy. His face was shaved clean and he wore a stylish black and gray button-up shirt, with pressed slacks that followed the line of his long build with annoying precision. Damn him. Who knew he could clean up so well? Better than Brett Carlton for God’s sake. And now he has to go and act like a sex-starved Neanderthal? She really must face who and what Scott Delano really was.

But she needed him. She needed his friendship, and his help. But oh, no, he was too busy to even say hello.

Sarah’s hand was caught by Angie a few moments later. Angie dragged her up to Scott’s table, claiming she needed a break. She couldn’t resist Angie, even though it took her near Scott, who was now, back seated, long limbs spread before him, draped over the chair in a sexy, careless sprawl. He had a drink in his hand and was chatting with the friendly table he seemed to have made himself at home at.

“Well, if it isn’t Ms. Langston,” he said when he spotted her behind Angie, “and of course my favorite niece, the most beautiful girl in the room tonight.”

Angie giggled happily and smiled at Scott. “Oh, Uncle Scott, you know that’s a load of crap, but I love you for saying so. Sarah helped me get ready. Didn’t she do a good job? Well, for starting with me, of course.”

“Angie, I hate when you say stuff like that. I wish you could see yourself as we do,” Sarah said.

Scott finally lifted his gaze to Sarah. She felt his eyes trail over her hair, her shoulders, and all the way down the front of her dress. His eyelids were heavy and his gaze hot and sexy even though he was clearly intoxicated. He smiled warmly, a lift of the corners of his mouth as if to say,
hey baby
. But she would never fall for such a lame line, or such a lame way of judging women. She was no stiletto-wearing slut.

Why then, did her pulse start racing under his stare? Scott took a long, slow drink out of his glass before setting it back on the linen draped table.

“Well, now, my little niece, Ms. Langston here, has a point. You are a pretty girl. Sarah’s good at bringing out the pretty in people, isn’t she, Angie?”

Sarah glared at Scott’s insinuation. He made her sound so shallow, and pointless. Her business, her entire talents were involved with women’s clothing and accessories, and she gathered what he thought of that. She stood there stiffly, totally uncomfortable with them. With Scott’s easy charm, besides who knew Scott was so charming? Apparently, the man she’d been introduced to that first day in her shop wasn’t who he was to every other female.

No, this Scott was smiling, dimpling, sweet, funny, and charming. Oh, but not with her. She was shallow Ms. Langston to him. And too snotty for the likes of him. Angie smiled and laughed and then moved on to someone calling her name, leaving Sarah standing there.

“Hey, thanks,” Scott said, after a moment of awkward silence when it was just the two of them.

“For?”

“Making Angie feel pretty. It means the world to me you’d do that for her.”