The Best Man's Guarded Heart (16 page)

He raised his hands. ‘Guilty as charged! But it's flirting without intent...just a bit of frivolous nonsense.'

His smile made her stomach tumble. ‘Then why...?'

‘Because it's fun.' His grin widened and she swore he had the devil in his eyes. ‘Aren't you going to flirt back?'

She couldn't help it. She laughed.

* * *

Thank heavens! The woman
could
laugh.

Dylan sat back and let out a breath when the rather plain and schoolmistressy Mia momentarily transformed from uptight and ordinary-looking to mischievous imp. His gaze lingered on her mouth. He hadn't noticed how wide and generous it was earlier.

Since he'd witnessed her shock at learning of Nora's accident, and sensed her nerves at being thrust into the role of wedding co-ordinator, he'd wanted to put her at ease. Putting people at ease was his stock in trade. Mia might call it flirting, but it was nothing more than a bit of harmless fun designed to make her laugh and loosen up. And it had half worked—she'd laughed.

Having now seen Mia smile for real, though, he could see that she was neither plain nor schoolmistressy. It was just an attitude she cultivated. Interesting...

Nora had been ecstatic yesterday when he'd mentioned that they'd like Mia as part of their wedding team. Nora mightn't have known it, but she'd unwittingly supplied a glowing character reference for Mia. He sat back, resisting the urge to rub his eyes. He wanted everything associated with this wedding to be a joy for Carla. He meant to ensure it went without a hitch.

If only he could be certain the damn wedding should go ahead!

The walls of the glassed-in meeting room pressed in on him. He wanted to be outside and in the fresh air.
Now!
He wanted to be away from the fresh juniper berry scent of the woman opposite. It had his mind turning to black ski runs in St Moritz, with the wind tearing at his hair and the cold making him feel alive. Which was ridiculous. While he might be on leave, this was no holiday. Besides, if there'd been less frivolity in his life recently Carla might never have become embroiled with a man like Thierry.

Carla's happiness—that was what he had to focus on. ‘Is the lily pond far? Can you show it to me?'

‘You want to see the lily pond
now
?'

‘Yes.'

‘What about your sister?'

‘She's on the phone to her intended. She could be hours. I'll text her so she'll know where to find us.'

Dutifully he pulled out his phone.

Mia taking me to lily pond. Meet there.

He held it out for her to see and then hit ‘send'.

Without another word Mia led him out into the warm summer sunshine and he filled his lungs with eucalypt-scented air. The small office block sat on the edge of a rectangle of lush lawn that had to be at least two football fields long. Covered picnic tables marched down each of its sides, shaded by a variety of gum trees, plum pines and bottlebrush trees. The red blossoms of the bottlebrushes had attracted a flock of rainbow lorikeets which descended in a noisy colourful rush.

A peacock strutted through the nearest picnic shelter, checking for crumbs and leftovers, while a bush turkey raked through a nearby pile of leaves. All around the air was filled with birdcalls and the scent of warmed native grasses. Groups of people had gathered around the picnic tables and on blankets on the grass. He could hear children's laughter from the playground he glimpsed through the trees.

‘This place is popular.'

She gestured that they should take a path to the left. ‘It is.'

Her dark brown hair, pulled back into a severe ponytail, gleamed rich and russet in the bright light. She didn't wear a scrap of make-up. Not that she needed to. She had a perfect peaches and cream complexion that he hadn't appreciated under the strip lighting of the office.

He pulled his mind back to the matter at hand. ‘Can we book the entire reserve for the wedding?'

‘I'm afraid not. Plum Pines is a public park. What we
can
do, though, is rope off the area where your event is being held to keep the general public out.'

‘Hmm...' He'd have to rethink the security firm he'd initially considered hiring. The wedding security would be a bigger job than he'd originally thought.

She glanced up, her gaze sharp. ‘Is that going to be a problem?'

‘Not if I hire a good security firm.'

‘Let me know if you'd like any recommendations.' She led him across a bridge spanning a large pond. ‘Officially the park is open from seven a.m. to seven p.m.'

He stared out at the expanse of water, noting several black swans sitting on the edge of the far bank. ‘Is this the lily pond?'

‘No, it's the duck pond.'

He glanced down into the water and blinked when a tortoise poked its small head out of the water. ‘That...' He halted to point. ‘That was...'

She glanced over the railing. ‘A Common Longneck Tortoise. The pond is full of them.'

Hands on hips, he completed a full circle, taking in the surroundings. Plum Pines was undeniably pretty, and the native forest rising up all around them undeniably grand. He'd visited some of the most exotic places the world had to offer and yet he'd somehow missed experiencing what was in his own backyard.

‘I can't believe we're in the middle of the second largest city in New South Wales. It feels as if we're in the middle of the bush.'

‘Yes, we're very privileged.'

That was a rote reply if he'd ever heard one—trotted out for the benefit of visitors. What did Mia really think of the place? Did she love it or loathe it? Her lips were pursed into a prim line that had him itching to make her smile again.

‘You'll need to apply to the council for an event licence that'll allow the wedding to extend beyond those hours. There shouldn't be any issue with that, though.'

She moved off again, with her no-nonsense stride, and after another glance at where the tortoise had disappeared he set off after her.

‘Have you had any weddings that
haven't
extended beyond seven p.m.?' All of the weddings he'd ever attended had kicked on into the wee small hours.

‘There's been a trend for morning weddings with lunchtime receptions. So, yes.'

She was so serious. And literal. He found himself starting to laugh.

She glanced at him, a frown crinkling her forehead. ‘What's so funny?'

‘You're not so good at small talk, are you?'

Her face fell and she stuttered to a halt. ‘You want small talk?'

That made him laugh again. ‘How do you enforce the seven p.m. closing time?'

‘We close the gates to the car parks. There's a hefty fine involved to have the gates opened. Our people, along with your security firm, will have a list of your guests' number plates so they can come and go as they please.'

‘Right.'

‘And, as Plum Pines is in the middle of suburbia, we don't get much foot traffic or many homeless people looking for a place to put up for the night.'

That was something, he supposed.

She consulted her notepad. ‘Do you know how many guests the bride and groom are planning to invite?'

‘Carla informs me that she wants “a small and intimate affair”.'

That frown crinkled her brow again. ‘Do you happen to know what your sister's idea of “small” might be?'

‘I wouldn't have a clue.' He had no idea if Thierry came from a large family or not. The other man had closed up like a clam when Dylan had asked him about them. ‘I can't say that I know what she means by “intimate” either.'

Mia nodded. ‘I think we can guess that fairly accurately—it probably includes fairy lights strung all around the marquee and surrounding trees, white linen tablecloths with centrepieces involving ivy and candles, vintage china and a string quartet.'

‘You don't sound like you approve.'

She swung to face him. ‘Mr Fair— Dylan. It's not for me to approve or disapprove. It's Plum Pines' job to help Carla plan the wedding she wants.'

‘But—' He broke off.

‘What were you going to say?'

He read the thought that flashed through her eyes—
Gordon Coulter promised nothing would be too much trouble
.

‘Dylan, I'll do my best to deliver whatever is needed.'

Her moss-green eyes stared back at him, earnest and steady, and he found himself needing to pull a breath of air into cramped lungs. ‘I need you to be as committed to this wedding as Carla.'

‘I'm committed—I can promise you that.' Her teeth worried at her bottom lip. ‘But that's not what you meant, is it? You want me to be exuberant and...and bouncy.'

He winced, realising how absurd that sounded when uttered out loud. He just wanted to see her smile again.
That
was what this was all about—and it was pure nonsense on his part.

He rubbed his hand across his nape. ‘I think of weddings and I think of joy and excitement and...and
joy
.'

He wanted Carla's life filled with joy—not just her wedding. A fist tightened about his chest. If Thierry hurt her he'd—

Mia moved into his field of vision, making him blink. ‘There's a lot of behind-the-scenes work that needs doing to make a wedding successful.' She pointed her pen at him. ‘Joy and excitement are all well and good, but I figure my job is to keep a level head.'

A level head? That was exactly what he needed.

‘Don't you believe someone can be quietly enthusiastic?' she asked.

‘Of course they can. I'm sorry.' He grimaced. ‘It's the bride who's supposed to go loopy, right? Not her brother.'

One of those rare smiles peeped out, making his heart thump.

‘You're excited for her.' Too soon she sobered again. ‘I'm naturally quiet. It doesn't mean I'm not invested.'

‘Whereas I'm naturally gregarious.' It was what made him so good at his job. ‘I sometimes forget that not everyone else is.'

‘Do you still want to see the lily pond?'

‘Yes, please.' He spoke as gravely as she did. ‘My seeing the lily pond is not dependent on you being exuberant.'

He could have sworn that her lips twitched—for the briefest of moments. It sent a rush of something warm and sweet surging through his veins. He was glad he'd had a chance to meet her on his own. Carla had spoken of her often enough to make his ears prick up. It had been a long time since Carla had made a new female friend.

The question he needed to answer now, though—was Carla more than just a job to Mia? He'd give his right arm for Carla to have a girlfriend with whom to plan her wedding. And whatever the two of them dreamed up—schemed up—he'd make happen.

When he glanced back he found Mia staring at a point beyond him. He swung around to see an emu enclosure...and an emu sitting on the ground in the dirt. He glanced back to find her chewing her lip. ‘Is that emu okay?' They
did
sit down, right?

She hesitated. ‘Do you mind...?' She gestured towards the fence.

‘Not at all.'

‘Hey, Charlie—come on, boy!' Mia rattled the fence and the emu turned to stare, but when he didn't otherwise move she pulled out her phone. ‘Janis? It's Mia. Charlie is looking decidedly under the weather. Can you send someone out to check on him?' Her lips pressed together as she listened to the person at the other end. ‘He's sitting down and not responding to my calls.' She listened some more. ‘But—'

She huffed out a breath and he could see her mentally counting to five.

‘Right. If that's the best you can do.' She snapped the phone shut and shoved it back into her pocket.

‘You're worried about him?'

One slim shoulder lifted. ‘Charlie's been hand-raised. He's a social bird. Normally he'd be over here, begging for a treat. Everyone who works here is fond of him.'

Dylan glanced across at the emu. ‘You want to go and give him the once over?'

She glanced around, as if to check that no one had overheard him. ‘Would you mind?'

‘Not at all.'

‘It should only take me a moment. I just want to make sure he doesn't have something caught around his legs. Discarded plastic bags are the bane of our existence—they seem to blow in from everywhere.'

‘I don't mind at all.'

Besides, he wanted her full attention once Carla arrived. He wanted her focussed on wedding preparations—not worrying about Charlie the Emu.

She moved towards a gate in the fence and unlocked it with a key she fished out from one of the many pockets of her khaki cargo pants.

She glanced back at him apologetically. ‘I have to ask you to remain on this side of the fence. It's actually against the law for me to take you in with me.'

‘Believe me, I'm happy to stay on this side of the fence, but...' he glanced across at Charlie ‘...that emu is huge. What if he attacks you?'

He couldn't in all conscious just stand here and do nothing.

‘He won't hurt me. I promise.'

‘In that case I promise to stay on this side of the fence.'

Nevertheless, he found his heart pounding a little too hard as she slipped into the enclosure and made her way towards the giant bird. She ran a soothing hand down its neck, not in the least intimidated by its size. He reminded himself that she was trained to deal with these animals, but he didn't take his eyes from her.

Slipping her arms beneath the bird, she lifted it to its knees, and Dylan could see something wrapped tight around its ankles. The poor bird was completely tangled! He watched in admiration as she deftly unwound it, shoving the remnants into her pocket. The entire time she crooned soothingly to the emu, telling him what a good boy he was and how pretty he was. Charlie leaned into her as much as he could, trusting her completely.