Walker Bride (17 page)

It would be childish to cry like a baby, but
it was coming. She was going to burst like a broken pipe.

Quickly she locked the door, turned off the
lights, and ran to the back room. Pulling a bottle of water from
the refrigerator, she let the first tears fall. Soon there was a
waterfall of them.

She sat down at the table and opened the
water. She’d thought there was going to be something more between
them. She’d become very rusty when it came to relationships, which
was sad. Her business was all about making sure everyone else’s day
was perfect. She’d forgotten how to have perfect for herself. So
what had made her think that Tyson was her perfect?

It hurt more than Tyson could have imagined.
He’d waited until the very last moment to go in and see Pearl. It
should have been a warm feeling that crept over him, but it was ice
that had squeezed at his heart.

He should have told her he wasn’t someone to
be played. If she was going to have a relationship with him, then
it was supposed to be only him. But he knew her ways, so why had he
gotten involved?

He took his time on the drive back home. What
was there to hurry for?

His grandfather had, in fact, noted that he’d
moved out to the barn. He was his crotchety old self when he’d read
Tyson the riot act over it. Seriously, if he didn’t make a living
on the property, he’d just pack up and leave. As it was, his
grandfather gave his opinion. Tyson had given his. Now he lived in
the barn permanently. Right where his grandfather said he
belonged—with the horses and their crap.

Lydia’s truck and another car were parked
outside the barn when he pulled up. Certainly she hadn’t brought
her horse home. Maybe she was as unhappy with the Walkers as he
seemed to be .

That wasn’t fair, he thought as he turned off
his truck. He was only unhappy with one of the Walkers. No need to
start a feud over one woman—again.

Either way, he wasn’t in the mood for
company. Not even his sister’s.

Lydia’s laughter filled the room as Tyson
opened the door.

“Oh, good. You’re finally back. I have to
head to town for pedicures. Did you get your tux?”

“It’s in the truck.” It was then the man with
Lydia turned so he could see him. It was the same man Pearl had
been kissing in the restaurant. What in the hell were they
doing?

“Come here. I want you to meet Donald.”

Was it PC to kick the crap out of a man who
was a guest in your house, he wondered.

“Hey,” he gave him a curt nod and his sister
obviously noticed, by the way her eyes lit in irritation toward
him.

“Tyson, Donald is an interior designer. He’s
working with Pearl on the design of her store, and now he’s working
with me on the reception hall. I wanted to show you the
drawings.”

“I’m kinda tired. Why don’t I…”

“No, no, no.” Donald waved his hands in the
air. “You must see what I’ve done.” He slapped his hand to his
chest. “You’ll make me cry if you don’t look.”

Tyson stopped in his tracks. Had the man just
batted his eyes at him and winked? Oh, dear Lord! Had he been
throwing a hissy fit over some man who was more interested in him
than he was in Pearl?

Hesitantly, he walked toward the table where
they had pages spread out. There, in vivid color, was
Pearl’s
Bridal Boutique
.

“Has she seen these?” He looked up, and both
of them nodded. “They’re nice.”

Donald stomped a tempered foot. “Nice? They
are brilliant.”

“Brilliant. Yes,” Tyson agreed in a hushed
voice. “When did you meet with Pearl to discuss these?” It had to
be asked.

“I took her to dinner the other night. That
was when I met our Lydia.” Donald put his arm around her. “She’s
delish too.”

Tyson cringed. Not at the gay man standing in
his kitchen, but at his lack of trust when it came to Pearl. He’d
completely written her off because she’d kissed this man. He’d
dismissed her without asking questions.

God, he was a moron.

Donald cocked his hip and placed his hand on
it. “Our Pearl hinted that she’d been seeing someone. She refused
details, and I love juicy details.” He winked at him again. “You’re
not our hot man are you?”

He took a breath to protest, but Lydia let
out a hard laugh. “He is not seeing Pearl. Pearl is much too much
woman for him.”

“Hey,” he responded in equal childlikeness.
“No woman is too much for me.”

But his sister’s eyes remained light. “He
promised me he wouldn’t see her. We’re all business partners, and
pleasure doesn’t mix with business. And I’m much more important
than any cute woman. So he wouldn’t dare go behind my back.”

Donald gave a high hum. “I wonder who he is
then.”

“I’ll have to find out. She didn’t tell me
she was seeing anyone,” Lydia chirped with equal enthusiasm. “This
is all news to me.”

Tyson walked past them and to the
refrigerator for a beer. Shit was about to hit the fan, and Tyson
wondered how he was going to get as far away from it as
possible.

~*~

The Haven
was quiet on Thursday night
as the members of Susan’s bridal party filtered in. There were only
three pedicure chairs and two nail stations, so they were dividing
their times.

Susan waited for Pearl by the door and
greeted her with a glass of wine. “Your sister was beginning to
wonder where you were. I assured her you were on your way.”

“I was ordering some flowers for a
funeral.”

Susan rested her hand on Pearl’s arm. “Who
passed?”

“Officer Smythe’s brother.”

“I didn’t know. I’ll make sure to send a
card.”

She imagined that Susan would probably
deliver a meal to the family’s home as well.

“It’s about time,” Audrey walked toward her.
“You’re ten minutes late.”

“I’m sorry. But I’m here.”

Her sister huffed out a breath and waved her
toward the pedicure throne where Rachelle waited for her.

She climbed into the seat of the pedicure
throne as Lydia rested her hand on her arm. “Everything
alright?”

“Yeah, just had a stressful day. This will be
a nice treat.”

“I heard Phillip Smythe’s brother passed
away.”

It was the first time she’d heard Lydia call
him by his name, and without the hateful tone in her voice. “I
heard that too. I sent flowers to the family.”

“I should do that too. What else happened in
your day?”

She wasn’t about to tell her that her brother
pissed her off, but that would certainly make her feel better. “It
was just a busy day.”

“I met with Donald, and we came up with some
brilliant plans for the reception hall. He showed me what he’d been
working on with your store too.”

“He’s very talented.”

Lydia sipped from her wine glass. “Donald
also said you’d hinted to having some man on the side.” She raised
her brows and grinned over her drink.

Pearl stared at her. “Why would he say that?
I didn’t tell him that.”

“He seems to know something. So what are you
hiding?”

Susan stopped as she was passing by and her
eyes grew wide. “You’re dating someone?”

“No. I didn’t say that,” Pearl argued.
“Seriously, where is everyone getting their information?”

Glenda, who was in the third chair, groaned.
“Rumors aren’t kind things to pass around girls,” she said as if
they were twelve. “If Pearl has a man in her life that’s her
business, not ours. Though,” she said lifting her wine glass, “if
she wants to talk it through, she should.”

Every one of them burst into laughter, except
for Pearl. She most certainly didn’t want to discuss it, especially
now that he’d turned into some huge ass. But Glenda’s mocking of
the situation seemed to have defused the tension and suddenly they
were talking to Susan’s mother about essential oils, and Pearl’s
love life was forgotten.

The Walker house was designed to entertain.
Tomorrow it would play host to a grand wedding and tonight to a
rehearsal.

Pearl stood in the garden and looked at how
it had been transformed into a beautiful sanctuary for Eric and
Susan. They deserved to have such an elegant setting.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Tyson’s voice
came from behind her, but she didn’t turn around. She was afraid
to. He was just going to be a jerk, especially since they were
going to be surrounded by his family.

“It’s lovely,” she said still facing the
altar.

She heard his footsteps. A moment later she
could feel his closeness.

“I owe you an apology.”

She swallowed hard and pushed down the tears
that threatened. “You do.”

He took her hand and turned her to face him,
but it took her a moment before she raised her head and looked him
in the eye.

Tyson let go of her hand and tucked his hands
into his front pockets. “I was a jerk to you yesterday. I had no
right to be like that.”

“Thank you. I don’t know what happened, but
it hurt.”

“It was designed to.” He rocked toward her,
but she knew he was keeping his hands in a safe place. “I was hurt,
and I didn’t know how to deal with it.”

“You could be more cordial. Besides, what did
I do that made you so angry?”

Tyson took a deep breath. “You kissed
Donald.”

“I did?”

His eyes opened wide. “You most certainly
did. I saw you do it. You cupped his face in your hands and kissed
him right on the lips.”

“When?”

Now his hands flew from his pockets and into
the air. “At the restaurant the other night. I was there. I saw you
kiss him.”

She began to laugh. “I’m sorry. I didn’t
remember kissing him, but yes. I did that.”

“Yes, you did.”

“Donald is gay.”

“I know,” his voice had raised, just as hers
had. “I know,” he said softer.

“Why didn’t you say hello?”

“Because when I saw you it ripped through me.
I couldn’t stand it.”

She licked her lips and took the slightest
step forward to close the gap between them. “You were jealous.”

“Why wouldn’t I be? You’re seeing me.”

The smile was automatic. She couldn’t have
fought it off. “I am?”

He rocked back on his heels again as if to
distance himself. “Are you playing games with me?”

“No. I just want to make sure that you mean
it.”

“Would I have said it otherwise?”

“No.” She wanted to reach up and touch him.
She wanted to plant a kiss on his lips and cup his face, but she
fought the urge. “We’re okay?”

“I want to be,” he offered. “I really like
you. I mean really like.”

Now she chuckled and held her hands to her
chest where her heart fluttered uncontrollably. “I really like you
too. And I mean
really
.”

“Whatever happens this weekend, just forgive
me for it now,” he offered as he took a step back from her as if to
provide space.

“As long as on Sunday we can have a long
talk. I know how Lydia feels about us.”

“She’s very adamant about it,” he said. “I
don’t see it being a problem, but she is my sister.”

“Family means a lot. I understand that too,”
Pearl said, clenching her fists at her side, so she didn’t
accidently touch him.

They’d managed a few feet between them, and
no one seemed to notice as Susan, her sister, her mother, and
Glenda walked into the garden. Just then, Dane, Gerald, Ben and
Russell entered the garden from the gate behind the garage.

There was laughter and talking. Staging and
restaging. By the time Lydia walked outside, Pearl and Tyson were
nowhere near each other.

But she couldn’t take her eyes off of
him.

He liked her.

He
really
liked her.

Susan and Eric’s house was packed with
family—and only family after the wedding rehearsal. Somehow Pearl
had found herself in the corner with Dane as they drank beer and
ate Susan’s food on sturdy paper plates.

“I’m sure she would have rather had a
sit-down meal for her rehearsal dinner,” Dane said as he looked
around the crowded room. “Glenda didn’t want her to have to clean
the night before her wedding.”

“Susan wouldn’t have it any other way.” She
leaned in closer to him. “Her dad is quiet, but her mom is very
social.”

“She gave me a salve for my dry hands. It
fixed them in one day.”

They both laughed. “It’s nice to have us all
together. I’ve missed us doing this.”

Dane nodded. “You’re right. I think when
grandpa was sick and dying we had a different focus. I wasn’t sure
the family was going to survive what happened with your father.” He
winced. “That was insensitive. I’m sorry.”

“No need. Trust me. There is some
embarrassment associated with it and not from him—from me.”

“You’ve never done wrong. I don’t think
anyone associates you and him. I mean, no one thinks you’re like
him.” He puckered his lips. “All of this sounds bad.”

“I get it. All of his kids get it. We always
wanted to be from your family. Aunt Glenda is the perfect mother
and Uncle Everett is an upstanding man. My father is just lost.”
She shrugged. “I guess that’s the best way to say it.”

“It’s good we all have each other. And you
have your sisters and your brothers.”

Pearl looked around the room. “I do. I’m very
lucky. I’m just glad Bethany has us too. I should count my
blessings. I could have been left in this world to suffer alone,
just as she had.”

“See. Everything turns out for the best.”

She changed the conversation from herself to
Dane, asking him about living in Ohio. He stared ranting about the
job he hated and the horrible apartment, but she wasn’t sure she
heard a word.

Tyson stood across the room in the other
corner with Lydia, who was talking a million words a minute, no
doubt explaining the new
wedding mecca
to Susan’s sister.
Pearl couldn’t hear it, but she could see her hands in the air and
the smile on her face, probably talking business. However, she was
sure that Tyson had no idea what she was saying. His eyes were
fixed on Pearl and hers were fixed on him.