Wildflower Wedding (4 page)

Rise and Shine!

D
IGGER DROPPED THE TENNIS BALL AT TONY'S FEET AND
sat back on his haunches. “Do you ever get tired?” Tony asked. Digger answered by giving the yellow ball a nudge with his nose. Tony chuckled at his panting dog, whose tongue lolled out the side of his mouth. Exhausted, Digger still begged for more. When Tony turned and headed toward the back patio, Digger barked a protest.

“Come on, Dig, I'll get you a
treat
,” Tony promised, knowing Digger would follow at his heels. They could both use a big drink of cold water. Tony glanced up at the kitchen window of his neighbor. He thought he'd seen the curtains flutter earlier, indicating she'd been looking out. Her red Cadillac SRX Crossover sat in the apron in front of the detached garage, so he knew she must be home and it was about time he introduced himself to his neighbor who was also his landlord. Reaching up, he swiped at some sweat with his forearm. First, he needed a shower.

When Tony opened the back door, Digger bounded past him and then danced in a circle in front of the glass jar holding doggie treats shaped like bacon. Tony tossed Digger one and then added an extra, feeling terrible that he'd been neglecting his trusty companion who had been by his side ever since he found him half-starved and digging in the Dumpster in the alley behind Marino Pizza. Gloria had protested keeping the sorry-looking dog, but all it took was one look into Digger's soulful eyes and Tony'd been a goner. When he'd first considered the apartment, the lease had said no pets. Tony was going to look elsewhere, but Maggie McMillan apparently knew his landlady and he was relieved when she agreed to allow him to keep his dog.

Tony filled Digger's big water dish and then pulled a sports drink from the fridge, downing the blue liquid so fast that his head hurt. When Digger looked up at him with adoring eyes, Tony reached down and scratched behind his ears. Digger had remained a calming factor in Tony's chaotic year from hell. And thank God for Reese, who had been a voice of reason when anger at Gloria threatened to consume Tony.

“Dude, she fucked you over, but don't let her ruin your life,” Reese had said.

“Easier said than done,” Tony mumbled, and then shoved his fingers through his damp hair. He'd waited until his midthirties until getting married, wanting to be sure before taking the plunge. Too many of his friends had gone through tough divorces and he didn't want to join those ranks. In the beginning, his marriage had been everything he'd dreamed of and then some. Gloria was passionate and loving until the recession hit. When she could no longer spend money freely and when Tony had to devote most of his time trying to save Marino Pizza, she became sullen. Bitchy.

Unfaithful.

Ten years of marriage with only half of them being happy cost Tony a business that had been in his family for nearly fifty years. He'd been too blinded by his adoration and so sure of their love that he hadn't even considered a prenup. What a dumb-ass he'd been.

“Ah, don't go there,” Tony growled, drawing Digger's attention. He did that little dog eyebrow questioningly thing, making Tony laugh. He really needed to thank his landlady, but first he needed a shower. Digger followed Tony up the stairs to the master bedroom. Being furnished was one of the other draws of the two-family house. Until Tony had signed a year lease, the two-bedroom unit could be rented on a weekly or monthly basis as a vacation getaway because of the close proximity to the river. Fishing and boating were supposed to be pretty good at this wide section of the Ohio River—not that Tony would get the chance to find out anytime soon.

The hot water sluicing down his tired body felt heavenly. Tony had started running when Reese suggested exercise would help clear his head and strengthen his body. Reese was right. Tony suddenly found himself in the best shape he'd been in since he could remember. With a groan of pleasure Tony lathered up and took a leisurely shower instead of the quick in-and-out he usually performed each morning. Twisting the showerhead to massage mode, he turned and braced his hands against the smooth tile, allowing the thick shots of water to pelt his neck and back. He would have stayed in the spacious stall longer, but a cold beer was calling his name followed by flopping on the couch to watch a baseball game or an action flick. Oh, and greeting his landlord.

After toweling dry he had to chuckle when he found Digger sleeping in the big bed. He didn't have the heart to wake him with a scolding for getting up on the mattress, something Tony only allowed when invited. Damn, the bed looked inviting. Maybe he'd stretch out for a quick nap. Yeah, he'd just take a fifteen-minute quickie, getting just enough rest to enjoy the lazy evening he had planned.

•   •   •

The sound of an engine rumbling followed by the hiss of brakes interrupted Tony's slumber. He rolled to his side, opened his eyes, and blinked at the digital clock on the nightstand. “Seven o'clock? In the morning?” He sat up and shoved his fingers through his hair, waking Digger.

“How the hell did that happen?” When he heard the sound of a thump followed by a female yelp, he hurried over to the window. “Holy shit . . . ,” Tony said. Digger joined Tony, putting his paws up on the windowsill. They watched neighbor Trish drag a big trash can with one hand while she attempted to hurry down the gravel path leading to the front road where a garbage truck stopped. She waved her free hand as if asking them to wait. They did and Tony couldn't blame them.

Trish wore a red silky robe that hit midthigh, and if Tony wasn't mistaken there wasn't much underneath. The plastic wheels on the trash can didn't take well to the gravel and bumped along, swinging wildly sideways a couple of times when hitting a larger rock. She must have hit something sharp, because she yelped again, paused slightly, and then soldiered on until she reached the end of the driveway. The city worker made quick work of dumping her trash into the truck, but when Trish turned away and started back up the gravel drive at a slower pace, Tony didn't like when the truck failed to move on down the road. He knew why. They were doing what he was doing . . . enjoying the view.

Just when Tony considered yelling something out the window, the truck rumbled on down the road. Trish decided to move from the gravel to the grass and pulled the empty can behind her. Tony decided that he should be a gentleman and stop watching her in the sexy red robe, but just when he was going to turn away from the window, the lid from the can blew off. She gave her leg an angry smack and chased it. He chuckled but then swallowed hard when she bent over, revealing a quick glimpse of red panties.

But he suddenly remembered he was naked and standing in full view at the window. “Damn it!” He quickly stepped back and his mood shifted from amusement to agitation with Trish's reminder that it had been a long-ass time since he'd felt his blood stir at the sight of a woman. Tony turned away sternly, reminding himself that he needed to concentrate on his restaurant not only for his sake but for Reese's and Tessa's sake as well. Any kind of romantic entanglement would just get in the way of his goal, and he seriously doubted that his gorgeous neighbor would want a one-night stand.

Digger gave him that I-have-to-go-out whine, breaking into his thoughts. “Okay, Dig, give me a few minutes to gather my wits about me and get dressed.”

A short while later he located a pair of gym shorts and then led the way down the stairs. “Don't go too far,” he warned, but as luck would have it just as Tony let Digger out, a rabbit hopped across the yard. Totally ignoring his need to pee, Digger chased the bunny making a beeline for the woods. “Digger!” Muttering a curse, Tony pushed the screen door open and ran outside, stubbing his toe in the process. He hopped for a moment and then started running across the back lawn. He rounded the garage but suddenly tripped over a knee-high garden hose that seemed to come out of nowhere. Taking a swan dive, he face-planted into the grass, rolled, and then scrambled to his feet, only to be doused with freezing cold water.

“What the hell are you doing?” Tony shouted. He looked up into wide blue eyes.

“W-watering my roses.”

“I'm not a rose,” Tony growled, and swiped at the water running down his face.

“Well, you certainly have thorns.”

He wasn't amused. “Can you blame me?”

“I can try.”

Tony flashed her a grumpy look and then scrambled to his feet.

“Look, I'm really sorry. I . . . I didn't see you coming. I just turned the water on and was pulling the hose around to my rose garden that I recently planted.” Trish swiveled to demonstrate and shot him with another cold spray. “Sorry! I water before the heat of the sunshine,” she added with an apologetic wince. “It was getting late, so I was in a bit of a rush or I would have seen you, I guess.” She shrugged. “You did come out of nowhere.”

“I came out of the house.”

“Well, again, sorry. I was sort of in a zone, trying to decide what flowers to plant next. Oh, by the way, I'm Trish Daniels.” She stuck out her hand. She gave him a friendly smile. The red robe had been replaced with jeans and a loose T-shirt, but her feet were bare with pink-painted toenails and he somehow found that little detail sexy. It was a good thing he'd just been hosed down with cold water.

“Tony Marino,” he responded briskly, and gripped her hand briefly. “I've got to go get my dog before I go to work.” He jammed his thumb over his head and felt a flash of guilt when her smile faded. He knew he was being a complete ass and so added, “Uh, nice to meet you.”

“Sorry about your scraped knee and shoulder. If you need Band-Aids, I can run in and get you some.”

Tony glanced down at his knee. “I'll be fine.”

“Suit yourself.” At his brisk tone she nodded and turned away. There was something about the set of her shoulders that almost made him walk over and apologize. It wasn't her fault that she'd awakened a longing that he wanted to keep at bay. But instead, Tony pivoted away and started walking toward the woods. And then he felt it . . . a blast of cold water hit him in the ass.

“Sorry, my bad,” she called to him, but then giggled. Her feminine laughter washed over him and for a moment he felt himself smile. He missed that kind of laughter and he paused, almost turned around. But instead, he walked toward the woods and whistled for Digger, telling himself to keep his distance. If she thought he was a jerk she'd keep her distance too. He'd already felt a strong pull of attraction. It was better that way.

He felt his damp ass and chuckled. It wasn't going to be easy.

Bringing Sexy Back

G
ABBY TAPPED HER TOES TO HER PLAYLIST AND THEN
gave the wrist corsage a critical once-over. “Needs more baby's breath.” She reached for a sprig and then separated the pink rosebuds. “Much better.” She nodded but then rolled her shoulders to get the kinks out. Listening to lively pop music helped keep her moving through the large order of corsages and boutonnieres for the seniors' prom at Whisper's Edge. The theme was early 1950s, re-creating the era when most of the residents were in high school. Proceeds from the prom would go to local charities, so Gabby had given them a good price in exchange for some much-needed publicity. Gabby sang along with the refrain as she danced her way to the cooler to store the corsage.

“Nice moves, Gabby.”

Gabby froze and then looked over at Reese standing in the doorway. “Thanks.” She hoped her light response hid her embarrassment. “I try.”

“Don't stop on my account.”

“I'm not,” Gabby responded nonchalantly but felt heat creep into her cheeks and silently cursed her fair skin. She hoped he didn't notice.

“I could join you.” When Reese walked toward her Gabby wondered how he could make merely walking somehow look sexy. “I have some moves of my own,” he added. “How's this?” he asked, and did a silly little dance spin.

“Simply amazing.” Gabby tried not to grin but failed. She really needed to stop cranking up the music so she could hear the bell ding over the front door. She shrugged as if Reese's appearance didn't create a flutter in her stomach. Although she often had to wear sweaters, she was suddenly grateful that she had to keep the store pretty cold for the health of the flowers, because she could certainly use a cooldown just from looking at him. She barely refrained from fanning her face. Was it possible that Reese had gotten even hotter in just a couple of days?

Apparently, it was. . . .

Maybe her stomach fluttered because Reese looked so darned masculine in the midst of all the flowers, Gabby reasoned, but then she had to go and compare her reaction to that of seeing Drew.

“So, what are you working on?” Reese walked closer and nodded toward the long table littered with snips of colorful ribbons, discarded leaves, and stem wire.

“Seniors' prom,” Gabby replied. When her music shuffled to Bruno Mars crooning a sexy song, she hurried over and clicked Pandora off.

“Ah . . . senior prom?” Reese leaned a jean-clad hip against the front counter. “It still stings that you turned me down.”

“Going to the prom?” Gabby sputtered. “Are you serious?”

“I asked.”

“I didn't have a date. You were simply poking fun. Joking.”

“What? I wouldn't make fun of you, Gabby.” Reese frowned. “Why would you think
that
?”

Gabby raised her hands skyward. “Because you were supercool and I was a nerd.” She hadn't fit in with the rougher crowd or the middle-class students either. Instead, she sat at the lunch table full of misfits who became her friends. Gabby didn't care about clothes she couldn't afford or meaningless trends. Well, most of the time, anyway.

Reese arched a dark eyebrow. “More like I was super badass and you didn't want anything to do with me.” His tone remained teasing, but something flashed in Reese's eyes that gave Gabby pause, making her wonder if there might be more than what he was saying.

“Oh well, thank God that high school is over, right? Would we really want to do that again?”

Reese shrugged slightly. “I might have done a thing or two differently.”

Gabby wasn't sure what Reese meant by his comment, but he didn't seem to want to elaborate. “Well, by seniors, I was referring to the senior citizens at Whisper's Edge. It's a dance where they raise money for charity. A lot of the town attends.” She grinned. “I was actually invited.”

“Sounds like a blast.” Reese rolled his eyes.

“Hey, don't be fooled. I recently provided flowers for a birthday bash. Trust me, the Whisper's Edge residents know how to throw a party. All I can say is beware of the punch.”

Reese chuckled. “So, are you going?”

“I don't have a date,” Gabby answered without thinking.

Reese arched an eyebrow. “Does that mean I have a second chance to take you to the prom?”

Surely he wouldn't tease her about prom for a second time. Caution warred with attraction and when he gave her a crooked grin, attraction won hands down. “It's this Saturday night. Don't you have to work?”

“I'm pretty sure that Mom and Uncle Tony will be able to cover for me.” He paused and then said, “In fact, I know they will. Until the grand opening of the actual restaurant, we'll be pretty slow, but we planned it that way. We wanted to get all of the kinks out with a soft opening. And, you know, hopefully get a little buzz going with how good the pizza is. Restaurants rely on word of mouth and can also go under pretty quickly with bad press.”

“Well, if all of the pizza is as good as the one I had, you don't have a thing to worry about.”

“Thanks, I hope you're right.”

“So . . . so, what brings you here?”

“I wanted to know if you liked the cannoli,” he said.

“I . . . I did,” she replied, but it wasn't the cannoli that suddenly popped into her mind. She looked at that amazing mouth of his and swallowed hard. “I bet it would be really delicious.”

“Would be?” He frowned slightly.

“Oh yes, I'm sure,” Gabby said, and then suddenly snapped out of it. “I mean, yes, it was,” she amended, and started fussing with the flowers strewn across the table.

“The best you've ever had?”

Gabby nodded slowly and her heart thudded. “I have to say . . . yes.” She looked up and met his gaze.

“Good. I was hoping you'd say that.” He walked closer until he stood right in front of her.

Gabby wanted to back up, but her feet would not budge. She tried to look away, but her eyes refused to as much as blink. She could feel the warmth of his body so close to hers and she remembered how intoxicating it felt to be wrapped in his strong arms. When he reached forward her heart hammered in her chest. He leaned even closer and caressed her hair with his fingers. If he kissed her she was afraid she'd be powerless to resist, but she stood there motionless. Waiting . . . hoping.

“Here.”

Gabby blinked at Reese. “What?”

“This was tangled in your hair.” He took a small step back and handed her a sprig of baby's breath.

Gabby's emotions bounced around like a pinball. Was he toying with her? Flirting? “Reese, why are you really here?”

“Flowers.”

“Flowers?”

“Isn't this a flower shop?”

“Um . . . yeah.” Trying to be flippant, Gabby responded by giving him a shove. But the moment her palms met his rock-hard chest, she wanted to fist her hands in the cotton of his shirt and yank him forward . . . and kiss him as if there were no tomorrow. Instead, she took a big step backward and came up against the craft table. For a moment she thought he was going to step forward. She imagined him putting a palm on either side of the table, trapping her, leaning in for a hot kiss. For another long, heated moment she wanted him to.

Reese licked his bottom lip and his chest rose and fell more than simply standing there warranted. Gabby wished she could read his mind. She studied his face, noticing a small scar on his chin, a tiny mole on his cheek, and flecks of gold in his eyes. “Well?” The deep timbre of his voice felt like a caress, causing her breath to catch.

“Well . . . what?” Gabby had the urge to reach over, tug his shirt from his jeans, and feel her hands on his skin. A hot shiver ran down her spine at the thought. When had merely standing in the presence of a man affected her in this way?

The answer was easy:
never
.

“I need two dozen flowers.”

Gabby heart plummeted. “Well, now what did you do wrong?”

“Wrong?” He frowned for a second and then grinned. “Not for a woman. We want to dress up the tables in the restaurant with fresh flowers. Tessa bought small vases and wants to fill them with whatever flower you suggest. I'm guessing it should be something that will last. And include shades of red, I think she said.”

“Oh. . . .” Gabby cleared her throat and tried to switch her brain back to business. “Well, um, carnations or mums can last for several days or more if you snip the stems at an angle and keep the water fresh and the vases clean. Plus, they come in a variety of shapes and colors.”

Reese nodded. He still stood close. Too close. And then not close enough. “Mom suggested that you could leave a business card by each vase.”

“That's sweet of her.”

He smiled softly. “Well, we'd like you to reciprocate by having our flyers on your counter.”

“Easy enough. Like I said, I already know the pizza is fantastic.” She swallowed hard. “And the cannoli.”

“Good.” Reese hesitated and then said, “I'll throw in an endless supply of cannoli in exchange for talking us up. And I'll soon have other decadent desserts for you to sample.”

“You're going to make all of them?”

“With my own two hands. Pretty amazing for a badass like me, huh?”

Gabby tilted her head to the side. “You're not just a delivery guy, are you?”

“Part owner. Sous-chef. And my real claim to fame: maker of amazing desserts.”

“Anything else?”

“I graduated from the Brooklyn Culinary Institute, but my specialty is desserts.”

Gabby sighed. “Why on earth did you lead me to believe otherwise?”

Something flashed in his eyes. “I didn't. You assumed.”

Had she? Gabby supposed she'd never given him the chance to tell her any of that before. “I'm sorry.”

“It's fine.” He shoved his hands in his front pockets and glanced around before bringing his gaze back to her. “You were preoccupied with dou . . . uh . . . Mr. Mayor. By the way, how was your big date eating something so much better than pizza?”

Gabby shot him a grin. “In my opinion there's nothing better than pizza.”

“Good answer, but you failed to address the question.”

Was Reese jealous? The thought shot another thrill down her spine. “After getting the prom order I've been too busy for a date.” Actually, she'd turned Drew down, giving that same excuse. She still wasn't sure if it was true, though.

“Well, I'm sure he won't give up.” Reese looked at her closely as if gauging her reaction to his comment. “But at least he isn't the one taking you to the senior prom.”

Gabby laughed. “Well, if you're serious, the prom is a fifties theme, so dress like James Dean or something.”

“Yeah, I used to have that whole rebel-without-a-cause thing down pretty well, I guess,” he said lightly, but his gaze flicked away again.

“Hey,” she said, trying to draw his attention away from the pain of his past. She knew where much of his angst had stemmed from. And she remembered the sweet kid he'd once been. “Reese, I understand how it feels to lose someone you love.”

His gaze returned to hers. “Your mom didn't have a choice. My dad did.”

“But I imagine that the emotion feels somewhat the same.”

“There's more anger involved.”

“There were times when I was really angry at my mother for dying,” she quietly admitted, although she hadn't told anyone until now. “I threw a few things against the wall. It's not surprising you reacted with rebellion.”

“Yeah, well, it really wasn't fair to do that to my mother.” Reese sighed and then scrubbed a hand down his face. “She had enough to deal with. I should have been there for her instead of acting out.”

“You were a kid.” When Gabby witnessed the pain shining in his dark eyes, she had the urge to pull him into her arms and offer comfort. Instead, she stepped forward and put her hand on his forearm. “Don't be so hard on yourself.” She intended the gesture to be comforting and platonic. It wasn't. The warmth of his skin, beneath the taut muscle, sent a hot zing through her that she couldn't deny. Her breath caught and her heart thumped harder. She raised her gaze to meet his.

Did Reese feel it too?

When he studied her for a long moment, the awareness between them felt like a tangible thing. She had the urge to run her hands over the contours of his chest and then tilt her head up in silent invitation. Gabby's reaction to standing close to Reese felt so strong that she couldn't move even if she wanted to. Goodness, if a touch, a kiss could make her feel this way, what must it be like to . . .

Make love?

But then Gabby felt a flash of fear tingle down her spine. Feelings this intense carried the power to hurt with them, but when she would have stepped back Reese reached out and ran a gentle fingertip down her cheek. The gesture was so surprisingly tender that she longed to lean her face into his palm and lose herself in the sweet moment. Oh, there had been so many nights when she'd longed for someone to hold her, to comfort her, and to dry her tears. Feeling as if he was seeing too much, Gabby glanced away only to have Reese tuck a fingertip beneath her chin and guide her gaze back to him.

“Okay, I won't.”

“What?”

Reese smiled. “Be so hard on myself.”

The brightness of his smile chased away the darkness of the past. “Good.”

“I've never seen you with short hair,” Reese said, softly changing the subject. “I remember your hair being halfway down your back most of the time worn in a long braid or ponytail that I always wanted to tug.”

“Sometimes you did.” She gave him a slight grin.

Reese remained silent for a moment and then said, “Yeah, but later what I really wanted to do was run my fingers through your hair to see if it felt as soft as it looked.” He shook his head. “I just said that out loud, didn't I?”