“Can I get a rain check on the proper good morning?” She looked up at him from beneath her lashes as they walked down the hall hand-in-hand, and silently held her breath. He’d made the comment on the call yesterday about bringing her to the closing dinner, but since then he hadn’t said much about what came next for them. And she hadn’t brought it up, in part because there hadn’t really been a good time to talk, and in part because his answer felt too big…too important. She’d wanted a little more time to get her heart prepared for reality.
His expression sobered. They stopped in front of her room and she turned away to unlock and push the door open. When she turned back, he cupped her face in his big hands and stared into her eyes. “You can get as many rain checks as you want. And redeem them at your convenience.”
So saying, he leaned in and kissed her again. Slow this time. Devastatingly slow, as if trying to impart some important message through the slide of his tongue over hers. Her heart slammed into her ribs like a caged bird. What did he mean, at her convenience? What if she told him every day for the rest of her life would be convenient? Did he mean he would make that happen?
Only one way to find out. When he drew back, she wrapped her hands around his wrists and held on. She floated in the crystal-clear depths of his eyes and said, “My place, next Tuesday?”
He breathed in her nervous exhale, and rubbed his lips against hers, as if to soothe away the tension he’d heard in her question.
“That’s something we need to discuss. Soon. As soon as we’ve done our wedding party duties. I proposed some changes last night during my call, and my board agreed, and what I hope it means is—” He broke off and waited as someone passed by, and Sophie realized whoever it was had just gotten an eyeful of them kissing. “I’m sorry,” he continued. “This isn’t the time or the place. I know you have to go—”
Her well of bravery ran dry. If he intended to tell her he wanted them to have a future, she could wait until after the wedding to hear his plan. If he intended to tell her he was…what? Moving the company headquarters to Timbuktu, but they could be Skype buddies for the rest of their lives, she’d just as soon not know. She went up on her tiptoes and kissed him with everything she had, and hoped it was enough to remind him there were certain interactions a person simply couldn’t get from Skype, no matter how good the screen resolution.
Message delivered to the best of her ability, she slipped into her room.
Ten minutes later she stood in the lobby with Kady, Christine, and Julie, secretly grateful she wasn’t the last to arrive. Regan held that honor. She strode off the elevator a minute later, and Julie joked about sending out a search party. Regan deflected the comment by pointing out that Christine was the only one of them who’d needed a search party. While Kady and Julie took turns teasing Christine, Regan surprised her with a sly question. “How was your night?”
She felt her face go oven-hot. Oh God, what had Regan seen? “J-Just fine.”
“I’ll bet.” Regan leaned closer and lowered her voice. “He’s a really great guy.”
“I know.” Okay, apparently at least one member of the bridal party knew she’d spent the night with Logan. Interestingly, the brunette didn’t sound the least bit bitchy or jealous. But that didn’t mean the rest of the world needed to know her business. She shot a glance at Kady. “Can we not talk about this now? I don’t need my brother or the other two Amigos getting wind of it.”
“Sure.” Regan smiled. “I think they’re all going to be plenty busy today.”
Julie stopped between them and looped her arms around both their shoulders. “Hey, there are no secrets among friends.”
Sophie’s heart tripped a little at the offhand gesture and comment. Friends. After five days of interacting with them, she could actually see herself becoming friends with these women.
“Now let’s go get some food,” Julie said. “I’m hungrier than a badger with a hangnail.”
After breakfast she ran up to her room to grab her stuff and then headed to the bridal suite. In one hand she held the garment bag containing her bridesmaid’s dress. In the other she clutched a bag containing her underwear, shoes, jewelry, and toiletries. The net effect being she had no hands free to knock on the darn door. From inside the suite came sounds she could only describe as chaos. Chatter, laughter, music, and a hair dryer.
She put her mouth close to the seam where the door met the frame and called, “Hello!”
Miraculously, somebody heard her. A woman Sophie didn’t recognize opened the door, and then Julie appeared wearing a robe, a few huge Velcro rollers in her hair, and a big, relieved smile. She reached over and swept Sophie into the room.
“Oh, thank God, sweetie. I was beginning to think alien abduction. Come on over this way.” Julie lifted the garment bag and tote from Sophie’s fingers and passed them to the woman who’d opened the door. “Marisa is one of the event coordinators. She’ll put your things in the closet ’til you’ve gotten your hair and makeup done. But first”—whirlwind Julie paused for breath and took the mimosa Marisa handed her—“this is for you. Now, come stand right here.” She positioned Sophie in front of a curtained window and waved a woman with a large camera over. “Before picture,” she explained and then a flash went off in Sophie’s face.
“Oh,” she blinked rapidly, trying to clear the spots dancing in front of her eyes. “Okay. Thanks.”
Kady came over and nudged her shoulder. “Girl, you earned that.” She pointed to the mimosa. “Dinner last night went smooth as ice. Colt and I can’t thank you enough for keeping your mom and dad civil. Heck, better than civil. They actually looked happy every time I glanced over.”
“They are happy. Despite all their differences they have one important thing in common—they love their kids. They’re thrilled for you and Colt, and determined to play nice and enjoy the wedding.”
“Oh God, that’s a relief. You’re a miracle worker, Soph.” Kady’s chin trembled. “I think I might cry.”
Regan and Christine stepped over, both in various stages of hair and makeup. “No waterworks,” Regan said firmly. “If any of you start crying, I’ll start crying, and I refuse to walk down the aisle with tear tracks marring my makeup.”
Sophie couldn’t hold back a giggle. “For some reason, I wouldn’t have pegged you as the sentimental type.”
Regan pretended to glare. “Well I am. I cry at weddings. Don’t spread it around.” Then she grinned. “We all have our little secrets.”
“Not me,” Christine said proudly. “No secrets anymore. Want to know who rocked my world last night?”
Kady put her hands over her ears. “No. I’m not listening to you. La. La. La.”
Christine pulled Kady’s hands away from her ears. “Your brotherrrrrr,” she teased in a singsong voice. “First he swept me into his arms, then he tossed me on the bed, and then I got my hands all over that fine ass of his, and—”