Magnolia Bride
Tara Randel
Married for a day, in love for life Nealy Grainger knew that returning to Cypress Pointe meant an inevitable encounter with her teenage crush, and momentary husband, Dane Peterson. She could handle it. She wasn't the wounded girl who'd left Cypress Pointe years ago, heartbroken and furious when Dane had annulled their marriage the day after they'd eloped.Now one of L.A.'s most in-demand celebrity event planners, Nealy's only come back for a vacation and to help with her sister's wedding–not for a reunion with her long-lost love. But the more their paths cross, the more the sparks fly! Maybe their connection isn't over just yet….
Married for a day, in love for life
Nealy Grainger knew that returning to Cypress Pointe meant an inevitable encounter with her teenage crush, and momentary husband, Dane Peterson. She could handle it. She wasn’t the wounded girl who’d left Cypress Pointe years ago, heartbroken and furious when Dane had annulled their marriage the day after they’d eloped.
Now one of L.A.’s most in-demand celebrity event planners, Nealy’s only come back for a vacation and to help with her sister’s wedding—not for a reunion with her long-lost love. But the more their paths cross, the more the sparks fly! Maybe their connection isn’t over just yet….
He turned to her. “This is a disaster.”
She couldn’t argue. Juliet’s party had been reduced to a manic free-for-all.
He tightened his grip on her hand and a memory flashed of the day they’d gone to the courthouse to say their vows. He’d held her hand just as tightly then. The promise of a future together had made her giddy, and she’d stuttered when it came time to say “I do.”
Standing next to Dane now, so close she could feel his body heat, made her heart race. Just one touch from Dane and she reverted back to a love-struck teenager? She couldn’t let Dane get to her. They’d had their moment in time and blew it. She would not let these jumbled feelings for him ruin years of healing the wound he’d inflicted.
No. Not now.
Dear Reader (#ulink_3ad4952d-5bdd-5de3-884d-661a883049cd),
Who said do-overs are easy?
When Nealy returns home for her sister’s engagement party, she is shocked to run into her ex, Dane. One look at Nealy, the girl who got away, and Dane knows he has to try to win her back. What could possibly go wrong?
Second chances sound romantic, but we all know the journey to true love is usually rocky. And believe me, Nealy and Dane have a bumpy road ahead of them. Joining our struggling characters on their journey to happiness is what we love to read about: the discovery of who the characters are, what makes them tick and most important, whether or not they will overcome the odds and get together. Trust me, Nealy and Dane have their work cut out for them every step of the way.
So, dear reader, welcome back to Cypress Pointe. Pour yourself a glass of sweet iced tea and pull up a comfy chair to spend a few hours with new friends. When you close the book, please visit me at www.tararandel.com (http://www.tararandel.com) and tell me what you think of Nealy and Dane’s romance.
Enjoy!
Tara Randel
Magnolia Bride
Tara Randel
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
TARA RANDEL (#ulink_0653629f-2243-5209-a9c7-4593dc371738)
has enjoyed a lifelong love of books, especially romance, so it came as no surprise when she began writing with the dream of becoming published. Family values, a bit of mystery and, of course, love and romance are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. Tara lives on the west coast of Florida, where gorgeous sunsets and beautiful weather inspire the creation of heartwarming stories. This is her second book for Mills & Boon Heartwarming.
To my good friends Nikki and Kelley. You are both very special people and you mean so much to me.
Contents
Cover (#u9dd3a8d9-0c70-56ce-b2d0-f1d07edb0a29)
Back Cover Text (#u7229f8c6-48bf-5dbf-9b3f-c6114fd5ba89)
Introduction (#u8ffcfa33-648b-56eb-a077-ed43aad2161b)
Dear Reader (#uaaf895d7-ef54-53c0-b1fb-5f0816a7167f)
Title Page (#u354a0b68-c08e-56b2-8743-f7346582abab)
About the Author (#u9a0671d9-cfe4-5db3-8f19-eb136c02a79e)
Dedication (#ufe9b56ef-3699-50f0-9fa1-d9d9b01c0336)
PROLOGUE (#u9a0f9cd0-6964-58c4-b474-32463ef4c445)
CHAPTER ONE (#uefef0fdb-2943-5c19-baa1-db8771323197)
CHAPTER TWO (#u39062bf4-e193-50ac-b4f7-59c0c4d785e8)
CHAPTER THREE (#u835f4fe5-501a-5b95-8a86-7a6a30f67e10)
CHAPTER FOUR (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FIVE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SIX (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER NINE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ELEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWELVE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER THIRTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FOURTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FIFTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
PROLOGUE (#ulink_08dd8ad2-0084-58f2-afa7-080f194e760f)
NEALY HOOKED ONE FOOT over the sill before hauling herself up and out the window. Her heart was pounding with excitement as she landed on the soft grass. She’d made sure the coast was clear, checking on her sleeping parents before slipping away. They’d made it very clear they didn’t like her sneaking around and ignoring her curfew, but who cared? Ever since she and Dane had started dating, she wanted to be with him every second. And if it meant getting in trouble, again, he was worth it. No way would she let being grounded keep her from the party Dane was throwing for her birthday.
He’d told her to join him at midnight. Right on time, she jogged onto the beach, her flip-flops kicking up sand as she ran, heading toward the beacon of a roaring bonfire. Once she arrived, Dane pulled her into his embrace.
“Happy birthday.”
She threw her arms around his neck. “You are my hero.”
He grinned, a lock of his long hair falling into his eyes. “And the best boyfriend ever.”
“That, too.”
“C’mon.” He took her hand and led her toward the action. A group of girls, including her good friend Lilli, hugged her, giggling as they pointed to the boys gathered at the far side of the fire. Knowing the boys as she did, they were most likely up to no good.
“Are you sure this was a smart idea, Nealy?” Leave it to Lilli to voice a concern, always worried about getting into trouble. “When your parents find out you snuck off again, they’ll ground you forever.”
Nealy laughed. “It won’t be forever. Once I leave for college I can do whatever I want.”
“Like you don’t do whatever you want now?” Marianne, her friend from homeroom, snickered.
“Okay, so yeah, I might have gotten into trouble one too many times this summer.”
“Ya think? If you ever decide to go on out to the causeway late at night and get stuck in the mud, be sure to find another driver,” Marianne huffed. “My parents are still ticked at me.”
Dane swooped in behind Nealy, circling his arm around her waist to draw her close. “No talking about parents and trouble. Tonight is all about you. I have something planned you’ll never forget.”
“Really? What is it?”
He kissed the side of her neck. “Just wait and see.”
Even late at night, the sultry summer heat saturated the air, scented by the damp sand and burning logs. Sparks drifted from the fire, escaping into the star-filled night.
Nealy sighed. She’d never been this happy, or this in love, ever.
This year had been the worst. The more her parents had tried to convince her to go to a college that would ready her for law school, the more she’d refused. It seemed as if they’d always been at odds over this and would never be able to reach a middle ground. But this summer they’d hit the ultimate height in their disagreement. They didn’t get that pushing her to be an attorney, only made her push back, or rather, act out. She’d been unhappy until she met Dane.
As soon as Nealy started hanging out with him at work, she developed a crush on him. The night she’d decided to spray paint the pier and Dane showed up to help her, she lost her heart to him. Subsequently getting caught and grounded hadn’t kept her from him, which made her parents just that little bit crazier. Served them right for always bullying her to do what they thought was right, never caring about what she wanted. Once she left for college, and freedom, they’d lose the power to make her miserable.
“Ready?” Dane whispered in her ear.
“Are you kidding? I’ve been going nuts since you told me about this party.”
He looped his arm over her shoulders and pointed across the bonfire. “Watch the sky.”
She heard shouts. Suddenly a light flared, followed by a whizzing noise as a swirl of red, yellow, green and blue erupted in the darkness. Surprised gasps could be heard all around her. Before she knew it, another colorful burst of sparks shot into the sky, followed by another, then another.
“What do you think?”
Nealy crossed her hands over her heart. “You got me fireworks for my birthday?”
“Yep, since you light up my life.”
She snorted. “Lame.”
“But true.”
Her heart melted as another round of fireworks went off. “I love you,” she said. “More than anything.”
“I love you back.”
They stood side by side, lost in the wonder of being a couple and sharing this special moment. Nealy secretly wished it could last forever, but her hopes were quickly dashed as the familiar-sounding sirens rang in the distance. Before she knew it, she was running, had to before the police arrived. A stitch tweaked at her side and her breathing grew labored as she made her escape, but not badly enough to keep her from laughing.
Best. Birthday. Ever.
CHAPTER ONE (#ulink_1bf05f78-9f6a-5db2-898e-3c6f907239b9)
AFTER BEING AWAY from Cypress Pointe, Florida, for more years than she cared to count, Nealy Grainger expected to find more changes in her small hometown. Sure, a few new businesses had taken up residence on Main Street, but the familiar sights of Milly’s Gifts and Things, Rascal’s Candy Shoppe, Duke’s Grill, and Cuppa Joe, her grandmother’s coffee shop, remained the same. Maybe she expected more because her life had changed so much since she left. Shouldn’t everyone else’s life have changed, too?
Late-afternoon sunlight sparkled off store windows while tourists browsed from the sidewalk, some seeking protection under the store canopies to escape the afternoon heat. She drove the candy-apple-red rented convertible toward the north end of town, deeply inhaling the salty air as she cruised past the public beach, the location where countless days had been spent lounging in the sun, splashing in the waves and hanging out at late-night bonfires.
From the radio, Trisha Yearwood’s lyrical voice crooned a soulful melody about driving past an old boyfriend’s house after many years away.
Nealy snorted.
Yes, it had been years since she’d been home, but the old boyfriend part? The term boyfriend, even if she had considered him a quote-unquote boyfriend, would have been used quite loosely. What they’d had was intense, quick and forever burned upon her heart. Boyfriend? No. They’d fast-forwarded through that phase and went straight to the altar. Husband? Yes, with a capital H.
Actually, ex-husband was a more accurate description.
Her cell phone rang to the tune of “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” a peppy Beach Boys song she’d come to love since living in California. She snatched up the phone and noted the caller ID. Her boss’s number. If she was calling, it meant some kind of drama had transpired. Nealy had had everything in order before leaving. As executive assistant to the party planner of the celebrities, every detail must be perfect. Expensively perfect.
“Hi, Crystal. Is everything all right?” she asked while silently praying she hadn’t forgotten anything.
“Mr. Taylor wants the color scheme changed.”
“Now? The party is Friday night.” She’d checkmarked each detail with the man weeks ago, from the monogrammed napkins to the rented crystal chandelier he insisted on dangling from a tree on his oceanfront property.
“His astrologist says blue is not a good color for him this month. She insists he should focus on red.”
Nealy worked for Milestones by Crystal, a much sought-after event planning company in Los Angeles. They had three huge parties booked for the upcoming weekend and even though she’d put her vacation request in weeks ago, her boss didn’t let the pesky little inconvenience of Nealy being out of town stop her from calling.
“Can’t Liz handle it?”
“No. Mr. Taylor refuses to talk to anyone but you.”
Nealy took a deep breath since she couldn’t close her eyes and count to ten. Hollywood clients could be a challenge, but her boss even more so. She’d loved her job when she first started four years ago, but as the company grew, their stress levels had gone off the charts. Her boss knew Nealy had come home to visit her family, yet she phoned as if it were a snap for Nealy to handle the problems from Florida. So much for her vacation.
“Okay, I’ll give him a call as soon as I can. Then I’ll get in touch with Marsha at Elegant Linens. She owes me, so I’m sure she’ll make the changes. Can you speak to Michele and see what she can pull off with the flower arrangements?”
The rustling of papers sounded over the line. Nealy formed a mental picture of Crystal sitting at her desk, her attention already focused on a different problem while Nealy tried to fix the current one.
“Hmm. Michele? Yes, I’ll contact her.”
Nealy breathed out a sigh of relief. “Good. I’ll call Mr. Taylor. And, Crystal?”
“Yes?”
“Then I’m on vacation, okay?”
“Of course. Unless I need you.”
Crystal signed off. Nealy knew it wasn’t the last time she’d hear from the woman during her much-needed break.
In the past year, Nealy’s workload had doubled. She never complained because she appreciated the steady paycheck. With the prospect of a new client signing with them soon, her workload was about to get even more hectic.
An up-and-coming fashion designer, Ashlee James, popular with young stars, had shown an interest in hiring Milestones by Crystal to plan her clothing launch and then take care of all subsequent events. Everyone at the company had their fingers crossed the contract would come through, especially Nealy, who was tapped to lead the project. Interacting with elite clientele from Hollywood and L.A. had its moments, but Nealy logged long hours arranging an event. Did she have time for a social life? Please. Dating? Forget it. She hadn’t seen Sam, her kinda, sorta boyfriend, in three weeks. Though when it came to Sam, her workload wasn’t the only cause for the distance between them. He put in just as many hours at his office, which made their relationship status vague.
She pushed her dating woes to the back of her mind. She had more important matters to fret over. Namely, her sister’s multiple engagement parties. Yes, multiple. What had started out as an intimate gathering of friends and family to celebrate the joyous occasion soon morphed into adding an additional party to allow the senator—the fiancé’s father—to invite his political friends and financial backers so they, too, could offer their best wishes. Between the demands of the two families, her sister had booked both engagement parties for this weekend.
When Nealy’s sister Juliet had called to tell her about the engagement, she begged Nealy to plan the bigger party. Since she was marrying into an illustrious political family, Juliet wanted to impress her future in-laws. She complained because the coordinator she was working with didn’t have ideas grand enough to make an impression on the senatorial family. Juliet wanted the glitz and glamour of a Hollywood A-list event. Nealy could make that happen.
Nealy had her reservations; after all, it wasn’t as if she lived close by. Juliet put her in contact with the coordinator at the venue where both parties would take place and the two got down to business. Soon, Nealy realized her sister’s frustration with the woman. To say her ideas were lackluster was being kind. Sure, a traditional party might be nice for the quaint coastal town of Cypress Pointe, but it would never do for her sister’s opulent vision. Nealy took over and before long was working her magic from the other side of the country. Now she had only a few days to finalize the arrangements for the two events.
In addition to the engagement parties, Nealy’s second mission involved Cuppa Joe, her grandmother’s coffee shop. When her grandmother found out Nealy would be coming home, she asked Nealy to run the shop while she went on a seniors’ cruise. Growing up, the coffee shop had been Nealy’s second home. She loved the place and would do anything for her grandmother, so she agreed, but secretly wondered if she was pushing herself too hard.
She couldn’t remember the last personal day she’d taken, let alone her last real vacation. Was it the first year she worked for Milestones by Crystal? Once she decided to come home to Cypress Pointe for her sister, she’d stood firm on using the vacation days she’d accumulated, knowing once they landed the Ashlee James account, there would be no more free time for visiting family. Okay, so this had turned into a working vacation, but after years of working nonstop, could she picture herself relaxing and doing nothing? Hardly. She’d been born in high gear.
Driving past Swindler’s Ice Cream Shop, Nealy noted a young couple walking out the door, hand in hand. Her heart pinched at the sight. How many times had she and her ex met there for what they thought was a secret rendezvous? Another blast from the past. Until now, she’d kept the special memories from that summer tucked away. But really, what did she expect? Had she thought coming back to Cypress Pointe wouldn’t stir up a mess of emotions? She thought she’d recovered from her heartache, but driving through town proved challenging.
Her cell phone rang. “Not again,” she muttered, and immediately dismissed the leftover romantic notions and adopted her usual business tone. “Nealy Grainger at your service.”
“Where are you?” her sister Juliet whisper-hissed into the phone.
“About ten minutes away.”
“Step on it.”
“Mom getting on your last nerve?”
“I swear, I’m about to break something. Tonight was to be spent visiting with you. It wasn’t supposed to turn into let’s-interfere-with-every-little-detail night.”
Today, Wednesday, the women of the family were getting together to make last-minute tweaks to Nealy’s plans for the weekend. The next several days would be a whirlwind of formal social gatherings and casual meet-and-greet time as the families got to know one another.
“When did my engagement turn into a national event?” Juliet asked.
“When you agreed to marry a senator’s son.”
“I know I asked you to go big, but this has turned into a media frenzy. And who ever heard of a three-day engagement party?”
Their mother. When Nealy’s older sister got married it had been a rushed affair because Lanie had been in college at the time, which left their mother disappointed at its small scale. Now they were going to be related to a senator—her mother’s dream come true—so the ante had gone up. And up. And up.
“Where’s Grandmother? She’s good at distracting Mom.”
“She’s fed up, too.”
Not good if Dorinda Hobart, the voice of reason, couldn’t fix things.
“Hold on. Sanity’s on the way.”
Nealy ignored the usual foreboding that accompanied anything to do with their mother. Instead, she enjoyed the balmy breeze tickling her face. She’d been putting off the prodigal return and the old twinge of inferiority crept up on her, well aware certain family members wouldn’t welcome her with open arms. She didn’t expect them to behave any differently. She’d burned her bridges years ago and dreaded the cool reception awaiting her.
It doesn’t bother me.
Right. If she repeated the mantra enough times, she might believe it.
Instead of dwelling on her insecurities, she turned her attention to her sister. Juliet would be fretting over the details, because, well, that’s what Juliet did. As the baby of the family, they went overboard to pamper and protect her.
Then at fourteen, Juliet had been in a horrific automobile accident. Hospital stays and months of rehab had been the norm for her for a long while. The physical scars had healed, but the emotional toll? Nealy wasn’t sure her sister had ever recovered. So how could she deny her sister when she begged Nealy to come home, claiming she needed her cool, professional demeanor to deal with a party and a weekend schedule growing bigger and bigger by the moment? How Juliet expected Nealy to keep everyone calm, she had no idea. She was an event planner, after all, not a miracle worker.
As Nealy pulled the car into the parking lot of the Grand Cypress Hotel, the location of all the parties, crushed shells crunched under the tires. Searching for an empty spot in the crowded lot took longer than she’d anticipated but she finally eased into a space. Cutting the ignition, she grabbed her purse and briefcase before exiting the car.
She took a few steps before stopping in her tracks before the main entrance. Wow. The previously modern contemporary style of the hotel now sported a charming Southern plantation facade. When she’d worked here during high school, the place had lost its luster, even though many of the same families returned to the hotel to spend their summer vacations. She’d done shifts at the snack bar, been a lifeguard and parked cars for fancy events.
She’d also met her ex here.
From the moment she laid eyes on him waiting tables in the dining room, she had decided to go after him. She’d strutted below the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the pool area, twirling her lifeguard whistle to catch his eye. It worked. Boy, had it worked.
Before more memories could overwhelm her, she took a breath and marched on.
Her heels sank into the crushed shells as she took the path from the parking lot. Why on earth had she chosen three-inch heels today? Not that she had a choice. She’d caught a red-eye flight immediately after finishing up an event she couldn’t miss. It meant she’d had no time to change from her lemon-yellow linen business suit and leopard-print heels. Huffing along, she reached the wide veranda of the renovated hotel.
Initially she’d been surprised when Juliet booked the engagement party, and subsequent wedding, at this location, until her sister explained the hotel’s face-lift. The pristine white exterior with shiny black shutters fronted by a wide veranda dotted with rocking chairs promised a no-stress zone for weary guests.
As she stepped into the spacious foyer, cool air greeted her, along with some major structural improvements. The new owner had removed the old ceiling to create an open two-story masterpiece. Nealy’s breath caught. Marble floors shone as light filtered through the frosted dome ceiling. A counter nearby, also in marble, had staff waiting behind it to help the guests.
She let out a low whistle. “Not too shabby.”
Her cell phone rang. This had to be Juliet worried about her ETA. As she crossed the highly glossed lobby floor, her heels echoed. “Hold on,” she said to herself, digging through the contents of her purse, intent on finding her phone, when she bumped into a tall, solid form.
“Whoa,” a deep masculine voice said as firm hands grabbed hold of her upper arms to steady her.
“I’m so sorry,” she sputtered, pushing her hair from her eyes. “I’m in a hurry and wasn’t watching where I—” Her words stopped as she recognized the man holding her in place. Him. “Dane?” she whispered.
“Nealy. Been a long time.”
Her breathing nearly stopped as she gaped at her ex-husband, Dane Peterson.
No. This couldn’t be right, could it?
“What are you doing here?” she managed to croak out.
“I’m the owner.”
“Of what?”
“The Grand Cypress Hotel.”
Granted, running into Dane made her thinking a little fuzzy, but... “You own this hotel?”
“Yep.”
Knocked off-kilter by her first glimpse of Dane after twelve years apart, her legs became shaky. Why hadn’t anyone told her Dane owned the hotel? Probably because they figured she wouldn’t step foot in the place if she knew.
They’d have been right.
He’d aged well, exceptionally well, as evidenced by the unexpected stirring in her belly. His dark blond hair, highlighted by the sun, was cut short, a far cry from the disheveled locks he’d once sported. Whiskey-hued eyes and tanned skin portrayed the picture of a man in his prime. Even more handsome than the boy from her memories. She still remembered the lanky teen, long hair falling over his brow into his eyes, wearing T-shirts proclaiming the name of a favorite band paired with ripped jeans and sneakers. Today, a mature Dane wore navy pants and a light blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up his forearms. His dark shoes shone.
His masculine scent, so alluring and familiar, had her leaning toward him until she realized her mistake and blinking furiously, she took a hasty step back from the stunning man standing before her and the powerful reaction he evoked.
“How did you come to own this place?”
“It’s what I do. Rehab old or failing hotels.”
“You renovated this hotel?”
“That’s right.”
Wow. Talk about total and complete shock.
Nealy shook her head, trying to reconcile this man with the boy she’d fallen head over heels in love with. Her pulse fluttered as the intensity of his gaze made her heart race and her eyes sting.
“Welcome home, Nealy,” Dane said in a low, familiar voice.
Her initial surprise at seeing him dissipated instantly as the hurt came rushing back. Apparently twelve years hadn’t healed the wound he inflicted when he’d shattered her life that summer. He’d married her, then turned right around and filed for an annulment, dashing her hopes of them spending their lives together. The dream had turned into a nightmare, courtesy of the man standing in front of her.
“Home is L.A. now. If you’ll excuse me, my sister’s expecting me.” She needed to escape from Dane before he noticed her curt tone hiding the traces of old hurt.
“Yeah. About that. There’s a problem.”
She raised a brow. “What’s happened?”
“It’s more like who happened.”
She shook her head. “You’ve lost me.”
“Remember Angela? The hotel’s in-house event coordinator?”
“Sure. We’ve been working together on both of Juliet’s parties.”
“Not any longer.”
She jammed a hand on her hip. “And why is that?”
“She quit this morning.”
Nealy tried to keep from gaping but didn’t succeed. “What did you do to her?”
Her sharp question earned her a throaty laugh. “Me? I didn’t do anything. You, on the other hand...”
As his sentence trailed off, she protested, “I just got here.”
“It seems you were a bit too...zealous in planning Juliet’s party. To quote Angela, ‘I’ve only dealt with Nealy over the phone. How much more nerve-racking will it be having her here in person?’ Your imminent arrival sent her over the edge.”
“Hey, I’m good at my job. I can’t help it if she was overwhelmed.”
“Overwhelmed or not, I’m minus an event coordinator.”
“Thankfully I’m here for Juliet. Her parties will be wonderful despite this upset.”
“Easy for you to say. You’ll be leaving soon. I’m the one on the hook with scheduled events over the next couple of days and no coordinator.”
She tugged the strap of her purse higher on her shoulder. “Figuring out these problems is all in the day of a hotel owner. I’m sure you’ll manage. Excuse me.” She took two steps when she realized she didn’t know where to find her sister. Reluctantly she turned back to Dane.
“Down the hallway,” he said and pointed. “Second door on the right.”
She headed off, but not without hearing a husky, “Good to see you.”
Ignoring the blood roaring in her ears, she hurried to the room. Bad enough the party would be at this hotel, but to run into Dane while she was home? The knots in her stomach tightened. Why couldn’t she have gotten a flat tire? Preferably somewhere in L.A. so she would have missed her flight.
Did he have to look so good? Smell so good? And why had she turned into a flustered teenager? Because the man still had a way of getting under her skin, that’s why. She pressed her hand against her roiling stomach. She’d worked with top celebrities without so much as a bat of an eye, but two minutes with Dane had her insides screaming as if she were a starstruck groupie. She would not let him get to her during her time in Cypress Pointe.
Still, Dane Peterson, owner of the Grand Cypress Hotel. Who would have thought it? And what was she going to do to avoid him?
Before she could come to any conclusions, she crossed the threshold into a large banquet room and assessed the chaos.
Juliet was pacing. Lanie, her older sister, had a box that she was rustling through, pulling out rolls of bunting and crepe paper. Nealy shuddered at the sight. Her mother, Anita, was chastising a tall man with a glazed look in his eyes. Having been at the receiving end of her chastisement, Nealy empathized with him.
“Hey, everyone,” she called out. “I’m here.”
Juliet shrieked, running over to envelop Nealy in a big hug. “I knew you’d make it.”
“Yes, we were wondering when that would be,” her mother’s voice came from behind her. “We could have used your help this afternoon.”
Sure they could have, but then Nealy would have had to stick needles in her eyes.
“Hi, Mom.” She gave her a dutiful hug, miffed she let her mother’s lack of affection get to her.
Following the pseudo hug, her mother scrutinized Nealy. “You look pale. Don’t you ever get out in the California sun?”
Before Nealy could respond, Lanie cut in for her hug. “Welcome home, sis. We could use some major organizing skills since a therapist isn’t available.”
“Lucky for you I have them.”
Juliet put a death grip on Nealy’s arm. After their most recent phone conversation, Nealy understood why. Her family had a tendency to be a bit too eagerly involved.
“Please promise me you won’t leave my side.”
Nealy didn’t want to make any promises. Her mother’s frown didn’t reflect a warm welcome and knowing Dane lurked somewhere in the building made her want to bolt. Then she focused on her sister’s worried face, noticing the dark circles under her eyes and that her usually tidy hair was a mess. Nealy lifted her chin. This wasn’t about her. Her sister needed her here and for that reason alone she would see this week through. “I promise.”
Juliet let out a breath, tears glistening in her eyes. “Thanks.”
“Are you okay?” Nealy was genuinely concerned.
“Tired. Work has been demanding. If this party is any indication of what the wedding will be like...”
Nealy should have come home sooner. “Maybe we should—”
“There she is,” cried a familiar voice. Nealy turned to see her maternal grandmother, Dorinda, hurrying toward her. “Come give me a kiss.”
Nealy sent one last questioning glance at her sister and received a reassuring nod in return. Once she and her sister were alone, Nealy would get to the bottom of what was bothering Juliet.
“Grandmother!” Nealy wrapped Dorinda in her arms, holding on for dear life. The scent of lilacs Nealy always associated with her grandmother enveloped her. Welcomed her home. This was the person who had cleaned her cuts, wiped her tears and filled her life with joy. “How have you been?”
“Other than missing you, just fine. Talking on the phone and only seeing you for our annual visits is not enough.”
Nealy grinned. “I agree.”
Dorinda ran a hand over Nealy’s wavy hair. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she whispered and tilted her head toward the women in the room. “Not a moment too soon.”
“Are things so bad?”
“Not bad. More like difficult. The usual Grainger women drama.”
“As usual, Dad is wise to stay far, far away.”
The urge to run away welled up in her, but she squashed it for Juliet’s sake. Maybe a few minutes to gather her muddled thoughts would shore up her resolve. “Okay, ladies, before we get busy, I have to make a couple of quick business calls. Be back in a few.”
She turned on her heel, hurried out of the room and back down the hallway, hoping she wouldn’t run into Dane. Before entering the foyer, she stopped and peeked around the corner. No ex-husband. Expelling a breath, she rushed past the main desk, heading to the veranda for some fresh air and to place the phone calls she promised her boss she’d make. She’d just reached for the door handle when she heard a slow masculine drawl behind her. “Leaving so soon?”
* * *
DANE KNEW NEALY would never miss her sister’s party. That meant he’d be seeing her again. His regret over how he’d ended things with her had entailed a lot of emotional upheaval, but still he maintained he’d made the right decision to end their marriage before it really started.
What else could he have done but file for an annulment after their impetuous act? Once they’d said their “I do’s,” the enormity of the situation had sunk in. There was no doubt in his mind he’d been head over heels in love with Nealy, but marriage? At eighteen, he’d had nothing to offer her. No way to support them financially or emotionally. How could he not have considered the consequences? Because he’d let the roller-coaster ride of young love blind him to reality instead of considering what Nealy needed—security and a man with a solid future.
He’d done the right thing by walking away. It had been the hardest decision he’d ever made, more so because he knew he’d hurt her in the process. Yeah, he hadn’t missed the surprise and hurt in Nealy’s eyes when she’d bumped into him a few minutes ago. She’d never been very good at hiding her emotions. From him, anyway. But she was here now, so how was he going to handle the situation? If her body language and angry tone were any indication, she didn’t plan to make any encounters between them easy.
She let go of the door handle and faced him, her lips pressed together, a sure sign she was annoyed. “Do you make a habit of stalking your guests?”
“Only the ones I haven’t seen in over a decade.”
“There’s a reason for that.”
“I’m well aware.”
Coming back to Cypress Pointe to purchase the hotel had been a calculated risk, like returning to the scene of a crime. But when the hotel had gone up for sale, Dane couldn’t resist. After a mere few hours of debating the wisdom of buying a property holding so many memories of love gone wrong, he broke down and placed an offer. It had taken a lot of hard work to get the place looking even better than its former glory, but once he’d started, he never looked back.
Nealy stood with her arms crossed over her chest, one foot tapping. Yeah, she still had all the pent-up energy that got them into one scrape after another when they were kids. “Don’t you have some hotel stuff to keep you busy?”
He grinned at her, encouraged by the flicker of interest she tried to hide. “At the moment, you’re my top priority.”
She narrowed her eyes but the gesture didn’t scare him off. She still had the power to make his heart pound with just one glance.
Mahogany-colored hair, cut in wavy layers, swung around her shoulders and down her back. Dane remembered the texture, and his fingers itched to touch the thick tresses. Her slender build admirably filled the suit she wore and he smiled at her choice of footwear. She always did have a flair for the unexpected.
The subtle scent of peaches accosted him, just like that long-ago summer. He also remembered the luscious bubblegum gloss she’d constantly applied to her lips. The bubblegum fad of her youth had faded, but in its place had grown an incredible woman. He could sense she was the whole package. He liked this version of Nealy. A lot.
“How long are you in town?” he asked.
Her chocolate-brown eyes filled with suspicion. “I don’t think it’s any of your concern.”
“Just being courteous.”
“And while that’s very gentlemanly of you, I’m sure we’ll be too busy to see each other during my stay.”
“Look, I know this isn’t easy for you. I’m sure you feel—”
“I’m trying very hard not to feel anything.”
He didn’t like hearing those words. She couldn’t have lost all feeling for him, could she? The angry glint in her eyes told him otherwise.
“I don’t blame you for hating me. I was mad at myself for a long time.”
“I don’t hate you. I hate what you did to us.”
He nodded. “I wanted to talk to you again. Try to make things right.”
She raised a dubious eyebrow. “As evidenced by all the phone calls.”
“I couldn’t. At first, it was too soon. Before long, too much time had passed by.”
“Yeah. Twelve years to be exact.”
“Are you saying if I’d reached out, you would have talked to me?”
His lips thinned into a mulish line.
“Just what I thought.”
From the moment he and Nealy eloped, the situation had gone downhill. He’d been reeling over the loss of a baseball scholarship to the University of South Florida because of a rotator cuff injury. His parents, always at each other’s throats, were talking divorce. They spent more time arguing and not enough time focused on their kids. Consequently, he’d missed deadlines to apply to other colleges and scholarships. Spending a wild summer with free-spirited Nealy had been just what he needed to deal with his shattered reality. They’d both been of age, and could legally marry, but running off didn’t mean they’d made the brightest move of all time. Look at his parents. They’d married young and couldn’t stand each other now. All Dane knew at the time? He was crazy in love with Nealy and the minute she turned eighteen, they’d stolen her dad’s car and taken off.
At least her parents hadn’t pressed charges once they returned home.
“Well, lucky for both of us,” she said, “I’ll be very busy while I’m here. Besides, we don’t have anything to talk about.”
“I need to clear up some things. I think you do, too.”
“As a matter of fact, I do.” She pointedly glared at him as she swung open the lobby door. “But not today.”
He watched her shapely figure disappear behind the door. He turned just as Josh Hamilton, his head landscaper and handyman, strode across the lobby toward him.
“Hey, Dane. Got a minute?”
A minute was about all he had until Nealy returned to her family. “What’s up?”
“I fixed the problem in the pool pump house. Anything else?”
Anything else consisted of Nealy Grainger here at the Grand Cypress Hotel. “No. We’re good,” he said as he kept an eye on the front door.
“Then I’ll get back to tending to the ornamental garden by the restaurant.”
“Fine, fine,” he replied.
“Then I’m going to knock on every guest’s door, yell fire and run away screaming.”
“Fine.”
“Or I could bug the sharp-looking woman who has all those parties planned.”
“Get to it, then.”
Josh laughed. “Dude. Are you even listening?”
Dane turned to his employee, who also happened to be his friend. “Sorry. What were you saying?”
“Nothing. A little preoccupied?”
“I have a lot going on.”
Josh cocked his head. “Anything to do with the pretty brunette walking this way?”
Dane glanced over his shoulder. “You could say that.”
“Just did.” He slapped Dane on the back. “Good luck.”
“I’ll need it,” Dane said as Nealy headed for the hallway leading to the banquet rooms.
* * *
“YOU AGAIN?” REMARKED NEALY.
“Yeah. I own the place, remember?”
“So go do some hotel things.”
He fell into step beside her. “I am. Acting as the temporary event coordinator.” Before he could continue the conversation, they reached the Grainger room and Juliet rushed over. “Please, make her stop.”
Nealy followed Juliet’s gaze to their mother. “What now?”
“She’s badgering the caterer for no reason.”
“Let me handle it.” Dane took off, but not before brushing Nealy’s forearm with his hand.
Despite every intention of not letting Dane get to her, his touch sent a tingle of awareness across Nealy’s skin. How, after all these years, could his touch affect her?
When the gentle pressure of his hand lifted, Nealy was relieved. Okay, so some things hadn’t changed, like a mere touch from Dane raising her temperature. Or the pure command in his every step. Even her mother would have to listen to him. She’d hate that.
Nealy smiled for the first time since arriving at the Grand Cypress Hotel.
“Thank goodness Dane is here,” Juliet said.
“Speaking of Dane, you knew he owned the hotel and didn’t tell me?”
“I’m sorry.” Juliet at least had the grace to look chagrined. “I was afraid you wouldn’t come if you knew. You have so many memories tied up in this place and knowing Dane owned the hotel might have changed your mind.”
True. Memories bombarded her every step.
“He suggested I tell you but I couldn’t take the chance.”
So he definitely knew she was coming. Hmm. Still, she wouldn’t ruin Juliet’s weekend just because the past had caught up with her. Swallowing her pride, Nealy would stick to their plans. By the look on Juliet’s face, she was in worse shape than Nealy anyway. “I’d never miss your engagement parties.”
“I know he’s the last person on earth you want to see, but he’s been wonderful. Happy to accommodate two parties. He’s so professional.”
“Dane? The same Dane who talked me into stealing Daddy’s car and eloping?”
“He’s not that guy any longer, Nealy. He’s made this hotel a success and he’s very responsible now.”
“But he’s still my ex-husband, Juliet. Do you think I should be all smiles and rainbows while he’s underfoot?”
“No.” Juliet’s voice grew quiet. “Maybe it’s time to let go of the past.”
“Maybe you expect too much.” She took a step to escape the room but Juliet grabbed hold of her arm.
“You promised.”
“And you purposely kept me in the dark.”
“For just this reason. Yes, he owns the hotel, and I am sorry for keeping the truth from you.”
The anguish in Juliet’s eyes assured Nealy her sister regretted her actions. For that alone, she could forgive her.
“Fine.” She softened her tone and privately vowed she wouldn’t let Dane’s presence rattle her anymore. “What Dane and I had ended long ago. And I have moved on with my life. So has he, by the look of things.”
And things looked good from where she stood. As if he knew she was thinking about him, Dane captured her gaze from across the room and his lips curved into that same boyish grin that had once captured her heart.
She broke visual contact, but from the corner of her eye she saw his imposing form coming her way. This time, instead of the urge to run, she stood her ground. She had to in order to get through the next few days. That meant establishing some ground rules.
“Excuse me, I have to, um, do something,” Juliet mumbled, leaving Nealy alone with Dane.
She summoned her courage and spoke frankly.
“Look, Dane, I understand this is your hotel and the parties are going to take place here, but I’ll stay out of your way if you’ll stay out of mine.”
He stared at her for a long drawn-out moment then strode from the room.
Nealy watched him go. What, no parting jabs? No last word? He’d given in too easily, which was not like Dane. Or at least the Dane that she remembered.
Maybe he’d changed after all.
CHAPTER TWO (#ulink_897a1fb4-09ab-50fa-98ad-8d9bfe5e740b)
ON THURSDAY NIGHT, Nealy sat in one of the Grand Cypress’s private event rooms, the French doors wide open to emit a soft June breeze. Everyone lingered over dessert, delicious strawberry shortcake, that followed a superb dinner of roasted herb chicken and grilled vegetables, catered by the hotel’s four-star restaurant. Nealy sipped her coffee, eyeing members of her family and the family of Juliet’s fiancé, Brandon Mason. The Masons seemed like nice people, for political elite, but Nealy felt an uncomfortable vibe between the clans. Juliet had been quiet and withdrawn all night. Brandon hadn’t seemed to notice.
This couldn’t be good.
“Nealy, Juliet tells me you work in L.A.?” Mrs. Mason asked.
“I do.”
“Do you know many movie stars?”
Typical question most people asked when you lived in L.A., but in her case, she often met celebrities. “Yes, some.”
“How exciting. What do you do that you meet them?”
“Yes, Nealy,” said her father, Marshall, who cleared his throat to ask, “what do you do with your business degree?”
Nealy wanted to roll her eyes. The fact that she hadn’t attended law school was still a point of contention between her and her parents. Growing up around adults who loved to argue and debate any and every little point of law was both tiring and a bit stuffy. Because of that, she’d never had the slightest interest in pursuing a law degree. Instead, she chose a profession that stirred her creative soul and she’d never once regretted her decision.
Her father knew what her job entailed. He just didn’t think she contributed to the good of the world like those nearest and dearest who were socially conscious lawyers. Most of them made no secret of their political and personal causes and platforms and considered her job to be trivial and nothing but fluff. However, they, and especially her dad, had no idea that a high percentage of functions she planned were major fund-raisers for various charities benefitting children and important health issues. Charities she herself had become involved with. She didn’t explain or argue because it would only fall on deaf ears. And she wasn’t about to turn philanthropy into some sort of petty competition, either. She’d been fortunate to come into contact with a lot of worthwhile people and organizations because of her job.
“Oh, Dad.” Nealy did her best to offer a chuckle, but knew it didn’t sound convincing. “You know my company handles large events like movie premieres, red-carpet ceremonies and after-parties. Logistics, decorating, refreshments, keeping the celebrities moving in a timely fashion, that sort of thing.”
“Now now, you two,” Dorinda admonished, then addressed the other guests. “Speaking of celebrities, I have pictures on the wall at Cuppa Joe of Nealy posing with lots of famous people. Of course, I don’t know who half of them are, but Nealy likes to send the photos and I frame them.”
Nealy’s mouth fell open. “You do what?”
“I show you off,” her grandmother said.
“Why?”
“Because I’m proud of you, dear.”
“You could have been an attorney,” Anita sniffed.
“Just like the rest of the family? No, thank you.” Yes, almost the entire Grainger gang were lawyers. Her mother and father, sister Lanie and brother-in-law, David. Juliet. Even her boyfriend back in L.A.
“At least you might marry one,” her mother said with a wishful tone.
Nealy remained silent, refusing to acknowledge her mother’s scheming.
Mrs. Mason, her brows drawn as she listened to the Graingers bickering, turned her attention to Nealy. “It sounds exciting.”
“Just think of the billable hours those celebrity clients would bring in,” David remarked.
“We aren’t moving to California, so don’t even think about it,” Lanie informed him, using her serious voice.
“But we have a connection.”
“Not. Moving.”
Nealy rubbed the throbbing over her left eye.
“I told Juliet we should go to California for our honeymoon, but she had something different in mind,” Brandon announced as he wrapped his arm around Juliet’s drooping shoulders.
Juliet blinked when she heard her name. “What?”
“The honeymoon,” Brandon said, raising a brow.
“Oh. Right. The beach condo in Hawaii.” She nodded with a distracted air.
“Sweetie, just think of the fun we’d have if we started out in California. Do the whole tourist thing before flying to Hawaii.” His face grew more animated as he warmed up to the idea of this trip. “Movie studios. Spotting celebrities. Visiting vineyards.” He frowned. “Besides, we practically live on the beach right here.”
“Yes, but I think Hawaii’s beaches are different.”
Brandon shrugged.
Juliet blinked furiously.
Oh, no. Trouble in paradise.
“At any rate, Nealy is good at her job,” Dorinda told the group. “We’re fortunate she could take time out of her busy schedule to make it back home.”
The discussion ebbed and the conversation drifted to local politics.
“If you don’t mind,” Lanie said to the senator, “I’d like to get your input. I’m thinking about running for mayor and could use a few pointers.”
David flinched. “Not that again.”
Lanie gave him a stern look. “Yes. That again.”
The senator smiled. “I’d be happy to help.”
And with his participation, the conversation about the merits of Lanie running for mayor took place.
With the spotlight of scrutiny no longer shining on her, Nealy took the opportunity to slip through the glass doors to the outside patio. Between follow-up phone calls with her crew for the event in L.A., flying cross-country and having to deal with family, jet lag had zapped her energy. She slipped off the heels she’d worn all day, and padded to the pool area, empty this time of night. Smoothing her sleeveless ivory lace dress, she dropped down on the nearest chaise to stretch out.
Resting her head against the cushion, she gazed at the moon high in the star-filled sky. The sweet scent of a nearby southern magnolia tree wafted her way. She remembered picking the creamy, pink flowers when she worked here at the hotel. The original owner had planted the beautiful trees around the property. She was glad to see Dane had kept them in place.
Closing her eyes, she breathed deep to lower her stress level and curb the tic still throbbing over her eye. The murmur of voices drifting from the open café at the far end of the pool lulled her senses. Her body relaxed from the stress of the hectic day. She’d started to nod off when she heard steady footsteps approaching.
“Nealy, I need to talk to you.”
She opened only one eye to see Dane take a seat on the edge of the chaise next to her. He leaned into her personal space. Her pulse quickened and her muscles shot to attention. Ignoring the tightening in her chest, she said, “What part of not getting in each other’s way while I’m here don’t you understand?”
“All of it.”
Nealy let out an annoyed breath.
“This isn’t about you. It’s about your sister’s party.”
Embarrassment made her cheeks heat. “Oh.”
“The caterer is threatening to bow out of Saturday night’s big party. He’s had enough of your mother’s constant interference.”
She sat up straight, shifting into professional mode. If his manly presence hadn’t already jolted her, this piece of news did the trick.
“How bad is it?”
“Pretty dire, but some quick damage control can fix it, though I don’t want Juliet to know. We can handle it without involving her.”
“What do you suggest?”
“I’m going to lay down the law with your mother. This is my hotel, my reputation. I just wanted you to know in case there’s fallout.”
Nealy eyed him, intrigued by his take-control attitude. She’d forgotten how relentless he could be when he wanted something. And right now, he wanted and had her undivided attention.
“Do whatever you have to do to keep things going smoothly.”
“Good.” His gaze locked on hers. She couldn’t seem to break the connection. She caught herself fidgeting and made herself go still. Had he noticed how he affected her?
Amusement, and a dash of rakish interest, flickered in the depths of his eyes. Darn. He noticed.
“Since we’re getting along so well,” he said, taking advantage of the spark between them, “now’s as good a time as any to have a personal conversation.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”
“Not until you hear me out.”
“Why does it matter so much to you? You ended things, not me.”
“And I owe you an explanation.”
“I’m not asking for one. I never have.” She pushed back the frustration. “There’s nothing to talk about. We were young and stupid. I was in love when I married you. Apparently you weren’t.” More like he realized what he’d gotten himself into and couldn’t run fast or far enough away.
“I realize you were hurt, but—”
“But what? Do you think I’ve spent twelve years pining over you?” she asked through a laugh that sounded forced, even to her. “I have a good job. A good life.” She paused and her chest grew tight. “A boyfriend.”
“Yeah, I heard.” A faint hint of disdain filled his voice. “Made your mother’s day rubbing in the fact.”
“Look, there’s no point bringing up the past.” She’d lived through years of dealing with the heartache, wondering why he’d wanted out of their marriage, if twenty-four hours could be considered a marriage. Did she want to relive it? No.
“I’m here for Juliet.”
Silence settled between them. The only other sounds were the nighttime serenade of crickets and the surf lapping onto the beach. She glanced his way just in time to see the raw emotion flashing in his eyes before he blinked it away. Maybe she wasn’t the only one thrown off balance by her visit.
Voices from the banquet room could be heard, cutting short the awkward moment. The party was breaking up, Nealy thought with relief. Dane’s intense gaze remained on her. She shivered, and then rubbed her arms, as if trying to erase the heady sensation.
He leaned forward, his breath, so close to her ear, sending more shivers cascading over her skin.
If she moved ever so slightly, they’d be close enough to kiss. She swallowed hard. The youthful longing she’d quelled now threatened to surface with a vengeance.
As she racked her rebellious brain to come up with something witty and carefree to say, Juliet called out her name.
Dane sent her one final knowing glance before he stood and walked away, his long-limbed stride moving him out of her line of vision. Despite the pain of the past, and her resolve to not let Dane have any kind of hold over her, she’d liked his close proximity.
Disgusted with her own weakness, she groaned and lay back against the chaise lounge, trying to block his image from her mind. She so hadn’t signed up for this when she agreed to help her sister.
“Was that Dane?” Juliet asked as she stopped beside the chaise.
“Yes.”
“What did he want?”
“To bother me.”
“Looks like it worked.” She heard the smile in Juliet’s voice.
Nealy playfully gave her sister the evil eye. “It won’t happen again.”
“What won’t happen again?” Lanie asked, leading the group as the family moved her way.
“Dane. Bothering her,” Juliet answered.
“Think he’s trying to win you back?” David asked as he brought up the rear.
“Of course he is,” Lanie answered in a sharp tone. Her husband sent her a puzzled look and Nealy wondered what was up with her usually peaceful sister.
“Who is doing what?” Nealy’s mother asked.
“Dane. Talking to Nealy.”
“I knew this would happen,” her mother said, sounding resigned. “Didn’t I tell you this would happen, Marshall?”
Nealy silently counted to ten.
“Yes, you did,” her father said. “And I spoke to Dane about it.”
Nealy jerked upward and swung her bare feet onto the patio. “You discussed me with Dane?”
“Yes. Told him you were off-limits. It’s no secret you’re seeing Sam.”
She jumped up. “You did what?”
“You’re my daughter. I’m looking out for your best interests.”
“Again,” Anita chimed in. “You always were weak-kneed around him. We had to ensure your protection.”
Trying to control her exasperation Nealy said, “I appreciate the concern, but I can handle Dane.”
“Please,” her mother scoffed, brushing off Nealy’s concern. “You never were reasonable when it came to Dane. We couldn’t take the chance he might try to lure you into his lair again.”
“Lair?” Nealy spat. She would have laughed at her mother’s overactive imagination except this wasn’t funny. “Trust me, he hasn’t tried anything nefarious.”
Her mother drew up to her full height, although she was still shorter than Nealy. “You’ve got a good thing going with Sam. Please don’t blow it.”
“Don’t worry about my life.”
“Someone has to,” her mother countered.
“Are you kidding me? I can assure—”
Her grandmother interrupted as she broke through the crowd. “Time to say goodnight, everyone. Nealy, will you please drive me home?”
Nealy clamped her mouth shut, retrieved her shoes and went with her grandmother to collect her purse. She couldn’t decide if she should scream or cry. Her father had spoken to Dane? How embarrassing. And way over the line.
“They mean well,” Dorinda said and laid a calming hand on Nealy’s arm.
“There’s a reason why I stay clear of this family of buttinskies.”
“I know, dear.”
Nealy swallowed her bitterness. “I know I disappointed them. Do they have to throw it back in my face?”
“Despite their bluster, they love you, Nealy.”
“I just wish they’d back off.” She shook her head. “Let’s go, Grandmother.”
Needing to walk off her temper, Nealy headed to the lobby. The chilly marble floor under her bare feet did little to cool her down. Hopefully Dane had left for the night because she didn’t want to see him. Not after learning what her father had said to him. Her family might mean well, but it wasn’t their call to make. Her past mistake involved Dane. Her mistake and hers alone. She’d work with him for the sake of Juliet, then she was gone. As she’d told him, she had a life. A great job. A future.
None of which included Dane Peterson.
* * *
AS SOON AS she was back at her grandmother’s house, Nealy settled into the guest room. Her parents had downsized when all the kids moved out, leaving no room for her to bunk there, which suited her just fine. To be honest, she felt more at home here. Juliet had asked her to stay at her apartment, but Nealy declined. Being at Grandmother’s always kept her grounded and centered. She needed some peace with everything going on right now.
After changing into sleeping shorts and a tank top, Nealy sat cross-legged on one of the two twin beds, ready to flip through a scrapbook she’d set on her lap when her grandmother, having changed into her gown and robe, joined her.
“How are you holding up?” she asked.
“Just peachy.”
“Are you really?”
Nealy laughed. “Yes. I am.”
“Despite talking to Dane?”
Leave it to her grandmother to get to the root of the problem. With Dorinda, no subject was too touchy or off-limits.
“Why is everyone so worried about me and Dane? There’s nothing between us.”
Dorinda held up her hands. “As long as you’re okay with the eight-hundred-pound gorilla in the room, who am I to argue?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Nealy twirled a lock of hair between her fingers.
“Of course you don’t,” Dorinda said in her I-don’t-believe-you-but-will-let-you-live-in-denial tone. “The next few days won’t be easy so I’ll let the topic of you and Dane slide for now.”
“Thank you.” She patted the bed, beckoning her grandmother to perch on the edge. “Now, tell me about what’s going on with you. How are things at Cuppa Joe?”
“Busy, as always. The place keeps me out of trouble.”
“Did you read the information I sent on the new coffee system?”
“I appreciate it, but I’m happy with my way of making coffee.”
“It’s the newest top-of-the-line system available. Upgrading will make your life so much easier.”
“Maybe, but I’m old-fashioned. I see no need to learn some newfangled thing. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again, my pots work just fine.”
“You are stubborn.”
“No, just old.”
Nealy hugged her, comforted by her grandmother’s ever-present lilac scent. “Never.”
“Old enough to want some fun before I die,” she said with mischief laced in her voice.
Nealy pulled away. “So that explains your interest in a seniors’ cruise.”
“Some of my friends talked about going and it sounded like fun.”
“It will be. To be honest though, I’m worried about one thing.”
Dorinda laughed. “Only one?”
“Tell me about these businesspeople bugging you at the shop.”
“Ah. The evil Cypress Pointe Merchant’s Association.”
“What’s up with them?”
“They have all these rules and regulations about how the storefronts must look and are always after me to fix one thing or another. I have to admit, I’m thinking about selling.”
Nealy’s heart twisted “You would do that?”
“Dear, as much as I love the place, I’m ready to retire and you know no one in the family wants to run the shop. I can’t go on forever.”
She couldn’t imagine her grandmother ever slowing down. Or giving up the coffee shop she and her husband had opened before Nealy was born.
Dorinda patted Nealy’s hand. “The time is coming.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
Her grandmother frowned. “You always were bullheaded. I wonder where you get it from?”
Nealy eyed her grandmother suspiciously when Juliet breezed into the room carrying an overnight bag.
Dorinda rose and kissed Juliet’s cheek. “What are you doing here?”
“I asked Brandon to drop me off. I want to spend time with Nealy before she escapes again.”
“I thought you two had plans?”
Juliet tossed her purse on the other twin bed and reached behind to undo the zipper of her dress. “We rescheduled. Besides, I’ll have a lifetime to spend with him.” She threw Nealy a pointed look. “You, not so much.”
Dorinda chuckled. “You girls get a good night’s sleep. I’m making pancakes in the morning.”
Juliet closed the door behind their grandmother then went back to rummaging through her bag. “I’m sorry about tonight. I didn’t know Daddy had said anything to Dane.” Juliet changed into the pj’s she produced from the bag. “Just like old times, right? Parents interfering and Nealy taking off.”
The remnants of anger from her parents’ actions overshadowed the fatigue seeping into Nealy’s bones. “You’d think I would have been prepared. Would have thought ahead. Made a contingency plan.” She shot her sister a lopsided grin. “I’m losing my touch.”
“You’ve been gone a long time. Your shields have grown weak.”
Then again, they always were when it came to Dane.
Juliet climbed onto the bed beside her. “Anyway, I’m glad we’re together. Now we can catch up without interruption.”
Toying with the cloth cover of the scrapbook, Nealy cleared her throat. “I do wish you would have told me about Dane owning the place.”
“Like I said, I figured you’d make an excuse not to come home.”
“I would never do that to you.”
“I should have realized. It’s just, you’ve been gone for so long and I didn’t want anything to ruin your visit.” Juliet twisted the beautiful solitaire diamond engagement ring around her finger.
A nervous habit? Nealy didn’t know. What she did know was Dane had never given her an engagement ring. She glanced at her own ringless finger. Neither had Sam. Truth was they barely had time to date, let alone make a formal commitment. Nealy was certain of one thing though, when she finally got a ring, she wanted it to be sparkly, dazzling and over-the-top.
“Besides,” Juliet continued, “how do you prepare to see an ex? Maybe it’s better this way.”
“The lesser of two evils?”
“C’mon. Dane isn’t evil.”
“Why are you defending him?”
Juliet laid back and stared at the ceiling. “I’m not. I’m simply saying he’s not evil.”
Nealy grimaced. Tell that to her heart.
The adrenaline from the earlier anger subsided and she leaned back against the headboard. “What were you thinking by booking the Grand Cypress? Did you know Dane owned the hotel?”
“Not at first. I remember visiting when you worked there during summer break and always imagined it would be a beautiful place for a wedding. I know it was run-down back then, but something about it just grabbed me and I fell in love with it. It’s everything I dreamed of.”
Nealy knew the feeling well. Even at its run-down worst, Nealy always had a connection with the hotel.
“I dropped in to check it out after the renovation. The elegant Southern style is exactly what I wanted for a wedding venue. I met with the event coordinator and booked the place. It wasn’t until later I learned Dane owned the hotel.”
“Mom must have had a hissy when you told her.”
Juliet smiled, with a bit of added mischief thrown in. The first real sign of her old self. “To put it mildly.”
“I’m proud of you for sticking with what you want. Not easy in our family.”
“The entire process has been a tug-of-war.”
Nealy flipped a page in the album, then another, grinning over pictures from their youth. The three sisters playing dress up. Graduations. Birthdays. Weddings. Their parents’ anniversary. “So you’re handling interference from Mom?”
“I thought she’d be the biggest problem, but...” Juliet’s voice wavered.
“But what?”
Juliet stayed silent.
“Whatever it is, sis, you can tell me.”
Juliet burst into tears. Waving her hand in the air she sat up, managing a few words between shuddering breaths.
“Don’t mind me. It’s nothing.”
This was a whole lot of nothing.
Nealy placed the open book on the coverlet and turned so she and Juliet faced one another. She reached out to stroke her sister’s hair. If she waited long enough, Juliet would open up.
Being the middle and youngest sisters, Juliet the youngest, there had always been a special bond between them. Even through the years Nealy lived on the west coast, they talked at least once a week, if not more. Juliet had seemed fine in the days leading up to the parties, but since Nealy arrived, she’d noticed a change, subtle at first, then increasingly uptight. “You know you can talk to me about anything.”
Juliet swiped at her tear-streaked cheeks. “It’s only jitters, right?” She grabbed a tissue from the nightstand. “I mean, c’mon. I’m marrying a senator’s son. I should be excited and here I am crying.” She sniffled. “I’m only dealing with the engagement right now. What will the wedding plans be like?”
“Has something changed?”
“We’ve had a few disagreements.”
“Like the honeymoon location?”
Juliet pursed her lips. A good sign. “Hawaii is more romantic than rock climbing in Colorado. That was Brandon’s first choice. I hate rock climbing. I told him so, but sometimes he doesn’t listen.” Juliet blew her nose. “It’s more than the trip. I didn’t tell you up front, but I wanted to have a small engagement party, but Brandon insisted his parents expected a big bash and Mom agreed, so we compromised on two parties. What a headache.”
Oh, boy. “Two parties are unusual, but you’ve got it under control.”
“With your help. You’ve made this fun and I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
“Anytime, sis.”
Nealy fell silent while Juliet rose to pick up her toiletry bag and carry it down the hall to the bathroom.
When she returned, Nealy asked, “You love him, right?”
“Yes, but is it enough?”
Nealy didn’t have an answer. Her own track record left little to be desired. “Tell me more about you two.”
“Other than how we met at the law firm?”
Nealy groaned. “Another lawyer in the family.”
Juliet hiccuped a giggle. “We worked on a trial case together then went out after hours with coworkers from the office. Eventually, it became us going out alone. He’s smart, fun to be with, and Mom and Daddy adore him.”
“Of course they do. He’s a lawyer,” she said through a small sigh. Her parents were happy Sam, her boyfriend, also happened to be an attorney. They’d met at a charity function she was overseeing, had clicked and started dating. As for Juliet, she sounded as if she was trying to convince herself Brandon was Mr. Right.
“Then let’s get to the bottom of your concerns. Are you marrying Brandon for them or yourself?”
“I don’t know now. I mean, I think he’s the one, but could I be wrong? How do I know for sure?”
“I’m not the person to ask. Look, if he makes you happy and you enjoy being with him, I’d say those are strong building blocks. You just never know when you’ll fall in love or who you’ll fall in love with.”
“True.” Juliet half sniffed, half laughed. “Look at you.”
Nealy straightened her shoulders. “What about me?”
“You did everything you could to stay away from love and lawyers and now you’re seeing one.”
Nealy laughed. “What can I say?”
“I don’t know. You’re always cagey on the subject.”
“He’s a good man.”
“Loyal to the end, our Nealy.”
“I don’t know about that.” She’d never told Sam about Dane, deciding early on in the relationship she didn’t want to talk about her past. Was withholding information a form of a lie?
“You must like Sam, otherwise you wouldn’t still be with him.”
“It’s not a fireworks kind of relationship, not like with Dane.” Her heart gave a heavy jerk because she spoke the truth. She slapped the scrapbook closed, as if closure alone could diminish the time she’d shared with Dane.
“Look, I’m sorry about dumping all this on you. Brandon is great. I guess I’ve been overwhelmed by having two parties.” She tried to brush off her concerns with a shaky laugh. “I’m being pulled in so many directions. Mom’s got delusions of grandeur and I don’t feel like Brandon’s family is overjoyed about us.”
“I didn’t get that impression.”
Juliet took a deep breath. “See. I’m overreacting. Everything will be fine. The parties will run like clockwork and after I’ll ask myself why I was a nervous wreck.”
Nealy patted her sister’s leg. “Try to enjoy the weekend.”
Juliet nodded. “Oh, before I forget, I wanted to show you this.” She slid off the bed to retrieve something from the top of the dresser. She handed Nealy a shiny brochure from the Grand Cypress Hotel. “You didn’t get a chance to see the incredible grounds yet. The landscaper is a genius.” She pointed to a picture of the beautifully manicured yard sweeping from the hotel down to the beach. Magnolia trees in bloom. “I know this is a little soon since the wedding isn’t for a while yet, but I want to give you a heads-up now so you can start brainstorming ideas for how it will look.
“You know I always wanted this grand, Southern-themed wedding. Maybe not super traditional because the ceremony will be outdoors, but it’s what I pictured in my dreams. There are two magnolia trees at one side of the hotel and the lush grass sweeps down to the beach. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect spot to say my vows.”
Nealy scanned the brochure. Yes, the grounds were amazing. From the pictures alone, it seemed the hotel had everything in place to conduct a full-scale wedding. Atmosphere. Scenery. Romantic ambiance.
How weird. Dane, owning a hotel. This hotel. She studied the picture, remembering the span of grass Juliet mentioned. Back when she worked there, it hadn’t been as lush and healthy. She recalled playing volleyball in the summer after their shifts. Playing catch with Dane after his dreams to play professional ball were dashed by his injury.
“Seems perfect.”
“It is. Brandon wasn’t too sold on the place. He wanted the reception held at stuffy St. Luke’s banquet hall, but I managed to convince him.” She shivered in mock horror. “Heavy brown drapery and musty smell. Yuck.”
“Juliet.” Nealy stopped as she noted her sister’s shadowed eyes. “Take a breath. If you aren’t sure, you don’t have to go through with this. Think it through.”
“I’m sure.” Juliet grasped Nealy’s hand and squeezed hard. To reassure Nealy or herself?
There was always turning back. Nealy knew from personal experience. One look at Juliet’s uncertain expression and Nealy started to tell her so, and then decided to hold her tongue. Who was she to counsel her sister on true love?
“Get some sleep.” Juliet hugged Nealy and climbed into the matching twin bed. The topic of conversation was over and Nealy admitted she was kind of thankful there would be no more said on the subject of love and marriage. “I have tomorrow jam-packed with activities. Shopping. Nail salon. The works.”
Before long, Juliet’s breathing evened out and Nealy knew her sister had fallen asleep. Unfortunately, Nealy couldn’t even doze. All charged up from seeing Dane, her family and hearing her grandmother’s news, she found herself staring at the ceiling.
“This isn’t working.” After a while, she rose, snatched up the scrapbook and sat under the window where a street lamp gave enough light for her to view the old photos.
Her gaze settled on a group picture of the entire family taken about five years ago at a picnic in the woods. They’d rented a cabin in the mountains and the whole bossy group had had a good time together. Who would have thought?
Nealy flipped the page and found some loose photos sandwiched between the last page and back cover. She picked them up and sorted through them. When she came to one featuring her and Dane posing in her grandmother’s backyard, her smile slipped.
Dane had an arm thrown over her shoulders, his goofy grin mugging for the camera. She had her arms wrapped around his waist, her smile wide and happy. It was taken a few weeks into the summer after they’d started dating. She could tell by her expression she’d already fallen in love.
She ran her finger over the smooth surface, her vision blurring as tears prickled her eyes. What a whirlwind summer. She remembered the highs and lows, the excitement of young love and the desperation of not wanting to be separated from Dane. They’d spent every minute together. She’d never experienced such heart-wrenching love since then, and strangely, she was grateful. The emotions had been too intense, burning bright and extinguished too soon. She couldn’t live through those ups and downs again. She knew she didn’t have it in her.
She’d reserved a special place for Dane in her memories, but not in her life. Earlier tonight he promised her he’d have his say. She recognized the determined gleam in his eye. Okay, so maybe after all these years he wanted to set the record straight. She could agree with closure for both their sakes, but nothing more. She could not, would not, let Dane tear down the walls of protection she’d built around her heart.
CHAPTER THREE (#ulink_f1fe3f14-cdd9-586c-8f82-d69f2a0f7cf3)
DANE DIDN’T HAVE to be a savvy businessman to know Nealy would make good on her promise to avoid him. He hadn’t talked to her since the tense conversation by the pool, not for lack of trying. She’d been around, helping Juliet with last-minute preparations for the parties, but although she was on the property, she managed to stay clear of him.
Each time he caught sight of her, she stole his breath away. Her take-charge attitude and the professional way she handled the staff put to rest any worries he might have had about her working here at the hotel. The themed ideas she came up with for each party were unique, yet personal to the couple. She had her finger on the pulse of the activities without coming across as overbearing. Initially he wanted to spend time with her to come clean about the past. Now he just wanted to be near her.
He straightened his tie and took one last look in the bathroom mirror before heading downstairs to oversee tonight’s first engagement party. Nealy had come up with a casual Sweet Summer Nights theme meant to dazzle the guests this Friday night. Dane had to admit, he was impressed by her work so far.
Curious about her, Dane had researched Milestones by Crystal on the web. The company had an outstanding résumé of high-profile functions like movie premiers and after-parties, celebrity birthday parties and anniversaries. The sheer scale and mastery of work had built them a sterling reputation. Dane now understood why his event coordinator had been intimidated by Nealy. It wasn’t Nealy herself, but the creative force behind the woman. While it explained why Angela quit, it didn’t replace an important cog in hotel operations.
His general manager could have acted in the coordinator’s place, but as de facto event coordinator, he mentally ran through the checklist. Canopies set up on the property for the guests to dine under. Check. A removable wood floor in place for dancing under the stars. Check. Dinner, dessert and music. Check, check and check.
Okay, one weekend of planning was fine, but he needed a new event coordinator ASAP. Nealy had been his saving grace, with the event well in hand. How did she do this all the time? He didn’t have the answer, but knew things had better go off without a hitch. With the senator’s presence here this weekend, the hotel’s image and future were at stake here.
Since opening the refurbished hotel there had been a few scheduled holiday parties, but nothing like tonight’s smaller and more subdued celebration or Saturday night’s larger and more elegant affair. The Mason family involvement added a level of concern he hadn’t experienced before, but he had no doubt his staff would step up to the challenge. He hired the best and expected results. If the senator was pleased with how everything went, Dane hoped he would be agreeable to booking future political events at the hotel. Dane had a lot riding on the success of this weekend.
“I’m more comfortable around bulldozers and jackhammers than dance floors and orchestras,” he said under his breath. He grabbed his wallet off the bedroom dresser and slipped it into his back pocket before locking up his suite. He’d commandeered two rooms overlooking the water on the far end of the second floor and had them remodeled into executive quarters for himself. During the renovations, he’d settled into living on the property and stayed.
His cell rang as he walked down the hallway to the elevator. “Peterson.”
“Tell me everything is going well.”
He smiled at the voice on the other end. Uncle Hank, his business partner, out of town on another project, calling for an update. He’d been thrilled when Dane told him Senator Mason would be holding Saturday night’s lavish engagement party here and wanted to make sure Dane wowed the man in order to secure more dealings with him.
“Right on schedule.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear it.”
“You should know better than to worry.”
“Old habits.”
Dane grinned. His uncle had helped Dane get his act together after high school, encouraging Dane to get a college education while giving him a job during those years. Leaving home at the height of his parents’ never-ending drama had been the best move he’d ever made. The dysfunctional home had led Dane to make many rash and costly mistakes as a young man, but Hank had seen something in his nephew and mentored Dane.
For eight years now, he’d worked seven days a week learning every aspect of hotel remodeling. In the beginning, he’d gotten dirty during construction, but hard work turned to pride once he brought a struggling property back to life with his own hands. He’d always been good with finances and learned to invest wisely and make the most of his money. Now he and Hank were partners; actually, they were more than partners since Hank had done more for Dane than his own father.
“This weekend is important,” his uncle continued. “Word of mouth from the senator will go a long way.”
“You know I won’t let anything ruin this opportunity.”
“I’m counting on you, son.”
Nothing like heaping on a little more pressure. “I’ll call you later.”
Dane signed off, a slight smile curving his lips. Uncle Hank was all about the bottom line and he’d taught Dane well.
With each new property he remodeled, Dane had become more successful and prosperous, and as a result was able to implement innovative ways to run the business efficiently and keep costs down without skimping on quality. He’d used work to fill the emptiness inside him, which he refused to examine on a deeper level. He never lacked for female company, but decided long ago never to get serious with a woman. He didn’t want to end up like his parents, living in a convoluted relationship Dane never understood. Better to focus on being successful, at least in business. It might be lonely at times, but he already had one strike against him with the annulment. Between ending the marriage to Nealy and witnessing the disaster of his parents’ marriage, he’d sworn off the institution. Why risk making another mistake?
But when Nealy walked back into his life, he sensed the emptiness starting to shift. Having put the past behind him, he hadn’t expected his emotions to get all tangled up again. Since he knew she was coming to help Juliet, he’d anticipated an awkward first meeting. One look at her as she strode into the lobby, and a hard knot formed in his throat. Then she bumped into him and everything faded away as his attention narrowed to one thing: the love he’d lost when trying to make things right.
He locked those thoughts away as he arrived in the lobby, satisfied to find it filled with the Friday-night crowd. The main restaurant, The Rendezvous, specializing in fine cuisine, along with the more casual outdoor Sand Bar Cafe, did a brisk business. His initial profit margin for the hotel proved better than projected, a very important factor in his bid to make the Grand Cypress a destination hotel.
This property had become more than a rehab project to him. When he came back to Cypress Pointe and looked at the run-down hotel after his uncle proposed the purchase, he suddenly discovered two personal reasons for making the Grand Cypress the most successful hotel in the Peterson Holding Group.
First, he needed to prove to others he could make sound, rational decisions based on fact, not emotion, after the impulsive marriage and subsequent annulment twelve years ago.
And second, he needed to prove to himself he was nothing like his deadbeat dad. Dane worked hard for what he now had in his life, no thanks to a father who cared more about pleasing his unhappy wife at the expense of Dane and his brother, Alex. His father never supported Dane, but never hesitated to call when he needed something or show up on Dane’s doorstep when his life was sinking. Guilty of always continuing to help the old man had made Dane jaded about love and having a happily-ever-after.
So his goal was to make the Grand Cypress Hotel the place to be seen in Florida. After Juliet’s much-touted engagement parties, along with the senator’s connections, he hoped booking future events would allow him to build a small empire here in Cypress Pointe. But the weekend was far from over and he needed to be on his game.
He’d just checked in with the manager on duty when the Grainger clan appeared for the smaller toned-down celebration. At the tail end of the group, Nealy swept into the foyer, a wide smile on her lips, her brown eyes shining. She’d pulled her hair back in a sleek, fancy ponytail. Absolutely beautiful, she was wearing a sleeveless magenta dress and glittery black high heels.
As she passed, she caught his eye and nodded curtly. His grin spread into a full-blown smile and she stumbled in reaction. He strode to her side, taking her arm to steady her.
“Hang on there.”
“The, um, floor is a little slick.”
“Right.” He should let go of her arm, but the softness of her skin mesmerized him. The familiar peach scent intoxicated him. He couldn’t drag his gaze away from her flushed face.
She cleared her throat.
Dane reluctantly removed his hand and asked, “How is Juliet doing?”
“Nervous. Obsessing.” Nealy’s brow knitted in concern. “Can I ask you a question?”
Surprised Nealy would ask him anything, Dane schooled his expression. “Sure.”
“Has Juliet seemed off to you?”
“I haven’t seen her much. She spent most of her time with my former event coordinator.”
“Right.” Nealy’s cheeks turned a becoming shade of pink. “When you did see her, was she acting strangely?”
“Maybe she’s just preoccupied with all the preparations.”
Nealy shook her head. Under the chandelier light, the diamonds in her ears flashed, just like her eyes.
“It’s more. I know my sister. Something is up with her. More than the normal type of jitters.”
“Your mother’s been making her a little uptight. Standard operating procedure.”
“What about Brandon?”
“What about him?”
“How does he seem? Like an okay guy? Even though I spoke to him last night, I couldn’t get a sense of who he is. Has he been helping Juliet with the party plans?”
“The only time I see him is at his regular tennis court time on Tuesdays, here at the hotel.”
Nealy tapped her foot, a contemplative look in her eyes.
“What?”
Her gaze darted to him. She parted her luscious lips to say something, but then stopped.
“Nealy...” Dane coaxed.
“I’m getting a bad feeling.”
His mouth curved into a wry smile. “Since you’ve been in town all of three days?”
“Last night she broke into tears and I got the impression she was having second thoughts. I don’t want my sister doing something she’ll regret.”
She started to move away, but Dane blocked her escape. She looked at him, eyebrows raised.
“Are you sure you want to make waves?” he asked.
“I need to make sure my sister isn’t making a mistake.”
“She’s a smart woman. She can make her own choices.”
“She needs to be one hundred percent sure of what she’s getting into.”
He ground his molars together at the obvious dig. “Unlike us?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Nealy, I regret how things ended. You’ll never know how much.”
Nealy’s rigid posture softened and turmoil eclipsed her dark eyes. “This weekend is about Juliet, not you, not me, not what we had,” she said with a shaky voice, as if not believing for a second seeing each other again wasn’t an issue. Her obvious struggle to keep him at bay had him hoping the aloof veneer she’d adopted could be cracked.
In this instant he suddenly realized how much he wanted her forgiveness. Needed her to say the words out loud.
“Dane, I have to go.” She eased around him and with a determined stride continued across the foyer, disappearing into the fray of family and close friends.
* * *
BEFORE LONG THE GUESTS were mingling and wishing the engaged couple the best. Nealy tried everything to get her sister alone, but people interrupted or Juliet sent Nealy off on errands. Obviously Juliet didn’t want to talk to her. At one point, she’d spied Juliet by the pool, having what looked like a heated conversation with a man she’d seen working in the hotel’s garden the day she arrived. Strange. After that, her sister flit between family and friends, but Nealy kept an eye on her.
A light breeze picked up, carrying the briny scent of the gulf waters with it. The extreme heat of the day had passed, leaving the evening cool as the sun began its descent in the cloudless sky. As soon as Nealy could, she corralled her sister.
“Juliet, what’s going on?” Nealy whispered, hoping no one overheard.
“I’m fine,” she snapped. “Go have fun.”
Okay, this was the last straw. Worried about her normally docile sister’s sharp response, Nealy started to press Juliet when Brandon, standing in the middle of the outdoor dance floor, asked the group to quiet down while motioning for Juliet to join him. With a smile pasted on her lips, Juliet approached her future husband.
“Tonight we celebrate Juliet saying yes to my proposal. Not that I didn’t have my concerns, I might add.”
Some of the guests chuckled.
“This poised, beautiful, intelligent woman has agreed to be my wife, and I am so, so lucky.” He grinned sheepishly. “I know planning two parties is unusual and it has taken its toll, but I want to thank you with all my heart, Juliet.”
He took her hand in his, glanced over his shoulder and nodded. On cue, music blared from the speakers and two dozen strangers ran onto the dance floor, grooving to a popular dance song Nealy recognized from online wedding videos. Chaos ensued around the bride and groom as the dancers made multiple circuits to keep the crazy number going.
Nealy took in the entire spectacle, stunned. A flash mob? Right in the middle of her sister’s lovely party? Someone bumped into her and knocked her back to her senses. No, this was not happening. Not on her watch. All the hours of discussing and...
Oh, no! Juliet. Where was her sister?
Between the shaking bodies and thumping beat, Nealy sought her out. Through the frenzied crowd, she spotted Brandon trying to drag Juliet into the mob with him. Juliet fought him, her face stricken. The hours spent carefully planning this gathering had turned into a frat party. Music continued full blast while the dancers tried to encourage guests to get up and join them, including her grandmother, who danced right into the crowd with a big smile on her face, her hands up in the air swaying to the beat.
The elder Masons stood off to the side, disapproving expressions on their faces. This was more of a disaster than Nealy first feared.
Once the shock abated, Nealy stepped into the throng to aid her sister. A guy grabbed her arm and motioned for her to dance. She shook her head, but the guy didn’t release her, pulling her into the frenzy. When she tried to step away again, he squeezed her arm to keep her with him. To her great relief, Dane cut in, glaring at Nealy’s dance partner. The guy took the hint, releasing her arm, and moved on. Dane leaned close, lowering his mouth to her ear.
“You okay?” he yelled over the blaring music.
“Yes.” She scanned the area. “Where’s Juliet?”
“I don’t know.”
“How could this happen?”
“I’d take a wild guess and say Brandon made prior arrangements.” Dane slipped his hand into hers and she followed as he led her out of the chaos. The jolt of pleasure at holding Dane’s hand went beyond being grateful for his rescue. She held on as he maneuvered toward the sidelines. He was only being protective, right? So why did the connection feel so good? As soon as they cleared the crowd, Dane tugged her closer and, much to her surprise, she let him. He spoke to the man tending to the music and after a few terse words, the rowdy song abruptly ended with as much shock value as when it started.
He turned to her. “This is a disaster.”
She couldn’t argue. Juliet’s party had been reduced to a manic free-for-all.
He tightened his grip on her hand and a memory flashed of the day they’d gone to the courthouse to get married. He’d held her hand just as tightly then. The promise of a future together had made her giddy and she stuttered when it came time to say “I do.”
Standing next to Dane now, so close that she could feel his heat, made her heart race. She couldn’t let Dane get to her. They’d had their moment and blew it. She would not let these jumbled feelings for him ruin years of healing the wound he’d inflicted on her heart.
She removed her hand from his. “Let’s find my sister,” she told him. They were no longer in the crowd; she didn’t need his protection. Or the disturbingly warm, reassuring sensation of Dane’s hand pressed to hers.
He looked worried and dropped his hand to his side. “I’ve got to do damage control. Now,” he said.
She cringed. With one last fleeting look at Dane, she hurried inside. Sure enough, she found Juliet, surrounded by their family as they assured her they knew nothing about the flash mob. Nealy put an arm around her sister’s shoulders as she wiped her wet eyes.
“What was that all about?”
Juliet’s voice hitched as she looked at Nealy. “I don’t know. Brandon loves to make every occasion memorable, but this? He knew I wanted tonight to be low-key.”
“This is unacceptable,” their mother announced.
Brandon rushed toward them. “Juliet, I’ve been looking all over for you.” He stood before her. “We were... Are you crying? You’re upset?”
He only noticed now? Nealy wanted to strangle him.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“How can you ask me after that, after that mess you created out there?”
Brandon shrugged. “I wanted to surprise you. Kick it up a little tonight. I can’t do it tomorrow night with my parents’ guests here.”
Juliet’s mouth flapped open.
“What?” Brandon asked.
Juliet’s face turned red. “So it’s okay to embarrass my family?”
“No, sweetie. We were having fun.”
Juliet’s eyes went wide. She reached for Nealy, and grabbed hold of her arm, manicured nails pressing into Nealy’s flesh.
“Brandon,” Nealy said. “Why don’t you go tell everyone we’ll be right out.”
“Sure.” Uncertain, as if noticing the tension in the room for the first time, he kissed his fiancée on the cheek and hurried off.
Juliet sniffed. “I can’t believe he would do this tonight.”
“Apparently he wanted to have fun,” Nealy repeated.
“I can be fun. Hmm, maybe not like that kind of fun.”
Nealy understood. She’d dealt with enough self-indulgent clients to recognize somebody who wanted things their own way and would have them, even though they’d been told no. What she really didn’t like was the resulting pain she’d glimpsed in her sister’s eyes when she reached the same conclusion.
“Let’s get back to the party,” Nealy suggested, expertly herding everyone into the banquet room. “Let’s hope Brandon doesn’t have any more surprises for us.”
Juliet’s eyes went dark. “He’d better not.”
At her sister’s furious expression, Nealy’s concern eased.
After Brandon’s impromptu flash mob, the remainder of the evening continued without a hitch. Once the party wound down, Nealy located her grandmother to drive her home. Before they could leave, Dane cornered her.
He ran a hand through his short hair. “I’m sorry this happened. I spoke to the DJ. He was sworn to secrecy and only carried out his client’s wishes.”
Dorinda reached up to pat Dane’s shoulder. “It’s over, Dane. Don’t dwell on it.”
His gaze tangled with Nealy’s. “I don’t run a slipshod hotel.”
Nealy blinked, surprised at his vehemence. “I’m sure you don’t.”
“I didn’t think there’d be any problems this evening,” Dane said in a distracted tone.
“Welcome to the world of event planning. No matter how much preparation, there’s always the possibility that something will go wrong. The secret is taking care of the incident as efficiently as possible and moving on. By tomorrow, Juliet will be worried about the next party.”
He watched her, his expression wary. “You don’t believe that, do you?”
She snorted. “No, I don’t. Does Brandon even know my sister?”
A brief flash of uneasiness passed over Dane’s face.
“Never mind. Let’s hope there are no other surprises tomorrow.”
His eyes narrowed. “The next party will run like clockwork.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.”
“And I’m going to hold you to a dance with me.”
She should have come back with a witty retort, but instead she remained silent. Dealing with the memories of Dane was nothing like the reality of this strong, handsome man requesting a dance. Here she stood, enjoying the view of her ex-husband, not wanting to look away, even though she should. What happened to her emotional armor? Her hard-earned self-control? “Don’t get ahead of yourself.”
“You’re in Cypress Pointe. You think I’m not going to take advantage of the close proximity?”
Just like him to think she would agree so readily. “There will be no closeness.”
His wide grin elicited a shiver across her skin. Darn.
“It’s a date.”
“No dates. There will be no dating. No closeness and absolutely no dating.”
Dorinda chuckled. “What’s one dance?”
She gaped at her grandmother.
Dorinda smiled at Dane. “We’ll see you tomorrow. Nealy, let’s get a move on.”
Dane caught Nealy’s eye one last time. She didn’t like the conviction in his gaze, or the self-satisfied smile on his noble face.
Minutes later she got her grandmother settled in the convertible. Stars twinkled in the sky. A perfect night for romance, if one were inclined to think in romantic terms. Which she wasn’t. Under any circumstances. Especially around Dane.
She’d driven a few miles when Dorinda said, “Dane looks quite well. Very fit. Tanned.”
“Grandmother, are you checking him out? You’re not planning on turning into a cougar, are you?”
“Believe me, since he’s been back in Cypress Pointe, the single ladies have been vying for his attention. He’s kind, quite good-looking and successful. Any woman would be lucky to have him.”
Nealy was instantly jealous. She tapped her thumb on the steering wheel, bothered by her grandmother’s comment. She was right. Any woman would be fortunate to have this particular man in her life.
“Besides, he only has eyes for you,” Dorinda added.
Nealy’s face grew warm. Because Dane still had eyes for her? Or the fact she liked the idea of him still carrying a torch for her?
“Grandmother, don’t go thinking Dane and I will get back together again. It’s not going to happen.”
“Hmm.”
“You don’t believe me?”
She shrugged. “Not from what I saw....”
Nealy used her warning voice. “Grandmother.”
“No Dane and Nealy. Got it.”
“Let’s change the subject.”
“Fine. Before going on my seniors’ cruise I need to bring you up to date on the upgrades at the shop.”
“Okay,” Nealy ventured, skeptically. This sounded like trouble, pure and simple.
“I have a list of things that’ll need to be upgraded.”
“I’m sure it’ll be a breeze.”
Grandmother opened her purse and pulled out a folded piece of paper. She unfolded it, revealing a full page of work that had to be done.
Aghast when she saw the length of the list, Nealy glanced at her grandmother.
“Watch the road, dear.”
Facing front and righting the steering wheel, she said, “Grandmother, I have a job in L.A. No way I’ll get everything completed before I leave.”
“I only have you, Nealy. Well, you and your favorite nephew, Davey, but he’s too young to supervise the shop.”
“Lanie lets Davey work for you? He’s fourteen.”
“He comes in every day, mostly to hang out, but he sweeps up for me so I slip him a few dollars. It’s surprising he shows up at all, since the other family members are too busy for the shop. Not their thing.”
“I’m sorry they aren’t around, but—”
Her voice turned to steel. “I’m not getting any younger, Nealy. This may be my last chance to get away and have fun.”
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