His Love Match
Shirley Hailstock
Will he be the last bachelor standing?Wedding planner Diana Greer still believes in happily-ever-after. She’s just given up finding her own dream man. Until an internet dating site matches her up with her ideal mate. Too bad he’s someone she already knows…In college, Scott Thomas was the big man on campus–arrogant and full of himself. So why is one kiss from the high-flying bachelor making Diana’s toes curl?A failed trip to the altar has cured Scott of believing in storybook endings. So he’s stunned when someone meets his unattainable requirements for romance. The brainy bookworm he knew has morphed into a beautiful, desirable woman. But Diana isn’t ready to trust him. And then Scott unveils his secret. Now Diana wonders if she’ll forever plan strangers’ weddings and never her own…
Will he be the last bachelor standing?
Wedding planner Diana Greer still believes in happily-ever-after. She’s just given up finding her own dream man. Until an internet dating site matches her up with her ideal mate. Too bad he’s someone she already knows…. In college, Scott Thomas was the big man on campus—arrogant and full of himself. So why is one kiss from the high-flying bachelor making Diana’s toes curl?
A failed trip to the altar has cured Scott of believing in storybook endings. So he’s stunned when someone meets his unattainable requirements for romance. The brainy bookworm he knew has morphed into a beautiful, desirable woman. But Diana isn’t ready to trust him. And then Scott unveils his secret. Now Diana wonders if she’ll forever plan strangers’ weddings and never her own….
Diana didn’t wait for an answer. She turned on her heel and marched up the sanctuary aisle.
Scott caught her at the door and turned her to face him. “There is only one lie in my profile,” he said.
“Which one?” she asked.
“This one.” He pulled her into his arms and delivered a kiss that curled her toes. Diana thought that phrase was the stuff of books or movies. It wasn’t a real condition. People’s toes didn’t curl. But hers did. Her arms went around him. This wasn’t like the kiss at the wedding rehearsal. There they’d had an audience, and even though she hadn’t remembered they were present, Scott had. Here there was no one. They were together and alone. His mouth took hers in the sight of stained glass windows, vaulted ceilings and the polished wood of the entry hall. Diana didn’t think of where they were. She didn’t think at all. She felt. She let his mouth tease hers and sweep deeply into a recess of pleasure that had her groaning with delight.
SHIRLEY HAILSTOCK
began her writing life as a lover of reading. She likes nothing better than to find a quiet corner where she can get lost in a book, explore new worlds and visit places she never expected to see. As an author, she can not only visit those places, but she can be the heroine of her own stories. The author of over thirty novels and novellas, including her electronic editions, Shirley has received numerous awards, including the Waldenbooks Bestselling Romance Award and Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Shirley’s books have appeared on BlackBoard, Essence and Library Journal bestseller lists. She is a past president of Romance Writers of America.
His Love Match
Shirley
Hailstock
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Dear Reader,
When you hear the word bride, don’t happy emotions and images of a white gown with a long train come to mind? Your wedding is the happiest day of your life, and the planning of that event is worth all the trials you go through to get to it. In His Love Match, our heroine Diana gets to experience that happy feeling every time she helps a bride make the memories of a lifetime.
However, for Diana, those memories are on hold until an old college friend enters her life in the most unusual way. I hope you enjoy a good wedding.
Happy endings,
Shirley Hailstock
I’d like to thank Hilda of the Hildarling Bridal Shop.
Hilda was kind enough to give me a job in her shop when
I was thinking of buying the establishment.
While I never went into that business, it was great fun
and proved a valuable experience for this and my other
novels regarding brides, grooms, weddings and the
accoutrements of marriage.
To my sister Marilyn for all the joys and memories
we made and for all her acts of kindness.
Contents
Chapter 1 (#u7e1bb7fe-9652-5f85-b5d3-41cb0a315f4a)
Chapter 2 (#uc14ecd3b-1c95-5b72-b0fd-c8f0847cca49)
Chapter 3 (#u3df3f86d-450a-5862-96d9-75942afd3e71)
Chapter 4 (#u99c50be5-5418-5115-9625-5c6f14fb8d40)
Chapter 5 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 6 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 7 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 8 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 9 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 10 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 11 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 12 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 13 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 14 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 15 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 1
It can’t be him.
Diana knew him. No computer would do this to her. Not twice in one day. Diana Greer sat at the table of the local coffee shop across from Princeton University. Her usual unshakable demeanor had just taken a hit. The place was geared up for the lunch crowd, and both students and white-shirted lawyer types poured in like Christmas shoppers just before closing on December twenty-fourth. Glancing through the wall of people, her gaze darted around bodies, hoping against hope that what she looked for wouldn’t be there. Her heart sank when the human sea cleared for a second and confirmation forced a groan from her throat. He had the DVD in his hand. The one they had agreed to both carry as identification. The cover photo faced her, despite his hand cutting a wedge out of the romantic couple. There was no mistake. It could be a coincidence, but Diana doubted it. It was her suggestion that they identify themselves using this method. She’d seen it in more than one movie. Usually it was a rose or a book. She hadn’t thought the suggestion would prove so close to the Hollywood version of a couple who met online actually knowing each other. She could kick herself for not insisting on a photograph before they met. But not knowing what he looked like had been intriguing, romantic even. And they were only meeting for lunch. Opinions on vanity could be judged then.
She had to get out of the shop before he saw her.
Glancing at the ceiling she cursed the universe for its wretched sense of humor. “This is not funny,” she muttered. People at a nearby table looked to see who she was talking to. She smiled quickly and dropped her head, choosing to stare at the golden liquid in her cup. Maybe there was some way she could get out without him seeing her. Diana looked from side to side. She was hemmed in. The tables were very close together and crowded with patrons. She knew it would be rude to leave without talking to the man she’d spent three months corresponding with through email. But if anyone deserved being stood up it was Scott Thomas.
He looked around, stretching his neck although he already stood head and shoulders above everyone else in the place. He was obviously looking for someone—her. Diana looked down as he almost made eye contact with her. Instinctively she knew it was too late. He’d seen her. And her copy of You’ve Got Mail lay square and center on the table in front of the chair she saved for him—one she’d stopped three people from taking. She wished she had something to hide the DVD with, a book or scarf—even a napkin would help. But she had none of those things handy and Scott was already weaving his way through the crowd toward her.
“Diana?” He frowned, coming to stand in front of her. “Is that you?” He deliberately slipped his DVD into his suit pocket. “What are you doing here? I thought you were meeting someone for lunch?”
Of course, he knew she was meeting someone. Hadn’t she told him so this very morning? Diana raised her chin and looked him in the eye. It can’t be him, she told herself again, as if the thought could transform this man who’d stood in her office only an hour ago into someone else— anyone else. Just, please, God, she prayed. Not him.
In her office that morning their encounter had been less than friendly. She wasn’t in the mood for another one. Scott had come to the office to persuade her to move out and find other accommodations for the business she’d run there for the past five years. Their encounter had been unfriendly, and Diana was reminded of the sarcasm he’d subjected her to while they both attended the university that was only a few steps from where they stood now. Nothing appeared to have changed in the intervening years. He was still on the opposite side of everything she did, said or wanted.
And for no reason. At least none she could discern.
“I was just leaving,” she said. As she moved to stand, he picked up the DVD. Diana flopped back down as her knees refused to hold her in position. At once Scott glanced from the DVD to her, then back again. Diana watched as he pulled his own copy from his pocket and realization dawned in his dark brown eyes.
“There has to be a mistake,” she said, reaching for her copy. Scott glanced at both covers.
“I believe there is.”
Diana grabbed for her DVD but encountered resistance from Scott. As she raised her eyes to him, she saw that playful disapproval that had been there when they were college students. Quickly it disappeared and he released his hold on the case.
Getting up, Diana inched around the crowded table and started for the door. It seemed as if the universe was mocking her. A line of people that hadn’t been there before now stood between her and the door. She would need to wait to get out of the place, when all she wanted was to get as far away from Scott as possible. Around him she couldn’t breathe. It had always been like that. Even all those years ago, when they were in college and he would harass her whenever he could, she found it difficult to breathe in his presence. Apparently time had not changed that reaction, either.
There was another door, she thought as she looked over her shoulder. She’d try to get to it. However, when Diana tried to turn around, she realized it was a mistake. Scott was directly behind her, and her body was now in contact with his. Despite the air-conditioning, her temperature flew off the scale. She was surprised she didn’t double over in pain from the bends. And it didn’t help that Scott’s arms instinctively came up to steady her. The urge to lean into him was so great that she grabbed his hands and pushed them away with more force than she intended.
“I apologize,” she said. “I’m under a little stress.” That was more than the truth. Stress followed her, sat on her shoulder, worked its way into the marrow of her bones any time Scott Thomas’s name came up or even entered her mind. And having him close enough that she could smell his cologne and feel the heat of his body threw her back to the one other time in her life when she was this close to him. Close enough to kiss. That time there had been a kiss. He’d kissed her. Devastated her. Left her wanting more when the passion that flared within her burned deep and hot and out of control. When it ended as abruptly as it had begun, he turned and ran away. She watched him disappear. Then she fled, too. Running across the campus in the opposite direction from the one he’d taken, competing with the wind for dominance.
And that had been the last time she’d seen him until ten months ago when, practically on the heels of his attorney’s exit, he’d walked into her office and doubled the offer if she would vacate her offices. She refused.
She hadn’t told her online friend about the encounter. She needed to keep Scott Thomas relegated to a corner of her brain that was as inaccessible as possible. Lately the folds in that area were vibrating with the need to access the data stored there.
“I guess leaving through the rear door is out of the question,” Diana said, her voice slightly breathy.
Scott glanced over his shoulder. Looking back at her, he said, “It’s just as crowded over there.”
Diana turned back. She held her breath, relieved that he was no longer touching her, but still aware that he was close enough for her to feel the heat of his body. How could MatchforLove.com have paired her with Scott? They had nothing in common. Nothing except she owned a wedding planning business in a complex that he wanted.
Diana was not moving.
Finally the crowd at the door moved and she was on the street. Taking a full breath, she felt as if she could gulp the air. Not looking back, she started up Nassau Street intent on reaching her car and getting as far away from Scott Thomas as she could.
A hand curling around her arm stopped her. Diana turned, taking two steps backward to keep some distance between them.
“At least we can be civil,” he said.
“If this is another of your attempts to get me to give up my offices, it’s not going to work. As I told you this morning—”
“It has nothing to do with the property,” Scott interrupted her.
Diana shifted her weight but said nothing. If he didn’t want to make another pitch to get her offices, what did they have to discuss?
“How do you think we ended up here together?”
“Obviously by some computer glitch.”
Diana knew it was a mistake to follow her partner Teddy’s urging. Diana had told her that she didn’t have time for a man in her life, but Teddy, in her usual persistent manner, had worn her down, and finally Diana had gone into the MatchforLove.com system and filled out the profile. And now she stood in front of Scott Thomas, a mistake if she ever saw one.
Before he could continue their conversation, his cell phone rang and Diana took the opportunity to leave. She felt she’d get to her car and be done with him. At least when she turned the corner at the end of the block she could relax. But Scott was not to be eluded. He fell into step next to her, all the while continuing his phone call.
“What?” Diana heard him say. He stopped walking, but caught up with her several steps later. “Can’t you find someone else?”
He listened for a moment while she walked faster. Her shoes were the latest style, very high heels on a small platform. They elevated her five-foot-five-inch height by five additional inches.
“All right,” he said as if giving in to something.
Diana got to the corner and turned. The garage was half a block away. Hoping Scott would continue up Nassau Street, her thoughts were doused as he turned with her.
“Yes, I said I’d do it.” A moment later he nearly shouted into the receiver. “What did you say?”
Diana couldn’t help listening while she walked.
“Who’s doing it?” he asked.
Again there was a pause.
“You’re kidding!” Scott said. This time he sounded as if something incredible had happened.
Diana didn’t get the impression that there was any kidding going on. But she heard Scott agree to the final unheard question. “It’s all right. I get it. I’ll be there.” He ended the call and pocketed the phone.
Diana could tell something was not as he wished it to be, but she wasn’t interested in finding out what was off in his world. She had her own to deal with.
“Why are you following me, Scott? I have a high-profile wedding to get the final plans on, and I don’t have time to be bothered with childish pranks. You’ve already said it’s not about the offices, so what do you want?”
Scott hesitated a moment. “I want to know if you told the truth.”
She frowned, not understanding his question.
“On your profile. Was everything you put in there true?”
Anger, hot, red and eruptive sliced through her like the knife edge of an arctic wind. “As I remember it, lying is your department. And since we aren’t likely to see each other again...” She emphasized again, closing the door on him making further offers on her offices. “I think we should just forget this day ever happened.”
Pivoting on shoes that were now hurting her toes, Diana straightened her back and shoulders and walked away from him. He didn’t follow her, a good choice on his part, she thought. Practically calling her a liar to her face was enough. Another word from either of them would require police protection.
* * *
“How was he?” Theresa “Teddy” Granville jumped up from her chair the moment Diana came through the office door. “Was he as good-looking as we thought?”
Diana dropped her purse on the chair and gave Teddy the look. It should have been patented between them. It was the look they gave each other when a bride chose something that was totally wrong for her theme.
“That bad?” Teddy was nonplussed. She flopped back down in her chair. “After we had such high hopes.”
“After you had high hopes.” It was at Teddy’s insistence that Diana go to MatchforLove.com. Diana had done it to silence her partner. But after she began talking to F9021@MatchforLove.com, things changed. He seemed to understand her. Even though they never identified themselves by name, he knew she owned her own business and she knew he flew airplanes. She thought he was a pilot.
“What was wrong with him?”
“He was Scott Thomas.”
Teddy came forward in her chair as if she’d been pushed. “Scott Thomas? The Scott Thomas who wants us to move? That Scott Thomas?”
“One and the same,” Diana said.
“That’s impossible.”
“I couldn’t believe it myself. It was all I could do to get out of the coffee shop.”
“Without seeing him?”
“Unfortunately, no,” Diana said. She took a seat in front of Teddy’s desk. The place was neat as a pin, although Teddy was juggling three weddings for the next two weeks. It was time for the brides to get crazy and the mothers of the brides to go ballistic over something minor. Luckily at this moment the phones weren’t ringing with complaints. “I wished I could have become invisible when I saw him, but he spotted me and we talked.”
“Talked?”
“We both agreed that the dating service had made a terrible mistake. No way are we compatible.”
“That’s all?”
“Pretty much.”
“Pretty much, what?” As usual Teddy read between the lines and persisted.
“As we were parting he called me a liar.”
“What?” Her eyes grew big.
“Not in those exact words. He asked me if everything I put in my profile was true.”
“Well it was, wasn’t it?” Teddy asked.
“Teddy!”
“I mean,” she stammered. “We all like to embellish ourselves a little online.”
“I did not embellish.”
At that moment the phone rang. Diana got up to leave. At the door Teddy stopped her. “Well, at least he’s good-looking,” she said.
Diana frowned at her and went to her own office. It was a contrast to the orderliness of Teddy’s. Diana worked in chaos. She knew where everything was, and she could put her hands on it without error.
Good-looking, Teddy had said. Diana supposed if she thought about him without the animosity that clouded his image, Scott was pleasant to look at. More than that. He had great eyes. They were probably his best feature, dark brown, fringed by long lashes. His cheeks had dimples that drove the women crazy in college. They hadn’t diminished in effect in the ten years since they graduated. He wasn’t a football player, but his lean features boded well for the diving team. Diana remembered the broad shoulders that tapered to a thin waist and strong muscular legs. Diana had to admit he was good-looking. If she was planning one of her bridal fashion shows, he’d be a shoo-in for a tuxedo model.
Diana glanced down at her desk. Several bridal magazines lay open in front of her. One by one she scanned the pages and studied the grooms. Not one of the men smiling up at her had an ounce of the gorgeous good looks that Scott Thomas had.
Looks weren’t everything, she thought. The man was still a jerk. And even though he could turn the head of every woman in town, Diana knew the two of them should never have been matched.
* * *
Scott loosened his tie and opened his collar in the same instant he came through the garage door into the mudroom. As usual the house was cool and quiet. In the kitchen he opened the refrigerator and grabbed the container of orange juice. It was nearly empty. He lifted the container to drink, but his mother’s words came back to him, and he poured a glassfull and drank it in one long gulp.
The answering machine showed eight new messages. Aside from his sister, people usually called or sent text messages to his cell phone. It was unusual for anyone to contact him on his landline. Checking his cell, he found another nine unread texts. As he scrolled through them he felt both grateful and disappointed that none were from Diana. Why he should expect to see anything from her, he didn’t understand. She’d made it plain that there could never be anything between them, so why would he think she’d call? Apology, maybe. He shook his head. That was unlikely.
Pressing the button on the answering machine he listened to the calls. Most of them were either from Bill Quincy or his bride-to-be, Jennifer Embry, a couple who’d talked him into being a member of their wedding this afternoon while he was on the street with Diana. Bill thanked him for standing in for Oscar Peterson, who’d been in an accident and would be laid up for the next several weeks. He’d recover, but not in time for the nuptials. Jennifer, a numerologist, wouldn’t have her numbers thrown out of whack. Scott knew she’d postpone the wedding before doing that.
The other calls were from Jennifer giving him details of where and when he needed to be. She called to change his tuxedo appointment twice.
The reason he agreed to stand in for Oscar was that Bill had told him the wedding was being planned by Diana’s firm. At the time he thought it was ironic and he wanted to get him off the phone. But now he was sorry he’d agreed. Impulsiveness wasn’t one of his traits. As a pilot he had to be steady and thoughtful, but Bill was a friend. To stand up for him, he’d make the sacrifice. Scott felt no disappointment at not being included in the original plans. He could do without weddings. Being involved in one was something to be avoided, like air pockets and bumper-to-bumper traffic. He was sure when Bill called him, he was last on the list and the only one available.
Scott was committed now. He had an appointment for a tuxedo fitting, and his name had been added to the programs. Jennifer expected him at the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner. The wedding was the following weekend.
The answering machine clicked off. Scott grabbed the television remote and pressed the power button. He smiled to himself. What was Diana going to think when he showed up at the wedding rehearsal? He remembered her strutting out of sight as she walked into the garage. Her parting words told him that she never wanted to see him again. She was wrong. She’d see him. And sooner than she thought.
He’d angered her. There had been times in the past when he’d intentionally intimidated her, but today that wasn’t his plan. They had rubbed each other the wrong way since their first meeting. While he’d followed her to the garage, she could have heard only one side of the conversation he was having—if she was listening. He was sure she was. In his experience, women always listened. But Diana had never followed the mold. He couldn’t say he knew her, but he knew that beneath the facade of calm she showed to the world was a smoldering woman. He’d found that out when he kissed her on campus in broad daylight, a lifetime ago.
To think that all these years later, he could still remember that kiss. Her kiss. Scott had kissed his share of women. They seemed to hover around him like skydivers in formation, but none of them were memorable. None but Diana.
And next weekend he’d have another chance to piss her off.
* * *
Scott didn’t know how long he’d been waiting, but he was getting irritated. He had a flight today, and he needed to get this fitting done and return to this office. Pulling out his phone, he reviewed his missed calls. His sister Piper’s number and her photo appeared on the display. He couldn’t help smiling. The photo was taken at her wedding four years ago. It was of the two of them, their faces near replicas of their parents. He should have returned her previous call, but with all the appointments this wedding required, it slipped his mind. He pushed the send button and waited for her to answer.
“Hi,” she said. “I’ve been dying to talk to you. How was the meeting? What did she look like? I have a thousand questions. Did the two of you connect?”
Scott laughed from deep in his belly. His sister was a nonstop talking machine. He sobered and tried to decide how to begin and how much to tell. He should have thought of this before he dialed her number. He’d tell her about the meeting. He could describe Diana, give Piper all the answers she wanted, but he would leave out the fact that the woman in question was Brainiac.
“Well, go on. Tell me,” she commanded. “Is she the woman of your dreams?”
“I’m not sure about that.”
“Did she meet all those ridiculous requirements you put in?”
“I haven’t found that out yet,” Scott said. “We only met for lunch. I didn’t have time to interrogate her.” Scott’s forced laugh took the sting out of his words.
He went through describing Diana. He told Piper she had dark hair, omitting that it was lustrous and fell over her shoulders and down her back like a cascading waterfall. He shared that her eyes were brown, but he didn’t add that they were like looking into melting pools of coal. He said she was dressed in business clothes, but didn’t say that the suit hugged her curves the way his hands wanted to or that her shoes supported legs that were as long as the Garden State Parkway.
“Did the two of you connect?” she asked.
“In a way,” Scott hedged, knowing his sister would not let that go.
“What do you mean?”
“Remember the woman I told you about when I was in college? The one with the long hair.”
“You mean the one who always had her head in a book?” Piper asked. “Didn’t you call her something? Brain something. Yeah, Brainiac.”
“Her name is Diana Greer.” It was her, but Scott didn’t want to tell his sister. He’d said so many things about Diana that were not flattering that he didn’t want Piper to have a more negative picture of her than had already been painted.
“Was it her?”
“It was her,” he admitted.
Piper laughed for a moment. “It’s like that movie. You probably don’t know it. It’s a chick flick—You’ve Got Mail. The couple don’t realize they know each other. It has–”
“I know the movie,” Scott interrupted.
Piper seemed to sober. “I’m sorry this didn’t work out, Scott.” Piper was the only person he’d told about the matchmaking service. Of course she supported him. She always did. “I remember you said she had so much hair that when she had her nose in a book, she looked like Cousin Itt.”
Scott winced at that. “She’s changed a lot.”
“I hope so. “ Piper paused. “Are you going to try again?”
“This is not over yet,” Scott told her.
“You’re seeing her again?” Surprise was evident in her voice.
“At a wedding next weekend.” He forced a laugh for the second time. “I’m a replacement in Bill Quincy’s wedding. Diana’s company is the wedding consultant.”
“From what you told me, I thought she’d be running General Motors by now. She’s a wedding consultant?”
“Actually she owns her own business. Weddings by Diana. She’s got stores in several states. While they might not be General Motors, if you put her up against the president of GM she could hold her own.”
“Oh.” Piper held on to the word as if it was the end of a song. She sounded impressed.
“You’ve heard of them?”
“Who hasn’t? She’s been all over the financial pages. It seems everything she touches turned to green, that’s as in money. Her franchises have been expanding like they were a fast food chain. I wish I’d used her when I got married.”
Scott felt his heart tug at that. When he saw Diana he was impressed that she had changed over the years, but her changes were for the better. He supposed she was always there under the hair and out of the book, but he rarely saw her or even looked at her. It wasn’t until that one day in front of Nassau Hall that he saw her face. It was naked of any makeup. Her skin was flawless, and the depths of her dark eyes were enough to drive a man crazy.
And where she was concerned, he was all male.
Chapter 2
The parking lot of Darlington Wedding Gowns and Tuxedos was packed when Diana pulled into the only available space. And that was as far from the door as she could get. Darlington had been several steps away from her offices, but with Scott’s new use for the property practically everyone had relocated. The store was now housed in a huge strip mall several miles from her.
Final fittings for the Embry-Quincy wedding party was scheduled for today. Diana wouldn’t let anything having to do with Scott deter her. She stepped into the June heat and felt her clothes and body deflate. It shouldn’t be in the nineties this early in the season. And she shouldn’t be here. First she was the owner. She worked with the managers of new locations and Teddy ran the consultant staff. But Jennifer Embry came from old money, and she insisted Diana consult her wedding. As such she was the wedding planner, not the dress approver. However, she’d learned early in this business that a wedding planner’s duties were fluid. Some brides were demanding. Others only wanted her to take care of the ceremony and the reception. But she and Teddy ran a soup-to-nuts organization.
Pulling open the door of Darlington’s, she silently thanked the air-conditioning gods for their invention of such a useful mechanism.
“Diana,” Jennifer greeted her with a relieved smile. “I’m glad to see you.”
Jennifer stood in front of a triple wall of mirrors, her white gown billowing around her.
“You look beautiful,” she told her client.
“The hem is too long. The gloves aren’t the same color as the gown. I can’t see through the veil.”
Susan Dollard, the store owner, frowned. Diana smiled back at her.
“Jennifer, remember we know that items of different materials will not be exactly the same color due to shine, weaving methods, difference in lots, and a hundred other reasons. Just focus on the day. It’s going to be beautiful. I know the alterations will be completed while we wait.”
The seamstress was on the floor with her needle and thread, quickly adjusting the length. Diana stepped back to get a good look at the bride. “You look gorgeous. Just wait until Bill sees you in this gown.”
The praise wasn’t false. Jennifer glowed in her gown. It was a perfect fit and style for the tall, majestic-looking blonde.
“The veil, Ms. Embry.” Susan came forward with the altered crown.
“Let me,” Diana said, reaching for the soft concoction of netting. Stepping up on the platform with Jennifer, she placed it on her head and spread out the folds of fabric. “Is it better?” she asked.
Jennifer turned back to the wall of mirrors. Tears were in her voice when she answered.
“Great,” Diana said, glad to have appeased another bride. She stepped off the platform and onto the floor. “How’s everything else?”
“Fine,” Jennifer said. Then she turned to Susan and the seamstress and apologized. Both women smiled. They’d been through this scene a hundred or more times. “Oh, by the way,” Jennifer said. “There’s been a replacement for one of the groomsmen.”
“I got your message.” She should have said messages. Diana wondered if three was a significant number for Jennifer. She’d told her three times about Oscar’s replacement, yet she never mentioned who the replacement was. Brides, even those as organized as Jennifer, had lapses of memory.
“He’s next door getting fitted for his tux.”
“Let me go introduce myself.” Diana liked knowing the members of the wedding party. In case of an emergency, she knew who she was looking for. She took the digital camera she always carried from her purse. She’d take a photo and label it to be sure. Jennifer Embry had twelve bridesmaids and an equal number of groomsmen. It was impossible to keep all the names straight, even though Diana was good with names and faces. Still, she relied on file photos to help her or one of her assistants in case she had to delegate duties.
The gown and tuxedo shops were connected by a short passageway. It was designed both to keep the noise down and to provide privacy. Diana didn’t use it. She preferred to enter from the outside.
The bells chimed when she entered the shop. Several people browsed the various colors and styles of men’s clothing. All of the dressing room doors were closed. Judging by the parking lot, the place was full.
“Jeremy,” she called.
The clerk came from the last dressing room. “Ms. Greer, how are you?” When they were alone Jeremy was very informal and called her Diana; occasionally and with several drinks under his belt, she was Di. When she came in the shop, she was Ms. Greer. To her he was always Jeremy. He and Susan were man and wife, but they kept to their separate areas unless need forced one to the other side of the causeway.
“I’m looking for the new member of the Embry-Quincy wedding. The bride told me he was here and I wanted to introduce myself.”
Someone said something from behind them and one of the other clerks went to aid the customer.
“He’s waiting for his fitting.” Jeremy indicated one of the dressing room doors.
“I can wait a few minutes.”
“It might be longer than that. I’m short-handed and swamped. Three parties are due in any moment now and I have all the dressing rooms filled.” Suddenly, he put a hand to his chin. Then he looked at Diana with a strange expression. “I wouldn’t like to impose, but you do know the ropes? Do you have a moment to help out?”
Diana never refused Jeremy anything. He’d helped her get started by giving her mountains of advice that saved her from some major pitfalls. Before his move to this location she had worked in his store for over a year and had learned how to take measurements.
“The Embry-Quincy wedding is in the Red Room.” He smiled and offered her the tape measure hanging around his neck. “I believe the new member may need his nerves soothed.”
Diana smiled. She’d often been called upon to settle a guy whose mind was on other tasks. She glanced at the dressing rooms. Jeremy named his rooms after those in the White House. It gave the place a little elegance, he said, and who wants to dress in Room 3 when they could have the Red Room? Diana still remembered the expression on his face when he gave more credence to a false name than to a nondescript number.
Taking the tape measure, she dropped her purse in his office and knocked lightly on the door of the dressing room. “I’m here to take your measurements,” she said before going in. She wanted the man to know she was female in case Jeremy had told him to remove his pants. Or if he was shy.
“Come in.”
Diana stepped through the door and quickly closed it. Although Jeremy’s dressing rooms were huge and set up like the entrance to a home, with a foyer section and a comfortable living room, sporting a large mirror that covered one wall, Diana couldn’t be sure the client wasn’t standing near the door in full view of whomever was outside. When she turned back she saw only her reflection across the spacious gray-colored carpeting. The subdued floor contrasted with the bright furnishings. Walking several steps past a wall that set off the foyer area, she came face-to-face with the last person on the planet she expected to see.
Diana didn’t know which one of them was more surprised.
“What are you doing here?” they asked at the same time.
Diana recovered first. “I’m here to take your measurements if you are the replacement in the Embry-Quincy wedding.”
“Scott Thomas, nice to meet you.” He extended a hand as if they’d never met. Diana ignored it and he folded both arms across his chest. The action brought his white shirt up a little higher over legs that were long, strong and naked. She wished her heart didn’t step up its beat, but she couldn’t deny it. Teddy had put the thought in her head that he was handsome. That was an understatement. He was a crowd standout. And with him half dressed, Diana wondered what he’d look like totally naked.
Clearing her throat and mentally shaking those thoughts from her mind, she asked, “Shall we get started?”
“I didn’t know you worked here.”
“I agreed to help Jeremy out because he has a lot going on in the shop. And I expect you have other places to be.”
“As a matter of fact, I do.”
“Then...” She pulled the measuring tape from her neck and took a step forward. “That is, unless you’d like a male to take your measurements. They’re all busy right now, so your wait will be a little longer.”
“I’ve waited long enough,” he said. “Let’s get it over with.”
Diana took a deep breath and approached him. “Turn around.”
He presented his back to her, and she reached up to measure its width. Then the length of his arms. She tried doing his waist from behind, but he turned in her arms. Diana caught her breath. For a moment she didn’t think she’d be able to keep her feet on the floor. Gripping the tape measure, she fought to keep control of her shaking hands. Finally, she dropped to the floor to measure his inseam.
“Spread your legs, please,” she said. Blood hammered in her head. She could feel the heat of his nearness. Her face flamed as blood rushed up her features, burning her ears.
“Why don’t I just tell you my size?” Scott asked.
For a short moment Diana was unsure what he meant. Then sanity returned, and she realized he meant his suit size. She could feel more heat pump into her face and ears, and she wondered why they didn’t melt and slide off. She dared not look up at him.
“Your suit size is not always the same. And you want to look your best at the wedding.” Diana couldn’t imagine him looking any other way.
“Of course. Anything less and Jennifer will have my head.”
Diana raised herself up on her knees and prepared for the final measurement. She willed her hands to remain steady. Swallowing and ignoring the roar of blood and unwanted memories inside her head she touched his leg just above the knee. It was a test of her own ability to continue this procedure. She’d done this hundreds of times. She’d measured guys who were model perfect, silver-screen-idol caliber, and never had to keep her emotions in check. But Scott Thomas was throwing her usual calm into aggregated chaos.
His leg was warm, as strong and solid as a tennis player’s. She moved the tape measure higher. Time seemed to slow down, and her hand moved with the slowness of passing years on its way to the juncture between his legs. The catch in his throat and the heat of his body found a place in her brain that told her to get the measurements done as quickly as possible. But that instruction didn’t reach her hands. She pulled the tape measure down and extended it to his ankle, then to his sock-clad feet. Unconsciously, she brushed against him. His arousal was hard and he jerked away from her touch.
Diana’s head snapped up and she met his eyes. They were dark, almost liquid. She’d seen that look directed at her only one other time. And from the same face that now stared into hers with a longing so deep it wrenched her heart.
Scott reached down and pulled her up to him. She stood as if reaching for the sky. Scott’s body was long. Diana climbed the mountain of him until she was on her feet. She could feel the full length of him. For a moment she luxuriated in the warmth that covered them like a shared aura. They faced each other, their mouths only a kiss away. Kiss. The word registered in her brain. Lightning speed brought her up short. She pulled free of Scott’s arms and hurried to the door. With her hand on the knob, she turned back.
“I apologize,” she said. “I’m finished with you. You can dress and leave.”
Outside, Diana stood breathing hard, clutching the tape measure as if it was an anchor keeping her pinned to the ground. She took several breaths. What had happened to her? What was she doing? She’d never done anything like that before, but this time she found it hard to control herself. She wanted to touch him, wanted to keep running her hands over his hair-roughened skin. She wanted to feel his arousal, allowing him to lengthen and grow in her palm.
Stop! she screamed at herself. She had to calm her thoughts before Jeremy emerged from one of the dressing rooms. He knew her well enough to tell if something was happening to her, and there was no doubt in her mind that something had happened. And more would have happened if she’d let it go on any longer. How could she feel this way? She hated Scott Thomas. She’d always hated him. How could she want to kiss her? Oh, God, how could she want to have sex with him?
She gasped at the thought. Was that what that was? Had it been so long since she had sex that she wanted to have it with a man she didn’t even like? Diana stopped all thoughts of Scott. He was probably dressed by now and would open the door behind her at any moment. She didn’t want to be standing there when that happened.
Rallying her thoughts, she took the card with Scott’s information to Jeremy’s desk and gave it to him.
“Thanks for the help,” Jeremy said. “I think everything is in control now.” He surveyed the shop.
Diana smiled quickly, wanting to get out of the shop before Jeremy saw how close to falling apart she was. And worse, having to face Scott so soon after she’d had her hands on him and her body melded to his. Gathering her purse, she air-kissed Jeremy and left by the connecting door, escaping into the bridal shop and out of Scott’s sight. Diana didn’t think she exhaled until she had finished with Jennifer’s needs and returned to her car, all without seeing Scott a second time.
But there would be other times. Now that she knew he was the replacement groomsman, the two would meet at the rehearsal and the wedding. Thankfully, she did not have to attend any wedding activities with him. When the rehearsal and wedding ceremony were done, so would she be. Then she could return to her normal life. Whatever normal was. Or had been. Would it be the same ever again? Diana didn’t really think so. She and Scott both lived in Princeton. The township was small even though the borough covered a larger space. They both lived in the township, and according to the card she’d recorded his information on, he lived within a good walk of her residence. Diana’s business was there. She’d called it home for years not realizing she could run into Scott at any point in the day.
And for the next few days, it was inevitable.
* * *
The National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., might be larger than this one, Scott thought, but only by an inch or two. Scott should have known Jennifer would plan something this elaborate. Bill was a lot more laid-back. Or was it Diana, the wedding planner, who’d suggested this mammoth structure? Scott scanned the height of the ceiling, then brought his gaze back to the door. Where was Diana? Most of the wedding party had arrived, but Diana had yet to appear. She’d been on his mind for the last three days. Since the incident in the dressing room she’d plagued him day and night. He’d thought of her all the time. Questions arose for which he had no answers, and every question led to another. He wanted to know where it would lead, if it would lead anywhere. He wasn’t even sure he wanted it to lead somewhere.
A few days ago he’d been a relatively happy man. Now a woman was driving him crazy. He wasn’t even sure she knew it.
And there she was.
Diana opened the cathedral door and slipped inside. She walked fast down the aisle, and she looked as if she’d been running. She wore jeans and a bright pink short-sleeved sweater that accentuated her breasts. Scott remembered her pressed against him. Immediately his body began to harden. He stepped aside, forcing himself to relax.
“Sorry,” she said to Jennifer when she reached her. “The flight was late and traffic delayed me.”
“We’re still on schedule,” Jennifer said, taking a look at her watch.
“Well, let’s get started.” Diana put her jacket and purse on one of the pews along with a large bouquet of flowers. When she turned around, her eyes met his. Quickly she looked away, giving her attention to the rest of the party.
“Father Ryan is here,” Jennifer stated. The priest came through the back of the church. He wasn’t dressed in robes but wore all black, pants and shirt, no collar.
“Ladies, gentlemen, could we line up in the back of the church.”
“Where’s Bill?” Scott asked. “Shouldn’t the groom be here?”
“He won’t make the rehearsal,” Jennifer explained. “His trial went to the jury yesterday. They’re waiting for the verdict.”
Scott thought she should be prepared for these events to interrupt other occasions in their future, but he kept his words silent.
“He’ll meet us later at dinner.”
Diana took over then, putting people in order by height. She explained what the church would look like in the morning after the flowers and candles were delivered and lit. She cautioned the party to be careful with the candles with their headpieces, since the netting burned easily. Couples were paired together. As the music played, they practiced their walks down the aisle.
“It’s time for the bride and groom,” Father Ryan said.
“The groom isn’t here,” Jennifer told him. “He won’t make the rehearsal.”
“We’ll need one of the groomsmen to stand in for him.” Father Ryan looked over the small assembly.
The guys looked from one to the other. “Several of us are already married,” one of them said. “We’ve done this before. Scott, you need the practice. Why don’t you stand in for Bill?”
“I’ll do it,” Scott agreed. He knew if he didn’t it would start a back and forth banter about the state of his bachelorhood. He’s been on the end of that conversation more than once and had no intention of allowing it to happen in front of a dozen women, most of whom did not know the circumstances that had led to the needling.
Scott remembered a time when they were all single and had no intention of marrying. Then one by one, they fell off the wagon. He was the last unmarried soul on that wagon, and while the guys often complained about their wives, they loved them and wouldn’t trade their new lives to return to the old ones. Of course, now that they were in their thirties, their days of drinking and bar hopping all night had morphed into attending nursery school plays and walks in the playground. Occasionally they’d get together for the male bonding ritual in front of a big-screen television as their favorite teams vied for dominance on a Sunday afternoon, but at night they returned to the woman they loved.
Scott’s transformation had been to the sky. Although he’d learn to fly as a child, accompanying his father on trips, Scott had made a career of flying. While piloting wasn’t a sport, pilots were like athletes. They aged out early and needed a second career. He’d decided on his, but one woman stood in his way. And that woman stood at the back of the cathedral.
“Stand over here,” Father Ryan said, indicating a space inside the gated nave. “The best man should stand next to you.”
One of the groomsmen separated himself and followed Scott.
“Clark?” Diana called. “Remember to let Bill know the two of you will enter from that door in the back. She pointed to the door on the right side of the nave. “Father Ryan will lead you out.”
Clark nodded and the two men assumed their positions.
“Now, the bride.” Diana turned to the bridesmaids, who were fanned out in front of the bar separating the nave and sanctuary. “Who’ll stand in for the bride? She can’t do it. Bad luck, so the story goes.”
As the woman looked from one to the other, they each refused to step forward.
“Ladies, there is no legend related to standing in for the bride.”
“Diana, you can do it?” Jennifer said. She checked the time, and Scott understood she was keeping everyone on schedule. Not only was Jennifer a numbers fanatic, but watches could be set by her plans.
“I can’t,” Diana protested.
Scott stared directly at her. She wasn’t looking at him, but he wondered if his agreement to stand in for Bill had anything to do with her not wanting to be Jennifer’s surrogate.
“Someone do it,” Jennifer ordered. “We don’t want an overcooked dinner.” Jennifer lifted the bouquet of flowers Diana came in with and stared at the group. Slowly they each shook their head. Eventually, she came to Diana.
“All right,” she said, taking the flowers and her place at the end of the aisle.
As Diana headed down, Father Ryan gestured for the two men to come forward and take their places. Scott had a clear view of Diana as she started down the aisle. She came toward him. She was beautiful. Gone were the baggy jeans and unkempt hair that, aided by a book, hiding her face from view during their college days. She wore designer clothes, trendy shoes. If Scott hadn’t seen her a few months ago when he’d come to negotiate her office lease, he’d have sworn the two women weren’t one and the same.
She floated down the aisle. Scott’s eyes saw the church as it would be, bathed under the yellow glow of candlelight, a white lace gown and Diana as the bride coming toward him.
Him! he shook himself. He wasn’t marrying Diana and she wasn’t the bride. This was make-believe, and his imagination was working on Stress Level One if his thoughts continued along their present course. He looked at her again, checking to see if her eyes were on him and if by some telepathic relay she’d heard his thoughts.
She wasn’t looking at him, but she was smiling. Her staccato steps keeping time to the rhythm of the “Wedding March.” Jennifer smiled at her from the front pew. The groomsmen looked at her with appraisal in their eyes. Scott stepped forward as she came to the bar. He wanted to take her arm and pull her close to his side. The groom wouldn’t do that tomorrow. He stood close to her, blocking any view the other groomsmen might have.
“I won’t go through the vows,” Father Ryan said. “At this point tomorrow, I’ll be the first to congratulate the bride and groom.” He glanced at Jennifer. “Then you will kiss and turn to go up the aisle.” He paused a moment, confirming the procedure with Scott before remembering to look at Jennifer. “Okay?”
Jennifer nodded.
“Not quite,” Scott replied. All eyes focused on him. He took the flowers from Diana and handed them to Jennifer. Then facing Diana he put his hands on her waist and pulled her toward him. She didn’t know what he planned to do until his mouth was on hers. She went rigid for a moment then she relaxed. Her mouth tasted good, chasing away his logical thought processes. She opened her mouth and his tongue swept forward. He felt her hands take his elbows. The fabric of her sweater brushed against his fingertips, a movement as erogenous as his wet mouth sweeping over hers. Her hands began a slow climb, but stopped when someone behind them cleared her throat. It was like a spark to his brain. Logic returned and Scott pushed at her arms. Quickly he ended contact. “Now, we turn and walk up the aisle.” He didn’t recognize his voice. Then taking her hand, he started toward the rear of the church.
Diana dropped his hand when they were out of earshot of anyone else. “Don’t you ever do that again,” she hissed.
Like a quick-change artist, she walked back to the congregation. All heads and all eyes were on her, but the silence in the cavernous cathedral was like a tomb.
“Father Ryan, is there any other instruction?” Diana asked, her voice strained. It gave Scott a joyous feeling to know that she had been affected by what had happened between them. His action wasn’t impulsive and he enjoyed having Diana in his arms, but to provide such a public display was not his style.
“Only, good luck tomorrow,” Father Ryan said.
Everyone smiled and seemed to relax. Diana could hear their sighs.
“Then I’ll say good-night.” Diana turned to Jennifer and gave her a wide smile. She didn’t know if Jennifer was trying to put her at ease after Scott’s kiss, but she was grateful for the apparent relaxation in the atmosphere. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
Jennifer smiled and Diana moved up the aisle.
“Jennifer, Diana has to go to dinner with us,” Scott said. “It’ll throw the numbers off if she doesn’t go.”
“Oh no,” Diana protested. “I’ve just returned from Montana. I’m tired and I need to get some rest. Tomorrow is an important day. And Bill will be at the restaurant. The numbers will work.”
“Not a problem,” Jennifer agreed. “See you in the morning.”
Diana moved to leave. Scott stood in the middle of the aisle. “If you’ve just returned from a plane ride, you must be hungry. Surely you can eat before you leave.”
It was no secret to anyone in the church that Scott wanted her to go with him. He didn’t care what they thought. The groomsmen smiled and gave him their silent approval. The bridesmaids only looked stunned.
“I’ll get something at home,” Diana told them. Her voice hadn’t returned to its normal level yet.
She pushed past him and continued up the long aisle. Scott watched her go. But he wasn’t finished with her. He’d wondered about her for two days. Why would the computer choose her for him?
He needed to find out. He was going to find out.
Chapter 3
Diana shut her refrigerator door with a sigh. There was nothing to eat in there that didn’t require thawing and at least an hour of cooking time. She was hungry now.
She would have gone to dinner with the party if Scott hadn’t thrown her off balance with that kiss. What was he thinking? And in front of people she worked for! She wasn’t a member of the wedding. She was an employee—granted, a controlling and directing person, but she was still being paid for her services. He’d flustered her so that she forgot she hadn’t bought food because of the trip to Montana, and she didn’t think to stop and pick something up before pulling into her driveway.
She was in no mood to go out now. She’d make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and wish she had some milk to go with it. Then a warm bath and bed would round out a long day. Tomorrow promised to be just as long and stressful, but once the reception was underway, Diana would be free to leave. And hopefully put Scott Thomas out of her mind and out of her life.
As soon as she got the peanut butter from the cabinet, the doorbell rang. Frowning, Diana wondered who would be dropping by without calling. Padding barefoot to the door, she checked the side windows and jumped back. Her heart skipped a beat or two, then hammered in her chest. Scott was out there. What was he doing there?
“I saw you,” he said through the door. “Open up.”
Diana hesitated a moment then taking a long sustaining breath she unlocked the door. “What do you want?” she asked, blocking his entrance.
Scott held up a pizza box and a bottle of wine. “Since you couldn’t come to dinner, I brought it to you.”
“How do you know I didn’t already eat?”
“I assumed.” He raised his eyebrows. “And it is an assumption that because you’ve been out of town, you didn’t buy food before you left.”
“I could have stopped somewhere before I got here.”
“But you didn’t.” His voice was teasing. “Are you going to invite me in? I’ll let you share my dinner.”
Diana hesitated a moment. She smelled the cheese and tomato sauce. Her stomach growled. “Didn’t you go to the rehearsal dinner?”
“I did.”
“Then you can leave the pizza and return to the bachelor party. I’ll get your money for the delivery,” she said, reducing him to a mere driver. “I’m sure you’ll have much more fun with your friends.”
Her comment didn’t seem to touch him in any way. He stared at her with the same boyish grin he had when they were students and he was chiding her for some infraction of his personal rules.
“Can’t. They had shrimp in the salad. I’m allergic to seafood.”
“You know everyone in the wedding party. I’m sure they’ll miss you.”
“Let’s see.” Scott tucked the wine under his arm and leaned against the doorjamb, holding the pizza box in two hands. “Sit around with a bunch of guys and drink while watching X-rated movies versus sitting around with a beautiful woman while drinking and...”
“There is no and,” she finished for him, even though him thinking she was beautiful made her heart do something close to a tribal dance. “The party’s at the Marriott. I’m sure you can find it.” Diana pushed the door to close it, but Scott proved both agile and quick. Taking the tiny space she used to step back, he slipped past her and into the room.
“Nice house,” he said, looking around. He walked through the foyer and into the main living room. With just a few steps he’d taken ownership of the place. He moved as if he had a right to be here. “Is this the way to the kitchen?”
Diana closed the door and said nothing. She hadn’t been in Princeton that long, but when she chose this house, it was because the kitchen was state-of-the-art. While the business kept her out of it most of the time, Diana loved to cook.
Scott walked to the great room-kitchen combination. Diana found him making himself at home as he looked through cabinets for plates. Her shoes lay in front of the sofa and the television was muted on an old black-and-white movie. Even though she was taller than the average woman, Scott dwarfed her, especially since she was without her five-inch shoes.
“Where do you keep the wineglasses?” he asked, still moving comfortably from cabinet to cabinet.
Diana went to the china cabinet and took out one glass. Coming back, she set it on the dark granite countertop.
“Aren’t you having any?”
“You’re assuming the glass is for you.”
“You wouldn’t throw a guy out on a cold winter’s night without a glass of his own wine.” Although his voice was completely sincere, he was still teasing, and Diana wasn’t in a teasing mood.
“I wouldn’t,” Diana told him. “But it’s June, not January. And while it is night, I need a clear head tomorrow. I’ve had a long day and a plane ride, wine is not a good choice for me.”
“Where did you go again?”
“Montana.”
“Montana,” Scott echoed.
“My partner, Teddy, usually takes care of the wedding planning. I do some of it when we’re busy, but mainly my focus is on additional franchise sales and operations.”
“Is Teddy a man or a woman?”
It wasn’t the question Diana expected. She wondered why he wanted to know. Most people wanted to know about franchising: what it cost, how was set it up. Or how she got into building her own business. “Her name is Theresa Granville.”
Scott nodded. “So, Weddings by Diana can be found in how many places?”
“Right now we’re in six states. I’m working on adding Montana.” She left it at that, not going into detail about the difficulties she was having. She was sure they would iron out soon and things would return to normal.
Scott placed two slices of pizza on each plate and offered her one. “Are you putting me out or eating with me?”
Diana’s stomach growled in answer.
* * *
The kitchen was too intimate. It was huge, a chef’s delight with light blue walls and rich cherry cabinetry. The appliances were stainless steel, and everything was coordinated. Diana could easily see her sister and brothers gathering here for a meal, talking over old times and catching up on their lives since they were last together. But she couldn’t sit here with Scott. The space would be too personal, too open to confession. And she didn’t want him to learn anything more about her than she was willing to expose.
Taking her plate, she went to the great room and wedged herself in the corner of the long sofa. Stretching her legs in front of her, she rested the plate on her lap, preventing him from sitting close to her. He took a place on the love seat across from her.
Diana took a bite of the pizza triangle. “What is Jennifer going to think about you throwing her numbers off?”
“I don’t know. She’ll probably force the waitress to sit down just to keep the table balanced.” They both laughed. Diana relaxed a moment. Scott could be charming and funny when he wanted to be. She had only seen a couple of sides of him, the angry landlord and prankster college student.
“Why did you come here tonight?” she asked. Diana didn’t know if he’d tell her the truth, but she wasn’t a person Scott ever sought out. He was perfectly content to let her remain a face in the crowd unless he wanted to embarrass her in some way.
“I brought you dinner.”
Diana acknowledged it by glancing at the plate and the box he’d carried from the kitchen and set on the square coffee table between them.
“I see, but you were out with a lot of people who know you well enough to include you in their wedding. Yet you left them to come here.” She paused. “You said it had nothing to do with my offices. So what is the draw?”
“You sell yourself short,” he said.
Diana laughed. “One thing I don’t do is lie to myself. We never got on all those years ago. We didn’t get along when you tried to evict me.”
“I never tried to evict you,” he protested.
Diana went on as if he hadn’t spoken. “And at the coffee shop we agreed the computer should never have matched us. So, I don’t understand why you’re sitting in my great room eating pizza and drinking wine, when you could be letting go at a bachelor party.”
Scott set his wineglass on the table. His plate, now holding only crumbs of cheese and a slosh of tomato sauce, was set next to it. He leaned back in the chair and stared directly at Diana. She didn’t think he was going to answer her. Finally he stood up. Diana thought he might go to the door and leave. Her heartbeat increased. She wanted him to both go and stay.
He did neither. He moved around the coffee table and stood in front of her. Diana bit her bottom lip to keep it from trembling.
“I came by because when we stood at the altar tonight you kissed me.”
* * *
“I kissed him.” Diana was dressed for the wedding, which was scheduled to begin two hours from now. She liked to be at the bride’s home an hour before she was to leave for her last ride as a single woman. Often there was chaos, and dealing with that needed a level head. Unsure if that would be the case today, Diana hunted for everything she needed. The trip to Montana and her return yesterday hadn’t given her time to come to the office and make sure she had everything. Consequently, she’d risen early and dropped by before going to Jennifer’s.
“You did what?” Joy spread across Teddy’s face like the sun rising. “Where?”
“In the church.” Diana searched for her scissors. Finding them, she hooked them on the inside of her jacket. The outside was lace, but the lining held a myriad of possible necessities. Diana wanted to be prepared. Nothing could go wrong today.
“Why?”
“He volunteered to stand in for the groom, who wasn’t there. And the bridesmaids were too superstitious to stand in for Jennifer. You know Jennifer’s many beliefs. Apparently her friends are just as bad. So I ended up doing it.”
“But you’re not supposed to practice the kiss,” Teddy said, her eyes following Diana as she moved from place to place collecting supplies.
“I know that. It was Scott who started it.”
“And you finished it?” Teddy questioned.
“Not exactly.” Diana stopped searching and turned to look at her partner. She wanted to tell someone. She wanted to explain her feelings and have someone sympathize with her. Teddy was the perfect choice, but Diana was unsure of her feelings. She hadn’t had time to process the changes that she saw in Scott or the way she felt about him. And there was still the matter of her offices. Could he be using this tactic to get her to do what he wanted?
But the worst part, the reason she couldn’t explain everything to Teddy was she didn’t even realize kissing Scott was anything but natural. They stood at the altar. The ceremony was over. Father Ryan said, Kiss the bride, and Scott kissed her. She’d fallen into his arms so easily, it was as if she belonged there, that it was natural for her to be there. She’d become unaware of the other people in the church until she’d heard Jennifer clear her throat. She would have remained in his arms and gone on kissing him. Thank goodness Jennifer interrupted them.
“Did you like it?” Teddy’s voice intruded on her thoughts bringing her back to the office.
“It’s been a long time since anyone kissed me.”
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Teddy said.
“Well, I only have to deal with him for one more day.” Diana went back to getting everything she needed. “Once the ceremony is over and the requisite photos are taken at the reception, I’ll be out the door faster than she can get the white off that dress.”
Teddy laughed. It was a saying they used to mean the consummation of the vows. Diana’s mother had coined the phrase and the two women adopted it.
“How did you get out of the church without explaining?”
“I asked Father Ryan if he had any further details to share. Then I left.”
“Your face must have been burning.”
Her entire body was burning. Even now, she felt the heat of last night. “I think that’s everything,” Diana said, finally feeling she was ready to leave. She looked at her desk, her bag of essentials, her notebook, assessing that everything was in order.
“What are you going to do about it?” Teddy asked.
Finally Diana looked at her partner. “About what?”
“About your attraction to our landlord. Maybe you can use that attraction to get him to back off about the offices.”
“Teddy!” Diana was appalled at the suggestion. “Have you stopped to think that his attraction for me, if there is an attraction, may be for the same reason?”
Teddy’s happy face turned to one of concern. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
“Think about it.” Diana looked around one more time, then checked her watch. “I have to go. You’ve got everything under control here, right?”
She nodded. “My wedding isn’t until five, so I’ll head over to the bride’s house this afternoon.”
“See you tomorrow, when we can go back to business as usual.” Diana threw the words over her shoulder as she headed through the door.
“Wink at him during the reception...maybe ask him to dance,” Teddy shouted at Diana’s back.
Diana wouldn’t even make eye contact with him if she could help it. She wanted things to go back to the way they were just twenty-four hours ago. She’d been on a plane from Montana. Anything after she arrived at the church she wanted expunged from the universe.
That would include his kiss, a voice spoke in her head. Diana stumbled and twisted the toe of her shoe on the broken parking lot pavement. A large gash appeared in the front.
“Damn,” she cursed. “This is Scott’s fault.”
Everything was his fault. Well most of it. From the moment she walked on campus ten years ago until he left her house last night, he’d been a thorn in her side. After the wedding today, she didn’t want to see him again. He could deal with her lawyer regarding their offices if any more discussion was necessary—and as far as she was concerned, there wasn’t.
So life could go back to normal. Diana thought it, but she didn’t feel it. She knew something more would happen, something unexpected. Scott wasn’t the type of man to just drop things. He had a plan in mind, and Diana wondered what it was. She needed to be on guard for whatever he might spring on her. His appearing at her home last night was unexpected and designed to throw her world out of kilter.
He’d succeeded.
Diana took a deep breath as she parked along the curved driveway of the house where Jennifer lived. The street and drive leading to the house was ringed with cars. Only Jennifer would have a procession leading to the church. For days workmen had been setting up for the reception. Thankfully, the weather was cooperating.
Getting out of the car, Diana went to the trunk and changed her broken shoe for another pair. She had learned the necessity of being prepared for every contingency. Not only did she have extra shoes, she had several changes of clothes in case they might be needed. Diana turned and took a long look at the cathedral. She’d done a few weddings here before, but this was the first one where she felt as if a huge weight was on her shoulders. Even when she first started and bluffed her way through her first solo as a wedding consultant, she hadn’t been this nervous.
The limousine arrived carrying the bride. Behind her car was a succession of stretch limos carrying the twelve bridesmaids. Diana greeted the bridesmaids and ushered them into the rooms set up for them. Then she accompanied the bride. Jennifer truly looked wonderful. Her face had that bridal glow to it. Or was it that she was so in love with Bill that it was visible? For a moment Diana envied her. She wondered if she’d ever look like that when she thought of a man.
Jennifer had a perfect day for her ceremony. Diana assumed all the numbers had clicked into place, and from this point on Jennifer’s life would be on the schedule she’d set up for herself.
Diana could only hope her own life had a plan. She thought it did. Or it had. Until a few weeks ago when an innocent cup of coffee had thrown her world into chaos. Maybe she should have given up the offices and been done with any dealing with Scott. But fate wasn’t on her side. Fate had brought him to this wedding. Even if she had agreed to relocate, he would still be an honored guest at the head table. But they wouldn’t have stood before the altar. He wouldn’t have come to her apartment. And she wouldn’t continue to feel the tingle of his mouth on hers.
“We’re ready,” Diana told the bridesmaids as she shook thoughts of Scott out of her mind. A hush settled over the women as if everyone was afraid of opening night. “Just do what we rehearsed. It’ll all be fine.”
She looked at one particular bridesmaid, younger than the rest. Her color was paste-white. “Breathe,” Diana said. “And smile.” She gave the girl a smile, and after a second the girl returned it. Diana leaned close to her and whispered, “Even if you fall on your face, it won’t be a catastrophe. One of those hunky groomsmen will rush to your rescue.” The girl tried to hide her laugh behind her hand. Diana pulled it away and watched as she relaxed.
One by one the bridesmaids floated down the aisle. Diana stood up from her crouching position as the ring bearer and flower girls took tentative steps down the long aisle. As Jennifer embraced her father’s arm and headed toward wedded bliss, Diana breathed a sigh of relief. It was almost over for her. So far she’d avoided making eye contact with Scott, although she’d felt his eyes on her several times. She knew he was looking at her by the heat that surged through her body and inched up her neck. Everyone else would think it was exertion and stress from making sure every detail was going as planned. Scott would know differently.
“You may kiss the bride,” Diana heard the priest say. She couldn’t help remembering Scott’s kiss on her mouth. The church organ started to play, and the bride and groom rushed down the aisle as man and wife. Scott looked directly at her as he went by. Diana kept her eyes on Bill and Jennifer.
As the bridal motorcade—that was the only name she could think to call it—arrived at the reception hall, Diana wanted to run and hide, but she couldn’t. She was in charge. From the second car, Scott was the first person to step out. He turned to help his female companion, and Diana ushered them toward the reception line. The assembly moved like a coordinated dance. Jennifer and Bill led the procession and took their assigned places in the reception line. Obligated to go in, Scott moved away from Diana, a bridesmaid on his arm. As he passed he whispered, “You can’t avoid me forever.”
Diana didn’t say anything. Not that she had time. He was already three couples ahead of her. She followed the last of the party. Her duties didn’t take her into the reception hall, but she looked in to make sure every detail was as Jennifer had requested. Scott was shaking hands with the guests, but when she looked at him, his eyes found hers as surely as if they were destined to connect. Diana wanted to look away, knew she should, but she didn’t. She withstood his stare, trying to prove that she wasn’t avoiding him. The war of their eyes only lasted a few seconds before Scott had to give his attention to the next guest in line. To Diana it felt like it lasted an eon.
“You’ve done a wonderful job,” Jennifer’s mother whispered when the reception line broke up and the group headed for the dais and the sit-down meal. “Jennifer looks so happy.”
“She does,” Diana agreed honestly, passing a tissue to Mrs. Embry.
“The flowers, the dresses, the hall.” Mrs. Embry dabbed her teary eyes and shook her head as if it was difficult to take it all in. “The church was just lovely.”
Diana handed the woman a second tissue.
“Thank you,” she said. “I never would have believed Jennifer could look so beautiful.”
“She’s a beautiful woman,” Diana said.
“I know.” Her mother patted her hand. “But today...today...”
“She glows,” Diana finished for her. Taking Mrs. Embry’s arm, she led her to the head table. Scott, who was already seated, got up and met them. “Would you help her to her seat?” Diana asked.
Mrs. Embry was not an old woman. She was overcome with emotion. Jennifer was her only daughter and today she gave her away. Their lives would never be the same.
“Mrs. Embry,” Diana called. “It’s not goodbye. Your lives will be different and better. In a year or so there may be grandchildren.”
Mrs. Embry looked at her for a long time. Then she hugged Diana. “You’re a treasure,” she said. “You’ll be just as beautiful a bride someday as Jennifer is today.”
The compliment should have made her feel good, but the fact that Scott heard it made Diana cringe inwardly. She thanked Mrs. Embry and took a step back. Scott accompanied her to her seat. Diana turned and headed for the bride and groom, who were standing at the end of the dais and waiting for everyone to be seated so they could have the full attention of the room.
“Jennifer, Bill,” she said with a smile. “It was beautiful. I hope you liked it.”
“Everything about it,” Jennifer said, her smile wide and happy. “Thank you so much.”
“I just wanted to say congratulations again, and since my duties are over, I’m heading home for a relaxing day. Tomorrow, I start again.”
“You’re not leaving?” Diana didn’t have to turn around to know Scott’s voice. Ignoring him, she addressed the bride and groom. “Enjoy your honeymoon and have a wonderful life.”
Jennifer leaned forward and hugged her. Bill kissed her on the cheek, and the couple moved away to visit their other guests.
“I wore this tuxedo just for you. Look how well it fits.”
Diana was reminded of the episode in the dressing room. Her face flamed. She could feel the heat rising and her ears burned as hot as the sun.
“Good night, Scott.” Pivoting, she headed for the exit and her SUV.
“You know if you leave, I’ll just come by your house tonight,” he said.
“I don’t have to answer the door.”
“I’ll make a racket and wake up your neighbors.”
Diana stopped walking and turned to face him. “You live in Princeton, right?”
He nodded.
“Then you know how responsive the police force is. I’ll call them and tell them you’re being a public nuisance.”
“I’ll tell them you’re only acting like this because I kissed you.”
Diana felt a lightning bolt jolt her. “What is it you want?” she asked. “We already know we’re not compatible. The computer made a mistake. Why can’t we just go our separate ways. Unless...unless this constant meeting has another purpose.”
“You wound me,” Scott said, placing a hand over his heart. “Seriously, the office has nothing to do with this.”
“Then what does?”
“I’m intrigued,” he said.
“You said that before—and believe me, I don’t take it as a compliment.”
“It is. I think we should talk. We could start with a dance.”
Diana glanced at the empty bandstand. “The band won’t begin until after the meal. The combo will play soft music to accompany the food, but the dancing begins in another ballroom.”
“So you’ll have to stay. You must be hungry. I’m sure Jennifer and Bill included you in the seating arrangement.”
In fact, it was traditional to allow the wedding planner a seat at a back table. As Diana had coordinated the placing of seating cards on the tables, she knew exactly where her seat was.
“You must be hungry,” Scott said. “Last night you had little to eat, and I’m sure you were at Jennifer’s before breakfast. Have you had more than a cup of coffee today?”
She stared at him a moment, then shook her head.
“Stay. Give me one dance, and I won’t bother you again today.”
“Is that a promise?”
He raised his right hand in the Boy Scout salute. “I promise.”
At that moment a procession of waiters came from several doors and made a ceremony of placing food in front of the guests. The smell of an old-fashioned kitchen reminded her that she was hungry. Scott was right about her food intake. Leaving without eating was running away from him, and she didn’t want him to know how much he controlled her actions.
“I will have something to eat.”
“And a dance,” he prompted.
“One dance,” she said. “One only.”
His smile broadened, satisfied that he’d won the argument. Taking her arms impulsively, he pulled her forward and dropped a kiss on her cheek. Heat poured through her. Scott started back to his seat. Diana checked to see if anyone had seen the unexpected gesture. It was not protocol for the wedding planner to act as a guest or to be kissed on the floor of the dining room. But then Scott either didn’t know the rules or didn’t care to follow them. Jennifer and Bill were totally engrossed in each other. No one at the head of the room noticed. However, several people at the table close to where they stood smiled at her.
She nodded to them and quickly walked to her assigned seat. What was she going to do now? She couldn’t possibly eat anything and keep it down. Thoughts of Scott pressing his body against hers in a dance was too much to think about. She was sure if he took her in his arms in the broad light of a beautiful sunny afternoon, she could not say she had no feelings for this man without the world around her knowing she was lying.
Chapter 4
Relax, Diana told herself as Scott whirled her about the room. She stepped on his foot once. He didn’t say a word about it, didn’t tell her to relax, didn’t tell her he wouldn’t bite, only adjusted his arms and pulled her close to him. Diana smelled his cologne. It was mildly sweet with an undercurrent of something that seemed to come from him. She liked it.
His head touched hers, and she closed her eyes. Her body relaxed and found the perfect combination of movement. She felt everything about him, the fabric of his starched shirt, the heat of his body beneath it, his long legs, and the sureness of his hands as they held her.
Being there was like a dream, and for a moment Diana allowed herself to fantasize that she was the bride dancing her first dance with her newly minted husband. Her feet seemed to glide across the floor.
The music stopped and she opened her eyes.
“That was beautiful,” Jennifer said. “I’ve never seen anyone dance the way you two did. You make a beautiful couple.”
Diana’s skin burned. She hadn’t realized she was being watched. Apparently, the entire room was staring at them. What had she done? She knew. She’d fallen into the dream and let everything she felt pour through the dance. Hadn’t she thought about that? She knew it was what many professional dancers wanted, strove to show on the stage. They wanted to show their feelings through the steps. Diana hadn’t.
“Thank you,” Scott said, saving her from having to answer anything. “I think we need a drink now.”
He led her away from the prying eyes and toward the bar. The conversations resumed behind her, and she was certain that people had stopped staring at her.
“I apologize,” Diana told Scott. “I never meant to embarrass you.”
“You’ve danced before,” he stated, apparently out of context. “And I’m not embarrassed.”
Diana had taken lessons and learned many dances that couples used for their first dance. Often she needed to school the groom on a few steps before he took his bride onto the dance floor. At the time she viewed it as part of her full service to the wedding program. Today she regretted ever knowing a single step. Or the feel of Scott’s arms holding her, almost cradling her as they traversed the floor.
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