A small orchestra was set up at the back of the bandstand. The priest was waiting at the top of the stairs with Cooper and Joey beside him.
Vaughn fell into the crowds of people who stood behind the occupied chairs and checked his watch. It was a hot afternoon. Too hot to be stuck outside in a tux for too long. He clocked the refreshments tables that had been set up on the other side of the chairs. Waiters stood patiently with iceboxes that Vaughn knew were filled with champagne bottles, orange juice, and water. Empty wineglasses and flutes were set up on the tables. Hiding somewhere, he couldn’t see where, was a catering van with canapés for the guests. He licked his dry lips, wishing he had a glass of water in his hand already.
Mutterings moved through the crowd and Vaughn turned with the rest of them to see a white limo pull up on Main Street. A chauffeur got out first and opened the back passenger door. Dahlia was helped out, appearing in a teal blue bridesmaid dress that molded to every amazing curve that woman had. She was followed by Emery, who wore the same dress, but it transformed from sultry to graceful on the fair, willowy woman. His breath held as Bailey emerged from the limo.
She was stunning.
All of the women had left their hair down in soft waves, and Bailey’s auburn curls were striking against the color of the dress, a dress that was both sexy and elegant on her.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her, watching as she waited while a fourth woman Vaughn didn’t recognize got out.
This must have been Jessica’s aunt he’d heard all about. Cooper said they’d been estranged for years and had only gotten back in contact in the last year. The woman didn’t look that much older than Jessica, her blond hair swept up elegantly from her face. She wore the same color as the bridesmaids but she didn’t wear a dress. Instead she’d donned a sexy waistcoat and high-waist tailored trousers. The aunt and Bailey bent down to help Jessica out of the car. Vaughn knew he was supposed to have eyes only for the bride, and she did look beautiful in her bridal gown, but he couldn’t stop staring at Bailey.
He followed her with his eyes as she walked behind Jess, holding the bride’s train off the ground for her. The closer she got, the more impatient Vaughn felt. He had the absurd urge to claim her right there and then in front of everyone.
Restraining himself, he made do with just staring at every beautiful inch of her.
As if she felt his hot gaze, Bailey frowned and searched the crowd as the musicians began to play. To Vaughn’s surprise they weren’t playing Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” but what sounded like Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love.”
It was a good song.
And very appropriate for the moment Bailey’s gaze found his.
She seemed to hesitate for just a second, probably because he was pouring every ounce of heat and longing and determination he felt into that one look.
Her cheeks flushed a lovely pink and she jerked her gaze away, concentrating on arranging Jessica’s train just so. When they were ready, the bridesmaids began walking down the aisle. Vaughn turned to follow them, to follow Bailey, and his breath caught when he saw the back of the bridesmaid gown. It was a halter strap and it was backless, the fabric meeting just an inch or so above her ass. That’s when he realized all the dresses were slightly different. Dahlia’s wasn’t backless but had a fifties-style V-drop at the back and lower-cut cleavage.
Emery’s was strapless with a pretty sweetheart neckline. It was probably the most sedate of the three.
Bailey’s was the sexiest. Of course it was.
He devoured the sight of her creamy, smooth skin, remembering vividly what she felt like to touch, what she tasted like . . .
Blood hot, Vaughn cursed her inwardly. It was official: Bailey Hartwell would be his undoing.
Trying to pull together a measure of control Vaughn attempted to focus on the bride as she was walked down the aisle with her aunt. He studied the look that passed between Jessica and Cooper as her aunt took her hand and handed it to the groom in a symbol of giving her away.
The look was fierce, and not just from Cooper, but Jessica, too. Fierce love. The kind he’d only heard about when his father spoke of his mother.
But now he knew, as he turned his attention to Bailey, that he’d felt that fierceness. He just needed—God how he needed—her to return it, the way Jessica returned Cooper’s.
As if she heard his thoughts Bailey glanced over at him. Uncertainty. Confusion. That’s all he saw in her eyes. No fierce love.
Determined not to feel deflated, Vaughn reminded himself that he could do this. He’d had worse odds in his career and he’d turned those situations around.
It was a quick, sincere, not overly sentimental ceremony that Vaughn could get on board with. He appreciated the simplicity of the wedding. It appealed to the tortured wedding guest in him that had had to endure unbelievably lavish weddings over the years. Weddings weren’t really his thing and he was grateful to the Lawsons for not dragging theirs out.
As the bride and groom made their way down the aisle, smiling in unadulterated bliss at their guests, Vaughn tracked Bailey as she followed with Cat and Joey at her side. If he wasn’t mistaken, she was deliberately avoiding his gaze.
The bridal party, led by Vivien, Vaughn’s events coordinator, met with the photographer, who then led them down the boardwalk.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Vivien announced, “the bride and groom would like to invite you to enjoy some music and refreshments while the photographer is with the bridal party.”
Everyone began to make their way over to the tables as the band struck up. Vaughn, however, found Vivien. “I’m heading back to the hotel. Are you alright here?”
“Yes. Of course. And everything seemed fine at the hotel when I left,” she said. “You could stay, enjoy a glass of champagne.”
“Yes, stay!” Kell and Jake were at his side, thrusting a glass of champagne in his face.
Not wanting to be rude, especially to people he’d been making an effort to turn into friends, he accepted it with a smile.
“To the happy couple!” Kell lifted his glass in the air. Jake and Vaughn clinked theirs against his.
“Wait for us!” Mayor Jaclyn Rose and her husband, Cliff, pushed their way into the little circle.
Jaclyn Rose was a tall, statuesque woman in her late fifties. Vaughn had never seen her in anything but a power suit, heels, and red lipstick. She was a force of nature, outspoken and strong, like Bailey. Her husband, a man two inches shorter than her, with a receding hairline and kind eyes, was quiet and unassuming. He was her complete opposite.
Jaclyn was a good friend of the Hartwells, and when Bailey took umbrage against his hotel, she pit the mayor against him.
He had not had the easiest of relationships with the mayor, but apparently his growing friendship with Kell and Jake was working its magic on Mayor Rose.
Vaughn felt satisfaction as they all raised their glasses together and she shared a smile with him.
Three years ago he wouldn’t have believed that he’d care about ingratiating himself with these people, but these people were the town of Hartwell. To be included as one of them, as a peer enjoying the celebration of one of their own, filled him with a pleasure he barely understood.
Finally Hartwell was truly becoming his home.
Now he only needed one thing to feel true contentment.
Bailey
As much as my chest swelled tight with emotion watching the photographer take photos of Jess and Coop in each other’s arms on the boardwalk, I knew the pressure on my chest was born of another reason, too.
I wanted nothing more than to give all of my concentration to my best friends, to the bride, who looked beautiful in her ivory satin ballgown, looking like a starlet from the 1950s, and her groom, who looked so damn handsome it was a sin.
They were stunning together, and not just because they were
good-looking people but because they were kind people so freaking in love they glowed with it.
I wanted to focus on that.
Yet, I couldn’t.
Because I’d felt that damn devil’s gaze burning through me from the moment I’d gotten out of the limo. He’d stared at me throughout the entire ceremony. And it wasn’t just his attention. It was the nature of his attention. Vaughn Tremaine looked at me as if he wanted to ravish me, protect me, and keep me forever.
How was any woman supposed to stay strong against the kind of longing and determination in Vaughn’s eyes? It was the kind of expression that gave a woman hope; that made a woman think maybe she was being a coward; maybe she was giving up on the one person that might be worth fighting for.
Damn him to hell!
I flushed under the hot sun, wishing the photographer would hurry up and finish so we could get into the shade. Cooper was starting to look a little flushed in his tux, and Joey, usually a good-natured kid, was ten seconds away from throwing a fit. Someone had gotten him a juice box to cool him down but it didn’t look as if it was doing much to appease him.
Jessica turned to the photographer. “I think we’re good!”
“Just a few more,” he said.
“No. My husband is about to pass out and my nephew is about to strip naked and run into the ocean. We’re good.” She took Cooper’s hand and led him past the unhappy photographer. “You’ll get plenty of candid shots at the reception.”
“But I wanted a few more of you on the beach.”
“We got plenty.” Cooper’s tone was final.
The photographer shut up.
I grinned at my friends. “We love you.”
Jessica winced. “Everyone’s dying, huh?”
“Just a bit.”
“Let’s get inside.”
We walked toward Paradise Sands and I felt a flip in my belly when I remembered the last time I’d been inside the building. Cat fell into step beside me, while Joey chatted up ahead with Jessica’s Aunt Theresa.
Cat nudged me playfully. “So, I heard something this morning.”
“What was that?”
“Tremaine basically announced to us that he was going to pursue you.”
My heart flipped over in my chest, and my hot sweat turned to cool sweat as little goose bumps rose up all over my body. “He did not.” I couldn’t even imagine Vaughn saying anything so personal in public.
“He did so.”
“You’re not joking?”
“Not at all.”
Well. That certainly would account for all the emotional eye-fucking I’d received from him. “How dare he,” I hissed, terrified and thrilled by the prospect.
“Oh, I know. A gorgeous, sexy, incredibly successful, rich man known for his taciturnity cares enough about you to declare his feelings in public. What an asshole.”
I scowled. “He is actually.”
“If you don’t want him, I’ll have him.” She shrugged.
Even though I knew she was joking, jealousy burned through me at the thought.
Cat laughed at my expression. “If looks could kill.”
“Shut up, Cat.”
“Ooh”—she rubbed her hands together and quickened her pace to catch up with Joey—“this is going to be fun!”
“What is?” Joey asked her.
“The wedding, baby.” She pulled her son into her side but flashed me a look over her shoulder. “There’s going to be plenty of entertainment.”
I flipped her the bird and she threw her head back in laughter.
“What do you think? Did you enjoy dinner?” Jessica stepped up beside me, sliding her arm around my waist.
We stared around at the ballroom. It was all silver and white with splashes of teal. It was beautiful. Classy. Elegant. Subtle. The table centerpieces were small, a collection of jarred silver and teal candles, with a bouquet of white peonies in the middle.
“Dinner was amazing. But how did you afford this place?” I’d been nosy and asked Vivien how much it was to rent the ballroom for the day.
“Discount, of course. Cooper is Vaughn’s bestie.”
I laughed at her teasing. “He’s nice to those he likes, huh?”
“And he likes you very much. I heard what he said to Cooper and Cat this morning.”
“Wow, news travels fast.” I looked into her hopeful hazel gaze and sighed. “Don’t. Jess. I . . . He confuses me enough without you lot ganging up on me.”
“No one is ganging up on you. We just want you to be happy.”
“I’m not in love with him,” I declared.
She studied me. “I know. But he’s in love with you. And I think if you gave him a chance, you’d fall for him, too.”
“I know that,” I agreed. “I know that one hundred percent. Which is why I don’t want to give him a chance. He’d crush me, Jess.”
“Or he’d love you forever the way you deserve.” She kissed my cheek, emotion clogging her throat when she whispered, “You helped save my life, Bailey Hartwell. I want everything for you.”
She pulled back and the tears that had filled my eyes, spilled over. “Thanks for that.” I huffed, blotting my cheeks with the back of my hands. “Took me ages to do my makeup.”
Jess laughed and handed me a tissue. “I have a ton.”
“Go.” I waved her away. “Make other people cry.” She turned to leave. “I love you, Jess.”
My friend grinned back at me. “And you know I love you.”
I watched her stroll away, her heavy dress trailing beautifully behind her, and I felt overwhelming happiness for her as Cooper drew her into his arms before leading her over to greet more guests.
If anyone deserved that kind of happiness, it was Jessica Hunting-Lawson. Jessica Lawson.
It had a nice ring to it.
I needed a restroom so I could check my makeup, but as I started walking toward the ballroom exit my gaze snagged on an unwelcome sight.
A young, extremely tall blond woman who could have been a model she was so striking was standing close to Vaughn. She was smiling at him and he didn’t look unhappy to be there. Why would he? She was a six-foot-something goddess in a dress that was so short all you could see were legs, legs, and more legs.
“Bailey, there you are.” Iris appeared at my side. “Come join us instead of standing over here like a wallflower.”
Forgetting about my makeup, I seethed as Iris led me over to their table. Dinner was over, a band was playing onstage, and drink was flowing. I’d kept my attention focused on the bride and groom and on the speeches. I had been moved by Jess’s Aunt Theresa as she spoke of all the time she and Jess had missed together, but how much joy she felt knowing that Jess had met someone who made up for all that lost time, that unhappiness, and how she couldn’t wait to be a part of such a promising future.
I laughed at Joey, who gave the cutest speech on earth, and I choked up when Cooper finished it off with a heartwarming, sexy toast to his new wife.
All of that kept my focus where it should be and not on Vaughn.
So I had no idea he’d brought a freaking date to the wedding!
What?
That made no sense!
Maybe she wasn’t a date.
“Who is that Vaughn is talking with?” Dahlia snapped.
My eyes flew across the room where he was still standing with the blonde. Christ, in those heels of hers she was even taller than Tremaine.
Ugly, bitter disappointment filled me.
“Oh, hell no,” Cat huffed.
“I thought he said he was coming after Bailey?” Ira was confused.
“Does everyone know about that?” I glared at Cat.
She shrugged, scowling back at me. “How was I supposed to know he had the attention span of a gnat?” Her expression soft
ened. “I’m sorry, Bails.”
“Oh, for the love of God,” Iris sighed. “The man is just talking. That means nothing.”
“With a stranger,” Dahlia pointed out. “She’s not from Hartwell, which means he invited her.”
Silence fell over our table as I digested this. Jealousy burned hot and painful inside of me as I watched him nod at something the Amazon said. I’d never felt this kind of envy before. It was thick and cloying, and it took my breath away.
Angry tears burned in my eyes.
And then as if he felt my attention, his head jerked in my direction. His fierce gaze bore into mine, making me breathless.
“I don’t think so,” Cat said, her tone softening. “No man looks at a woman the way he’s looking at Bailey and invites another woman to a wedding.”
I tore my eyes from Vaughn’s magnetic stare.
“Speaking of invitations.” Iris swiftly changed the subject. “Didn’t Vanessa get one to the wedding?”
“Yes,” I bit out, still disturbed by Vaughn. “But I haven’t heard from her since I threw her out of the house. I know she’s staying at the Grand, though.” Annie at the grocery store had informed me.
“I can’t believe she can’t see Jack is playing her,” Dahlia said.
“Vanessa only sees what she wants to see.” I glanced back over at Vaughn and swiftly looked away when I discovered his attention was still on me.
Shifting my gaze to the dance floor my eyes caught on a pink dress I admired. A tall brunette I didn’t recognize wore it. She was as tall as the blonde talking to Vaughn and model-like, too. I looked at her partner as they swayed around a little and recognition slammed into me with the force of a car.
No.
No way.
How?
Not here.
Fuck.
I shoved back from the table in an instinctual reaction to be further from him.
“Bailey?” Emery said. “Are you okay?”
No, I am not okay. I got to my feet, my chair screeching across the floor and drawing attention.
The man with the brunette looked over and our eyes met. He gave me a small, arrogant smile, and then he frowned as I continued to stare at him.