“Oh, please.” Ally steps between us. “Cruise and you were ancient history by the time Kendall stepped into the scene. She was quite the plot twist.”
I give a private smile to Ally for her quasi-literary reference.
“That’s not what I’m talking about.” Blair gives a few rapid blinks and dabs her pinkies onto her tear ducts. “Things were already cooling off between us while we were still together.”
“That’s because you cheated on the poor guy.” Lauren plucks a tissue off the table and hands it to her—a move I classify as something just this side of treason.
“Before that.” Blair flails her arms as if she’s genuinely coming unglued by her relationship with Cruise, of all people. Although I’ll be the first to admit Cruise is totally worth coming unglued for. “It’s like his kisses changed.”
My stomach cycles at the thought of her ever laying those yarn-thin lips over my precious Cruise.
“He used to be so daring, so fun, and things sort of took a nosedive.” She honks into the tissue, and Lauren proceeds to hand her the box.
Crap. She’s pretty much describing what’s happening between Cruise and me right now. Only, the last thing in the world I’d do is cheat on him. I’d die before I even gave one wayward look to another guy. Face it, there’s not another man out there for me. Never was, never will be.
“Anyway, I started thinking I wasn’t enough and that’s when Rutger noticed me, and one thing led to a case of wine coolers and we sort of ended up having a good time in the back of his sports car.”
Blair lost her virginity to Rutger in the back of one of his father’s roadsters? Serves her right.
“Ms. Lancaster?” A tall woman who closely resembles an uptight librarian calls her to the front, and suddenly it feels like we’re all in trouble with the principal. “Your gown is ready.”
“I’ll be right there.” Blair looks over at me with those red-laced eyes. The hurt of losing Cruise is still fresh in her heart. “I guess I never really had Cruise Elton to begin with. I mean, he hasn’t gotten sick of you.”
I swallow hard. God, I hope he hasn’t.
“Cruise and Kendall are a forever kind of deal.” Ally is quick to link elbows with me. “Now surrender her wedding day and no one gets hurt.”
Just great. My wedding has entered into hostage negotiations. I’ve officially eclipsed the worst-case scenario—a bridal standoff at high noon with Blair.
Blair smirks as the color comes back to her, the fire of revenge alive and well in her cheeks. “That’s highly doubtful. That happens to be my birthday.” She scuttles over to me. “I put that date on hold two years before Cruise broke it off with me. There’s no way in hell I’m bending over and letting you screw me with my own wedding date. Find somewhere else to tie the knot. The last place it’s going to happen is that chapel. You may have Cruise, but Garrison is mine.”
“Is that why Rutger is marrying you?” I shake my head at the idea. “Because you’ve had a space reserved in advance and you need to fill it?” A tiny part of me is feeling sorry for Blair, but I’m quick to bitch-slap that tiny part of me and I’m right back to doling out the appropriate measure of disdain. It’s obvious she’s so desperate to keep her spot at the chapel she doesn’t care whom she’s walking down the aisle with.
Blair’s open palm sails across my cheek for what quickly becomes the slap heard around the bridal salon. She turns on her heels, grabs her dress, and storms the exit.
“Holy shit!” Lauren dips a tissue in a glass of champagne and offers up a bubbly facial to take the edge off.
“She just bitch-slapped you for no reason.” Ally can hardly control her breathing.
Maybe she did, but I can’t get past what she said about Cruise cooling things off with her. Is that what’s happening between us?
Nevertheless, I insist Lauren try on her dresses while Ally and I knock back the rest of the champagne and try to ignore the handprint welt forming on my face.
The first dress is a halter and it gives a summery feel, so we thumbs-down that one pretty quick. The second is a heavily ruched number that swoops down into a fabric-laden fishtail.
“Mermaid falls into vat of whipped cream—film at eleven.” Ally shakes her head, ixnaying the gown.
Lauren comes out in the third dress, and both Ally and I stand and gasp.
“Oh God, Lauren.” I can hardly get the words out. It’s an off-the-shoulder gown with delicate lace cap sleeves and a plunging neckline that gives away just enough, while the dress puddles into a smooth pool of perfection. “You look amazing.”
Ally snatches a tissue from off the table. “You look better than amazing. You look like one of those wedding cake toppers. All you need now is Cal and a cake.”
“Speaking of cakes”—Lauren gets that devious gleam in her eye like she does just before she demands I vomit out the naughty details of my not-so-private love life—“I want you both to come with me on my visit to the Cake Chief. That way, we’ll all get on TV together.”
“Sweet!” Ally squeals with delight while my enthusiasm wanes around my vocal cords. Not that I’m not happy for Lauren, it’s just that I seem to have lost my ability to squeal. I blame Blair for losing both my wedding venue and my squeal.
“So this is my favorite.” Lauren holds her hands out, looking an awful lot like a princess.
“It’s perfect.” I blink back tears. I’m genuinely happy for Lauren.
“Then it’s settled.” She looks back at herself in the mirror. “This is my dress.”
Ally and I press into her like a pair of bridal bookends, and the three of us blink back tears at how stunning Lauren is. All her dreams are effortlessly coming true, and a tiny part of me selfishly wishes we could trade places just for a moment.
After about an hour, Lauren changes and antes up with Ella at the front counter, but my heart is kicking and screaming because not one ounce of me wants to leave.
“Why don’t you two go ahead?” I bite down on my lip as I take in the nirvana that is bridal heaven. “I’ll have Molly swing by and pick me up. I’ve got a hair appointment next door.” I can’t believe I just lied to Lauren and Ally. And I feel like a fool for doing it.
“You sure?” Lauren gives me that look like she can see right through this wedding-inspired white lie.
“I’m sure.” I wave as they take off out the door.
Ella in the thigh-high boots comes over and offers a placid smile. “Can I help you?”
“Yes. I’d like to try on some dresses.”
Cruise
I’m just about to head home from the gym when Cal catches up to me in the lot. He’s sweating, and panting, and now I’m half-worried I’m about to witness a cardiac episode.
“What’s up, sweet cheeks?” I unlock my truck and it burps to life.
“Just talked to Lauren.” His bald head reflects what little sun there is today. His muscles bulge from his tank top with prime definition. Cal is the best damn advertising around for this place, especially since he’s looking cut, lean, and mean these days.
“Yeah? She leaving you for the leader of the geek squad?”
“You wish.” He mock socks me, and swear to God, I might get a bruise. “She was just at the fitting for her dress and mentioned Kendall seemed pretty down. Thought I’d relay the news before you wondered why your balls were being nailed to the wall.”
“Got it. Thanks for the heads-up. I’ll head home. Maybe I’ll bring her some flowers.”
“I don’t think you’ll find her there. Lauren mentioned she left her at the bridal shop—said something about getting her hair done after.”
“Thanks.” I hop in the truck and head down toward the only bridal shop in town, the one that happens to be next to my mother’s beauty salon. I know for a fact there’s no way in hell Kenny would get her hair done there. The last time she tried, she came out with “skunk streaks,” as she put it, and gray isn’t her color.
By the time I arrive, the sun has al
ready dipped behind the hillside, melting over the landscape like an orange Popsicle, and the light in the bridal boutique illuminates the strip mall with a peach glow. I hop out of the truck and pause to see a brunette with long hair through the window—Kenny is still in there at the far end of the boutique. I don’t waste any time and head inside, where I find her holding out her arms while looking in a mirror. She’s wearing a long white gown that accentuates her perfect hourglass figure and a pair of satin gloves that travel up past her elbow.
Wow.
I take a minute to catch my breath.
God, she’s so beautiful. Kendall Jordan is a dream come true in every possible way.
I head over just as she spins around and the smile plastered to her face slides right off the instant she sees me.
“Cruise?” She lets out a shriek and dashes behind the oval framed mirror standing in the middle of the shop.
“Whoa.” I head over and peer to the side. Kenny frowns and suddenly I feel like a jerk, so I do the only thing I can think of and give a little wave.
A tall woman with boots that ride past her knees comes barreling toward us, and for a minute I think she’s the bridal bouncer getting ready to kick me out on my testosterone-laden ass.
“I have a few other Veras you might be interested in,” she says to Kenny without paying me or my male parts any attention.
“Oh”—Kenny emerges from hiding and literately takes my breath away—“that won’t be necessary. But thank you.” She glances down with a heavy gaze like she’s getting ready to cry.
“Please,” I say, reaching for her hand, “don’t let me stop you. It would be my pleasure to see you in each and every one of them.”
“No.” Kenny swats me over the wrist until I let go. “This is all kinds of crazy bad luck with you here.” She reverts her attention to Boots. “I’m done, thank you. I’ll be in the dressing room in just a few minutes.”
Boots cuts me a look that lets me know my balls are on the line. I’ve committed some major gender-bending infraction, and if I don’t comply with the rules, my man parts are going to pay.
I hold up my hands. “Looks like I should have called.”
“Come here.” Kenny pulls me in and lands a warm, inviting kiss on my lips.
“You are so fucking beautiful.” I keep my eyes closed for a moment before blinking back the tears. “God, Kenny how did I ever get so lucky?”
“You haven’t yet.” She curtsies in her snow-white gown.
I take her by the hands and take a step back to fully inspect her. “Is this the dress?” My heart thumps just soaking her in. Kenny has transformed into a genuine storybook princess.
“Not anymore. It’d kill the entire future of our marriage if you saw me in my wedding dress.”
“Doubtful.” I flex a dry smile. “I’d better step up my game and get a tux or I’m going to feel like a frog come Christmas Eve.”
“You could never be a frog.” She presses in another quick kiss before pulling away with a devious look in her eyes. “Hey . . .” She glances around. “I’ve got a dressing room back there the size of the entire cabin.” She wets her lips nice and slow. “You want to help me take off my dress, cowboy?”
Kenny shoots me that lusty look and a flash flood of hormones unleash in me.
“Now what kind of gentleman would I be if I didn’t help a lady out of her dress—I mean, in distress?” I give a quick wink as she begins to whisk us off in that direction.
Morgan’s face crops up in my mind, about as wanted as a swarm of angry bees.
“On second thought”—I pull her to a halt and let out a heated breath in lieu of cursing her brother out loud—“I think maybe we should have a celebratory dinner.” I draw her into a kiss while trying to decompress my dick from its upright position.
“Great idea. We can do dinner after we do each other.” She pulls me toward the dressing room as if pulling me out of a fire.
“No, no.” I glance around. “We’d better not. I’d hate to get you in trouble with the boot lady. She might actually give us the boot if she knew what I was really helping you with.” My breathing grows erratic because every part of me wants to have her ten million different ways in that wedding dress. Morgan’s face blinks through my mind again, and this time I imagine punching him in the neck just for the hell of it.
Her lips quiver like she might cry. Kenny looks over her shoulder for a moment.
“Last chance for love,” she whispers, barely audible.
I shake my head once because I don’t have the balls to say no. As much as I hate to admit it, Morgan is right. I would have happily followed her back there and broken ten different matrimonial commandments without thinking twice. I’ve got “fucking” on the brain twenty-four seven, and I’ve unwittingly dragged Kenny into my carnal world of perversion.
“Let me take you somewhere special.” I clasp her hands and kiss each of them in turn.
“You want to take me somewhere?” Her eyes pick up that spark again. “Oh, Professor Elton, I thought you’d never ask!” She rises on her toes and dots my cheek with a kiss before running off to change. I watch as she makes her way down the long hall. The next time I see her in a big white dress, she’ll be coming toward me, and I cannot wait. It’s amazing to think that the best days of my life are still ahead of me. It’s going to be Kenny and me forever.
And, for us, forever began the first night I laid eyes on her.
Kenny and I settle on a sushi restaurant just south of Garrison, and from where we’re seated we have a clear view of the steel-caged globe sitting on the university’s highest point. A dull smile plays on my lips. That’s yet another place where I had mindless sex with Kenny. Wait, what am I saying? That was one of the most exhilarating experiences of my entire life, and I’m damn glad it was Kenny I shared it with. Morgan’s smirking face haunts my brain again, and this time I don’t hesitate to give him a black eye.
“It’s a clear night,” I say, wrapping my arm around her. Kenny loves to sit on the same side of the booth with me. I think it’s adorable and sweet, just like Kenny.
“The stars spray out like magic here in Carrington.” She rests her head on my shoulder. “Back home there were only streetlights and smog, but here we have the universe sparkling like jewels right over our heads.”
“You have a way with words.” I land a kiss in her hair. Kenny holds the scent of vanilla and roses.
“And you”—she rides her foot into my pants leg and the feel of her skin over mine sends a heat searing in my chest—“have a way with your body.” She tweaks her brows. “I happen to know for a fact the ladies’ room here is a single lock-off.” She runs her tongue over her lips and they glisten in its pretty pink wake.
Shit. I bounce in my seat because I’m half-tempted to do it. Morgan spikes up and no matter how many times I knock him down, he bounces back like a judgmental punching bag.
“So I was thinking”—I clear my throat, trying to ignore her foot edging its way to my knee—“I think”—her hand fumbles its way to my crotch and I scoot in the opposite direction a few inches—“I’m going to see a lawyer about getting the Plague the hell out of the B and B. It’s like a freaking beehive now with bodies coming and going at all hours of the night.”
“Beehive.” She blinks a smile because we both know she didn’t catch two words. Kenny’s got a one-track mind, and according to the hard-on blooming in my jeans, it seems to be a catching condition.
“Not to mention they haven’t even paid us yet.” I like using the term us. It feels natural—official.
“So”—she gives a husky laugh—“you want to walk me to the bathroom?”
Before I can answer, the waitress comes and takes our order while I shake my legs in an effort to defuse the boys. As soon as she walks away Kenny is back to massaging my crotch to the point of no return.
“Where were we?” She slips her hand down my Levis and latches onto the one-eyed snake faster than I can throttle her effort.
>
Fuck. Here we are in public and she’s about to willingly toss me off. How the hell would I feel if some idiot made Molly believe that this was how rational adults act in the real world? I can’t believe it took Morgan Jordan to help me see the imprudent light.
“Cruise Elton.” She dives in and lands a barely there kiss on my neck. “If I didn’t know better I’d swear you were rejecting me.” That thinly veiled look of hurt in her eyes lets me know she believes this. She runs her hand down to my balls and cradles them.
My head knocks back and I let out a groan that garners stares from the diners at the next three tables.
“Rejection?” I whip out my wallet and toss forty bucks on the table. “Hell no.” I speed her out the door and to the truck, navigating the road back to the cabin like it’s a speedway.
“The cabin?” She tilts her head into me as I narrowly miss the entry to the bed-and-breakfast. The entire roadway is clogged with cars taking up both sides of the street. A loud thump vibrates the dashboard, so I roll down the window and listen as the B and B pulsates into the night with its own damn heartbeat.
“Shit.” The easement is backlogged three cars deep, so I jump the curb and drive over the landscaping, and to my chagrin two other cars follow my moronic behavior. “What the?” I glance over the B and B lit up like a football stadium as the music ricochets off the forest and amplifies itself so loud that I’m sure the entire state of Massachusetts will be treated to a little of the Plague tonight.
We jump out of the truck, and for a second I contemplate going over there and raising hell—but judging by the spontaneous mosh pit in the front yard, I think the Plague beat me to it.
“It’s so loud!” Kenny screams as we make our way into the cabin.
I shut the door and the walls vibrate in rhythm to the music.
“I think this is exactly what we needed,” I say, still shouting over the damn racket churning in our once-sleepy neighborhood. I put in a quick call to the Carrington Police Department and give a sly grin over at Kenny once I hear they’re sending a unit out to investigate.