Awakened By A Kiss (Once Upon A Romance) (5 page)

His sigh bounced off her. His warm breath tickled her senses. She shivered. “So what do you suggest I do, Ev?”

“Tell Dex. He’s a grown man.”

“You don’t understand.” He scratched his jaw. “He was hurt. Thought he was in love. One-sided. Charlotte King, now Charlotte King-Royale. It was a rude awakening. A very painful time. That’s why he quit King’s. He kicked around, worked in a couple of labs, but he’s never been happy. His parents died. He was lost. I tried. But there’s only so much I could do. I had this job lined up. I had to see it through. My mistake. Dex was, and still is, lonely. Candace showed some interest.”

Evelyn groaned. “He fell for that.”

“Took the bait like a baby taking a bottle.”

Something tugged inside her. She didn’t want to feel anything. “You don’t want to hurt him again. But, he will be, in the end.”

“Not if he realizes he’s not really in love with her.”

“How do you plan on showing him?”

“That’s where you come in.”

“Me? I’m the last one in the world to show him how wrong he is. I’m a wedding coordinator assistant. I believe in love.” Her voice faded away.
For other people
. She didn’t have the luxury of looking for it. No, she was fixated on another priority. First comes baby, then comes—well, maybe nothing comes after for her.

He stared. She swallowed hard. His silence unnerved her. Evelyn fidgeted with her bag, finding the stuffed bunny and gripping it. “I think I’ve got a plan…”

“I don’t like the sound of that.”

***

Shane Weston couldn’t even look at himself in the mirrored glass of the Charmings Wedding Boutique display case. “Some plan,” he muttered, mentally kicking himself. It was only the hundredth time he’d gone over it since proposing it to Evelyn last night. “Now, execute it.”

He’d never even kissed her. God, how he’d wanted to. Then, after his suggestion, she looked at him like he’d grown horns on top of his head.

Strolling into the boutique, he avoided looking anywhere but straight ahead. Relief washed over him when he spotted Evelyn. At least she hadn’t called in sick like she’d threatened to.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement. He turned, noticing Candace and Dex there. “Hey, guys, what are you doing here?”
Did he sound surprised enough? Or did they see right through him.
He played bashful. “Ah…what’s up? I mean, what’s going on?” He glanced over his shoulder a couple of times.
Where was Evelyn?
Why hadn’t she come to his rescue yet?

“Shane, buddy,” Dex said. “Hey, how’d you know we’d be here? They’re giving us a second chance.”

Candace elbowed Dex in the belly.

“Ouch!” Dex rubbed the spot. “What was that for?”

“Oh, look, if it isn’t the Hightower-Snodgrass bride and groom. Ah…Mr. Weston—” Evelyn strolled toward them.

“Shane, remember,” he coaxed.

“Did you call him?” Candace asked Evelyn, glaring at her. If her lips got any tighter, they’d disappear.

Taking pity, Shane piped up, “No. I don’t even think she knows my number.” That was a lie; he’d given it to her last night when he dropped her off at her place. “I was hoping to stop in and maybe have a chat, you know, put in a good word for the happy couple.”

Candace eyed him closely. “Change of heart?” She put more emphasis on the last word.

He slapped Dex on the shoulder. “I want my cousin to be happy.” That much was the truth.

“Thanks, Shane. Mom and Dad knew you’d always look out for me.”

Now his gut twisted. If only he’d tried harder. Thank goodness they weren’t here to see how little it worked lately. Privately, they couldn’t stand the grown-up Candace, her antics, and what she’d been doing to her parents these last few years. He had to do this for them just as much as for Dex. “Always.” It hurt to smile, but he forced himself to.

Evelyn must have picked up on his tension; she said, “He’s here, right? That should tell you how much he cares.”

They were both going to hell, he just knew it.

“So…” Candace drew the word out. “It’s a go then?”

“Let’s pull the calendar out and see what we can do,” Ev said, patting her on the arm.

Shane wondered if Evelyn would go to hell first or would he. That fake gesture may have sent her there faster.

“That’s the date I want.” Candace’s mutinous look spelled trouble.

“What time did you say?” Evelyn asked between gritted teeth. She turned to Shane and shot him a glare.

He touched her back. She shivered beneath his hand. Heat rushed through him.

Half aware of his cousin and fiancée watching, Shane frowned. He drew away from Evelyn. She let out a shaky breath and took a step back.

What the heck just happened?

***

The plan! It was the plan, Evelyn scolded herself. But, she swallowed hard, trying to bite back on a wave of longing.

Somehow he’d convinced her to go along with this charade.

Now, she couldn’t tell if Shane was acting or if anything was real.
Had he felt it, too?

His grand scheme of pretending to fall for each other, to tick Candace off enough that she’d show her hand in front of Dex, seemed sound enough only hours ago. After all, Shane was a desperate man. His window of opportunity narrowed drastically when Candace moved the wedding date.

Evelyn knew a thing or two about windows of opportunities narrowing, maybe even slamming in your face too soon. She had her own she needed to get started on and pronto!

But, why did she agree to this cockamamie idea? Her benefit out of all of it would be that she didn’t have to deal with Miss High and Mighty a.k.a. Candace the Horrible any longer. The less time planning a high-society wedding, the more time for her own dilemma. And King’s had plenty of business as it was. But, she’d tread lightly to keep Candace from publicly bad mouthing the store.

Also, a part of her felt for Dex. He didn’t deserve to be used. Candace had a timetable to adhere to and Shane wouldn’t heel to her wishes. So she found someone who would. Only it was too close for comfort, waving it in front of Shane’s face.

Evelyn sighed heavily.

“Girl, don’t you be moping like that in front of me,” Rico chided, nudging her arm as she flipped through the huge wedding calendar. Most of the dates were already filled for the next six months.

She scanned the date: two months, Saturday night. Her heart stilled. “Peg and Austin? How in the world did I forget my own brother’s wedding date?”

“Baby eyes, that’s why,” Rico pointed out. “Got any lined up? I told you, I’d go halfsie with you. I want one, too, but dang if baby daddies would fall out of trees for us.”

“He’s going into the recording studio,” she mumbled. “That’s what he said. Wed and honeymoon before he locks himself and his bandmates away for hours and hours every day.”

“Peg’s on board, too. You know she couldn’t stand to be away from us so long. Kinda neat he’s moving to the Big D for her, don’t you think?” His dramatic sigh rippled in the air. “If only I could find the One.”

Numbness invaded her mind. How could she pull this off? She couldn’t plan two weddings on the same date for the same time, could she?

Her friend jerked, and then clutched her arm in a fierce grip. “Tell me I’m delirious. ’Cause if that’s who I think it is, you’d better hold me back. Miss High and Mighty—”

Evelyn looked up and right into the face of Candace Hightower’s stubborn glare. “He’s not to come near me. Ever.”

Inside, she rolled her eyes. On the outside, she pasted on a smile. “I’m sure we can work something out.” She glanced over the woman’s shoulder until she captured Shane’s stare. She narrowed her eyes.
You are going to pay for this.

“Sorry,” he mouthed.

Yeah, right
.

“She really just said that?” Rico challenged. “Moi?
I
can’t be near
you
? Honey, and I use that like I would anyone beneath me, you are full of yourself. Get a grip, will ya?”

“I want to see the manager,” Candace bit out.

“I am the manager.” He preened. “Or did you forget?”

“The
store
manager.”

“You want to see Griff?” Rico looked at his nails, blew on them, and rubbed them on his scarf. “He and I are besties.”

Evelyn cringed. Rico stretched the truth. He and Griff’s wife were besties.

“Then the owner. Charlotte King-Royale.”

“Another one of my besties.” Rico fluffed his hair. “Who do you think begged me to come work for her?”

Candace’s face turned a bright shade of red.

“Ah…Rico,” Dex stammered. “I’m sure we can settle this.”

“You’re taking his side?” Candace’s tears could almost be mistaken as real.

“No, not at all.” The poor guy was so out of his league. “I just want to keep things calm.”

“You’re saying I’m not calm?” She sniffed loudly.

“Candy, you know I’d never say such a thing. I’m just…let’s be reasonable here.”

“How dare you call me unreasonable? How could you? I want to have a gorgeous wedding.
The
wedding. Not just for me. But my mother and father, too. I’m their little girl. I’m their only child. I don’t want to ruin this for them.”

“Is she serious?” Rico laughed so hard he cackled.

Evelyn giggled. She bit her lip. But Rico wouldn’t stop. A chuckle escaped her clamped mouth. She turned away, swatting Rico on the arm.

He doubled over, clutching his middle.

“Shhh!” She scolded, but the laughter shot out of her. “Quit, will you?”

His breath caught so only a honking sound came out now. Tears rolled down his cheeks.

Evelyn bent over, meeting him eye to eye. That was it; she lost it. Reaching out, she held onto Rico and he gripped her back.

“I’m going to…pee my pants,” Rico said between laughs.

“What a pisser,” she choked out.

That was it; he collapsed to the floor, rolling around as he continued to howl with laughter.

Shane grabbed a nearby counter, trying to hold back. Dex turned to him, with his back to Candace.

“Come on, man,” Dex said, but he couldn’t keep it in. He chuckled and then he burst out.

“You, too?” Candace sputtered. She whacked him on the arm with her five hundred dollar purse. “And you, Shane, you should know better.”

With that, she stormed out of the boutique.

“Good riddance,” Rico finally managed to say when he got his breath back and got to his knees, making it to the counter. He passed tissues to Evelyn. “Girl, she’s so fake. There’s not a real thing about her.”

Getting himself under control, Shane coughed a few times. “Dex, sorry about that. Maybe you should go after her. I’ll take over here.”

“You think that’s a good idea?” Dex wiped his eyes, but a sliver of panic crossed his face.

“No. But there’s one thing I know about a woman.”

“Do tell, Mr. Weston,” Evelyn chimed in, getting a grip on herself once again.

He shot her a sour look. She smiled back sweetly. He caught his breath, and then shook his head to clear out that sexy image. Turning back to his cousin, he said, “No matter what, you’re in the dog house. But it’s worse if you don’t apologize first thing. You let it go, it festers, and that means it only goes downhill from there. It could be days or weeks that you’re walking around on eggshells.” He’d seen it all unfold with his parents.

“Damn, he’s good. Sounds like you have lots of experience, big fella.” Rico stood, and then came around the counter and to Dex. “Listen, I’ll stay out of your wedding. God knows I can’t stand that woman you’re marrying.” He shivered in revulsion. “But that’s your prob, not mine.” He brushed a hand over Dex’s lab coat. “Ah, advice—don’t wear this thing in public. Not a good look. Now, go crawl to her for forgiveness.”

Dex’s perplexed look cut through Shane. “Buddy, it’s all part of the courtship dance. Believe me.”

Shaking his head, Dex took a few steps toward the exit and then turned back. “Really?”

“Afraid so,” Evelyn said.

He groaned and headed off.

“Well, if you ask me, and I know you didn’t, but that never stops me from putting my two cents in, he’ll have an ulcer in less than a year. Too nice for the likes of that one.” Rico scrunched up his face. “She’ll have him tied up in knots.”

Shane looked from Rico and then to Evelyn. “He’ll help us.”

“No, not him.”

“What do you mean?” Rico eyed her suspiciously. “Help? With what?”

“It’s better it stays under wraps,” Evelyn said between gritted teeth. Her eyes were wide and pleading.

Shane sucked in a sharp breath. How could she get to him like that? With just one look? “Rico, my man, do we have a plan…”

Evelyn groaned. “Now you’ve done it.”

***

“What?! Girl, you and Shane? Shane and you? Pretend couple to make High and Mighty show her claws in front of the scientist? How brilliant! I love it!”

“Shhh! Not too loud or the neighbors will hear,” Evelyn said, chugging from the bottle of wine he passed her.

For hours now, he’d gleefully repeated the plan to her. Now, at his sleepover, it was getting old. And the more he drank, he was getting loud—well, louder than normal.

“Where’s Peg? I thought this was for her.”

He checked his cell phone, scrolling through his messages. He held the phone away, then brought it closer, and then away again. “Says, she be here by nine.”

Maybe Rico would be too inebriated to blab. She looked over at him as he snuggled in the pile of pillows on the floor.
Pass out
.

With his eyes closed and quiet now, Ev thought he could have reached his limit.

“Love to be a fly on that wall. Ev?” He shot up, facing her. She yanked back at the sudden movement. “I got it. This is your baby daddy.” He grabbed her upper arms and shook her. “Shane. Oh sexy, let me look into your baby blues all day long, H1, Shane.”

She gulped, and then coughed. “No,” her hoarse voice croaked. Her stomach dipped, just like being back on that invisible roller coaster. “No,” she said with more force.