Falling for Sarah (3 page)

Sarah grinned. “Let’s finish this. I’m losing the light.”

Morgan and Hunter joined hands, began walking along the wet sand, just missing the surf. After several steps, Hunter picked Morgan up and continued on. Sarah zoomed in on the four footprints that became two, blurred the couple walking off in the distance. She glimpsed the photo she made on her digital screen and beamed. The effect was just what she’d wanted. This would be her gift to them, the perfect symbolism of marriage—two lives becoming one.

Sarah glanced up from the camera and happiness filled her heart. Hunter still held Morgan in his arms. He said something and she laughed. Her hand brushed his cheek as she answered and he grinned.

She had feared this day would never come for her friend. After Jake’s death, Hunter had closed himself off to happiness, blaming himself for something that had never been his fault. A month on duty in the mountains of Yellowstone, protecting Morgan, had taken care of that. He’d lost his heart while they’d dodged gunfire and run from corrupt government officials. Now, in less than twenty-four hours, Morgan and Hunter would be married.

“Are we finished here?” Hunter said as he set Morgan down.

“Yes, the torture is officially over.” Sarah smiled.

Morgan enveloped Sarah in a hug. “We really do appreciate you doing this for us.”

Sarah hugged back. “I’m happy to.”

Hunter moved in, giving Sarah a quick kiss on the forehead. “Yes, we do. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Morgan glanced at her watch. “We’re cutting it a little close. We need to get home and change before we head over to the resort. Do you want to ride with us, Sarah?”

“No, I have to pack a few of Kylee’s things yet and make sure Hailey can still join us tomorrow. Are you sure you want us staying with you tonight? You need a good night’s sleep.”

“Of course I do. Hunter will be with Ethan. I want my Matron of Honor and flower girl with me.”

“Then we’ll be there.” Sarah shouldered her camera bag, and they made their way to their cars. She unlocked her blue sedan, got in. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

Sarah ran toward the enormous gazebo with Kylee in her arms—a tricky feat in heels. “We’re here. We’re here. I’m so sorry we’re late,” she said to no one in particular as she climbed the steps to the center.

A boisterous crowd of fifty milled about and she relaxed. It was clear there was no hurry here. Hunter, clad in a white button-down and black slacks, spoke to the officiant while Morgan, stunning in her simple, sleeveless cocktail dress—the same bold green as her eyes—chatted with her parents and Hunter’s mother.

“I guess we’re not so late after all.” Sarah settled Kylee on her hip, smoothed her pink thigh-length dress. “Let’s go tell Uncle Hunter we’re ready whenever he is.” She took a step forward, stopped, captivated by the spectacular view. The full moon, rising high, cast a glow upon thousands of flowers surrounding the gazebo. Sarah walked to the edge, caught up in the beauty. The distant thunder of the Pacific hundreds of feet below added to the magic. “Oh, sweetheart, it’s amazing.”

Kylee’s blue eyes brightened. “I want to pick the fwowers.”

“We can’t, honey.” She watched her daughter’s smile dim. “They don’t belong to us. We can pick flowers at home.”

“O-tay.” Kylee gasped and let out a sudden squeal of delight as she held out her arms.

Sarah jumped and turned as Ethan, handsome in charcoal slacks and a white polo, swooped forward, grabbing Kylee from Sarah, resting her on his hip. “Hey there, kiddo.” He kissed her chubby cheek. “Don’t you look pretty tonight.”

“Dis is my new dress,” Kylee preened, tugging none too gently on the delicate, pale blue silk.

“You look like a princess. A pretty princess should have a flower.” He walked with her to the side of the gazebo, leaned over, picked a creamy white carnation.

Kylee’s blonde pigtails bounced in her excitement as she took the stem from Ethan’s fingers. “Look, Mama, my pretty fwower. I’m a princess.”

Sarah smiled at Kylee, then Ethan. “Yes, I see. What do you say to Ethan?”

“Tank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Ethan bent his head close to Kylee’s, whispered in her ear. Her head bobbed up and down as she smiled. Ethan bent forward again, picked another carnation. This time he walked to Sarah and handed it to her.

She grinned, touched by his sweetness. “Well, aren’t you two thoughtful.” She brushed her lips against Kylee’s cheek. “Thank you.” Her grin widened when Ethan tapped his own cheek. Sarah brushed his next, chuckling. “Thank you as well.”

“Beautiful ladies deserve beautiful flowers, right, kiddo?”

Kylee wrapped her arms around the back of his neck. “Right.”

Sarah took his hand. “This is the perfect night for their rehearsal. I hope the weather…” She stopped as a tall, voluptuous woman dressed to kill slid up next to Ethan. Her beautifully manicured finger ran down his muscled arm.

“Ethan, darling, I’ve been looking for you,” she purred in her European accent.

“I had to come see my favorite kiddo.” He let go of Sarah’s hand to gently tug on one of Kylee’s golden pigtails.

“Yes, of course.” The black haired beauty glanced at the toddler before waving in dismissal. “I thought we might go mingle and get a glass of champagne.” The exotic woman in red looked Sarah up and down. “Are you not going to introduce me to your friend?”

“Sorry. Nicolette, this is Sarah Johnson and her daughter, Kylee.”

Sarah extended her hand, smiled, trying to be gracious. “It’s nice to meet you, Nicolette.”

Nicolette barely touched her fingers. “You’re name is familiar to me. Do you model or act?”

Sarah laughed. “Neither. I’m a photographer.”

Nicolette’s eyes narrowed. “Ah, yes, Sarah Johnson, ‘Photographer to the Stars’. This is why I have heard of you. I read your magazine, ‘Celebrity’.”

“I freelance for them when a client requests it.”

“How nice, but I do not like you photographers. You are all so pushy.” She scrutinized Sarah’s face. “You are an attractive woman. Perhaps you should try standing in front of the camera sometime. This is where the hard work starts, no?”

“Put away the claws, Nicky,” Ethan said with a tinge of warning.

More than finished with their conversation, Sarah took Kylee from Ethan. “If you’ll excuse us, Hunter and Morgan are probably wondering where we are.” She met Ethan’s gaze for a heartbeat before she turned and left.

She
definitely
didn’t like that woman. Nicolette was incredibly rude, but that wasn’t the problem. In her business, beautiful, ill-mannered women were part of the package. It was Nicolette’s eyes. In the depths of their chocolate brown perfection, she’d seen a streak of viciousness. Couldn’t Ethan see it, or was he too caught up in her long black hair and French accent?

As they walked toward the stairs, Kylee began to fuss. “I want Ethan.”

“We’ll see him later.” She kissed Kylee’s forehead. “He’s busy right now.”

Morgan snagged Sarah’s arm as she passed. “There you are. I think we’re ready to start. I need to find Ethan, and we should be good to go.” Morgan beamed at Kylee. “Hi, sweetie.”

Kylee turned her face into Sarah’s neck and sniffled.

“What’s the matter with my beautiful flower girl?”

Sarah took a deep breath, smiled, determined to be cheerful. This was Morgan’s night. “She’s a little upset that I pulled her away from Ethan. We just saw him over at the other end of the gazebo.”

Sarah followed Morgan’s gaze as she scanned the room. “Oh, there he is. Hunter’s waving him over. Kylee, honey, we’re going to see Ethan right now.”

Kylee picked up her head and wiped her eyes. “O-tay.”

Sarah watched Ethan make his way toward Hunter with Nicolette clinging to his arm.

“So, Ethan brought his flavor of the month I see.” Morgan draped her arm around Sarah’s waist as they skirted through the crowd. “Hunter says she’s a big-time model in France. She’s the spokesperson for some exclusive fragrance. Apparently Ethan met her last month when he was over at his Paris branch. I’m assuming that since we haven’t been introduced, this one isn’t serious, although none of them are.”

“I just had the pleasure of meeting her. I wasn’t impressed.” Sarah winced when her words came out with more heat than she intended.

Morgan stopped. “Wow, she made quite an impression. I’ve never heard you say a negative word about anyone, even when they deserve it.”

Sarah shrugged. She couldn’t figure out why she was letting the situation bother her so much. Ethan was free to date whomever he chose. “She rubbed me the wrong way, that’s all.”

“Do you want me to have Hunter talk to Ethan?”

Horrified by the thought, Sarah’s eyes grew saucer-wide as she clutched Morgan’s arm. “Good God, no. Please don’t do that.”

“I want you to be comfortable. You’re my friend. ” Morgan’s eyes began to heat. “She’s not.”

“It’s fine. This night is about you and Hunter. Please, let’s just concentrate on the two of you.” She smiled as Morgan stared at her for another moment.

“Okay, but I want you to tell me if you change your mind.”

Not on your life
. “Will do.”

After the guests wandered off for champagne and appetizers, the wedding party practiced for the following day. Hunter and Ethan stood, waiting in the gazebo.

“Kylee, I want you to walk to Auntie Morgan’s mommy and wait for me, okay?”

“O-tay, Mama.” Kylee made her way down the imaginary aisle, holding her empty basket. Instead of stopping and standing with Ilene Taylor, she kept going. Sarah stepped forward, but stopped when Ethan shook his head and scooped her up.

Sarah started down the aisle next, glanced at Nicolette leaning against the wooden banister. Her temper flashed as the woman’s eyes narrowed in Kylee’s direction. Standing in her designated space, she took a deep breath. Nicolette wasn’t worth all this.

Sarah snapped to attention when Morgan called her name. Everyone was looking at her. “Yes? I’m sorry.”

“Now that we’ve finished with the run-through, you and Ethan are supposed to walk down the aisle for Hunter and me. It’s bad luck if we do before tomorrow.”

“Yes, yes, of course.” She moved toward the would-be aisle where Ethan waited, still holding Kylee. She put her arm through his and walked with him.

He nudged her gently in the side. “Where were you back there? Morgan called your name three times.”

She met his gaze as the heat of embarrassment stained her cheeks. “I had something on my mind.”

“I hope you’re more focused tomorrow.” He smiled. “I don’t want to have to come drag you from your spot.” He nudged her again, giving her a wink.

Uncharacteristically irritated, she didn’t smile back. “I assure you, Morgan will be my main focus tomorrow as she should’ve been tonight.” When they stopped at the entrance of the gazebo, she removed her arm from Ethan’s, made a grab for Kylee.

He turned to the side so she couldn’t take her. “I was kidding. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It’s getting late. I have to get Kylee her supper.” She moved forward, trying to take Kylee again.

Ethan evaded her for the second time, sending Kylee into giggles with the motion. “You’re upset because Kylee needs to eat? Try again.”

“I’m not upset about anything. I really don’t want to get into this right now.” She glanced over as Nicolette made a beeline in their direction. She wanted to avoid another encounter with her as badly as she wanted to avoid the plague. “Your date’s looking for you. Now may I please have my daughter?” She moved forward, plucked Kylee from Ethan’s arms, not missing the surprise in his eyes.

“Sarah?”

She walked down the steps as quickly as her heels allowed. Ethan called after her again. She ignored him as she made her way to the function room. She would get Kylee her meal and head back to the bridal suite as soon as possible.

Ethan’s gaze roamed over the guests crowding the elegant function room. A massive buffet ran the length of one wall where people busily helped themselves to a variety of top-notch dishes. He spotted Sarah and Kylee sitting alone at a small table in the corner. Kylee took a bite of grilled cheese, followed by a heaping spoonful of applesauce. Sarah pushed salmon and rice around on her plate before she set her fork down to wipe a glob of apple from Kylee’s cheek.