Perfect Together (6 page)

Nicole sighed. The truth was she hadn’t known Erin or anyone in Serendipity when she’d driven here to warn her.
Her goals in doing so had been twofold, and she might as well be up front with Erin.

“All I wanted was for my sister to get the help she needed, and I didn’t want anyone to get hurt.” And she definitely hadn’t wanted her twin to do anything she couldn’t undo, or would have to live with for the rest of her life.

Erin nodded in understanding.

“I should thank you for advocating for Victoria’s mental health,” Nicole said to the woman who, at the time of the incident, had also been an assistant district attorney. As the victim, she hadn’t been in charge of the case, but Nicole knew Erin had pushed hard for her sister to get help. “You could have just come down on the side of putting her in jail.”

“It was the right thing to do,” Erin said.

A low growl behind her told Nicole that Erin’s husband didn’t agree.

“Cut it out,” Erin said. “It’s over and done with. Nicole’s living here now, so let’s all play nice.”

Cole wrapped his arms around her waist and nodded at Nicole. “Welcome to town,” he said, sounding as if he just might mean it.

“Thank you.”

“Hi, all!” Macy brought her bubbly personality, taking the pressure off Nicole of dealing with Cole and talk of Victoria’s illness.

“Hi,” Erin and Nicole said at once.

“Everyone looks beautiful!” Macy hugged each of them. “Well, not Mr. Sullen, but you are looking handsome.” She pulled the gruff man into a hug.

“I’ll take that as my cue to mingle,” Cole muttered, extricating himself from Macy’s grip.

Erin
rolled her eyes. He patted her cheek and walked away. “You scare him,” she said to Macy.

The other woman laughed. “How’s that sweet angel of yours?” Macy asked. “Get it? Her daughter’s name is Angel,” she explained to Nicole.

The new mother beamed and launched into a description of things only a new mother would appreciate. Any time Tyler had brought up babies, Nicole would lapse into panic mode. Now she understood why. She had only to look at Erin’s beaming face when she looked at her husband to know—Tyler hadn’t been the right man for Nicole to start a family with.

“What table are you sitting at?” Nicole asked, when they’d finished their conversation.

“We’re at three. With my brothers and parents,” Erin said.

“Five,” Macy said, winking at Nicole. “Don’t you worry, I took charge of the whole situation. I wouldn’t leave you alone. We single women have to stick together.”

Nicole smiled, finally understanding why Macy had been so quick to embrace a friendship with her. It wasn’t just that Macy was warm and generous—she was—but there was more to the dynamic going on. The changes in Erin’s life meant she and Macy didn’t do as many things together anymore. Which meant Macy needed Nicole’s friendship as much as Nicole needed Macy’s. The knowledge eased a painful knot she’d had in her chest since walking in here feeling out of place.

“So, Nicole, what will you be doing here in town?” Erin asked.

“I’m looking into opening a specialty bakery, but not right away. I want to start small and see how things catch on,” Nicole explained.

“Tell her the rest.” Macy nudged her with her arm.

She’d
had time to fill Macy in about her talk with Trisha the other morning.

“Well, I’ve spoken to Trisha at the coffee shop, and she said she would be interested in taking in my items and selling them, and Macy said she’d approach her father about doing the same at the restaurant.”

“What kind of specialty items?” Erin asked.

“Cupcakes, cookies, pastries . . .”

“Aunt Lulu bakes pies and cakes, not pastries, so I think it would be fine,” Macy immediately chimed in.

Erin narrowed her gaze. “Are you sure about that?”

Nicole blinked. “Is there a problem?”

Macy shook her head. “Nope. I think Aunt Lulu and Nicole will complement each other perfectly.”

“Well, I love the idea! Where would you work? I hear you’re living over Joe’s, and that kitchen is tiny.”

That was the issue Nicole had run up against, at least in her head, and maybe subconsciously that was the reason she hadn’t filled up the place with food and baking necessities.

“I’m not sure . . . yet. I’m working on it.” She tapped the side of her head. She was thinking it through, but so far she hadn’t come up with any ideas.

“You’ll figure something out.” Macy’s gaze drifted to a point beyond them, and her eyes widened. “Listen, I need to go check in with my aunt. She’s looking a little lost, and when Aunt Lulu is at loose ends, trouble happens. I’ll see you at the table,” she said to Nicole, then waved at Erin and walked away.

Erin shook her head and laughed. “They’re both characters, Macy and her aunt.” She glanced over Nicole’s shoulder, her eyes opening wide. “Sam!” She waved at her brother, indicating he should join them.

Nicole’s
stomach immediately spun like she was on a roller coaster. Not in a panicked,
get me off this ride
kind of way, but in a
this is awesome, I could stay on here for another loop
kind of way. She couldn’t recall a time when she’d felt so excited about a man. Affected by hearing his name, psyched to see him, flushed, silly and girly.
This
was why she’d broken off her engagement, because if she and Tyler didn’t share this in the beginning, what would be left when the newness wore off?

She pivoted to greet the man who starred in not just her dreams but her fantasies too, only to see he wasn’t alone. She blinked but the fact remained, there was a woman by his side. A pretty blonde, her arm hooked through Sam’s. Nicole had to admit, with their light hair and good looks, they made a striking couple, and more than a few heads turned as they made their way across the room.

Nicole’s stomach, along with her hopes, plummeted at the sight, and she now knew what Sam had been about to tell her the other day. She drew her shoulders back, determined to get through this with grace and class. Her disappointment could come later, when she was alone.

Erin hugged her brother. “You two know each other, right?” Erin asked, oblivious to the undercurrent between them.

“Of course. It’s good to see you again.” Swallowing over her unreasonable hurt and disappointment, Nicole managed a politeness she didn’t feel.

Sam’s gaze remained steady on hers, but she didn’t let herself make eye contact.

“Sam, aren’t you going to introduce me?” his date asked.

Nicole forced a smile and waited for the inevitable.

Sam physically felt Nicole’s discomfort, and he wished
she would at least look up and see him, understand he wasn’t happy about this situation either.

“Margie, you know my sister, Erin, and this is Nicole Farnsworth. She’s new in town. Nicole, this is Margie Stinson. Her parents are big donors for tonight’s event,” he said, hoping she’d have to look at him now.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Nicole said, her voice sweet, covering the obvious hurt Sam knew he’d inflicted. “That’s wonderful of your parents. It’s a very worthy cause. In fact, that’s how Macy persuaded me to come tonight.” She paused and glanced around. “Speaking of Macy, I need to go find her.”

“Nicole—” Erin called her name, obviously sensing something was wrong.

Nicole had already walked away, but not before Sam caught the wounded look in her eyes, and he muttered a curse.

His sister glanced at him, clearly confused.

Sam didn’t have time for Erin’s curiosity or Margie’s arm still entwined with his. With every step Nicole took away from him, Sam felt opportunity and something more slipping away.

“I need to see to something,” he said, tipping his head in the direction of where Nicole had gone, shooting his sister a pleading look.

Erin narrowed her eyes, suspicion in her expression.

“Honey? I would love a drink,” Margie said, oblivious to anyone other than herself, as she’d been since he’d picked her up.

Honey?

Erin choked over a laugh.

“A white wine spritzer,” she continued. “No, make that a vodka with a splash of cranberry juice. No, a mimosa.”

Just
as on the car ride over, Margie talked to fill up space. Earlier she’d discussed her dress, her shoes, and her shopping, leaving Sam unable to get a word in edgewise. Sam thought she talked just to hear her own voice. She didn’t need much in the way of conversation, only an escort on her arm and an ear for her long-winded stories, which was fine with him. Her parents must have catered to each and every whim she’d ever had for her to be so self-absorbed.

“Sam, why don’t you go get us all drinks,” Erin said.

“I’ll go with you—” Margie immediately said.

“No, Margie. The line looks long. Stay here and keep me company. I’m home with a baby, and I really could use adult conversation,” his sister lied smoothly.

Sam shot her a look filled with gratitude. He didn’t miss the mouthed
You owe me one.
He did and figured babysitting and diaper changing was in his future. Well worth it, he thought, as he took off after Nicole.

By now, the bar area as well as the ballroom had filled up and he focused on searching for a deep blue dress or glossy, long dark hair. He’d noticed her immediately when he’d walked into the room: her lush curves accentuated by the gown, her beautiful smile a draw, at least for him. He found her now, disappearing out the door into the area where the restrooms must be.

He caught up with her in the nearly empty hall. Just a few women were walking out of the ladies’ room. Sam waited until they were alone and stepped up behind her.

“It’s not what you think.”

She flinched and turned, clearly startled, at the sound of his voice. “It doesn’t matter what it is. You don’t owe me an explanation.” She pivoted toward the restroom.

“Don’t.
Give me a minute. Please.” He heard the plea in his voice.

With a sigh, she stepped away from the door and led them to a quiet corner of the lobby. With people milling around, they weren’t alone, but at least she was with him. And she was listening.

“Margie’s parents are huge donors. Cara’s in charge of selling tickets for the station, and she begged me to take Margie. Hell, she basically insinuated that the Stinsons would pull out if I didn’t. You weren’t living here yet when I agreed, and even then, I did it under duress.”

Nicole had folded her arms across her chest in a protective manner earlier. She didn’t uncross them now.

His gut churned and acid flowed in his chest.

“Like I said, you don’t owe me an explanation.” Her lips twitched a little. “But . . .” She drew out the word. “I’m glad you rushed over here to give me one.”

He released the breath he’d damned well been aware he was holding. “I wanted to tell you at Cuppa Café when you asked me about tonight.”

“But you got called away.”

He nodded. “And I don’t have your phone number.” He pulled out his cell and held it out to her, determined to rectify that right now.

She accepted the phone and programmed her information into it before handing it back. “Sam . . .”

He looked into her eyes, the blue appearing darker tonight, which seemed to match her suddenly serious tone. “What is it?”

“This isn’t easy to say.”

He didn’t like the sound of that.

She exhaled and his gaze was drawn to her pink, parted lips. He already knew what she tasted like. He knew how soft her mouth was beneath his, what kind of little sounds she made in the back of her throat when that kiss got out of control. No way was she about to walk away.

Was she?

“I moved here to start over, and I left a whole host of complications behind.” Her eyes glazed with the memory of something that clearly wasn’t good.

Sam narrowed his gaze, but before he could respond, she continued.

“What I’m trying to say is that I’m not looking for anything serious or complicated now,” she said in a soft, apologetic voice. “But—”

He wasn’t looking for serious or complicated either. Still, she had something more to say, and he leaned in close. “But?” he asked.

“I do want something with you.”

He grinned at that, everything in him easing in ways he didn’t completely understand. “Good. Because I definitely want something with you. And after tonight, there won’t be any more obligations getting in the way.”

Many painful hours later, Sam drove Margie home from
the fund-raiser. Nicole left earlier, after dancing with more single men than Sam thought Serendipity possessed, and because he had a date, there was nothing he could say or do.

That would end after tonight.

Margie still lived in her parents’ home, which shared a property line with Faith and Ethan’s house on the hill, both
far from Sam’s family’s home on the opposite side of town. But economics had nothing to do with why he’d been ducking her advances for years. There was nothing about her he found appealing, not her personality or her looks from what he could see—and hear—because she hadn’t stopped talking since they left the country club. Luckily, the club was closer to her end of Serendipity, and soon he pulled into her driveway.

“. . . and I think your sister likes me, don’t you?” Margie asked.

Sam blinked, realizing he’d missed most of the one-sided conversation.

“Umm . . . I’m sure she does.” Actually, he figured Erin had as little tolerance for Margie as he had.

“Why don’t you come in for a drink?” She turned in the seat so she faced him, her ample cleavage plumping over her gown.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

She waved away his concern, treating him to a whiff of her strong perfume, which he’d already been informed was Givenchy. “If you’re concerned about appearances, I have my own private entrance around back.”

Of course she did. Along with her own stipend, which meant she didn’t have to work. He wasn’t in her social class and her interest in Sam was purely sexual, which was why he didn’t feel bad turning her down. She certainly wouldn’t get her feelings hurt, but that didn’t mean he’d deliberately set out to be cruel.

He gripped the steering wheel in both hands. “That’s not it.”

“Oh, you’re shy!” She reached out a perfectly manicured
hand and stroked his arm. “Good thing I’m not,” she whispered in what he supposed was meant to be a seductive voice.