The Billionaire's Best Friend (The Sherbrookes of Newport) (21 page)

From her spot on the lounge chair, she watched him swim back toward her. After dinner, they
’d come down to the indoor pool. After only two laps, she called it quits and opted to watch Nate from the comfort of a padded lounge chair.

When Nate reached the end of the pool he pulled himself up out of the water and sat on the edge.
“Doing okay over there?” he asked.

Seeing him half-naked and dripping wet, Lauren marveled once again at the changes in his body since high school. Yet despite his size and his strength, he was always gentle when they made love. Thoughts of their time in bed that morning set off a fluttering of desire.
“Perfect. Just thinking about you, us.” The other couple in the pool kept her from sharing any more intimate details. “And a wedding date.”

In one movement he stood and joined her on the lounge chair.
“What about in June when school gets out?”

“
That’ll give me less than two months to plan.”

Nate used the towel Lauren handed him to dry his face.
“So? How long does it take?”

Did he not know how much preparation went into a wedding?
“Callie planned hers in about ten months, but it took my sister a year and a half.”

“
Hell, no. I’m not waiting ten months.”

At this point she didn
’t want a long engagement either. “July, then? Callie and I booked a cruise together. Now that she’s pregnant she can’t go. That could be our honeymoon.” Every year since college they had taken a summer vacation together.

A frown crossed his face so fast Lauren wondered if she
’d seen it at all.

“
July it is.”

Even a July wedding didn
’t give her much time for planning, but she’d make it work somehow. “On Monday I’ll call and set up appointments at some reception locations. I’ll try for the weekend so you can come. I hope we can find something.” People booked locations sometimes years in advance. At this late date, she might have to take whatever she could find.

“
Wherever you want is fine.” Nate pulled on the T-shirt he’d worn down. “If you need to go without me, that’s okay.”

Had she heard him right?
“You don’t want to come with me?”

Perhaps he heard the hurt in her voice, because he leaned over and kissed her before answering.
“That’s not what I said. But I trust your judgment, so if you can’t make an appointment that works for both of us, don’t stress about it. Just go without me. If you see something you like, book it. I want this day perfect for you. As long as we are both there, anywhere is fine with me.”

Most women would kill for a chance to make all the decisions about their wedding, and a part of her was thrilled. Still, this day was about the two of them. Nate should have some input.
“Okay, what about the ceremony itself? Do you want it at the church where your parents were married? All your cousins married there. Or do you want a justice of the peace?” If left up to her, she’d have an outdoor wedding. At one time she’d dreamed of a big church wedding, but since Callie’s wedding in Newport she’d loved the idea of one outside.

“
Up to you, sweetheart.”

On that one, she kept silent. An outdoor wedding it was.
“You’re making this too easy,” Lauren said, as she stood up.

“
If you need help sampling food choices, count me in. That’ll be my contribution.” He came to his feet and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Lauren leaned into him as they walked from the pool back through the hotel. At that moment there wasn
’t a single thing she’d change. She’d thought she was happy before Nate came back into her life, but she’d been so wrong. Never had her life felt this right. In her mind she had it all: a wonderful family, a job she loved, great friends, and best of all—the love of the one man who’d had her heart forever. While a marriage to Kevin would have given her money and privilege, she’d never trade what she and Nate had for that.

***

Lauren ended her conversation with the events coordinator, put down her phone, and drew a red line through the last name on her list. Now what? Every single reception facility and country club on her list had a red line through it and some of the places she’d added hadn’t been her top choices. In fact, the Kirkland Country Club, which she’d just crossed off, had been more like third or fourth tier choice, and even they didn’t have anything open until winter. And that was still better than her favorite location. The Garwood, a fully refurbished hotel built in the 1920’s on the North Shore, didn’t have anything available until next July. When she’d told Nate about the difficulties she was having finding a place she liked on such short notice, he’d suggested they just skip the formal wedding altogether. He argued that a quick ceremony in Vegas would accomplish the same end with much less hassle. She’d told him exactly what she thought of his idea. In true Nate fashion, he shrugged it off and told her to plan whatever kind of wedding she wanted as long as it happened soon.

That had been last week. Now with every single location crossed off the list, she wondered if maybe his idea held some merit. Maybe they should just contact a justice of the peace and get married in her parents
’ backyard with close family in attendance. It wouldn’t be the wedding she thought she’d have, but did that really matter? They’d save money if they skipped a big reception.

She closed her eyes and tried to picture a wedding at her parents
’ house. The vision of her father standing at the grill with his “kiss the cook” apron on and the picnic table set with a red-checkered tablecloth popped up. As she and Nate said their vows, her nephew chased her parents’ dog through the flowerbed, covering the guests with mud in the process.

Oh God!
Lauren
dropped her head into her hands. She had to find a place. Otherwise, she’d find herself covered in muddy paw prints or worse.
Come on, there are plenty of places out there.
She pulled open her laptop. Even if guests needed to travel a little, it would be okay.

Lauren scrolled through the Internet looking for something that even remotely appealed to her and fit her budget. She was on her third bridal site when the steady drumbeat to one of Callie
’s favorite rock songs burst from her phone.
Perfect timing.
She needed a break and a friend right then.

“
You couldn’t have called at a better time, chickie.”

“
Bad day?” True concern filled Callie’s voice.

Lauren leaned her head on her hand.
“More like a bad week. Everywhere I’ve called for the wedding is booked.” Her eyes flicked over her list. “I even called the Kirkland Country Club.”

“
You hated it there when your cousin got married. Why would you call them?”

“
I’m desperate, girlfriend. If I don’t find something soon, I’ll be getting married in my parents’ backyard with my dad grilling. Instead of a suit he’ll probably where that stupid apron of his. Won’t that just make a great wedding picture?”

A long chuckle came from the other end of the line.

“Knock it off, Callie. This is not funny. I don’t know where else to call.”

The laughter subsided.
“I’m sorry. I know it’s not funny, but I was picturing that Memorial Day cookout last year at your parents. Your mom’s entire strawberry shortcake landed on the dog’s head.”

Lauren moaned as the memory came back.
“You had to remind me of that?”

“
Why don’t you just push the wedding back if you can’t find anything? It’s not the end of the world if you wait a few months.”

“
Nate’s dead set on it happening soon.” Lauren paused for a minute. “And, honestly, I don’t want to wait either. It feels as if I’ve been waiting for this forever.”

“
Then we’ll have it here,” Callie said, her voice ringing with authority.

“
What?” Lauren rubbed her forehead in confusion. “Have it where?”

“
My house in Greenwich. The South lawn would be gorgeous for an afternoon wedding. There is just enough shade, and I don’t know how the gardeners do it, but every shrub and flowerbed looks amazing. If it rains, we can move everything inside. I’ll have Nancy bring in extra help to prepare and serve the meal.”

Holy wow!
Lauren bit down on her lip until the urge to weep passed. No matter what, she and Callie had always been there for each other. Still, she was taken aback by her friend’s generous offer. Callie and Dylan’s new estate in Connecticut was, well, the word “magnificent” didn’t really do it justice. A wedding there would be like no other. “Callie . . . I . . . are you—”

“
Don’t even say it,” Callie said before Lauren could finish.

“
But what about Dylan? Will he mind?” Over the past few years he’d been nothing but kind and friendly, but this was asking a lot.

“
Just give me the date, and I’ll arrange everything on this end. You just worry about the other stuff.”

For the first time all day, Lauren felt herself smile.
“You’re the best, you know that, right? I owe you big-time.”

“
I’ll remind you of that after the baby is born and I need a babysitter,” Callie said, joking.

“
Like I won’t want to do that anyway.”

Chapter 13

“
I expect to see you here,” Justin Billings said.

“
I’ll be there.” Nate ended his call with Justin and tossed his phone down.
Damn it.
The rumors were true. The team’s tryouts started on July 15th, one week before their wedding. If he didn’t go now, who knew when the opportunity would come up again?

How did he break this one to Lauren? She had everything arranged for their wedding. Earlier that week she
’d finally found a photographer she liked. When he broke the news that everything needed to be changed she’d flip. She’d already worked so hard on the wedding plans.

The wedding date was only half the problem. She didn
’t even know he wanted to try out, let alone what it meant if he made it. Not that he hadn’t considered that already. More than once since he’d heard the rumor that HRT planned to hold tryouts, he’d almost told her. Each time he’d convinced himself to wait. Why bring up something that may never happen? Man, was that ever coming back to bite him in the ass. Now, not only did he have that subject to drop on her, he needed to tell her to move the wedding date. When he dropped those two bombs on her, he might want a peace offering in hand. Even then, he figured he’d spend the next few nights sleeping in the guest bedroom with only the dogs for company.

“
Callahan, I heard HRT’s holding tryouts. Does that mean you’re leaving us?” Frank Chase asked, stopping by his desk. Despite being only thirty-five, Frank had worked as a special agent for over ten years, thanks to his fluency in six foreign languages. “If so, good luck. I hear the tryout is brutal.”

That didn
’t concern him. Compared to what he was about to face at home with Lauren, his time with HRT would be a piece of cake. “Yeah, I heard the same.”

“
You and Lauren postponing the wedding until afterward?”

“
She doesn’t know yet.” Nate closed down all the open files on his computer.

Frank dropped both hands on Nate
’s desk and leaned forward. “You planned for this without telling her? Dumb move, Callahan.”

Yeah, he should
’ve told her sooner, but it would all work out in the end regardless.
I hope.
“I’m telling her tonight.”

Frank straightened up.
“I suggest you give her an expensive gift. Butter her up first, then spring it on her. And if you need a place to sleep tonight, my couch is all yours.”

He liked Frank, both as an agent and friend, but his tone just then put him on the defensive.
“I don’t have to buy a woman like you, Chase.” Nate gave him a cocky smile before heading for the elevator.

“
If I don’t see you tomorrow, I’ll know why.” Frank’s voice carried down the hallway.

Prepared for battle, Nate pulled into the garage armed with a dozen long-stemmed red roses and red velvet cupcakes from Rosie’s. The way he saw it, the gifts couldn’t hurt.

Even from the garage, the smell of steaks on the grill reached him. The woman really did know how to spoil him. Nothing beat a thick steak cooked on the grill in his book. Nate climbed the stairs and ignored the sudden clenching in his gut.
“Time to do this,” he said as he reached for the doorknob.

Two high-speed fur-covered freight trains collided into him the minute he opened the door, and he only just managed to keep both the flowers and the cupcakes from landing on the floor.

“Perfect timing. Another five minutes and dinner will be done.” Lauren stood in front of the refrigerator, her back to him.