Walker Bride (12 page)

“Kind of a turn off?”

“Extremely.”

“Do you have food in that kitchen?”

Tyson’s face scrunched up. “Microwave
popcorn?”

“That’s not good for you.”

“Wasn’t thinking I was going to be
entertaining.”

Pearl rolled him back so that he was flat on
the floor and poised her body atop of his. “I’ll tell you what. Why
don’t we try that shower and then I’ll make you dinner at my
place?”

There were no more words or promises before
he maneuvered her up and carried her away toward the shower.

It was nearing nine o’clock by the time Pearl
parked in her driveway. A few moments later, Tyson parked his
truck, the nice one, on the street in front of the house.

Was it wrong to like the look of him parked
there?

As she climbed from her car, she thought it
would be very obvious who was at her house if anyone she knew were
to drive by. They needed to decide how they were going to handle
this. Either they were going to have a secret relationship, which
had its enticements, or they were going to have to let Lydia know
that they’d deal with anything that came their way. They were grown
adults having sex and involved in a business. She didn’t want to
think they were involved more than the sex. That would be
presumptuous of her. And her father always said, “If you assume,
you make an ass of you and me.”

She winced. She hated that saying.

Tyson walked toward her as she gathered her
bag from the back seat. “Is my truck okay there?”

Maybe they were in sync with their
thinking.

“It’ll be fine. As long as you don’t mind
anyone seeing it.”

He nodded slowly, his face highlighted by the
street light. “I’m going to risk that, tonight. I’m not quite done
being with you yet.”

Her heart did that little trip again, and she
was finding she rather enjoyed it.

“Thanks again for the flowers,” she said,
closing the car door and walking toward him. “I never would have
gone to see you otherwise.”

“Thanks for measuring me for that tux,” he
joked. “I never would have stopped in otherwise. I would have just
waited for my brother to invite me to another dinner.”

She couldn’t fight the smile that surfaced.
“That’s why you came to dinners with everyone?”

“I think that since you know the reasons
behind all my scars, and since I’ve kissed all your tattoos, then
you can know that. Yes, that’s why I went.”

She moved closer to him until their chests
were pressed together. “I’ve had sex with you more than just
tonight, you know?”

His brows rose, and his eyes widened. “You
have?”

Slowly she nodded as she licked her lips.
“I’ve been dreaming about you for months.”

Tyson cleared his throat. “Oh, really?”

“I don’t measure everyone the way I measured
you,” she said, running her fingers up his chest. “I couldn’t help
myself.”

“I hate the city,” he said, and she stepped
back.

Where had that come from?

“Why?”

“Too many neighbors. At least out at my
place, I could drop you right on the ground and take you. Now I
have to hurry you inside. We might as well forget dinner. That’s
not happening tonight.”

He took her hand and hurried her up the front
steps and through the front door.

~*~

There were mornings when Pearl wished she had
a staff. Someone to open and someone to close. And someone to work
on Saturday mornings so she could sleep in the arms of the man
she’d brought home.

She felt the smile form in her heart long
before it formed on her lips.

Tyson snored softly behind her, his body
pressed to hers. She didn’t want to move. She didn’t want to end
this moment.

Her alarm brought the radio to life, and she
slapped her hand over it quickly, but he stirred.

“What was that?” His voice was low and
gruff.

“I have to go to work.”

He let out a groan. “I suppose that means I
do too.”

“I’m having lunch with Lydia today,” she
mentioned as she sat up and pulled the sheet with her to cover
herself.

Tyson scratched his head and then his
unshaven cheeks. “You sure do know how to keep me from thinking
about you in an intimate light.”

She wanted to laugh, but now it was too
serious. “I just thought I should tell you.”

Leaning up on his elbow, he let his hand
trace the outline of her thigh under the sheets. “Are you going to
tell her about this?”

She shook her head. “No. Not yet. I don’t
even know what
this
is yet,” she said, and he agreed with a
nod. It was then she realized she’d hoped he’d have an answer for
that. Obviously, he didn’t.

“I’ll get my things and head out.” He sat up.
“Maybe we can have dinner this week.”

The disappointment dropped into her gut.
Didn’t they have all weekend? “Sure. I’d like that.”

“Dane is coming in tonight, for Susan and
Eric’s wedding next weekend,” he added as if she weren’t fully
aware of that. “Gerald thought we should take Eric out
tonight.”

The lump in her stomach eased a bit. Perhaps
he did have a reason to skip right over,
I’ll see you later
tonight.

“Bethany has plans for all the girls on
Tuesday,” she said. “It seems Susan was very particular about
having a classy night out and nothing too risqué.”

Tyson chuckled. “Are you keeping to
that?”

She shrugged. “I know a guy who will show up
if I call, dressed as a police officer.”

His eyes grew dark, and she knew what he was
thinking.
I know a guy
was never a good thing to say when
you were in bed with another guy. Especially when you were talking
about a stripper.

“Maybe someone dressed like a police officer
isn’t the best choice for those girls. That might set Bethany back
in therapy, and she doesn’t need that.”

Now she felt little. He was right. Bethany
had been assaulted by a police officer and Susan’s fiancé nearly
killed by him. “A nice quiet dinner does sound nice.”

He smiled. “I suppose I could be here when
you got back, and I could be that
guy you know
.”

“You’d do a strip tease for us?”

“For you,” he smiled finally, and it eased
the pain of the disappointment.

“I’m not expecting anything from you,” she
said, feeling as though she needed to.

There was a flash in his eyes. “I’m not
expecting anything either,” he said. “Last night was nice. I
suppose it’ll be nice next time too.”

Any heat from a night full of passion had
indeed been extinguished.

“I’d better get ready.”

“I’d better head home.”

For a long moment, they just sat and stared
at each other before Tyson finally turned and picked his pants up
off the floor.

Their impromptu night was over.

~*~

Her mind certainly wasn’t on business. Pearl
thought her first bride was going to cry when she’d brought out the
wrong dress for her to pick up.

Somehow she managed through the rest of the
day, even though she made her share of absent-minded mistakes.

Lydia walked through the door at two, a large
cup of coffee in each of her hands. “Thought you could use a pick
me up before lunch.”

Pearl had nearly forgotten. “Sorry. I have
one more pickup and then…”

Lydia held up her hand. “Don’t apologize to
me. My businesses run themselves, and I can drop in when needed.”
She smiled widely, and Pearl knew Lydia was proud of her successes.
“Now, when the freaking water heater goes out at midnight, that’s
when business ownership is a pain.”

She took the cup Lydia offered her. For a
moment, she wondered if she should tell her about her night with
Tyson. Then she thought better of it.

She’d taken a breath to tell her about
Sunshine as well. Quickly, she remembered who Sunshine’s uncle was,
and that wasn’t going to go over very well with Lydia.

This was the problem with keeping secrets,
she decided. Everything she wanted to tell someone was only going
to hurt them.

“It looks like the contractor will be
starting on the building next week,” Lydia said as she picked up a
bridal magazine and began flipping pages. “We should have occupancy
clearance soon too.”

“I suppose I should learn what all of that
means if I’m going to own a building.”

Lydia smiled. “I understand it, and so does
Tyson. Our mother is quite versed in building code,” she
chuckled.

“Will he be there a lot?” Pearl asked,
needing to know Lydia’s thoughts on it.

“I can’t see him coming to town that much.
He's just an investor.”

“That’s good,” she said and hoped she was
convincing.

Luckily she saw her last bridal pickup
heading for the door. That should detour the conversation away from
Tyson for a bit.

Pearl put on her professional smile and went
to work.

Pearl was quickly learning that Lydia did
nearly everything with a purpose.

She’d waited for Pearl to finish with her
appointments and close up shop. She’d suggested a small café about
four blocks away. They had decided it would be nice to walk.

“My mother brought me here last week, and I
talked to the pastry chef. She makes cupcakes. They’re her
signature item,” she added. “I know bridal showers and baby showers
usually have something cute like that.”

Pearl smiled. “They do. It’s become a new fad
to have individual items for people.”

“Anyway, I’m always adding to my database of
people to network with. Our little bridal mecca is going to be the
talk of all Georgia.”

Lydia’s business aspect was something Pearl
admired. She thought herself quite a business woman, but to watch
Lydia’s eyes light up when she had an idea, it was mesmerizing.

They sat and had lunch. Business was the main
topic until Officer Smythe walked through the door to pick up a
take-out order.

Pearl watched as Lydia’s eyes followed him
from the door to the counter. The woman behind the counter giggled
at something he said, then gave her hair a toss, which only made
the red in Lydia’s cheeks deepen. She wondered if he even had seen
them sitting there.

He turned from the counter and stopped. She
was sure that was when he’d noticed them.

She could see Lydia’s jaw tighten as he
started toward the table.

“Ladies,” he said nodding toward them.

Lydia said nothing.

“Nice to see you, Officer Smythe. Picking up
lunch?”

“Yeah. Working on a case. Can’t stand fast
food. Thought I’d rather have a nice meal if I’m stuck behind my
desk.”

He was talking to Pearl, but his eyes were on
Lydia, who had diverted her attention from him.

Finally, he looked at Pearl. “How is
Bethany?”

“She’s doing well. They’re planning their
wedding for September. Kent has another book coming out soon, so
he’s been preoccupied with that.”

“I’ll have to pick it up when it’s out. I do
enjoy his books.” He glanced back toward Lydia, who still kept her
gaze lowered. “Well, you ladies have a nice day.”

“You as well,” Pearl said before the thought
of Sunshine’s wedding pictures popped into her mind. “Oh, by the
way, how is your brother?”

His eyes clouded, and he cleared his throat.
“He’s holding on.”

“I’ve been praying for him.”

He batted his eyes as if those words meant
something to him. “I’ll let him know. He’d appreciate that.” He
gave her another nod and left the café.

Lydia slowly lifted her head. “I hate
him.”

“I know you do. I don’t know why, but I know
you do.”

Lydia’s lips tightened. “What’s wrong with
his brother?”

“Stage four lung cancer. He’s in
hospice.”

Lydia covered her mouth with her hand, and
Pearl was sure she could see the shimmer of tears. “How do you know
all of this?”

“I met his niece. Who is his brother to
you?”

“Just someone I know. That’s very sad,” she
added, picking up her fork and taking a bite of her sandwich.

Pearl had enough drama in her own family. She
wasn’t sure she wanted to invite more in by asking about Smythe’s
family and what he had to do with Lydia.

She picked up her iced tea and sipped.
Perhaps some things were better off not spoken about.

~*~

Tyson pulled up to Eric’s promptly at seven,
as instructed by Susan. He was sure Gerald was heading up the
bachelor party, so why the call came from the fiancée, he had no
idea.

Pickup trucks were lining the road to the
house and parked on the side. It made him chuckle. You knew that
was a sign of a good party. The scent of meat filled his nose as he
opened the door. It looked as if he were in for a steak dinner. He
couldn’t complain about that.

Dane pulled up behind Tyson, as he climbed
out of his truck. “Hey, nice to see ya,” Tyson called out.

Dane scanned a look at him, which he was used
to. These boys needed to get over that Morgan/Walker riff.

“Thanks,” he said wearily.

“Just drive in?”

“Yeah. I got caught up with road construction
in Kentucky. Cost me two hours of travel time.”

“Gotta love that.”

Dane looked around. “So what’s all this? I
thought us guys were getting together.”

“That’s what I thought. I guess we’ll
see.”

They walked up to the house, which was
already lit up and noisy. Dane reached for the door and pushed it
open.

It shouldn’t have surprised Tyson that the
house was filled with just relatives, and each of them must have
driven their own truck.

Susan was setting platters of food on the
table, and Glenda was carrying around beer bottles and handing them
to everyone. She smiled when she saw them walk through the
door.