Whirlwind (7 page)

“I expect to see a message in my inbox when I get home,” she said, handing me the phone.

I quickly stuffed it in my purse. The email could wait—there’d be no more picture-taking tonight.

“Now there’s a lovely sight,” a deep voice said. Beth immediately spun around and captured Todd in her arms.

“Hey, that was fast. I thought you’d be there for hours,” she said, her voice warm.

He replied first with a quick but meaningful kiss. “We took a ton of photos before the wedding, so there weren’t too many left, thank goodness. How are you, Melissa?” Todd asked, holding out his hand. “Thanks for taking Beth her sweater.”

We shared a firm handshake. “I’m doing great, thanks. You look…wow,” I said, touching the lapel of his jacket. He smiled shyly.

“Doesn’t he, though? I’m going to have to stick to you like glue tonight so no one gets any ideas,” Beth purred, keeping an arm around him.

“You don’t have to worry about me, you know that,” he said, kissing her hair.

An obvious third wheel, I decided it was time to find someplace else to mingle.

I scanned the crowd around me but didn’t see anyone I could approach. Clustered in small circles, everyone else already had an animated conversation going—and seemed to be paired with someone. Wishing I’d kept my drink, I looked around one last time. I’d even settle for kibitzing with a waiter, but they’d all disappeared.

To my relief, the ballroom’s side doors flew open, and the crowd shuffled toward the building. Todd and Beth followed behind me, arm in arm. Before we reached the doors, the mass of people stopped. Strains of classical music filtered out to the garden as we waited.

“I wonder what the holdup is.” My toes ached inside my pumps. I shifted impatiently, twisting the thin strap of my purse around my finger.

“It’s just the receiving line. Ann wanted to make sure she personally greeted everyone,” Beth said.

“And give us all the chance to fawn over her, no doubt,” I murmured. Beth admonished me silently with narrowed eyes. “Why aren’t you up there, Todd?” I asked, avoiding her searing gaze.

“Luckily, only the family and their escorts have glad-handing duty. I was given a reprieve,” he said, wiping imaginary sweat from his brow. “What do you say to hundreds of people you don’t know, anyway?”

The line crept forward, the crowd closing in around me with every step. When Todd mentioned
family
I didn’t think much of it at first, but then reality slammed me in the gut. Jason and his breathtaking eyes would be in the line, waiting to confront me.

I thought I’d make a quick break and head directly to the tables, but Vanessa was stationed at the door, directing traffic. Wedged between a man resembling George Bush and a short lady with bluish hair, my only option was to go with the flow.

Why was I so nervous? I was nothing to Jason. A quick handshake, a laugh about what an idiot I’d been, and that’d be it. No big deal. Besides, it was Mitch I should be worried about facing, not his brother.

Letting
that
happy thought eat at me, I peeked through the doors at the lavish interior of the ballroom. Enormous gold chandeliers sprinkled with flickering, flame-like bulbs hung from the vaulted ceiling. The wall facing the ocean had to be solid windows, but most were hidden behind thick curtains, blocking out the evening sun. As I made my way inside, the dance floor came into view—an island of open space in a sea of round, white tables. The long head table was staged on risers at the far end of the room. Like royalty, the wedding party would be able to survey the entire crowd as they ate.

First in the receiving line, Mitch’s parents greeted me warmly with hugs and a sincere “Thanks for coming.” My nerves hadn’t subsided, but as I introduced myself and exchanged polite handshakes with Ann’s parents, I found myself irritated at the slow pace of the line rather than thankful for it. I caught a glimpse of brown ahead and promptly fingered my hair.
Like it matters what I look like!

I got a chance to catch my breath when I reached Chase’s escort and girlfriend, Linda Yung.

Unaware of my self-imposed drama, she gathered me in a hug and whispered in my ear. “So what do you think of the dress?”

And with a single question, my only other female friend settled my nerves. Slowly releasing her, I answered, “You look
hideous
. Is it inside-out?” My eyes widened in mock horror.

Without missing a beat Linda swayed in the purple taffeta dress, fluffing her skirt and then her hair. “Well, I never!” she said, before an unflattering snort of a laugh snuck out. We hugged again, if only to keep from falling over with hysterics.

“It really is bad, isn’t it?” she asked quietly once we’d finished busting up.

The top was fine—sleeveless with a jewel neckline—but the skirt was covered in light purple chiffon ruffles. The color wasn’t one Linda should wear; the cool lavender against her warm Asian complexion made her look practically inhuman.

I shook my head no, but mouthed “yes.” Luckily her bright black eyes and cascading ebony curls were more than enough to draw anyone’s attention away from the dress.

“What are you going to do with it?” I asked, gently lifting a translucent ruffle.

She leaned in to whisper again. “I have a friend in the movie business—I’m going to give it to her to put in a
slasher
flick.” Linda raised an invisible knife and stabbed herself in the chest. I laughed at the thought of some poor girl being hacked to death while wearing the purple monstrosity.

“Will you be around at all this summer?” she asked, but got a glare from her escort.

“Move along there,” Chase said, motioning to the long line behind me. His broad smile contradicted his commanding voice.

“Yes, sir,” I said to him. “Can we meet up later?” I asked Linda, tipping my head toward the towering table across the room.

Linda squeezed my arm. “Definitely.”

Having talked to Chase before the wedding, I obediently followed his orders and gave him quick hug before continuing down the line.

Next to him stood the maid of honor, Beth’s favorite mean girl, Tricia. Before I could offer any sort of greeting, I was paralyzed by the same amazing blue eyes I’d seen earlier. Next to Tricia, Jason McAlister grinned, and the burn I expected in my face melted over me, filling me with a comfortable warmth instead. He didn’t appear repelled—he still must not have connected the dots.

“Hello, Tricia, you look”—
ridiculous—
“lovely,” I said, holding out my hand. She actually looked worse than Linda. The red highlights in her bleached hair totally clashed with the ugly purple dress. She offered her hand, knuckles up, like I should kiss it rather than shake it.

Tempted as I was to demonstrate what a real handshake was, I barely moved her clammy, limp fingers. Why Ann—or anyone—liked her was beyond me.

Tricia smirked when I dropped her hand like it was infected, and she promptly wrapped herself around Jason’s arm, clinging to him like a favorite blanket.

“Melissa Williams. I was surprised to see
you
in the crowd,” she sneered.

I crushed my lips together, fighting the angry blush I knew was coming.
Well, Jason knows who I am now
…

I cleared my throat. I could feel his eyes on me as I spoke.

“Wouldn’t miss this for the world, Tricia.” I bared my teeth in something that probably only barely resembled a smile. I slid one foot over and shifted my weight forward. Facing what had to be an amused Jason was better than spending any more time with this shrew.

She wasn’t quite done with me, though. “So where’s your boyfriend, Melissa? Is he outside munching on hay or are you dateless again?” She looked down her long beak of a nose, feeding the rancor growing in me.

Be nice for Mitch.

I’d intended to make Mitch proud and silently walk away, but something inside me snapped.

“Not dateless, Tricia,
available
,” I said. Before I could stop myself, I looked directly into Jason’s eyes and gave him a sugar-coated smile.

A sneaky grin crept around his lips, turning into a radiant beam as his eyes locked with mine.

What was I doing?

Tricia snorted, and Jason bit his lower lip, suppressing a laugh. I couldn’t speak, happily trapped in a completely unreasonable vision involving
my
teeth holding his lip hostage. When he leaned away from Tricia and winked at me, my heart gave an extra squeeze.

Tricia, frozen in an equally unladylike ogle, recovered first and fired the next shot. “Jason is with me tonight,” she said and pulled his arm closer, snuggling it against her unnaturally large breasts. “Right, honey?”

Jason recoiled, covering his mouth with his fist and coughing a little too violently. “What was that, Tee?” he asked innocently.

“Obviously,” I murmured, enjoying the distaste on Jason’s face as he looked at her. I held out my hand, surprised at how steady it was. Where was this confidence coming from?

“Nice to finally meet you,
Jason
,” I said, not so much to irritate Tricia as to…
am I flirting?
Not recognizing myself, I continued to smile up at him, my chest filling with satisfaction when he disengaged his arm from a disgusted Tricia.

He took my hand, but didn’t shake it. A fountain of imaginary sparks danced up my arm when our skin touched. I took an awkward step forward—
is he pulling me closer?

“Very nice,
Melissa
,” he purred, and I stopped breathing. Jason continued to draw me to him, then bent down and kissed my cheek.

His lips were soft and warm.
And only an inch or two from mine
. As they left my skin, he exhaled gently on the spot he’d kissed, sending a flurry of tingles down my spine. Thankfully he backed away slowly, giving me a precious second to try to compose myself. His earthy cologne filled my nose—when I finally remembered to inhale.

My imagination instantly spun off into fantasyland.
Surely a kiss is more than a friendly greeting.

No, no, no. It was only a peck on the cheek, I scolded myself. He was just needling Tricia, or worse, teasing me.

“Jason,” Tricia whined, slapping his arm.

He didn’t flinch at her warning, and I was too shaken to enjoy her chagrin. A Cheshire Cat smile lit his face; clearly he knew his little stunt had sent me reeling.

Tricia pinched him, making him jump this time.

Jason frowned apologetically at me and turned to the next guest.

Her face as red as a tomato, I expected steam to start whistling out of Tricia’s ears at any second. Annoying her was worth any humiliation on my part. As for that kiss…all I could think was if I’d turned my head just slightly, one part of my crazy fantasy would’ve come true.

My momentary burst of hubris popped like a soap bubble when faced with the man next to Jason.

“Melissa!” Mitch bellowed. I’d never heard my name said with such joy. He scooped me up in a huge hug, lifting me off the floor. “You made it.”

I looped my arms around his neck and squeezed as hard as I could. “You did good, Mitch,” I said, surprised when my voice cracked.

“Thanks, Mel,” he whispered.

My eyes stinging, I loosened my grip. Getting all mushy before I’d even said anything was pathetic.

With a loud exhale, Mitch lowered me to the ground. I recognized his I-have-something-important-to-say look.

No, not yet!
“I’m impressed. You clean up pretty well,” I said, tweaking his tie. I wasn’t ready for this to be the end. Couldn’t we have one more minute before he laid the we’ll-find-some-way-to-get-together fairy tale on me?

I must not have hidden my uneasiness very well. With a tiny nod to himself, Mitch filed his speech away and grinned. “Gee, thanks, Mel. You don’t look so bad yourself.”

“Just for you, big guy.” The tension lifted, and I snuck a glance back toward Jason. He took the blue-haired lady’s hand and shook it. No kiss for her.

Like that matters—she has to be sixty if she’s a day.