Winning Streak (3 page)

Finally, he nodded. “Before the jousting show, a couple of the guys were playing craps. Not me. I hung back. Scotty won big and handed out chips. I put a couple in my jacket pocket.”

Her eyes felt like they might pop out of their sockets. “If that's all it was, why didn't you clear this up earlier? You're totally innocent.”

“Now I am. Problem is, I have a pretty long history of being guilty, so it's hard for Jace to believe anything else.”

“But you can prove it. Scotty'll back you up. They all will. This is an easy fix … ” The sadness and hurt on his face almost made her look away. The rumor, she could fix. But the damage was done and irreversible to the brother-sister bond. Even once Jacey knew the truth, it wouldn't take back the sting Madden felt now. Damn it, Saralynn wanted to hug him.

She felt helpless. It was a foreign emotion, and she was not a fan. More bewildering was why it bothered her so much. Madden represented the kind of meaningless flirtation she was trying to grow beyond. Why did she have the crazy urge to haul him against the wall and kiss that smile back onto his face?

He cleared his throat. “It's fine. We better get back.”

It wasn't fine. Not yet.

Saturday, February 22nd

“Hope! It's not time for the flowers yet!” Shiloh nearly knocked Saralynn over chasing after her three-year-old daughter, who ran through the hotel suite screeching at an eardrum-piercing decibel as she threw rose petals all over the place.

Saralynn held her hands over her ears until the screaming stopped, then smoothed her dress and shook her head to clear it.
I love my niece. But I'm never going off the pill.
Dean, her nephew and the ring bearer, huddled under the desk, watching with wide eyes. At four years old, he was quiet and shy, the antithesis of Hope. Saralynn squatted down to his level. “Hey, buddy. Still got the rings?”

He nodded and held out a decorative pillow. Both rings were secured on top with satin ribbon.

“Good job. I'd hide under there with you if it wouldn't wrinkle my dress.”

That earned a smile from him, and she winked before standing up again. Allie, the bride, stood in the middle of a three-sided mirror while Mac, her maid of honor, flitted around making sure dress, shoes, hair, and makeup were perfect. Sophie helped Shiloh wrangle Hope and pick up the strewn petals. Jacey sat alone on the couch, staring at her phone.

Really, it was none of Saralynn's business. Every brain cell voted to leave it alone. And yet, somehow, her feet were moving. When she stopped in front of the couch, Jacey looked up.

“Um … ” Saralynn licked her lips. “Do you mind if I … ?” She gestured to the open cushion.

“No, please. Sit.” Jacey scooted over and set her phone on the coffee table. “Crazy in here, huh?”

“Actually this is pretty normal for a Reese family get-together.”

Jacey grinned, and Saralynn almost changed her mind. Then the image of Madden's beaten puppy face surfaced and steeled her reserve. “I uh … I don't mean to overstep, but I talked to Madden, and it was all a mistake. He didn't really gamble. Some of the other guys did, and they handed out chips. He put some in his pocket and forgot about them.”

Jacey's smile slid off her face and was replaced with pity. “I know he can be very convincing. But that's a stretch, even for him.”

“No, it's true. I asked the guys this morning, and they confirmed it.”

“They're all friends. That doesn't surprise me.”

For a second, shock prevented a reply.
Would
the guys lie for Madden? Would he have lied to her? His own sister seemed to think so. But it was hard to con a con, and she'd been no stranger to bending the truth in the past. It didn't feel like a lie. “I'll get the security tapes from the casino.”

Jacey stared like she was waiting for the punch line, then arched a brow. “They don't just give those out.”

“Let me worry about it.”

“You really don't have to do this. We'll just tell the press he indulged a bit because of the bachelor party, but it was nothing big.”

Except it
was
big to Madden. She'd seen his heart practically shatter in that hallway, and she didn't want to see it again. “Just trust me.”

Before Jacey could respond, the wedding planner opened the suite door. “Okay, it's show time! Places, everyone.”

• • •

Saralynn sat at the bridal party table sandwiched between her older sisters, who leaned around her to carry on a conversation. Shiloh talked nonstop about her kids, and when Sophie could get a word in, it was an offer to babysit. As much as Saralynn loved her nieces and nephews, the thought of braving the wild horde alone for more than one hour gave her hives. Guilt poked her in the ribs. “I would totally babysit, Shi, if I didn't live here now.”

“Oh, I know, hon. We're just so proud of you.” Back to baby talk. The maid of honor, Mac, jumped in enthusiastically about her toddler.

Saralynn leaned back and glanced around the ballroom. Her brother was dancing with her new sister, and he'd never looked happier. She smiled and bit the inside of her lip. No more crying. It had been all she could do in the ceremony to keep from sobbing into her bouquet. Reese's whole life had been hockey. It had taken Allie to make him realize what happy really was. He deserved it.

Groomsmen returned with drinks for everyone at the table. Madden placed a cosmo in front of her, studied her face, then held out his hand. She blinked. “What?”

“Come on. I know you've been asked to dance before.”

Sophie looked up. “Hah. In high school, there was always a
line
to dance with her that stretched back to the bathroom.”

Saralynn narrowed her eyes at her sister then slapped her hand into Madden's open palm and let him pull her up. He spun her around, and she couldn't help a smile. “This doesn't mean I like you.”

“Oh, I know. But what kind of gentleman would I be if I didn't rescue a woman in need?”

“I didn't
need
rescuing.”

“Coulda fooled me. Five more minutes of kiddie convo, and I bet you would have snapped. I saw you eyeing a butter knife.”

She laughed as he swung her onto the dance floor and into his arms. “Smooth. So this was just suicide prevention.”

“And you look really good in that dress.”

“Ah-ha.” Allie
had
been very kind to the bridesmaids, choosing a strapless, floor-length, shamrock dress that would flatter a boulder, and Saralynn was no boulder. Male attention was nothing new, but it felt like Madden wasn't looking
at
her. He was looking through her. Like he could see into her. It was distracting. No wonder he was so good at picking up women.

“What?” He raised his brows, innocence in his eyes.

“Not gonna happen. You're the boss's brother. I've only been on the job a year, but even I know it would be stupid to date you.” Not to mention he didn't fit into the new plan. No more cheap flirting. No more smiling at guys for free drinks or leading them on when she had trouble remembering their names. That wasn't her anymore. She'd only help him because it was her job.

“It would be stupid, but you're oh-so-drawn to my subtle charm anyway.” He guided her closer, and the hand on her hip moved to her lower back. Her cheek touched his shoulder, and while her head said to pull back, the rest of her wasn't listening. He might be a little right. That didn't mean he needed to know.

“You're subtle like Reese's gym bag after practice.”

His lips brushed her ear. “You saying I smell like your brother's sweaty hockey equipment?”

No. In fact, he smelled like new leather and the citrus-ocean scent of Ralph Lauren's Polo Sport. “I'm saying I know your game because I used to play it. But I don't anymore. And I don't date co-workers.” She expected a quick comeback as was his usual style, but he fell quiet and swayed with her to the impersonator singing a convincing Sinatra. “I've Got You Under My Skin.” How appropriate. “No denials?”

He tilted his head and held her gaze for a minute. “Why? You seem to have me figured out.”

Didn't she? Could there be more to Madden Vaughn than a hot bod and a reputation?
It doesn't matter
. “Tell me you were being serious last night. The other guys gambled, but you didn't.”

His face went blank, betrayed by the wounded look in his eyes, but only for a second. “I didn't.”

She managed not to wince, but it felt like she was the one whipping the puppy now. If he was lying, he was a world-class sociopath. And she didn't believe that. “Okay. Then I'm going to clear your name. To everybody.”

• • •

Madden lifted his chin and looked down at the Victoria's Secret model in his arms. Okay, maybe she wasn't one, but a single audition would be all it took. The sexiness was only made more potent by the girlish resemblance to Samantha from
Who's the Boss
. She'd been off-limits since the day he met her. Not just because they worked together, but because Reese had held a group meeting when she started and put out a threat to anyone who went near her. So he'd hung back. That didn't mean he hadn't looked up every time she passed in the hallway or had the occasional fantasy.

Holding her gave him a lot more to work with, except now he knew fantasy would never live up to the real thing. And for some reason, she wanted to help him. “Why? It's not just because it's your job.” Her wide, whiskey brown eyes sparked, and he cut off a denial. “Uh-uh. If you can read me, I can read you. We play the same game, remember?”

“I don't play anymore.”

“Who says I do? Doesn't mean we don't remember the rules.”

She studied him as they swayed around the floor, and he returned the favor. Finally, she sighed and lifted a shoulder. “I don't know, okay? I see how much it hurts that Jacey doesn't believe you, and I happen to think you're innocent. I know what it's like when your family doesn't always believe the best about you.”

“And you
care
.” Meant as an observation, not an accusation, but he could rub it in a little.

She scoffed, though there wasn't much conviction behind it. When it was clear he didn't buy her indignation, it drained from her expression. “Okay, fine. What if I do?”

Needling her was fun. He hadn't really expected a genuine reply. A response escaped him. “Then I guess … I'm pretty lucky.”

Her gaze dropped to his mouth before darting back to his eyes.

What did she want? Was she torturing him on purpose? “I've seen what you can do. Wouldn't want to be on the bad side of a mastermind.” The song ended, and he kissed the back of her hand in a half-bow. “Thanks for the dance.”

Her lips parted as he disappeared into the crowd.

The look on her face just before he'd walked away was priceless. Not that they had any kind of future. She was a co-worker. A smokin' hot co-worker, but Vegas was full of pretty faces. Except there was something else. Under her back-off attitude, there were traces of a vulnerable girl, and he got the feeling not many other people were allowed to see that. Not just because of her own walls but because of her brother, the brick wall, who would stand between her and any potential suitor.

She wanted to clear his name. With Jacey. God, how long had it been since anyone had complete faith in him? She trusted him. Believed him. Maybe she just didn't know him well enough, but it felt incredible. Humbling. Suddenly, Jacey wasn't the only one he wanted to prove himself to.

Stop it, man. Not gonna happen.
Now to fight the part of him wired to take that as a challenge.

Sunday, February 23rd

Saralynn hung her coat in the closet then darted around her apartment, picking up here and there. Not that she left the place a mess, but one couldn't be too careful when company was armed with a psych degree. Actually, several degrees. She and Allie had both come from the arena, so it wasn't a huge surprise when the buzzer rang a minute later. “It's open!”

Allie let herself in and looked around. “You really customized this since I saw it last.”

Saralynn grabbed a bottle of wine from the counter and snagged two glasses on her way to the living room. “Oh, yeah. In the time I've actually been here. I feel like I live at work. Not that I'm complaining.”

“Preaching to the choir, sister.” Allie tucked her coat on the back of a kitchen chair then took a seat on the couch.

“That's right; you
are
my sister now. How cool is that? Sucks that your honeymoon was delayed.”

Allie accepted a glass, pulled the cork, and poured for both of them. “It's no big deal. Comes with marrying a professional athlete. We're thinking the Maldives in July.”

“So jealous.” Saralynn sipped and willed the alcohol to work faster. Unfortunately, liquid courage took its time, so she'd have to find some of the real stuff.

Allie swirled the wine in her glass. A quiet minute passed, then another. When it got almost painful, she broke the silence. “So … I'm guessing this has to do with Madden Vaughn.”

Saralynn's heart beat hard and fast, and she took a big gulp. “Why do you say that?” Because she knew, that's why. Allie knew everything about everyone. It was the woman's trademark. Why even continue to question it?

“I heard about the trouble he's in, and I know it's your job to deal with it. I saw the way you two looked at each other during the rehearsal dinner and at the reception, not to mention that dance. And then you catch me right after today's game and ask me to stop by. The only part I haven't figured out is why you didn't call Shiloh or Sophie. They're in town until tomorrow.”

God, she felt like a guilty kid every time she talked to Allie, even if she hadn't done anything. But the girl was good. And that's what she needed. “I love my sisters, but you actually listen when other people talk. You don't harbor any lingering resentment for boyfriends I may or may not have stolen in the past or popularity that really had nothing to do with me. And you know how to keep a secret. I mean, it's your job, right? Please tell me you were the only one who noticed—”