So much for her letting this go. “I’m fine, honey. I haven’t seen you dance with Gramps yet.”
“I know. He’s asking all the ladies to dance.”
Hunter easily spotted his silver-haired father waltzing with an attractive brunette. “Yeah. He does that.”
“So does Uncle Wilder.”
“Yeah.” His brother was living up to his name, as usual.
“I have an idea.” Wren met his gaze and hers was full of earnestness.
“I know what you’re going to say.” He grinned at her. “And I should have thought of it myself. You and I should have a dance.”
“No.”
“What?”
“You should ask Merry to dance. That would cheer you up.”
While trying to figure out how to explain that Merry was an employee, Hunter looked over at her. Just then a good-looking man approached the table where she was sitting and held out his hand. Obviously an invitation to dance. Just like that he wasn’t sad anymore. The new feeling was a little unfamiliar, something he hadn’t experienced for a long time. It was also inconvenient and seemed to put a crack in the wall of isolation he’d spent the last six years building.
He was jealous.
Chapter Four
Since Hunter’s daughter fulfilled her flower girl duties a few hours ago, Merry had barely taken her eyes off the little girl. So it didn’t escape her notice when father and daughter were talking so seriously about something. Then suddenly he was looking at her.
“Excuse me, would you like to dance?”
Merry blinked up at the nice-looking stranger who was holding out his hand. Wren was with her dad right now so there was no reason to decline the invitation. And every reason to accept and distract herself from the way her boss’s intense scrutiny was making every nerve ending in her body tingle with awareness.
“Yes. Thank you.” She smiled at the patiently waiting man, then stood up and let him lead her to the dance floor, reminding herself that the toes of her too-big shoes were stuffed with tissues. “I’m Merry.”
“Really?” He slid his arm around her waist and took her hand. “I’ve been watching and you don’t look like you’re having much fun.”
“Oh—” She laughed. “That’s my name. Meredith, but everyone calls me Merry.”
“Right.” His smile was self-deprecating. “My name is Don.”
“Nice to meet you. And I should confess that I’m actually not a guest—”
“May I cut in?” Wilder Crawford tapped Don on the shoulder and the man shrugged before giving way. Hunter’s brother took her in his arms with a grin that was a little wicked, a lot charming. “Hello, Nanny Merry.”
“Good Lord, that makes me sound like I’m a hundred years old.”
“You sure don’t look it. Not in that dress.”
His appraisal was flirty and full of male appreciation, both of which she took as a compliment and nothing more. “Well, I am being paid to supervise your niece, who’s with her father at the moment. And that’s the only reason I accepted an offer to dance with that man. And you, by the way.”
“Why do I feel as if I’ve just been rapped on the knuckles with a ruler?” His dark eyes glowed with mischief.
“That could have something to do with my working in elementary education. It’s my job to keep children under control.”
His eyebrows rose. “I’m sensing some disapproval.”
“No. Not judging, just observing,” she protested. “And it didn’t escape my notice that you have danced with many women here at the reception.”
“I didn’t want anyone to feel left out.” His roguish expression intensified.
“So you were being unselfish? It wasn’t a screening process to find someone for the evening?”
That surprised him. “I’m sorry, what?”
“It’s a well-known fact that at weddings there’s that one groomsman who is looking for a hookup—”
“I’m cutting in.” Hunter tapped his brother on the shoulder with a little more enthusiasm than seemed necessary.
Wilder looked the tiniest bit relieved when he let her go to his brother. “I hope you can handle her better than me, big brother.”
Hunter stared at his brother’s back as he weaved his way through the dancers on the way to the bar. “What does that mean?”
“I don’t think he’s used to being challenged. My guess is that women line up around the block or pick a number if there’s a chance to get his attention.”
Hunter’s eyes glittered with intensity as he took her hand in his and slid his arm around her waist, leading her into a waltz. “Did he come on to you?”
“No. He was flirty, that’s all. I think the behavior is hardwired into him.” The youngest Crawford was very handsome, and clearly he liked women. But she wasn’t the least bit tempted by him. On the other hand, the man holding her was temptation with a capital T. “I accused him of being that guy trolling for a woman.”
He stopped moving for a moment and met her gaze. “So you called him on his crap.”
“I just made an observation. And explained that every wedding has at least one groomsman who makes it his mission to sleep with a bridesmaid or one of the guests.”
“You don’t pull any punches. No wonder he headed for the bar.” Hunter’s mouth curved up at the corners. “So, he wasn’t too forward?”
“I was the forward one and probably shouldn’t have said anything. I think I shocked him. He was a perfect gentleman.” She glanced around and spotted Wren dancing with her grandfather. Then she stumbled and stepped on Hunter’s foot, the unfortunate consequence of wearing shoes that were too big. “Sorry.”
“No problem. And I’m glad he behaved himself.”
“I’ve noticed that between Wilder and your father, single women of all ages are receiving a lot of attention tonight.” She smiled up at him. “You’re going to have to step up your game big-time to keep pace with the Crawford bachelors.”
That remark could go either way but her responsibilities were nearly over. So she didn’t really have much to lose.
Unexpectedly, Hunter smiled and his somber seriousness fell away as if a magic spell had transformed the beast back into a handsome prince. And handsome was the operative word. She’d seen him in jeans, boots, Stetson—and the cowboy look made her female parts tingle. But there was something indescribable and luscious about a man in a tuxedo.
Especially a man like this one. The black jacket, pants and bow tie made him look dashing, but the way the starched white shirt contrasted with his tanned skin took her breath away. He was absolutely irresistible and the realization made her trip again and nearly lose a shoe.
“Sorry,” she muttered.
“I hardly noticed what with my curiosity about being designated an endangered species. One of the last three Crawford bachelors.” Then his smile faded. “Although it’s hard to think of my dad like that since he was married. And divorced.”
“Everyone in town is talking about him paying Vivienne Dalton to find wives for his sons. Is that rumor true?” Merry asked.
“Yes.”
When he settled their joined hands on his chest, she forgot to clench her toes to keep her shoes on and walked right out of one. She would have toppled over without his arms around her.
She sighed. “I have a confession.”
“Those are not words any man wants to hear.”
“Well, it’s not something I’m particularly thrilled to tell you, but it’s better than leaving you with the impression that I’m a hopeless klutz.” She held on to his arm while sliding her shoe back on. “I borrowed this outfit from a friend. The shoes match but her feet are bigger than mine. I have to admit when I came to interview for this job I wasn’t expecting to dance.”
He looked relieved. “Is that all.”
Speaking of which, she gazed past him and found his daughter hanging with her uncle Logan, aunt Sarah and their baby daughter, Sophia. Wren seemed in awe of the baby.
Merry was about to go back to her table but another slow song started and Hunter put his strong arms around her again. He was barely moving his feet, allowing her to barely move hers. That kept her shoes firmly in place.
“Problem solved,” he said against her hair.
Merry’s mouth went dry. Their bodies were touching now from chest to knee because he was holding her more securely. But that was about shoe integrity, not because he was enjoying the closeness as much as she was.
“So,” she said, feeling an overwhelming need to break the charged silence. “About your father. Max doesn’t look a lot like Cupid, but what he’s doing, I mean trying to fix you all up, is actually very sweet.”
“You wouldn’t say that if the pressure was on you,” he said. “Women might throw themselves at Wilder, but my dad is throwing them at both of us.”
“Since we’re dancing at the wedding of his fourth successful match, it would seem something he’s doing is working,” she pointed out. “Is it possible he just wants you to be happy?”
“That’s a hard maybe. He’s into control, when not wrapped up in himself.”
“Parents aren’t perfect, Hunter.”
His look was wry. “That doesn’t bode well for me.”
“I’m simply stating a fact. By definition, human beings are flawed. That doesn’t mean you don’t try. All anyone can do is their best.” She looked up at him. “When my mom died, my dad became distant and withdrawn. As an adult I understand that he was grieving, but back then... I just felt alone.”
“It can’t have been easy for him.”
The shadows in Hunter’s eyes reminded her of how her father had looked when remembering her mom. Merry would bet almost anything that Hunter was thinking about losing his wife.
“No, it wasn’t easy. It took time, but eventually we became close. He never said anything, but I always had the feeling he was doing his best to make up for shutting me out.”
Hunter shook his head. “You don’t know my dad. He makes no apologies, and fixing us up is nothing more than a power trip.”
“Daddy!” Wren ran over to them and looked up, grinning from ear to ear. “You and Merry are dancing, just like the prince and Cinderella did in my favorite movie. Are you going to kiss Merry like the prince kissed her at the end when they got married?”
There must be some kind of weird cosmic rule about having almost total silence in a crowded room when something completely embarrassing was said. Merry was pretty sure the child’s words could be heard all the way to Rust Creek Falls. Around them dancers stopped and stared and her cheeks grew hot with humiliation.
Hunter went down on one knee in front of his daughter. “Honey, that’s not something you should ask.”
“Why?”
“It’s personal and Merry works for me.”
“But you stopped dancin’.”
“Because of my shoes,” Merry said.
Hunter held his daughter’s hand and led her to the side of the dance floor. “Merry is my employee and that would be inappropriate. Do you know what that means?”
“I’m six, Daddy.” Her voice was tinged with irritation.
“I know. It means that doing anything personal—”
“Like kissin’ her?”
“Yes, like that.” Hunter blew out a long breath. “It would make her feel awkward and I would never do that to her.”
“But you looked like you were going to. I don’t get why—” Tears glistened in her eyes and then she started to cry.
He gathered her into his arms then looked helplessly up at Merry.
“Maybe it’s time to go upstairs and chill,” she suggested. “This little girl has been going a mile a minute all day and I think she’s just exhausted. What do you say, sweetie?”
Wren wiped tears from her face. “Yes.”
“Okay.”
She held out her hand and the little girl put hers into Merry’s palm. “I’ll get my purse. My room key is in there.”
As the two of them moved toward the table, Merry walked right out of her shoe. And, embarrassing cosmic rule number two, everyone was still staring at them.
Wren stopped and looked up at her. “You lost your shoe at the ball. Just like Cinderella.”
“Yeah.” But not exactly. The handsome prince wasn’t coming after her.
She slid her foot back into the shoe and hurried them both out of the ballroom, leaving Hunter behind. She’d been hired so that he could have a good time at the wedding. And, as Wilder Crawford had pointed out, there was no shortage of ladies for him to have a good time with.
It wasn’t in her job description to hate that, but she did anyway.
* * *
“Seems as if everyone’s having a good time.”
Hunter was forced to look at his father and away from the door where Merry had disappeared with his daughter. He’d moved from the dance floor to the bar, where he was watching the other guests milling around, dancing and sitting at tables. It was impossible to miss the bride all in white and her groom holding tightly to her hand. They looked really happy and for some reason that made him unreasonably angry because he realized Merry had taken all the fun with her.
“Yeah.”
“Great party, if I do say so myself.” Max’s tone was full of self-congratulation, but that was nothing new.
“This is Finn and Avery’s doing since it was their idea to get remarried in front of their families.”
“It was my doing to fly everyone in and make sure there was high-end champagne for the toasts. And people are having fun. I even saw you out there dancing.”
That was a mistake, Hunter thought. Merry Matthews had felt way too good in his arms. Her sweet curves fit perfectly against him and she smelled like flowers, just the way a woman should. He could have gone the rest of his life and been just fine without knowing that and now he had to find a way to forget how good she smelled.
“Did you hear me, son?”
Crap. He looked up at Max. “Hmm?”
“I said, my little granddaughter sure picked herself a fetching nanny.”
Hunter wondered if that was a criticism or a warning, a reminder that starting something with the hired help was a slippery slope. Twenty-four hours from now she wouldn’t be his employee. He wasn’t sure whether that was good or bad and took his annoyance out on the handiest target.
“Seriously, Dad? Fetching? What is this? The Middle Ages?”
“What can I say?” Max grinned, looking every inch the silver fox. “I’m a Renaissance man.”
“Right.”
A romantic ballad started playing and Finn led his bride to the center of the dance floor then tucked her against him. She slid her arms around his neck and they seemed to be in their own world. Hunter had dipped a toe into that world just a little while ago. And then Wren said what she said and he went into damage control mode.
The thing was, he’d been thinking about kissing Merry. He was holding her and she looked so damn cute confessing about her borrowed shoes being too big. Touching his mouth to hers felt like the next step, the most natural thing in the world. He was almost glad Wren interrupted. Although it would have been better if she’d used her indoor voice and not the one astronauts on the space station could hear.
“Where’s your brother?” Max asked.
“Which one? I have five.”
“Smart-ass.” His dad laughed. “I was talking about Wilder. Haven’t seen him since you cut in on his dance with Merry. Where do you suppose he is?”
Probably somewhere private hooking up with a woman. Remembering Merry explaining the concept made Hunter smile. “Maybe he just went to get some air.”
“Do
ubtful.” Max shook his head.
“And isn’t he the one who promised to help keep an eye on Wren so that I could loosen up?” he asked wryly.
“One and the same,” his father agreed. “It would appear that my suggestion to hire a nanny has worked out well. In more ways than one.”
Hunter refused to get sucked in and ask what he meant by that. “My daughter picked her own nanny.”
“My granddaughter is an excellent judge of people. Just like her gramps.” Max clapped a hand on his son’s shoulder as he scanned the guests. His gaze settled on one in particular. “And I judge that right over there is a very fetching woman sitting all by herself who might like to dance.”
“Go for it, Dad.”
Turning serious, his father met his gaze. “I could say the same thing to you. There are more than a few women here who could use a healthy dose of Crawford charm. Since Wilder is missing in action, that leaves you and me to uphold the family honor and reputation.”
“I’m right behind you.” Not.
After his father moved away, Hunter ordered a whiskey neat from the bar and watched all the guests still celebrating. His four brothers and their wives were in a group, talking, laughing, carefree and happy in a way he never would be again. Not for the first time he felt as if he was on the outside looking in. Until moving to Rust Creek Falls, the bond of brotherhood had remained strong, the circle tight. But that was changing, and he truly wished them every happiness, at the same time feeling sorry for himself that they were leaving him behind.
Man, was this pathetic, he thought. His daughter was upstairs in her room and she was his whole world. That’s where he should be. So he tossed back the rest of his drink and took his pity party on the road, quietly slipping out of the ballroom. The elevators were like a ghost town and he made it to his floor quickly, then quietly let himself into the suite.
The lights were on and he noticed that Merry’s door was wide open but the room was dark. He crossed to where Wren was supposed to be sleeping and found her still awake.
“Hi, Daddy. I’m glad you’re here.”
“Why aren’t you asleep?” He turned on her light, then sat at the foot of her bed. “I thought you were tired.”
Maverick Holiday Magic (Montana Mavericks: Six Brides For Six Brothers Book 5) Page 5