Meet the Parents – Janelle Denison
I Do, Don't I – Tori Carrington
There Goes the Groom – Leslie Kelly
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MEET THE PARENTS
Janelle Denison
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PROLOGUE
Weddings, Daisy O'Reilly decided one painfully sunny spring morning, should be outlawed.
From the white dress that cost more than some cars, to the black tux that made most grooms look like waiters, the entire wedding ritual made the Inquisition look painless. Weepy brides and horny bridesmaids, tight shoes and schmaltzy music, all-too-phony smiles and all-too-breakable vows … the whole thing was a bottomless pit in which to dump money. And dreams.
Unfortunately, Daisy was deep inside that bottomless pit. Along with her cousin, she ran an Internet-based business supplying imprinted wedding favors to dewy brides and their clueless grooms. And the cash being tossed down the marriage pit was landing on her with regularity these days, so she supposed she ought to stop cursing the industry that kept her fed, clothed and sheltered.
Maybe she would. Next month. When she hadn't been dumped quite so recently.
"Has he called yet?"
Looking up, she spied her cousin, Trudy, her partner at domeafavor.com, standing in the doorway of the crowded mailroom. "Who?"
Trudy rolled her eyes. "Oh, puh-lease, you know who I'm talking about. Dan the dork who turned you from the smiling, sunny, happy flower after which you're named into this brooding, romance-hating femi-Nazi."
Daisy grunted, then continued packing up the carton full of Hawaiian candy leis they were about to ship off to an engaged couple. She wondered if Hawaiian brides wore them instead of veils … and hula skirts instead of gowns. Sure would be cheaper. Not to mention more comfortable. "You're imagining things."
Tossing her purse on the cluttered desk, Trudy walked over to help. She grabbed the tape while Daisy put the packing slip inside the box. "So he hasn't called. Well, good riddance."
"Yeah. Lucky me," Daisy muttered.
Obviously hearing the tiny hint of hurt Daisy hadn't managed to keep out of her voice, her cousin frowned. "It's not you. When are you going to realize you have no luck with men because you keep picking losers?"
"Well, gee, thanks ever so much for making me feel better," she said. She folded the box closed, then held it while Trudy taped it up.
When they were finished, her cousin put the tape dispenser down, took her hand and squeezed it. "Honey, you're so pretty and smart, and yet you keep going out with jerks, or players who have no intention of getting serious. It's like you want to fail, so you intentionally pick men destined to break your heart."
Daisy's mouth dropped open as her cousin delved a little too deeply into her psyche. There were times, late at night when Daisy was alone, when she would try to come up with reasons for any great guy to fall in love with her. The list was invariably a short one. So each time, she'd say yes to the next Dan the dork or Carl the clueless, figuring there wasn't anything special enough about her to attract—and hold on to—a really great guy.
How the heck Trudy had figured that out, she had no idea. Because, honestly, Daisy had never before even acknowledged it about herself.
"You know I'm right," Trudy said as she finished loading up yet another carton for yet another happy couple somewhere out in engaged America.
This particular carton was filled with tiny metal charms. The little things looked like eyeballs and were, in fact, called evil eyes. Why anyone would want anything with the word "evil" in it at their wedding was beyond Daisy's comprehension. If she ever got married, she figured the closest she'd come would be "evil mother-in-law."
But even the little eyes were better than the final package of wedding favors they quickly got to work on. Those little candy-covered almonds might as well be called colored rocks. The one time Daisy had tried one, she'd lost a filling.
"So, what are the chances that I can talk you into going out with a nice guy, for a change?" Trudy asked as they finished taping up the third carton.
Daisy reached for the stack of mailing labels that had just finished spewing out of the printer on her desk. "About as good as the chances that I'm actually going to meet a nice guy for a change. I'm not entirely sure they exist. Because the only men I meet carry mirrors to check their hair and rulers to measure their…"
"Ahem."
Daisy whirled around, hearing a low, masculine throat-clearing that she seriously doubted had come from her cousin.
It hadn't. A guy with light brown hair, twinkling brown eyes and a familiar brown uniform stood in the doorway. Oh, great. A new package delivery guy. An adorably cute one.
She closed her eyes and swore mentally. Wondering just how much he'd overheard and wondering if her face had reached candy apple red yet, or was still in the cotton candy pink stage, she managed to mutter, "Uh, hi."
"Hi," he replied, looking amused. Then he added, "For the record, I have never carried a mirror in my life. And my measuring tape is strictly for the packages I pick up."
Bursting into laughter, Trudy said, "Well, I've got something to do." She sauntered out of the mail-room, leaving Daisy alone with the laughing stranger.
Something to do? Yeah. Right. She had to sit out in the front office and giggle over how stupid Daisy had just made herself look in front of this incredibly cute guy.
"I'm Neil," he finally said.
Neil the … Neanderthal? Neil the … not-so-bad?
Stop it, she reminded herself. One heartbreak a month is enough for anyone.
"Believe it or not," he added, "I have, on occasion, been called a nice guy. A nice, hard-working, unattached guy."
Man, he had dimples. Genuine, lose-yourself-in-them dimples. Then the unattached part sunk in and her heart skipped a beat. Because there'd been no denying the way he'd said the word—almost in invitation.
"So should I just turn around and leave now and let you pretend nice guys are like leprechauns—nonexistent? Or do you want to tell me your name?"
"I'm busy," she said, trying to keep her tone businesslike and her eyes averted. Because if she looked at him again, she'd probably start to notice the very nice way his brown hair curled a little behind his ears. Or the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled. Or the great butt in those silly brown shorts.
"Okay, busy," he said, sounding a little disappointed, though not offended. "What do you have for me?"
What did she have? A raging case of pathetic-woman-itis. And the longer he stood here, filling up the air with all his man-stuff, the worse off she'd be. She cleared her throat, forcing her attention to her work. "Three packages."
"They all ready?"
She nodded, then realized they weren't. Not entirely. She still held the pre-printed labels in her hand. Squatting down, she quickly slapped one on each package. "Now they are," she said. "So, uh, feel free to, you know, go."
The smile never faded from Neil-the-nearly-perfect's face as he wheeled his hand-cart over, stacked the boxes on it, and pushed them toward the door. Just before exiting, he said, "Maybe next time, when you're not so busy, you'll actually tell me your name." Suddenly looking more serious—tender almost—he added, "I think I'd very much like to hear you say it."
Then he walked out of the room, leaving her standing there alone, wide-eyed and a little dazed.
"It's Daisy," she whispered, knowing he was well out of earshot.
Though his smile and great looks were the first things she'd noticed, for some reason, now that he was gone, she couldn't get her mind off that gentle, almost romantic way he'd said he wanted to hear her name. As if he hadn't just been flirting. As if he wanted a chance to prove he was the kind of nice
guy she'd proclaimed didn't exist.
If only she hadn't been so defensive, so embarrassed about what he'd overheard, she might actually have allowed herself a chance to talk to a down-to-earth man who'd been nothing but nice to her. Neil the nice.
Stupid. She'd been stupid and distracted, rushing around like an idiot to get him to hurry up and leave, when now, not too much later, she wished he'd stayed a little longer.
"Oh, God," she whispered, as something suddenly dawned on her. She had been rushed. Distracted. Downright careless.
Throwing her head back, Daisy groaned. Because she had slapped those mailing labels on the cartons without giving any of them a second glance. And for the life of her, she couldn't remember which box was which.
So she had absolutely no idea if three engaged couples somewhere out there in America were going to get what they were expecting for their weddings.
Or not.
CHAPTER ONE
"Uh-oh, it looks like we're going to get lei'd again."
Jason Crofton chuckled at his best friend's ongoing joke about the Hawaiian tradition they'd endured numerous times since arriving in Maui to enjoy their week-long vacation. After spending the past two years building their Internet design company, Website Imaging, into a successful venture, they'd both agreed they needed time off to play and enjoy the fruits of their labors. And a casual, laid-back trip to Hawaii had appealed to them both.
In the two days that he and Nick had been on Maui they'd gone on a hike along the Haleakala Crater and had taken a tour to Hana to view the legendary waterfalls and lush foliage. The, evenings they'd spent carousing local bars and generally living up to the wild reputations they'd acquired when they were in college together. Tonight, though, their hotel was hosting a Luau, and since it was part of the package-deal, they figured it would be a fun way to start off their evening before they moved on to more lively pursuits later.
"Would you like to get lei'd first?" Jason asked, and motioned for his friend to proceed him in the line of guests waiting to get into the Hawaiian themed party.
"No, I was first to get lei'd at breakfast this morning, remember?" Nick joked, and slapped Jason on the back to push him forward. "You go on ahead."
The next available greeter stepped up to Jason and slipped a fragrant wreath of flowers around his neck. She was wearing an off-the-shoulder blouse in a colorful floral print that showed off her smooth, brown skin. A grass skirt was tied around her slender waist, and a garland of plumerias crowned her head.
"Mahalo nui loa na ho'olaule 'a me la kaua," she recited with a soft, welcoming smile. "Thank you for celebrating with us. I'm Leila, and I'll be part of your entertainment tonight."
Jason grinned at the lovely Hawaiian woman, drawn in by her soft, husky voice. "Hello, Leila. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Her gaze met his, and in that moment, as he stared down at the young woman with beautiful, exotic features, long dark hair, and deep, soulful brown eyes, Jason felt jolted by a startling, instantaneous awareness that stole the breath from his lungs. It was a reaction he'd never had with any other woman before, and it caught him completely off guard.
In her eyes he saw the same immediate attraction flare to life before she demurely glanced away and moved on to greet the next guest, leaving him inexplicably stunned by the quick, but very arousing encounter.
As Jason made his way to his seat, his heart was beating hard and fast in his chest, and his palms were damp. It was a phenomenal, telling reaction he wasn't about to dismiss or ignore.
For the rest of the evening, as Nick flirted with the female guests and waitresses, Jason couldn't take his eyes off Leila as she performed up on stage with the other hula dancers. He was gratified to see that her attention was drawn to him, as well. He was the one she chose to take up on stage and dance with, giving him the chance to enjoy a close-up view of the way her hips rolled and swayed to the rhythm of the music.
The seductive way she moved her lithe body charmed him, and the come-hither look in her eyes teased and tempted every one of his male instincts. The chemistry between them only grew hotter, and by the end of the night he was in awe of her natural beauty, captivated by her subtle sensuality, and completely fascinated by the gradual way she let a more playful, flirtatious side to her personality emerge with him.
He wanted her like no other woman he'd ever met, and the pull was strong and undeniable. Inescapable. Inevitable.
After the luau and show ended, Nick headed out to a nightclub with a woman he'd been carrying on a conversation with during dinner. Jason opted to stay behind and wait for Leila to exit the small building where the entertainers had disappeared into after the show.
A half an hour later she came out by herself and headed down the walkway leading to the hotel's employee parking lot. Her steps slowed when she caught sight of him leaning against the thick trunk of a palm tree, and she approached him with a smile that held equal doses of surprise and pleasure.
She'd changed from her Hula costume into a pale blue T-shirt that molded to her small breasts, faded, hip-hugging jeans, and casual flip-flops. Her long lustrous hair gleamed from the Tiki torches lining the walkway, as did her dark brown eyes.
"Hi," he said, feeling like a schoolboy with his first crush, which was something he hadn't experienced since, well, high school.
"Hi, yourself," she said in a sassy tone, which he found extremely beguiling. "Did you enjoy the show?"
"Very much." Especially the sensual way she'd danced for him, and with him. "I had a great time."
A few more of the entertainers exited the building, along with two burly-looking Hawaiian guys. The duo stopped and stared at where Leila was talking to him.
"Hey, kaikaina, everything okay?" one of them called out, his deep, gruff voice shattering the quiet night.
"I'm fine, Paulo." She waved away their concern and cringed in embarrassment at Jason. "Sorry about that."
"Kaikaina?" Jason attempted to repeat the foreign word, curious to know what it meant. And hoping like hell he wasn't poaching on someone else's girlfriend.
"Little sister," she explained. "Those two are my older brothers, Paulo and Mani."
"Ahhh." He snuck another quick look over her shoulder, recognizing the two men as part of the Luau's musical entertainment. One played the drums, and the other a ukulele. Neither one had worn such ominous expressions up on stage.
The brothers were still standing guard in the distance, arms crossed over their muscular chests as they scrutinized him in a way that was nothing like the island hospitality he'd experienced thus far. "Uh, they're big guys."
She laughed in amusement. "They like to act tough, but they're just being protective. I'm the baby of the family and they take their job of watching over me very seriously." She shot them an annoyed glance, then grumbled beneath her breath, "Too seriously sometimes."
Jason couldn't blame them. If he had a sister, or any siblings at all, he'd probably feel the same way. But at the moment, her brothers were putting a major crimp in his plans to get to know Leila better.
He inclined his head toward the path that led down toward the beach. "Do you think we could go somewhere a little more private and talk?"
She hesitated a second, then he caught a daring, rebellious spark in her gaze that told him that she wanted to be alone with him, too, her bodyguards be damned. "Sure. I'd like that."
She led him to a gazebo just on the edge of the property, right before the sandy beach began. The area was lit by more torches, and her brothers didn't follow along, much to his relief. They were alone, except for the sound of the waves crashing on the shore and the breeze rustling through the coconut tree fronds overhead. He found the whole ambiance peaceful, relaxing, and so different from his hectic, fast-paced life back in California.
"Have you always lived here on Maui?" he asked as he leaned a hip on the wooden railing framing the gazebo.
"Yes. I was born and raised here. As were my parents and grandparents." The pride in her vo
ice was unmistakable.
"Ever been to California?" he asked.
"The Mainland?" She shook her head, causing all that glorious, silky hair to shimmer over her shoulders and down her back. "No, I've only traveled to the other surrounding Hawaiian islands. Is California where you live?"
He slipped his hands into the front pockets of his khaki's, and grinned. "Yep. Born and raised."
She strolled over to a hibiscus bush growing beside the gazebo and fingered the petal of one of the bright-pink flowers. "So, is that where your family is from, too?"
"Actually, my parents were originally from Ohio. They moved to California after they got married, before I was born. They both passed away in a car accident when I was eighteen."
Her eyes widened and a small gasp escaped her. "I'm so sorry to hear that."
"Thanks." Her compassion was genuine, and he appreciated the heartfelt sentiment. "I miss them a lot. It was really hard at first since I'm an only child and the rest of my relatives still live in Ohio."
But the life-altering experience had forced him to grow up fast. Instead of moving back to Ohio to live with relatives, he'd made the decision to remain in California, alone and on his own. He'd worked hard to put himself through college and had built a successful and profitable company with Nick—all by sheer perseverance. Now, he had a good life, and he was grateful for everything he'd learned along the way.
But now that his business was thriving, he was coming to realize that he wanted more. Instead of a multitude of short-lived relationships, he wanted one special woman to share his life with. He wanted the kind of deep, abiding love his parents had shared. He wanted a wife to come home to every night, and at least three kids to bring love and laughter into his life on a daily basis.
He'd dated his share of women over the years, but none had ever inspired thoughts of forever. Maybe the timing hadn't been right. Maybe he hadn't met the right woman yet. Maybe he just hadn't been ready to settle down. Until recently.
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