Just This Night

by Mari Madison

  I knew I should have been grateful for his impromptu rescue. His demand that the show must go on. The alternative—breaking up the wedding and causing a scene in front of half of my coworkers and bosses—would have been utter humiliation and career suicide to boot. But at the same time, I was still so embarrassed, it was hard to muster up the appropriate gratitude.

  “I’m fine. You can let me go now,” I muttered, even though his warm hands admittedly felt pretty good on my freezing skin. Or maybe because of that fact. Truth was, a large traitorous part of me wanted him to stay there, holding me up until the ceremony was over and I could retreat to higher ground.

  But that would be weird.

  And I’d already proven myself weird enough for one afternoon.

  Turned out, it didn’t matter anyway because Asher didn’t seem interested in letting go of my arms, despite my suggestion. And I couldn’t exactly force him to do so without causing another scene. And so I stood there, his hands still snug on my arms, his breath tickling the back of my neck. Trying to keep it together as the minister droned on and on. At least now I had something else to focus on instead of the ocean. Though I wasn’t entirely sure this particular focus served to make me feel any calmer.

  Finally, after what seemed an eternity the minister got to the so-called “good part.” Mac was instructed to kiss his bride. And I dropped my shoulders in relief.

  Thank freaking God.

  I stepped forward, now managing to shrug out of Asher’s grip, trying to shore up my sanity so I could finish the job. I had only a few more minutes to keep it together before I could head to the stairs, up to the La Jolla mansion on the cliff where the reception was being held. Out of the reach of the sea’s icy grip.

  I could do this. I could totally do this.

  Beth turned from her first married kiss to look at me, grinning from ear to ear. I forced a smile to my own lips, then handed her back her bouquet. “Nice work,” I said, forcing my voice to sound light and unaffected. “And just think—you didn’t trip once, despite all your worries.” Beth had been having nightmares of falling on her face during the walk down the aisle for weeks now. But in real life she looked as if she were walking on water.

  “Hey! Don’t jinx me!” she protested now, gesturing to the makeshift path between the guests. “I still have to walk back down the aisle, you know.”

  “Don’t worry, baby,” Mac interjected, slipping an arm around her waist. “I won’t let you fall.”

  The love in his eyes made tears spring to my own. It was nice to see two people who deserved each other fully get their happily ever. And for a moment, I forgot to be afraid—I was too happy for them to worry about myself.

  Beth smiled at him, her face practically glowing with adoration. Then she turned back to me. “Are you okay?” she asked in a soft voice. “Earlier I thought—”

  I waved her off, my cheeks heating all over again, both appreciating and hating her concern. At this point I just wanted to move forward. Forget it ever happened.

  Not to mention get off this freaking beach, ASAP.

  “I’m fine,” I assured her. “Now go! Finish this thing!”

  Beth laughed and hugged me, then took Mac’s arm, starting down the aisle as friends, family, and coworkers whooped and cheered. The couple stopped for only a moment, to kiss the flower girl, Mac’s daughter Ashley, who was jumping up and down wildly from her place beside his sister. The five-year-old took that as her invitation and chased after them as they continued down the aisle, prompting laughter from the other guests.

  “Hey Red. We’re up.”

  I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of Asher’s voice, rippling across my ears again. I’d been so wrapped up in Beth and Mac I hadn’t realized he’d returned to my side. As I glanced over at him now, he gave me a roguish smile, then held out his arm. As if this was all some kind of big joke. And maybe it was, to him. Silly damsel in distress, needing rescuing from the big bad wave.

  Reluctantly, I took his arm, feeling my traitorous skin flush all over again at the warmth that came from our interlocking elbows as he confidentially led me down the aisle. I could feel the stares from all the ladies in the audience and I wondered which one (or two?) Asher would end up bedding that night. With his looks and money, he probably had his pick of the party. Even now, the girls were practically slobbering like Saint Bernards on my dress.

  Evidently it was good to be the king.

  When we reached the top of the stairs, Asher stopped. I jerked my arm away from his, with a little more force than I’d meant to. He chuckled, his green eyes flashing merrily.

  “That anxious to be rid me, huh?” he teased. “Or just angling to be first in line for the buffet?”

  I snorted. “I was actually thinking of finding a deep, dark hole to crawl into so I could die of humiliation in private. You know of any around here?”

  He laughed. But surprisingly it was a nice laugh. A laugh that said, ‘I’m laughing with you’ not ‘at you.’ Even though, at the moment, I was still having a hard time finding any of this funny.

  “Don’t worry, Red. It happens to the best of us,” he assured me. “I mean hell, if I had a buck for every wave that snuck up from behind and scared the bejesus out of me? I’d be a rich man.”

  I raised my eyebrows. He laughed again.

  “Okay, fine. A richer man,” he corrected. “And,” he added, waving a finger. “I would donate every penny of that newfound wealth to splash research. So someday scientists could figure out a way to stop those bad waves from happening to good people.”

  He shot me a teasing grin and I couldn’t help a small smile in return. Now that I had distance between the ocean and myself I was able to relax a bit, the former sharp terror dulling to a lingering ache.

  “Well, thank you,” I said sheepishly. “For the rescue, I mean. Now the News 9 powers-that-be can assume I’m only a tiny bit crazy. Instead of a full-on candidate for straightjacketdom.”

  “Please.” Asher waved me off. “Have you ever been to a TV newsroom wedding? By the end of the night they’ll all be so blind drunk they won’t remember their own names, never mind your little snafu.”

  I groaned. “Maybe I need to start spiking drinks just in case . . . ”

  “Now you’re thinking like a journalist.” He held up his fist and I reluctantly bumped it with my own. “Just do me a solid and skip mine, okay? I have to give a best man toast later on and will need to keep my ability to speak in complete sentences if I’m going to manage to muddle through it.”

  “That’s right, the toasts!” I exclaimed. With all that had happened, I’d almost forgotten I wasn’t off the hook with Maid of Honor duties just yet. I pulled out the paper I’d worked on the night before from my pocket, studying it with critical eyes.

  “Wow—you came prepared, didn’t you?” Asher noted, looking impressed. “And here I was just thinking of winging mine.”

  He grabbed the paper out of my hand before I could stop him, opening it up and scanning the words I’d written. I felt my cheeks heat as I stood there awkwardly, waiting for his assessment.

  “It’s just a stupid little thing I whipped up . . . ” I stammered.

  He looked over at me. “This is really good,” he exclaimed, as if he were surprised. I didn’t know whether to be pleased or insulted by that. He handed the paper back to me. “I’m going to sound like a total tool in comparison.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I’m sure you’ll do fine. It’s not rocket science you know.”

  “Well, obviously not for you,” he muttered. “I, on the other hand . . . ”

  “Asher Anderson! There you are!”

  I looked up, just in time to see a vivacious blonde, wearing a dress cut far too low to be considered proper wedding attire, practically throw herself on top of Asher. As one did, I supposed, if you were a hot blonde in a low-cut dress. As she kissed him soundly on both cheeks, he simultaneously tried to peel her off his body. I stifled an unexpected grin at the annoye
d look on his face.

  Maybe it wasn’t so good to be the king all the time.

  “Hey Jess,” he said, his voice measured. “I didn’t realize you were on the guest list.”

  “Of course!” the girl—Jess—cried, almost indignantly. Then she giggled. “Okay, fine. I’m totally crashing. But how could I just leave you here, all by your lonesome, with all these bridesmaids wandering around, looking to hook up.” She gave me a derisive look, obviously lumping me into the aforementioned category. “Just consider me your plus one,” she cooed. “Now come on, let’s go say hi to the happy couple!”

  “Okay, okay!” Asher said holding up his hands in protest. He gave me an impish shrug, then mouthed “sorry.” I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

  And with that, she practically dragged him across the lawn, toward the main house. I watched the two of them go, surprised at the shimmer of disappointment fluttering through my stomach.

  I frowned. What was that all about? I mean, it wasn’t as if I’d wanted him to stick around or anything. And besides, as Maid of Honor I had a lot left to do. In addition to the toast, I had to pose for photos, make sure Beth had everything she needed. I didn’t have time to just hang out and chat.

  Especially not with Asher Anderson of all people.

  Also, even if I had wanted him to stay for some crazy reason, what made me think that he would want to? He probably just felt sorry for me—and was being a gentleman, making sure I was okay. Acting the part of a good Best Man, making sure the crazy bridesmaid didn’t screw up the groom’s big day any further.

  Because what else could there be between someone like me—and someone like Asher? We may have been paired for the wedding, but in real life? We might as well have come from different solar systems. And while yes, he might have saved me today, he might have grinned at me and made silly jokes, tomorrow I would cease to exist in his world. And that was just how it had to be.

  Besides, if he had known what had truly freaked me out on the beach? The real reason I was so scared of those waves? He wouldn’t be interested in talking to me anymore anyway. In fact, he’d probably be the one to run away screaming.

  I sighed, turning back to the ocean, forcing myself to stare out into the endless dark waters from the relative safety of the cliff, watching the waves beat up the shore. I bit my lower lip, feeling my pulse kick up in my veins all over again.

  Piper! Where’s your brother?

  Where the hell is your brother?

  Some people thought the ocean was beautiful. Peaceful. But to me, it was nothing more than a graveyard.

  Mari Madison is a former multiple Emmy Award–winning television producer and author of novels for adults and teens. She’s worked at television news stations in Boston, San Diego, and Orlando, and helped launch the nationally syndicated morning show Better in New York City. Under the name Mari Mancusi, she writes young adult books, including the Blood Coven Vampire novels, most recently Soul Bound and Bad Blood. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and young daughter and their dog, Mesquite.

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