Tequila Haze (The Tequila Duet Book 1)

by Melissa Toppen

  “There’s really nothing to tell.” I go with the easiest response I can think of. “That’s not to say it won’t turn into something but as of right now we’re just getting to know each other.”

  “Good enough for me.” My father offers a soft smile.

  “Well it’s not good enough for me,” Nana chimes in. “I want details. Especially if he’s as hot as Starr says he is.”

  “Mom,” my mother objects, shaking her head.

  “What? I’m old, not dead.” Nana chuckles and my father groans.

  “On that note.” Mark scoots his chair back and stands. “Starr and I should be going. We have an appointment with Joy to finalize some last minute wedding details.” He holds his hand out to Starr who takes it without hesitation, allowing him to pull her to her feet. “I’m sorry we can’t stay longer.”

  Mark and Starr decided on a small ceremony on the beach with only immediate family and the wedding party. After, there will be a large outdoor reception for all of the family and their friends.

  “No worries at all.” My mother stands as Starr and Mark say their goodbyes; hugging Nana first and then my dad, both coming to me last.

  “I officially hate you today,” I mutter when Starr hugs me tight.

  “I love you too, sis,” she sings in my ear before releasing me.

  I swear to god if my parents weren’t watching I would tit punch her so hard right now.

  “Sorry about her.” Mark smiles, wrapping his arm around my shoulder in a quick hug.

  “Thanks for trying.” I wink at him.

  “Just remember that when I need saving.” He chuckles, dropping his arm.

  “Deal.” I offer a small wave as my mother ushers the two of them toward the house.

  “So... Now that they’re all gone.” Nana pats her hand on the table, pulling my attention back to her. “Tell me about this hot piece of man everyone is so up in arms about.” She gives me a toothy grin and leans forward, elbows on the tables.

  “Oh for goodness sakes.” My father groans, quickly standing. “I’m declaring Sunday lunch over,” he mutters, standing and heading toward the house.

  “Well?” Nana looks at me expectantly.

  “You wanna see a picture?” I ask, knowing I can’t deny Nana.

  “Do frogs eat flies?” she quips, reaching for my phone before I even have it off the table.

  Laughing, I pull up my picture feed and scroll to the last two pictures I took. One is of Hudson, laying in the lounge chair, hands tucked behind his head, sunglasses covering his eyes. He didn’t know I was taking it until he heard the snap, which leads me to the second picture. He’d just realized I took the first one, a wide smile on his handsome face as he reaches for the phone. He looks incredible in both so it really doesn’t matter which one I show her.

  “Here.” I pass her the phone, the picture where he’s smiling on the screen.

  “Well hot damn.” Nana smacks the table and lets out a whistle. “Look at that stomach. If I were fifty years younger the things I could do with a man like that.”

  “Nana.” I laugh, taking my phone back.

  “I’ll repeat. I’m old, not dead.” She smirks. “Just you wait. One day you’ll be old like me and you’ll know I was right. You’re never too old to appreciate something that fine.”

  “I guess I’ll have to wait and see.” I laugh, shaking my head.

  “So, you think it’s serious?”

  “I hope it will be.” Complete honesty. There’s no point in lying to Nana. Not only will she see right through it, but she’ll call me out on it as well. Best to save my breath on the truth.

  “You really like him.”

  “I really do.” I smile, unable to fight it as it stretches across my face.

  “I wonder if he has any clue,” she says more to herself than to me.

  “Any clue about what?”

  “That you’re already falling in love with him.”

  “Nana.”

  “Don’t bother telling me it’s not true. Maybe you don’t see it yet yourself. Or maybe you do and you’re scared to acknowledge it. Either way, I know the look of love when I see it and Lenny, it’s written all over your face.”

  “I barely know him.” I let out a slow breath.

  “Doesn’t matter. When you know, you know. I went on one date with your grandfather and knew before he even walked me to the door that he would be the man I’d marry.”

  “But how could you have been so sure?”

  “I could just feel it. He was my person. I knew it almost instantly. No one made me feel the way he did. No one made me laugh or smile like he did. And most importantly, no one made my heart beat like he did. All fast and wonky like it forgot how to work right whenever he was around.”

  “You must miss him a lot.”

  “Every single day. But I’ll see him again.” She smiles, so sure of the words she speaks. “Don’t listen to the fear, Lenny. Listen to your heart. Trust it. Trust yourself. If it’s right, you’ll know.”

  “Thanks, Nana.” I smile at my larger than life grandmother, hoping one day I can be even half the woman she is.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “It doesn’t look right,” Starr whines, pulling on the top of her strapless, white lace wedding gown that’s fitted at the top and flows outward like a ball gown. The bottom just brushing the floor.

  “It looks perfect.” I smack her hand away. “Stop messing with it. You’re just nervous. And you have no reason to be. Mark is amazing and you two are going to do incredible things together.”

  “You really think so?” She kneads her bottom lip between her teeth the same way I do when I’m nervous.

  “I know so.” I smile, slipping the large white bouquet of flowers into her hand. “Now come on. You don’t have much sunlight left.” My sister will melt down if she misses the sunset photo op she’s had her heart set on for as long as I can remember.

  Her plan has always been to marry on the same beach where our parent’s wed. To say “I do” with the sun dipping beneath the horizon, casting an orange glow in the sky. Starr always has been the dreamer. And I gotta hand it to her, when she sets her mind to something she sees it through.

  “Thank you for everything, Lennon.”

  “You don’t ever have to thank me for anything. I’m your sister and I love you. There isn’t a thing I wouldn’t do for you. Always know that.” I give her a reassuring smile before reaching behind her to pull open the door to the deck that leads out onto the beach.

  “That goes both ways you know,” she says, her attention shifting to our father who’s waiting for us on the deck.

  “I’m pretty sure I have the two most beautiful girls in the world right here.” He smiles proudly, leaning down to kiss my cheek before stepping past me to Starr. “You ready for this, princess?”

  “As I’ll ever be.” She smiles up at him with tears in her eyes.

  This whole day has tested my emotions beyond their limit. The ceremony hasn’t even started, yet I’m already seconds away from resolving to a puddle of tears.

  “I’ll go tell them we’re ready.” I smile at my dad and little sister before taking the stairs down to the beach where the rest of the wedding party is waiting.

  “Is she ready to run?” Chelsea jokes the moment she sees me.

  “Run?” Julie shakes her head. “No way in hell. She got a good one. She’s not running anywhere.”

  “But this is Starr,” Jaime reminds everyone.

  “She’s not going anywhere,” I cut in, reaching over to fix the strap of Sandy’s dress that is twisted. “We’re ready to start. Jaime, you’re up first. You meet Todd at the end of the aisle. The violinist should start playing as soon as she sees you. Julie, you go next. Josh will meet you at the same place. Then Chelsea, then Sandy. Everybody clear?”

  “Aye aye, capitano.” Jaime does a little salute before walking barefoot through the sand to meet Mark’s friend, Todd. The other girls follow behind in a straight line
, each one barefoot wearing knee length pale yellow dresses, hair down with a single white flower tucked behind one ear.

  That’s how Starr wanted it. Everyone natural and beautiful. For someone who is all about fashion and looks, she really impressed me with her choices for her wedding.

  My dress matches the others, except it’s a pale blue. The dress is simple, yet very beautiful. With thin straps that crisscross in the back, it’s fitted at the top but opens up just below the bust line, hitting me right about the middle of my knees. The material is thin and airy, and I know for a fact that it twirls all the way out when you spin. I may or may not have tested it out earlier in front of the mirror.

  I manage to get everyone down the aisle and in their places just as the music shifts. The minute I see my dad and sister coming down the sand, I almost lose it again.

  She looks so happy, her hair blowing freely behind her, eyes locked on her future husband. I glance in his direction right as my first tear falls. He’s looking at my sister like she is the beginning, middle, and end to his everything and to top it off, he’s crying.

  A grown, successful business man is weeping at the sight of his bride coming down the aisle toward him. A weird knot forms in my stomach and I do my best to push it down but I can’t stop the image of Hudson that floods in front of my eyes.

  I imagine it’s me walking down that aisle. That he’s the one crying at the sight of me because not only am I the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen but because I am his beginning, his middle, and his end.

  I’m snapped out of my daydream when Aunt Brenda begins to speak. My mother’s only sister and Sandy’s mom, Brenda is a special bird. And when I say special I mean as in one of those free spirited people who tries their hand at a new profession or hobby every other week. Last year she decided she wanted to become an ordained minister. It lasted about three weeks, but hey, at least it worked out for my sister and Mark who didn’t want to go the traditional marriage route in a church.

  The rest of the ceremony passes in a blur. It feels like I blink my eyes and my aunt is announcing Mark and Starr as Mr. and Mrs. Phillips. My sister gets her photo op right as the sun dips below the horizon and the small group in attendance breaks into applause.

  We snap a few more pictures; Starr with me and our parents. Mark with his parents. The two of them with both sets of parents. The wedding party. I swear the photographer doesn’t know when to quit until my mother announces we have to go.

  Everyone remaining piles into the limo Mark rented and we head to the reception hall down the road. It’s an outdoor venue that Starr knew she had to have the minute she saw it.

  While the wedding was small, the reception is anything but. The place is already hopping with people as we climb out of the limo one by one. It’s clear to see that Starr invited every single person she’s ever met and probably some she hasn’t.

  I wait until we are all out of the limo before giving everyone the run down on our entrance. Starr really should have hired a wedding planner to do this, but alas, I got roped into it doing all of it.

  The venue honestly looks like a humongous deck you might see on the back of someone’s house, but way bigger than that. There’s a tiki bar along one side and a make shift stage along another. Circular tables are strategically placed around the space for this specific event. They also have a wedding party table on risers set up not far from the stage where the band we hired has already set up.

  Since all the girls went barefoot at the ceremony, Starr conceded into letting us all wear white flip flops for the reception instead of squeezing into uncomfortable heels. I quickly slip mine on and cross the floor toward the band, waving at a few relatives and family friends I pass along the way.

  I’ve only met the band once, the day I booked them. They are a local group of four guys in their early twenties. They specialize in hit music in almost every music genre which is why Starr loved them so much.

  The singer, Chad, hops off the stage when he sees me approaching.

  “Wedding party all here?” he asks before I say anything at all.

  “Here and ready to go.” I hold out a piece of paper to him. “These are the names in order of how they should be announced. And here’s the list of activities and the times you need to start them.” I hand him another paper. “If you have any questions, I’ll be around.”

  “I think we can handle it.” He chuckles, offering me a warm smile.

  “Thank you.” I wave to the other guys on stage before quickly turning and making my way back to the limo where the rest of the party is waiting.

  Once I have everyone rounded up, Chad starts making introductions and side by side the couples file in, taking their assigned seats at the wedding table. When it’s my turn to go, I snag my arm through Tony’s and plaster a smile on my face, so happy that my maid of honor duties are almost over.

  The band will take over with the schedule from here, announcing when it’s time to do each activity. This way I can sit back, get drunk, and dance my ass off because why the hell not? It is a wedding after all.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Thank you for everything you did today and leading up to today, Lennon. I don’t think Starr would have been able to handle all this without you.” Mark smiles at me as he guides me effortlessly across the dance floor.

  “It was nothing. I’d do it all again to see her as happy as she is right now.” Both of our gazes go to my sister who is currently dancing with Mark’s dad.

  “It’s been a perfect day. I know I owe a lot of that to you.”

  “You can thank me by making my sister happy for the rest of her life.”

  “I can handle that.” He chuckles, giving me a twirl before pulling me back toward him.

  It’s about two hours into the reception. Dinner has been eaten, the cake has been cut and served, and the first dances are out of the way. There’s really nothing left to do but enjoy the rest of the evening. And since Emma, my wing woman for the night, dipped out early to go home with her hubby, I’ve been bouncing around mingling for the last several minutes. That is until Mark tagged me for a dance.

  “You’re really good for her,” I tell him, noticing for the first time the blue that lines his hazel eyes.

  Mark is quite attractive. Clean shaved. Light brown hair, styled short. Nice broad shoulders. Tall. He’s not Hudson hot (but then again who is) but it’s clear how he managed to catch my sister’s eye. Especially when he smiles. There’s something so genuine and easy about the action that you can’t help but immediately like the guy once he smiles at you.

  “She’s really good for me.”

  “I’m glad you two have each other.”

  “So why don’t you tell me about this Hudson guy Starr can’t seem to shut up about?” He looks down at me with humor in his eyes.

  “There’s really nothing to tell. At least not yet. We’re kind of feeling each other out.”

  “Are you hoping it will become serious?”

  I shrug, not offering an actual response.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” He laughs, his gaze looking over my head for a brief moment.

  “It’s strange. I’ve never felt so strongly about someone in such a short period of time,” I admit, not sure why I’m telling my brand new brother-in-law this.

  I blame the tequila. Stupid open bar.

  “Starr said you invited him tonight.”

  “I did.” I sigh. “He couldn’t make it. He’s in Vegas this weekend for a show.”

  “You sure about that?”

  I don’t have time to even process his statement before my thoughts are interrupted. That deep rasp resonating to the deepest parts of me.

  “May I cut in?”

  I turn toward the voice, sucking in a sharp breath when my eyes land on Hudson’s dark ones.

  “Be my guest,” Mark says seconds before I’m transferred into Hudson’s arms.

  “What are you doing here?” I blink up at him in complete and total shock.
/>   “Surprised?” He grins, sliding my arms around his neck as the band starts playing another slow song.

  “Very.” I smile when he wraps his arms around my middle and pulls me flush with his body. “But how? I thought you had a show.”

  “The show was last night. I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to make it because we had a few radio appearances early this morning, but I managed to make it happen. Caught the earliest flight I could. Thank god it wasn’t delayed or I may not have made it in time.”

  “I can’t believe you came all this way.” Emotion stings the back of my throat but I swallow it down, refusing to be that girl.

  “I would have come a hell of a lot further to see you like this.” He pushes my hair over my shoulder and leans forward. “You look beautiful,” he whispers, his lips connecting with the soft flesh below my ear.

  “You don’t look half bad yourself,” I return, loving the dark jeans, button down, and tie he’s rocking.

  It’s very Hudson. Simple and yet somehow he makes it look extravagant.

  “I missed you.” His admission sends a flutter through my chest.

  “I missed you,” I admit, smiling when he pulls back to meet my gaze. “Now shut up and kiss me already.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He purrs seconds before his lips are on mine. It’s soft and very PG, but it still does wonders to my body. Lighting me up from the inside out.

  When our lips part, Hudson pulls me closer, my head resting against his chest as he starts to sway slowly with me in his arms.

  I don’t realize what song is playing until Hudson’s deep and smooth voice begins singing softly next to my ear. “I don’t dance, but here I am, spinning you round and round in circles.”

  It’s one of those moments...one of those perfect moments that you wish you could bottle up and keep with you forever because you’re convinced that nothing will ever be that good again.

  “How long can you stay?” Pulling back, my hands run into Hudson’s hair as our feet continue to move in a slow, lazy rhythm.