by Tara Randel
After realizing he hadn’t walked into a hostile situation, his pulse rate lowered. Then quickly rose again when he entered the large room teeming with all kinds of activity. People setting up rows of chairs. Others creating a makeshift altar. The Cupid from his mother’s lecture stood on the sidelines. A sense of anticipation fueled the already frenetic energy in the air. “This is crazy.”
“I know. Last year we had a similar situation and pulled off a spectacular wedding. Who knew it would become a thing?”
A thing he didn’t want any part of. “Kady, it would probably be best if I stayed out of it. I’m not—”
“There you are,” his mother called out as she barreled toward him. “We need some heavy lifting done.”
Seeing the resolute expression on his mother’s face, he knew there was no place he could hide that she wouldn’t find him. He bit back a sigh, wishing he’d taken Derrick’s advice and not used the trick coin. But he needed to be here to find Esposa, so heavy lifting it was.
He joined in the chaos and every once in a while caught sight of Kady, right in the middle of the action. He actually did a double take when he noticed Kady alongside his mother as they arranged the flowers. Was this a dream? Or possibly a nightmare?
Before long the banquet room had transformed into a chapel and reception venue. The convention attendees took their seats and soon a jumpy Ned stood at the front of the room, tugging at his shirt collar. Dylan silently commiserated with the man.
Music suddenly filled the room via speakers and the wedding guests rose. A small woman in a pretty lace dress, a smile as wide as her face, power walked up the aisle to meet her groom.
Dylan chanced a covert glance at Kady. Her expression was endearing. She’d had a part in this ceremony. Despite the break-in at her shop and her near miss from a hit-and-run driver, he could tell she was enjoying every minute. When she caught his eye, her gentle smile made his heart shift in his chest.
He was in more trouble than he thought.
They sat as a justice of the peace—one of the florists, Kady told him—read from a prayer book. Despite Ned’s green complexion and Sissy keeping a manacled hold of his wrists, Dylan had to admit the ceremony wasn’t terrible. When the couple said their I dos, Kady sighed. He slipped his hand in hers, taking pleasure in the rightness of her cheek pressed against his shoulder. Once this convention was over he owed her a big explanation.
The vows ended. The justice of the peace announced the couple husband and wife. Sissy yelped in victory, grabbing poor Ned by the lapels and pulling him in for a big kiss. It wasn’t until after they surfaced for air that Dylan noticed a goofy smile on the groom’s face. With all the hoopla over, the guy could finally relax.
As the guests mingled afterward, his mother, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue, found him.
“Wasn’t the ceremony lovely?”
He noticed her meaningful gaze that belied her supposed tears. “Peachy, Mom.”
“I’m sure Kady has dreamed of her own wedding.”
Kady’s eyes grew round. “No, um, just other people’s who need my florist services.”
“How could that be? No cutout pictures of gowns? Color schemes? Bridesmaids?”
“Mom—” Dylan warned.
“It’s okay,” Kady assured him. “Your mother is caught up in the moment.”
“A moment I may never see if my sons have their way.”
At Kady’s giggle, Dylan coughed. “Laying it on a bit thick?”
“Keeping a mother from her one true wish to see her sons happily married? I don’t think so.”
“Wow,” Kady whispered near his ear.
“I know,” he agreed, thankful she picked up on the guilt trip.
Their conversation was interrupted when upbeat music started to flow. Kady nudged Dylan with her elbow. “Ask your mom to dance.”
He leaned close. “I’d rather dance with you.”
“You will, but you should take her for a spin first.”
He gazed at her for a drawn-out moment. “You really are a nice person.”
She beamed. “Aw, shucks.”
He chuckled before turning to his mother. “Shall we?”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
He took her hand and they glided into the crowd.
* * *
KADY BIT BACK a sigh as she watched Dylan lead his mother around the dance floor. No one seeing them could miss the pleasure on his mother’s face. Kady couldn’t believe she’d ever convinced herself the Matthewses were plotting to steal her design for the bouquet competition, especially as she watched them interact. Just a mother and son enjoying their time together. Clearly they liked each other.
Did her parents like her? Would she ever have that kind of relationship with her father? The more she’d wandered through the years, finding her way to the path that led back to The Lavish Lily, the higher the walls became on both their sides. Her parents had rallied around Will and she’d been left out. Even when she started working at the shop, there was always an odd tension between her and her folks. She didn’t know how to breach it. Or if she should try.
Her smile faded as she watched Dylan laughing at something his mother said. Until now, she’d ignored how much it hurt to have such a strained relationship with her parents. She wanted what Dylan and his mom shared. Maybe when her folks came back from the cruise, refreshed and willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, they could make a change. Reconnect as a family.
Right after she won the competition and proved they had a good reason to trust her with the shop.
The music slowed to a sultry tempo. She swayed to the beat. Dylan approached, his silver-gray eyes hooded as he held out his hand. Her stomach pitched from the heat she saw reflected in his gaze, the tug at one corner of his lips. How could she resist him? She couldn’t, so she gingerly placed her hand in his and let him tug her to the makeshift dance floor.
His arm circled her waist and he gently held her hand as they rocked to the music. She recognized the song, a ballad about lost love and finding a treasure of the heart. She tried hard not to get sucked into the romantic notion.
“How are your palms?” Dylan asked, his lips so close to her ear she felt his warm breath.
She held back a shiver, but feared she’d failed, especially when he brought her closer. “Stinging, but I can handle it.”
“Tough girl, huh?”
“Not sure about that. Resilient maybe?”
“You’ve had a few jam-packed days.”
She smiled, dropped her head back to view his face. “Which you shared with me.” A slight frown wrinkled her brow. “I’m not always such a calamity magnet.”
“I didn’t think you were.”
Leaning her head on his shoulder, she closed her eyes. Drank in his masculine cologne. Reveled in firm arms surrounding her, keeping her safe, if only for this short time. She could get used to this, she mused, but once the convention ended, Dylan would be gone. Home to a life that didn’t include her. They hadn’t talked about the future. Did she want to? No, for now, dancing with an attractive man was enough. Because there was a very real possibility that he might break her heart and she didn’t want to go there.
The song came to an end and they stepped apart. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, Kady’s gaze darted around the room. Anywhere but Dylan’s eyes.
“How about we get something to eat?” he suggested. “Looks like they’ve put out quite a spread.”
Food. Yes. Her stomach growled at the suggestion and she welcomed the respite from her muddled emotions.
“I could eat,” she said with a breezy tone. Best not to let Dylan know he’d been the subject of all her uncertainty.
They filled plates and sat among a group of Kady’s friends. She tried to relax and enjoy the sumptuous fo
od, but Dylan, seated next to her, made her jumpy. Maybe it was due to recent events. She’d never been like this before.
An hour later, the party broke up. Plenty of food remained, so the staff brought boxes and encouraged the crowd to take the leftovers. There were still many activities and workshops scheduled for tomorrow, so the attendees called it a night and drifted back to their rooms.
“I should be getting home,” Kady said as she and Dylan strolled to the lobby.
“My car is in the lot. I’ll take you back to your apartment.”
“No need. I parked behind The Lavish Lily.”
“Then let me drive you there.”
“I can walk.”
He lifted a brow. “Yeah. That’s not gonna happen.”
Too tired to argue, she followed him out into the star-filled night. She shivered against the chill in the air.
As he opened her door and assisted her into the SUV, Dylan blew out a breath. “I love Florida in the winter.”
She slid across the seat and tugged her tote onto her lap. “Yes. It’s beautiful.”
Dylan brushed a wisp of her hair away from her cheek, his fingers lingering. “Like you.”
Kady smiled. “I bet you say that to all the girls.”
“Trust me, I never do.”
Her heart squeezed at his words. Oh, boy. This thing between them was getting intense, yet she didn’t want to burst the bubble and let reality intrude.
Dylan closed her door and climbed in the driver side, then turned the key in the ignition. The ride to the shop passed quietly, making Kady more on edge. What was he thinking about? Did she dare ask?
Once she got into her own car, Dylan followed her home. After the events of the past few days, she appreciated it.
Before long she was unlocking the door to her place. As soon as she entered the living room, with Dylan close behind her, she dropped on the couch, rested her head against the cushion and closed her eyes.
“I’m beat.”
Dylan carried her small box of wedding food to the kitchen.
While he was busy putting the leftovers away, Kady snuggled in a little deeper. After such a long day, she was quickly losing steam.
Dylan came back into the room. “All you have in your fridge are bagels, butter and carrots.”
“I need to go shopping.”
“Oh, and a bunch of really beautiful flowers.”
One of her eyelids drifted up. “Stay away from my flowers.”
“Right.”
Her eyelid closed and she was vaguely aware of Dylan’s presence. Really, he had to leave. Her bed called to her.
With a yawn, she rose, freezing when she saw Dylan standing beside her kitchen table, holding up a notepad with the renderings of her bouquet design. Spools of ribbon, seed pearls and a hot glue gun littered her table. She rushed over and snatched the notepad out of his hands.
“What are you doing?”
“Admiring your work.”
“Dylan, these sketches are private.”
Humor flashed in his dark eyes. “You’re not still on that spying-for-my-mother kick, are you?”
She hugged the notepad close to her chest.
His humor quickly fled when she didn’t disagree.
“I told you I’m not after your design.”
Deep down she knew it, but couldn’t take a chance. Couldn’t trust he wouldn’t somehow use her like Brad had. Yes, Dylan was different, so why was she still uncertain?
“And I’ve come in second place too many years behind your mother to take the risk.”
He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know how I can assure you otherwise.”
“I may sound unreasonable, but look at it from my point of view. When we met, I didn’t know who your mother was. Or why you were here.”
“So you’re saying if I’d told you who my mother was up front, you’d trust me?”
She bit her lower lip.
“Uh-huh. I didn’t think so,” he scoffed.
“Dylan, I like you. Probably more than I should. But this—” She held out the pad. “This is important to me. Important to me operating The Lavish Lily in the future.”
“I get that, Kady. I do. But every time I turn around you’re accusing me of conspiring against you and it’s just not true.”
Hot pressure built behind her eyes. She was blowing this.
“I’m sorry, Dylan. I have to protect my idea.”
A shadow moved over his face. “I can’t convince you, so I’m going to leave before one of us says something we might regret.” He walked to the door, his gait unsteady. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He left her without looking back. Pressing her lips together to keep from crying, she followed his steps and locked the door. After turning off the lights, she deposited the notepad on the table and shuffled into her room to get ready for bed.
As she stood before the mirror in the bathroom to remove her makeup, she couldn’t ignore the sadness in her eyes. Why did she turn on Dylan? It wasn’t like he was being sneaky. He’d been looking at her drawings right out in the open. Yet she’d pulled the competition card again. As if accusing him would keep them at a distance because she wasn’t sure about her feelings for him. Was that what she wanted?
What she wanted was a lifetime of his kisses, but she’d spent too many years floundering in her decisions, jumping into one crazy scheme or job after another, without a plan. Now she had a goal. Running the shop with her parents’ blessing was within her grasp. Grabbing as much of the wedding market as possible was doable, as long as she remained focused. She wouldn’t blow the opportunity, no matter how deeply she was attracted to Dylan. No matter how he made her heart accelerate or put a smile on her face. No matter how many times he played rescuer. She had to stay true to her commitment.
Even if it meant losing a chance with Dylan in the long run.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
DRUMMING HIS THUMB against the steering wheel, Dylan kept a steady beat. Frustration coursed through him like a swiftly moving river, threatening to overflow the surrounding banks.
Kady’s refusal to believe he didn’t want her bouquet designs irked him. After they’d talked about her wanting to prove to her parents she could handle the shop, he understood her reasoning. But how many times did he have to prove himself? And why did the lasting disappointment bother him so much?
Because she didn’t trust him. Okay, she had every right not to, even if she didn’t know the real reason why. When he’d decided to track down Esposa, he hadn’t bargained on meeting Kady and becoming way too involved, way too quickly.
One more mess of his own making to clean up.
Deciding sleep would not come easily, he drove to the marina. It couldn’t hurt to put in a little surveillance time on the project. Maybe he’d learn something tonight that would make him feel less guilty about keeping the truth from Kady and more positive about discovering where he could find Esposa.
He drove into the empty parking lot, easing into a space far enough away from the main entrance to the pier, but close enough to watch any activity. Cutting the engine, he lowered the window, letting the welcome chill invade the vehicle. He needed to cool down, both from his last encounter with Kady and his own overthinking.
Palms swayed in the steady breeze, which kicked up the water, sending the scents of salt and diesel his way. He rested his head back against the seat, eyes steady on the marina. Boats bobbed in the waves, straining against the moorings. An occasional clink of the chain fencing surrounding the property sounded in the wind. A buoy light flashed in the ink-black night.
Dylan lost track of time. Another unproductive night. What was he missing? Obviously a big piece of the puzzle. Tomorrow he’d talk to Max, rehash everything they knew and look for a new a
ngle.
He was just about to start the engine when two figures emerged from the shadows of the marina office. He narrowed his eyes, watching as the huddled couple moved toward the parking lot.
Upon closer inspection he thought they might be out for a romantic stroll. They held hands and talked as they hurried along. It wasn’t until they passed beneath a streetlamp that his adrenaline spiked. None other than Will Lawrence and the shop’s new employee, Christine, were headed toward the sidewalk that weaved through the park to Main Street.
Easing his door open, he slipped out of the SUV. Took up a slight jog, ignoring the ache in his thigh, to fall in behind them. He heard their voices, pitched and animated, although he didn’t catch the words. Will stopped and whirled around while pushing Christine to protection behind him, his body in a combative pose.
“Whoa, there,” Dylan said, his hands up in surrender.
Will straightened. “Dylan?”
Christine peeked over Will’s shoulder. “Are you following us?”
“You could say so.”
She moved beside Will, stuffing something into her jacket pocket before tucking her hand into his elbow. “What are you doing out so late?”
“I could ask you the same question.”
The couple exchanged a quick glance.
“We were taking a walk,” Will answered.
“You usually come to the marina this late at night for a walk?”
Will lifted his chin. “Yeah. We do.”
“And hide in the shadows? What, you don’t want anyone to see you together?”
Her voice rising, Christine said, “What does it matter to you?”
“As much as I enjoy all the questions, I’m afraid I’m going to have to insist on some answers.”
“We don’t have to answer to you. You’re not a cop.”
“The federal government would beg to differ.”
Christine’s mouth gaped at the same time Will’s eyes went wide.
Dylan pulled out the badge he’d tucked into his pocket before exiting the SUV. “DEA.”
Shaking his head, Will eyed the badge, then met Dylan’s gaze. “I’m confused. I thought you were a florist.”