by Tara Randel
He reached out to take her hand. She drew back. Couldn’t endure his touch right now.
“And if you had to do it over again, would you still keep the truth from me?”
Dylan ran a hand over his jaw. Right. His silence said it all.
Tension filtered through the room until Dylan spoke again. “Can you forgive me?”
“I understand the undercover part. I do. It was your job. Trying to find the man who had caused a great deal of pain in your life.” She stopped. Cleared her throat. “But I can’t trust you.” Her chest hurt so badly she didn’t think she could muster the strength to get the next words out. “You let me fall in love with you while keeping me in the dark. Took advantage of the situation to get revenge and ended up putting me, and my livelihood, in danger. I don’t think I can forgive you for that.”
“I never meant to hurt you. I love you, Kady.”
She blinked back stinging tears. She couldn’t bear to hear him talk any longer. The words she’d longed to hear came too late now.
“You should leave,” she told him.
“Kady.”
“Please. Let me finish my bouquet. Get through the rest of the convention.”
“We need to talk about this. About us.”
There was no us, but the lump in her throat kept her from telling him so. He finally got the message and went outside.
Leaving her blissfully alone.
Except that was a lie.
As soon as she heard the bell chime over the front door, hot tears rolled down her cheeks. She’d dared to love and failed. She looked at the flowers, blurry as the tears flowed. Dared to take a chance on a dream. Would she fail there, too?
The bells sounded again. Kady swiped away the tears as Will entered the workroom.
“You okay?”
“You knew,” she accused. “How could you and Christine not tell me?”
Will froze. “I wanted to tell you right away, but...there were complications.”
Weren’t there always? She plucked at the flowers. “Such as?”
Will came right up to her. “I need to tell you something.”
She recognized that expression. Nothing good ever came from it.
He took a breath and proceeded to tell her how he’d diverted funds from the business, as well as her folks’ personal account, to make more money for the family. How his scheme failed. “I’ve put a good majority of the money back, but that’s no excuse for what I’ve done.”
“No, it’s not.” Her face grew warm as the anger in her built. “You lied to me, too.”
Will nodded. “I never meant—”
“See, that’s the problem. No one meant to hurt anyone. Yet it happened anyway. To me. Mom and Dad. How could you do this, Will?”
“At the time I thought I could make extra money so the shop would thrive and Mom and Dad could retire in style.”
She stared at him. “Have you lost your mind? We’re all perfectly happy. And with my plans, the shop will thrive, allowing our parents to retire any way they want.”
“Kady, please. I’m sorry.”
The anger fled just as quickly as it came. Totally numb now by all the revelations of the day, she merely accepted her brother’s explanation instead of fighting about it. “I understand why you’ve been so edgy lately.”
“I thought I could hide the truth.”
“There’s a lot of that going around.”
He paused. Searched her face. “Dylan told you?”
She nodded.
“He didn’t mean to hurt you, either.”
“But he did.” She met his gaze head-on. “Why couldn’t you believe I’d make The Lavish Lily a success?”
“I thought I knew it all. Knew what was best for the business. Turns out I was wrong.” He took her hand. “Christine told me about your plans. Showed me the pictures from the weddings you’ve done. Sold me on your scheme to capture the wedding market. You’re good, Kady. Better than I ever imagined.”
“You never believed in me.”
“I do now. One hundred percent.”
Moisture clung to her lashes. So much to take in. Her mind shifted to overload.
“Then let me finish my bouquet. I need to come in first place to get Mom and Dad on board.”
Will hugged her, despite her less-than-enthusiastic response. “I have faith in you, Kady.”
If only Dylan had. Maybe her heart wouldn’t be completely shattered.
She didn’t pretend to understand the world Dylan came from. Going undercover was probably a big part of the job. In a sense, she could accept the need for secrecy when going after a suspect. But Dylan had allowed the attraction to build between them. To become something personal. Deeper. Involving her heart.
It was too much to process in her current raw state.
Will left her alone and she focused on her bouquet, pushing the past week’s events from her mind. She needed the distraction, the creative outlet. Otherwise she might have to go down to the beach and scream and scream until her voice gave out.
Separating the peonies from the roses, she placed everything she needed to make her creation within arm’s reach. Thirty minutes passed as Kady got caught up in the beauty and romance of the bouquet, desperately trying to hold her emotions together when the blooms made her think of Dylan. As she twined the ribbon around the stem, then glued the pearls and, finally, attached the brooch, she stepped back to view her handiwork.
“This is so much better than I imagined,” she said to the empty room. Taking the digital camera she kept in the shop to document her work, she snapped a few pictures. These were definitely going in the wedding book. In fact, a copy was going on the cover.
Glancing at the wall clock, Kady realized she had just enough time to get to the hotel and set up her display. She made sure she had plenty of business cards available, threw the binder with photos of her wedding gigs and a decorative bow in her tote, and gingerly placed the bouquet in a special holder so it wouldn’t be damaged in transportation. Once she loaded up her car, she was ready for what would come next and it was only ten thirty in the morning.
Carrying her things inside the hotel, she stopped in the foyer. A placard featuring a picture of a wedding-reception arrangement she’d designed leaned against a tall easel, pointing guests in the direction of the banquet room. Nealy must have talked Dane into using the professional photo of her floral design. Upon entering the banquet room, Kady found tables set up in long rows stretching from one end of the room to the other. She waved at the coordinator, who checked her clipboard.
“Kady. Row three. Your space is in the center.”
She dodged other florists setting up their displays. The energy in the room buoyed her sagging spirits. All she could think about were the brides entering the lovely-smelling room, ready to get inspiration to make their wedding dreams come true.
To her delight, Melissa was setting up in the spot next to Kady’s.
“Hey, girl. Ready to uncover your masterpiece?”
Kady smiled and set down the bouquet. “Thanks for the kind words.” Melissa was entered in the table-centerpiece competition, so they weren’t vying against each other. “Where’s Jasmine?”
“Row one, first space.”
“Wow. First crack at the crowd.”
“Perks for being last year’s winner.”
“Which I intend to change.” Kady centered the holder. “What do you think?”
Melissa quietly considered the bouquet. Kady bit the inside of her cheek, impatient for a response. “Well?”
Her friend beamed. “This is your best submission ever. Classic. Beautiful. A bride’s dream made real.”
Tears of relief pricked Kady’s eyes. She blinked a few times and puffed out a breath. “Thanks.”
No, but her friend didn’t need to hear the sad truth. “Nervous.”
Melissa took hold of her hand and squeezed. Kady got her calmness back. She looked over Melissa’s arrangement of mauve roses and flowering oregano in a deep purple hue, surrounded with lavish greens that complemented the bright blooms. On either side of the vintage vase were votive candles flickering in crystal holders and a place card with the number 1 inked in dark purple calligraphy.
“Awesome,” Kady declared. “Table number? Inspired. I love the additional touches.”
Melissa fist-bumped Kady. “We are the two to beat this year.”
In the short time before the doors opened to the public, Kady hooked the pale pink bow, which she’d fashioned out of lace, onto the table cover. She set out her business cards and opened the wedding photo book for brides-to-be to thumb through.
Once the public arrived, the hours flew by. Kady lost track of the number of brides-to-be and mothers of the bride who stopped to chat about Kady’s services. Just as well. Keeping busy stopped her from dwelling on her shattered heart. From dwelling on the man she loved and trusted, who’d been the one doing the shattering. Her face hurt from smiling and her feet ached from standing in pumps for so long, but she wasn’t complaining. At least five different women asked to set up consultations.
When the judges arrived to view her bouquet, she tried not to appear worried as they made marks on their clipboards and asked about her inspiration behind the flower choices. Her hopes all hinged on the success of her creation.
The afternoon eventually wound down. Exhausted from her early start on the day, from the trauma of being Esposa’s hostage, to discovering the truth about Dylan, she wondered if she’d have the energy to get through the awards banquet.
Before they left, Kady and Melissa were approached by one of the judges. They were both finalists in their categories. Melissa squealed in delight and Kady felt a bit of the pressure ease from her shoulders. She’d gotten one step closer.
“In a few hours we’ll learn the outcome,” Melissa said as she blew out the candles in order to pack up.
“Just enough time to get home, change and be back for the event,” Kady said.
“I wish my hubby could be here, but he offered to watch the kids.”
Kady tried not to think about Dylan. Would he escort his mother to the ceremony tonight? She knew she’d have to see him again, despite the pain she couldn’t deny.
“So, we meet back here at seven?”
Kady forced a smile. “Seven.”
Nerves, hurt and indecision plagued her. Tonight could not be over soon enough.
* * *
“I BLEW IT,” Dylan said into the phone.
“Big-time,” his brother Derrick agreed.
He’d changed into a powder blue dress shirt and navy dress slacks, looping the silk silver tie between his fingers as he dressed for the banquet. “Thanks for the sympathy.”
“Hey, you said it yourself. Kady was going to be upset when she learned the truth.”
“I get that. What I didn’t expect was to fall in love.”
Silence. Then Derrick blew out a long whistle.
“What do I do now?”
“You’re seriously asking me?”
“You’re older. Wiser.”
“And bad at relationships,” Derrick retorted.
“So use that experience and tell me what not to do.”
“No pressure,” his brother muttered.
Dylan smiled with grim humor. “I never thought I’d get over what Esposa did. All I could ever see was avenging Eddie. Pursuing the man who had changed my life. I never considered what came next.”
“Until Kady.”
“Until Kady.” Dylan finished the knot on his tie. “I’m starting to feel some closure. I’ll always carry what happened to Eddie, but with Kady, it’s like the stark reality of the past has finally started to recede. I can actually see a future without the burden of what’s happened.”
“She really means that much to you?”
“More than I ever expected.”
As he waited for some sage brotherly advice, Dylan opened the sliding door to the balcony. A gust of cold wind blew in. He breathed deeply, filling his lungs with the refreshing sea air.
“What does Mom say?” Derrick asked.
“She thinks I’m an idiot.”
Derrick barked out a laugh. “I do love that woman.”
“She wasn’t thrilled with me, either, but she’s known about my career a lot longer than Kady. Plus, as her son, I get some slack.”
“So, she should have a woman’s perspective on the situation.”
“She told me to figure it out myself.”
Another chuckle from the other end of the phone.
“Stop copping out. What should I do?”
When Derrick spoke, his tone was serious for the first time in the conversation. “Go after her, Dyl. Don’t let her get away. You’ll kick yourself forever if you don’t fight for her with everything you have.”
His brother was right. He had to get Kady to give him another chance. He couldn’t imagine his future without her.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“PLEASE TELL ME you aren’t going to wear that old thing,” Lilli huffed from her position on the bed.
“It is awful,” Nealy agreed.
“When did you two turn into the fashion police?” Kady called from the closet as she picked out another dress.
“Since you have to look perfect tonight. Dane thinks this is your year.”
Nealy’s boyfriend had an in with the banquet proceedings. Still, his in didn’t mean she was the automatic winner. He probably hadn’t figured Queen Jasmine into his calculations.
“You could text me the news.”
Lilli gasped. “No way. You deserve to be there in person to accept the award.”
Kady backed into the room holding a hanger. “Aren’t you getting ahead of yourself?”
Nealy waved a hand. “Done deal. And that’s not a good color on you.”
“Sheesh.” She picked a dress that she hadn’t really liked but had found at a clearance sale. The girls had been shopping, bugging her to buy something, so she grabbed the first deal that caught her eye. She held it out for her friends to view. “What about this one?”
She nearly fell over when Lilli plucked the hanger from her hand. “Oh, my gosh. Try it on.”
Surprised that Lilli liked it, Kady slipped out of the current dress and stepped into the new choice. She stopped in the middle of the room and twirled. “Well?”
“Stunning.”
“Beautiful.”
Kady gaped at them. “Are you kidding?”
Nealy grinned. “Perfect for the victor of the wedding-bouquet competition.”
Shaking her head, Kady stood before the full-length mirror. Was that really the dress she’d scooped up because of the price? A stunning ice-blue shade, it practically shimmered in the light. The short, sleeveless style hugged her curves. Her hair seemed darker against the cool color. Her eyes turned a richer shade of honey-brown. Kady barely recognized herself.
“Tell me you have a neutral pair of shoes,” Nealy demanded.
“Check in the closet.”
Her friend jumped off the bed and disappeared for a minute, returning with spiky metallic silver pumps. Lilli clapped her hands.
Kady’s brow rose. “Are you sure?”
“Trust me,” they responded in unison.
Lilli dragged her into the bathroom. “Give me fifteen minutes to do your hair and makeup and then you’re good to go.”
&nbs
p; As her friend went to work, it was all Kady could do not to fall asleep. Exhaustion hit her hard, but she couldn’t sleep just yet. Of course, if Dylan decided to take residence in her thoughts tonight she might not sleep at all, but she’d worry about that later. She was happy Lilli had managed to conceal the dark smudges below her eyes.
Just before she left, Nealy snapped a picture with her cell phone. “Look out, all the single guys.”
“Or Dylan,” Lilli added.
The moment of lightness faded at the mention of his name. On the most important night of her career, she wouldn’t be with the man she loved.
“Hey, what’s up? Did I say something wrong?”
Kady sighed. “It’s a long story.” Her friends were excited for her, so she pasted on a smile, brushed away their questions about the circles under her eyes and promised to fill them in later. She couldn’t rehash the week’s events one more time.
Thirty minutes later she stood in the periphery of the banquet room. On display were the bouquets, centerpieces, boutonnieres and other floral arrangements of the finalists. Too edgy to do much else, Kady searched for Melissa. She needed support to get through the night. When there was no sign of her, Kady went to the nearest beverage station and ordered a ginger ale. She’d just stepped away when Melissa ran up to her.
“Wow, girl. You look great.”
“Thanks. You, too.” She noticed a special sparkle in Melissa’s eyes.
“Guess what? My hubby decided to surprise me. He’s here tonight.” Melissa grabbed the arm of the man beside her and pulled him in closer. “Kady, this is Charlie.”
Kady shook the man’s hand.
“Isn’t he the best? He found a sitter and came out just to see how I’d do in the competition.” She leaned over and bussed her husband’s cheek with a kiss.
A mixture of hurt and jealousy swept through Kady. She took a sip of her soda, but the fizz only made her upset stomach worse. She didn’t begrudge her friend’s happiness, but with the prospect of Dylan arriving soon, the pain and humiliation threatened to bubble over any minute.
“Um, please excuse me. I’ll meet you at the table.”