Last Groom Standing

by Kimberly Lang

  First big hurdle cleared. Marnie took a deep breath. “I’m really, really sorry. For everything.”

  “Me, too.”

  “No.” She broke the embrace and pulled Gina into a chair. “The one thing I have realized over the years is what a self-righteous, sanctimonious little bitch I was back then.”

  “Don’t be so hard—”

  “It’s true, so please let me say this and apologize properly. I know what I was like back then, but I’m not that Marnie anymore. I was shocked and hurt and mad at Carter and the world, and I took it out on you because you were the easier target. Then I made it all worse by driving a wedge between all of us because I was too immature to handle it properly.”

  Gina shook her head. “I think we all handled it poorly.”

  “If I could go back and change the way I reacted that night—”

  “Neither of us would be who or what we are today without that night. I’m not that Gina anymore, either.”

  That was true. Everything changed that night, and she wouldn’t be here now if she hadn’t been an immature brat then. She nodded. “I’m also sorry about how I acted at Cassie’s wedding.”

  “You had a lot dropped on you in a short amount of time. I think you handled it better than anyone expected. Not because we’d expect you to freak out or anything—” she quickly corrected.

  “I know.” She sighed. “Well, you were all certainly correct not to tell me about the pregnancy ten years ago. I wouldn’t have handled it well.”

  “That’s understandable.”

  Now for the really hard part. She took a deep breath. “But I am sorry I wasn’t there for you when you miscarried. I mean, I’m glad no one told me, because if I had known, I probably just would have made things worse. Please know it shames me to the bone to admit that.”

  “We were kids. We’re not now.”

  “I know. But I’m here for you now, if you need to—”

  Gina shook her head. “It was a long time ago.”

  “That doesn’t undo the damage. And I know I can’t make it up to you, but I want us to be friends again. Real friends. I didn’t realize how much I’d missed you until I saw you again.” Damn it, her eyes were burning. This was harder than she thought it would be. Gina reached over and squeezed her hand. And just like that, Marnie knew they really were okay. She’d been forgiven, even if she hadn’t forgiven herself yet, and a weight she’d been carrying for so long that it seemed normal lifted off her shoulders.

  Gina was just like that.

  She looked at the hand squeezing hers, and felt her eyes widen. Gina noticed, and her mouth twisted.

  “Carter proposed already?” Wow.

  Gina nodded.

  “That’s my grandmother’s engagement ring.”

  Worry creased Gina’s forehead. “Is that all right?”

  “Yes, of course.” She swallowed and rushed to get the worry off Gina’s face. “My Gran loved watching BBC shows. I’m sure it would thrill her to have her ring worn by a Brit.” Missy had insisted on her own ring, one that was huge and flashy, but the old-fashioned setting suited Gina somehow.

  Gina’s smile was wistful as she examined the ring. “Carter brought it with him.” The smile twisted. “Cocky little bastard.”

  “That he is.” But it proved Carter was serious about Gina well beyond his assurances. But with Gina in New York until at least after Reese’s wedding... Well, Carter would be racking up quite a few frequent flier miles if he wanted to see much of Gina and run the business.

  “Carter told me that you didn’t sound happy about it when he told you.”

  She had to pull herself together before she said something that accidentally hurt Gina’s feelings. “No. That’s not it at all. I was simply surprised when he said he was going to propose. There’s a difference. Y’all are moving at warp speed and I’m still trying to catch up.”

  “So you’re okay with this, then.”

  “Of course. If this is what makes you both happy, then I’m all for it. I’ve always wanted a sister.”

  “So you’ll be a bridesmaid?”

  “You bet. Have you set a date already?”

  Gina laughed. “Things aren’t moving that quickly. I need to catch my breath first.”

  “But you’re sure you want to marry him?”

  “Yes. After a nice long engagement.”

  Marnie bit her tongue, but she couldn’t hold it back. “I’m sorry, but I have to ask. Carter? Really?”

  Gina nodded. “Really.”

  “You’re sure.”

  “Positive. So’s he.” A wistful smile tugged at her mouth. “Somehow, when he pulled out the ring I just knew. It was a surprise to me, too.”

  It sounded romantic, which was not something she could reconcile with Carter. “I’d ask why, but I’m not entirely sure I want to know. Does he not drive you insane?”

  Gina’s grin was wicked. “Definitely.”

  “I didn’t mean like that. And please, no details. He’s just so...” She searched for the right word. “Overbearing.”

  She shrugged. “You’re his sister. I’m not. It’s a different relationship.”

  “Don’t I know it.”

  Gina seemed to be choosing her words carefully. “I really think that if you two spent more time together, you’d see he’s not the person you think he is. He probably never was who you thought he was, either, you know?”

  “I know. Another piece of clarity that comes with age and maturity. However, I do know enough about who he is—”

  “I don’t think you do.”

  “What?”

  Gina sighed. “He’s so proud of you.”

  Marnie’s world skewed sideways. “What?”

  “He is. I could tell, but he did admit it to me just the other day. You’ve accomplished so much so quickly and you did it almost entirely on your own, far away from home...”

  That didn’t really gel with reality. “He’s never said that to me.”

  “I know. And, rest assured, I called him on it. I honestly don’t think he knows how to tell you. Especially not the way things are between you now.”

  “He still treats me like a child.”

  “A fact I have brought to his attention. Look, I love your brother, but I’m not blind to his faults, either. I think if you two would just...talk, you’d both be happier. And we’re going to be family. You know how much I want that.”

  “I do. God, I wish you weren’t going to be moving away now.”

  “And I want you to promise you’ll start coming back to Savannah more often.”

  Marnie didn’t bother to hide her shock. “I was rather assuming you’d be coming to New York quite a bit. You’ve been to Savannah now. You know what it’s like. Won’t you miss the city?”

  Gina shrugged. “It’s a good thing my future sister-in-law lives here. I’ll have a place to stay.”

  “Anytime you want.”

  The server brought more coffee, and it was much like old times again as they caught each other up on the last ten years of their lives. She told Gina about the job possibility at the Foundation, leaving out the fact that it was nearly a done deal so she didn’t jinx it. And it would be hard to tell much more than she did without mentioning Dylan and she did not want to do that.

  And that, of course, was the one thing Gina honed in on, however accidentally. “That’s all great, but what about the love life. Are you seeing anyone?”

  Marnie wanted to lie, but the now-interested look Gina wore told her that her face had already betrayed her. A good reason why I don’t play poker. Gina leaned in. “There’s something interesting to tell. So who is he?”

  She wasn’t really seeing Dylan, so leaving him out wasn’t really lying, but she had slept with him twice in the last week, and that’s probably what Gina was picking up on. “Just someone I met recently. It’s very casual, nothing serious, though.”

  “I’m surprised.”

  Well, so am I, but for entirely different reasons
. “Why?”

  “I never saw you as the ‘casual’ type.”

  “People change.”

  “Obviously.”

  “And I have you to thank for it—Reese and Cassie, too. A year with y’all, and I couldn’t be that Marnie anymore.”

  “That’s why you left Savannah?”

  With Gina’s obvious interest in brokering a truce between her and Carter, Marnie chose her words carefully. She didn’t want to put Gina in the middle, but she had no doubt her words would get back to Carter. “Partly. It wasn’t just any one thing. I just couldn’t stay there. People expected me to be a specific person, and I knew that wasn’t going to happen. But I couldn’t become someone else in Savannah, either, so I had to leave.”

  “And now you’re a Marnie who has flings with inappropriate men.”

  “Yeah. I guess I am. Are you surprised?”

  “A little.” Gina laughed. “Okay, a lot. Could it turn into something serious?”

  She tried to picture it. “No.”

  After a moment of silence, Gina asked, “Just ‘no’?”

  “Just no. He’s not the kind of guy I could get serious with.”

  “Why not?”

  “Do I have to have a reason?”

  “I guess not, but...surely you have one. Or two. Good ones, that is.”

  “Because...” She searched for a good reason, and was disappointed not to come up with any other than the reasons she couldn’t say out loud. On paper, Dylan was a great catch. She didn’t think Gina would understand why those same qualities would be such a problem for her. Especially since Carter had many of those same “great catch” qualifications. She tried to sound dismissive. “Because I don’t want it to be.”

  Gina’s eyebrows went up, but then she shrugged. “I guess that makes sense. I’m a little shocked, but good for you. Every girl deserves a fling.”

  Exactly. It was a fling. That’s all it was, and that was no big deal. She could release a little of that confusion. “That’s exactly what it is. It’s been a crazy couple of months, and I need something easy and low key. Carter would be horrified, though, so...”

  “Oh, I don’t intend to share that knowledge with your brother. There are some things he just doesn’t need to know about his little sister, and I wouldn’t want to be the one to share those things, either. I, however, would love to hear details.” She grinned.

  Gina hadn’t changed all that much. “I don’t kiss and tell.”

  “Spoilsport.”

  * * *

  Sunday afternoon was beautiful—sunny and warm with white puffy clouds floating in a blue sky—and Dylan was in his office going through piles of paperwork and an overflowing inbox. Yes, this could definitely kill a man.

  Although it did give him a handy excuse to decline his mother’s invitation to brunch, so that was a plus. If he went, his parents would feel like they had to dine together—not necessarily for his benefit, but more so that one of them would not feel like the other was overly influencing their only child. He’d sat through hundreds of meals just like it, and though it no longer would put a knot in his stomach like it did when he was a child, it would be stilted and awful and just the thought of it killed his appetite.

  He knew a dozen good divorce attorneys who’d be happy to facilitate the proceedings—with the utmost discretion, of course—and end his parents’ misery.

  Or at least his. He had to be the only child on the planet who used to honestly wish his parents would divorce. He’d certainly like them better if they did.

  Shaking his head, he signed off on the final plans for the Foundation’s fund-raiser and then opened the email from Julia with the subject line “Marnie Price.”

  It was a standard offer letter—salary and benefits in line with the Foundation’s employment package—and once he approved it, Marnie would be all but hired.

  That would get Reese off his back, and he deleted the three unread emails from her that also had the “Marnie” subject line.

  Marnie.

  As much as he needed to focus on actual work, he was sitting at a desk that had had a half-naked Marnie writhing on it just a couple of days ago and that image made it very hard to concentrate on anything else.

  Good Lord, he still couldn’t quite believe he’d had sex, on his desk, behind an unlocked door in the middle of a workday. There was something about Marnie, though...

  And that’s what bothered him. That something about Marnie that made him act unpredictably and out of character. He didn’t know what it was, but he was damn sure he didn’t like it.

  It was almost enough to make him not want to sign off on Marnie’s offer letter. Don’t be ridiculous. Marnie really was an excellent choice for the position, and it wasn’t like whatever that something was could somehow waft up three floors through the building’s ductwork and distract him on a daily basis.

  He sent through the approval and decided he was done for the day.

  Whatever it was about Marnie, it wouldn’t last forever. That much he was sure of. Chemistry had a way of diminishing over time, and it was only those who confused chemistry for an actual solid relationship base and tried to build on it who got burned by it.

  He glanced back at his desk one last time as he left. He couldn’t deny the chemistry was attractive, possibly even addictive. It certainly gave him new perspective on how people ended up in bad relationships and why they’d stay.

  Maybe it even explained why instead of going home, he went to Brooklyn instead.

  Marnie’s place on a tree-lined street of Victorian row houses not far from Prospect Park was easy to find. The obviously family-friendly neighborhood seemed to suit her—certainly more so than SoHo would if she moved to be closer to her new job.

  And what makes you think that? He was hardly an expert on Marnie Price. Hell, he’d come all the way out to Brooklyn without even considering that she might have something to do on a beautiful fall Sunday afternoon, and might not even be home.

  This is why I don’t like unpredictability.

  With a sigh, he rang the bell.

  A few seconds later, he heard footsteps, and then Marnie appeared in the window. Shock registered on her face before she schooled her features into a friendly, but slightly forced, smile, and opened the door.

  “Dylan. What are you doing here?” She looked around and over his shoulder like she expected someone else to be with him. When she realized he was alone, confusion crinkled her forehead. “Seriously. What are you doing here?”

  He didn’t think it could be possible, but Marnie looked even more like a cheerleader today, with her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail, no makeup, and wearing an oversize Simmons College T-shirt and leggings. Her feet were bare with bright red toenails. It was a far cry from the chic sophisticate of Cassie’s wedding or the conservative businesswoman he’d interviewed this week. It was definitely a far cry from the half-naked siren who’d been draped over his desk, but it was certainly working for him. He’d never been one for the cheerleader fantasy before, but as his skin began to tighten, he decided he might have to rethink that.

  Marnie cleared her throat sharply and he realized he’d been staring at her, taking inventory. He held up the bottle of wine he’d bought on his way as part of his half-formed plan. “I got this for your friend Sven. We drank his, after all.”

  “You didn’t have to do that.” Marnie took the bottle and her eyebrows went up as she read the label. “Really not. Sven’s wine normally comes in a box.”

  Maybe he should’ve paid more attention to his purchase. But it did provide insight into Marnie, as she obviously recognized the label. He’d seen her pound midlist Chardonnay and shoot tequila, but it seemed she had an appreciation for good wine, as well.

  “It is very kind of you, though.” She looked at the bottle one last time before tucking it into the crook of her arm. “But I have to ask...how do you know where I live?”

  “I have your résumé. It’s got your address on it.”

&n
bsp; “Oh, of course. Right.” She took a deep breath. “Well, thanks—”

  “We need to talk,” he said at the same time.

  Marnie looked distinctly uncomfortable. “Okay.”

  “First, the job is yours.” He wanted to be very clear about that before they went any further. “I signed off on the offer letter this morning, and Julia will probably call you tomorrow.”

  She nodded.

  “Whatever else happened between us has nothing to do with your job at all. I believe in keeping the personal away from the professional.”

  “So do I. You don’t have to fear a sexual harassment lawsuit.” She thought for a moment, then sighed, sounding resigned to something. “Would you like to come in, then, to finish this talk?”

  He hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath until Marnie spoke. As he followed her in, that weird feeling in his stomach loosened, and he knew he’d made the right choice coming out today. He still wasn’t sure exactly what had driven that decision, but at least he’d been correct to go with it.

  Marnie’s apartment was small, but open and airy, with a decent-sized living room that opened out onto a sunny terrace only slightly larger than a postage stamp. A book and coffee cup sat on the wrought iron table, indicating she’d been enjoying the sunshine before he’d arrived. Colorful art hung on the white walls above modern furniture with clean lines.

  He’d been expecting chintz, big, overstuffed wing chairs, antiques... Another surprise from Marnie.

  It was easy to tell Marnie came from money. He didn’t know of many young singles working for non-profit organizations who could afford an apartment like this in this neighborhood. “Nice place.”

  “Thanks. It’s not the Upper East Side, but I like it,” she teased.

  “Will you still be considering a move to Manhattan?”

  Confusion crossed her face, then her mouth twisted. “Jeez, I babble when I’m drunk. I didn’t remember telling you about that. But yes,” she said, stopping in the middle of the room, “moving to SoHo or Tribeca is still on the possibilities list. Would you like something to drink?” She shifted topics quickly. “Coffee? Iced tea? Hell, we could even open this bottle as Sven certainly wouldn’t appreciate it properly.”