Summer on Main Street

by Crista McHugh

  Lisa dropped her phone into her purse. “It looks like Alex will be coming up here, too.”

  “Good. Maybe we can get the grease out from under her nails for the wedding.”

  “That’s the easy part,” Lisa said with a laugh. “I’m still surprised she agreed to wear a dress.”

  “Just shows how much she loves you.” Chelsea linked her arm through Lisa’s and led her inside.

  They separated for the massages, wraps, and facials. By the time they met up for the lunch provided by the spa, Alex had joined them. Her skin glowed from the sugar scrub that was part of the day of pampering, and her auburn hair hung in damp waves over her fluffy white robe. She raised her brows at the plates set on the table. “Salads?”

  “It’s just the first course,” Chelsea replied.

  “Good, because if I have to endure all this, I want to do it on a full stomach.” Alex sat down and stabbed the lettuce with her fork.

  “Just remember to save room for the rehearsal dinner tonight.” Lisa unfolded her napkin and set it on her lap. “Bubba’s been smoking the pork all day.”

  Alex rubbed her flat stomach. “That sounds so good.”

  Chelsea wished she shared their appetite. Instead, her stomach was all tied in knots, and she knew why. She still couldn’t explain her reaction to Hunter. She knew better than to fall for his charms, but every time he kissed her, all common sense seemed to fly out the window.

  “By the way, Chelsea, are you going to be all right with Hunter at the rehearsal tonight?”

  Lisa’s question jerked her back to the present. “Of course. Why shouldn’t I be?”

  “I mean, after last night and all…”

  Alex looked back and forth between them. “What happened last night?”

  Chelsea sent Lisa a “shut the hell up” glare, but her best friend didn’t seem to get the message.

  “Oh, nothing, really. I just caught them getting a little cozy and seemed to ruin the moment.” She loaded her fork with the last of the salad. “Sorry about that, Chelsea.”

  “Don’t worry.” In truth, it had probably been a blessing. At the rate they were going, she probably would’ve ended up in his bed and faced an awkward conversation this morning. Or worse, found out she’d been part of some bet between him and Bubba.

  Alex pushed her empty plate away. “Any chance we can score a cheeseburger here?”

  “Nope.” Chelsea wiped the corners of her mouth with her napkin as the staff took her plate. “Whole wheat linguine with a lemon parmesan sauce and steamed veggies.”

  “Rats.” Alex crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. “So, Hunter finally made a move on you, huh?”

  Chelsea stiffened. “What do you mean, finally?”

  “As if you didn’t know.” She exchanged grins with Lisa. “That boy’s been hankering after you since freshman year.”

  “That’s complete BS.” But despite her words, the memory of the desire in his eyes when he told her he didn’t hate her was enough to make her skin flush.

  “Then why would he have beat the crap out of Lewis Abrams when he dumped you because of—” Lisa stopped short and looked away. It was an almost unspoken rule that no one brought up her father and the scandal he’d caused.

  Chelsea took a deep breath and pushed back the painful memories that threatened to assault her. Lewis had been her boyfriend when the scandal broke, but instead of standing by her side through it, he’d publicly dumped her and then followed it up by telling people what an easy lay she was.

  That is, until he came to class one day sporting a black eye and broken jaw that had been wired shut. She’d been so wrapped up in her own little world that she never inquired about the person behind it. She’d just thought that Lewis’s big mouth had gotten him in trouble and was relieved that he couldn’t spread any more rumors about her.

  “Are you saying Hunter did that to him?” Her voice shook from the insanity of the idea. After all, Hunter had hated her in college, right?

  Her friends exchanged another glance, this time without the grins. Then Lisa gave her a slow nod. “That’s how he got the scar on his chin.”

  The answer hit her like a punch in the gut, forcing the air from her lungs and leaving her dizzy from the truth. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

  Lisa shrugged and looked down at the plate of pasta that was being set in front of her. “You were so upset at the time that I didn’t want to bring it up. And then, once everything died down, I didn’t think you’d want to be reminded.”

  The sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach erased any appetite she’d had. If there was any truth to what Lisa and Alex were saying, then she’d misjudged Hunter. Badly.

  Her voice was barely above a whisper when she asked, “So he never hated me in college, did he?”

  Pity filled Lisa’s brown eyes as she shook her head. “Far from it,” she replied, echoing his response from last night. “You just didn’t see him like we did.”

  “No, I didn’t, but it’s never too late to open my eyes, I suppose.”

  “Good idea.” Lisa twirled the linguine around her fork. “Now, let’s enjoy the rest of this light cuisine and talk about what colors we’re going to pick out for our nails.”

  “You mean you’re not forcing me to go with pale pink?” Alex asked with mock horror.

  They giggled and turned the conversation back to the wedding. But even as they discussed the upcoming nuptials, Chelsea’s mind kept drifting back to Hunter.

  Was it too late to ask for a second chance?

  Chapter Seven

  Heavier than normal traffic delayed their return from the day spa, and Chelsea barely had time to change into the sundress she’d packed for the rehearsal dinner. The men had erected an enormous tent on the lawn between the house and the lake while they were gone, and the scent of slow-smoked barbecue wafted on the afternoon breeze. Her mouth watered every time she got a whiff of it, and she prayed the actual rehearsal would be brief so she could enjoy some of Bubba’s famous pulled pork.

  The wedding would take place under the tent at twilight tomorrow. Instead of having a big church wedding, Bubba and Lisa had chosen to keep things simple and intimate. Well, as intimate as they could in a town the size of Jackson Grove. Judging by the line of cars parked along the gravel road between the highway and the house, she hadn’t been the only one tempted by the scent of barbecue. She could only imagine how many people would show up for the actual wedding tomorrow.

  She kept her makeup light and let her hair fall around her shoulders, keeping in line with the casual feel of the evening. But when she came outside, the look in Hunter’s eyes made her feel like she was a movie star on the red carpet. His gaze never wavered from her, and a slow smile formed on his lips as he approached her and offered his arm.

  “I think we’re paired up for the wedding,” he said with a note of pride that made her blush.

  She looked into his eyes, amazed at the unspoken admiration she found there, and rested her hand in the crook of his elbow. “Yes, it seems we are.”

  He opened his mouth like he wanted to follow it up with some witty comeback, but then he closed it and looked away. At least the smile still lingered on his lips, letting her know he wasn’t disappointed with the arrangement.

  Now that she knew she’d been reading him wrong all these years, she paid careful attention to everything he said and did. Like the way he steered her around a soggy spot in the lawn. Or the way he gave her hand a little squeeze before they started the rehearsal. Or the way his eyes never strayed from her as the pastor’s wife arranged them on either side of the bride and groom and placed markers on the lawn for them to stand on tomorrow.

  “Okay, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way,” Bubba announced once they’d passed the pastor’s wife’s inspection, “let’s eat.”

  J.T. and Alex led the cheers and rushed out of the tent with Bubba and Lisa, but Hunter lingered behind with Chelsea. “Seems they forgot about practi
cing the exit strategy,” he quipped.

  “What do you mean? I think that was Bubba’s exit strategy.”

  He laughed, probably because that would be what Bubba would say after kissing his new wife. Hunter offered his arm to her again. “May I escort you to dinner?”

  “Of course.” They strolled down the aisle like they would’ve done if this had been a church wedding. “You know, I think you’ve said more to me in the last four days than you did during four years of college.”

  The tips of his ears turned red. “Yeah, about that—”

  He was interrupted by a large man in faded overalls and wild white hair. “How you doin’, pretty lady?” he asked and didn’t wait for her to answer before tucking her other arm through his and dragging her away from Hunter, an equally rotund basset hound waddling behind him. “I’d be honored to have you as my dinner guest tonight.”

  Chelsea smothered a laugh at the look of shock on Hunter’s face as the older man led her to the table, but it only lasted a few seconds.

  Hunter pushed up the rolled sleeves of his button-down dress shirt and intercepted them. “Excuse me, but she’s with me.”

  The older man cackled and slapped his thigh. “Aw, ain’t that sweet, but if that was the case, then you should’ve kept a stronger hold on her.” He leaned over and winked at Chelsea. “It ain’t my fault she was easily swayed by my charm and good looks. Many women have fallen victim to them.”

  There was no holding back the laughter now, both from the old man’s flirtations and the steam that was practically coming out of Hunter’s ears. His neck turned a mottled shade of red, and his right hand balled into a fist at his side. Dear Lord, she never thought she’d live to see the day where he’d become jealous from seeing her with another man.

  Bubba came up behind them and placed his hands on the old man’s shoulders. “Uncle Ev, my pretty girl has a special place at the head of the table and there are two plates piled high with vittles for you an’ Otis.”

  Uncle Ev let go of Chelsea and turned to where Lisa waved at him. A goofy grin spread across his lips, and he gave her a flirtatious wave back. “I’m comin’, sugar plum.”

  Chelsea continued to laugh a few seconds more, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. “How come you never warned us about your uncle, Bubba?”

  “’Cause he ain’t my uncle. Not really, anyway. He’s Aaron’s grandpappy, but everyone in town calls him Uncle Ev. And wherever he goes, Otis is close behind,” he added, pointing to the basset hound.

  As if on cue, a man with black hair in a police uniform appeared at Uncle Ev’s side and whispered something in his ear. The old man waved him off, earning a scowl from the officer.

  “Those two are about as different as they come. Everett Mason has been walking on the wild side since the day he took his first steps, and Aaron is about as straight and narrow as they come.” Bubba chuckled and gave her a playful nudge. “A single gal like you needs to be careful around him.”

  She laughed again. “Point made.” And she made her own point by looping her arm through Hunter’s. “And I think I’m already spoken for.”

  Bubba’s grin widened, and it almost looked like he nodded. “Good to know. And if Uncle Ev starts hitting on you again, just remember that the only thing he loves more than the ladies is an icy cold one.”

  They moved to the end of the buffet line. Hunter rubbed the back of his neck and gave her a sheepish grin. “I’m glad Bubba came along when he did.”

  “And why’s that?”

  “Because I was facing either losing you to an old man or putting him in his place for harassing you, and neither one of those options sat well with me.”

  “Uncle Ev is harmless.” She reached up and traced the pale scar that curled around his chin. “Save the fistfights for assholes who deserve it.”

  His breath hitched, and he caught her hand. “How…?”

  “Lisa finally told me how you got that scar, and I’m long overdue in thanking you.”

  “I’d do it a hundred times over again if I had to.” His green eyes darkened as he added, “For you.”

  Her heart fluttered. It was like one of those medieval tales where the chivalrous knight pledged his eternal fealty to a maiden fair. But instead of taking place in Camelot, it was being played out in Jackson Grove.

  Someone bumped her from behind, knocking her forehead into his chin. Stars danced on the edges of her vision, but a pair of strong arms kept her from stumbling.

  “Sorry about that,” a middle-aged woman said with a syrupy drawl that hinted she was anything but sorry. “I was just so anxious to fix my plate that I didn’t see where I was going.”

  Chelsea glanced over Hunter’s shoulder at the gap that had formed between them and the people who’d been in front of them. “Let’s not hold up the line,” she murmured.

  But the woman behind them wasn’t finished. She narrowed her eyes and pointed a finger at Chelsea. “You look awfully familiar.”

  Her pulse kicked up a notch, and this time, she wished she could’ve blamed it on Hunter. “I was Lisa’s roommate in college.”

  “No, not that.” The woman rested her chin in her hand for a moment before snapping her fingers. “Oh, I know now. You’re the daughter of that senator, aren’t you?”

  The center of Chelsea’s chest burned, and she looked away, pretending she didn’t hear the woman. Six years had passed since her father had been caught, and yet this woman felt the need to bring it up all over again.

  “Oh, what was his name?” the woman asked the person behind her. “The one who stole all that money from the government and gave it to his mistress? Wilson? Warner?”

  Hunter moved in between them, his voice low and stern as he said to the woman, “It doesn’t matter now, does it?”

  “I’m just trying to figure out where I’ve seen her before. She’s that crook’s girl, isn’t she?”

  Tears stung Chelsea’s eyes, and she fought to keep her chin held high. Dear Lord, would she just shut up?

  Hunter crossed his arms and appeared to grow twice his size. “Ma’am, I don’t know what you’re out to prove, but this topic is not suitable conversation for such a happy event, so I suggest you let it die.”

  The woman’s mouth gaped open, but she didn’t say anything else.

  Hunter rested his hands on Chelsea’s shoulders and whispered in her ear, “You want to take a little walk?”

  She hadn’t realized how hard she was trying to hold back the tears until her chin quivered from the effort. She nodded, not trusting what would come out of her mouth if she opened it, and allowed him to lead her away from the party and into the house. They skirted past the women in the kitchen and went directly to her bedroom. Once they were behind the safety of the closed door, she let the first stinging drops fall.

  Hunter immediately wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against the solid warmth of his chest. “Don’t let her get to you, Chelsea. You’re stronger than that.”

  “It’s just that it’s been so long since I’ve had to deal with it. You’d think by now they’d forget.”

  He made a few comforting noises while he stroked her hair. “Want me to put her in her place?”

  She found herself laughing through her tears at the idea of it, and he cupped her cheeks in his hands, lifting her face up to his.

  “I’ll do it.” A glint of humor danced in his eyes as his lips twitched. “Just give me the order.”

  “I know.” Once again, he’d come to her rescue.

  She leaned forward and closed her eyes a split second before their lips met. The kiss was soft and gentle, speaking of something other than pure lust. It was warm and welcoming, relaxed and inviting. And as she fell deeper under its spell, she felt like she was coming home.

  The realization surprised her, and she jerked back with a start.

  Pain, quickly followed by doubt, flickered across his face, and his hands dropped to his sides. He backed away, his head down. “Sorry, Chelsea.”<
br />
  “No, don’t be.” She reached for his hand and laced her fingers through his. “It’s just…you.”

  “What about me?” His brow furrowed in confusion, but he didn’t pull away.

  “I just never imagined how good it would feel to be in your arms.”

  The creases in his forehead smoothed, and he lifted her hand until it rested over his heart. “I knew.”

  Did he? His response could be construed as conceited had it not been for the pain seeping into his voice. Had she been blind to his feelings for her all these years? Or had she been in denial? The more she thought about it, the more she regretted those angry words she’d thrown at him on graduation night.

  He lowered his head to kiss her again, but this time, he pressed his lips to her forehead instead of her mouth. “Are you ready to go back to the party?”

  She nodded and followed him outside, her fingers still entwined with his. Whatever the rest of the evening held in store for them, she’d be ready to face it knowing Hunter would be right beside her.

  ***

  Hunter’s heart beat so erratically, he wondered if he’d gone into A-fib. He’d had his chance to tell her how much he loved her, but once again, he’d struggled to find the words.

  Way to go. At this rate, you’ll be sucking on your dentures by the time you work up the courage to tell her.

  He guided Chelsea to a seat near Alex and made a beeline for the keg. He needed a drink after that. If she’d been any other girl, he would’ve taken advantage of the situation, comforting her with steaming hot kisses until they tumbled naked into bed. But when she pulled away, he’d been so startled and confused, he didn’t know what came out of his mouth.

  The conversation replayed in his mind, and he resisted the urge to bang his head against the nearby tree trunk. I knew. How conceited did that sound?

  He got in line for the beer and cast a glance back at her. She met his gaze and smiled.

  Relief eased the sting of embarrassment. Okay, maybe I didn’t screw things up.