by Codi Gary
Marley walked over to where the other woman was sitting in one of the booths. She waved at a couple of people who said hi, and stopped next to the table, smiling warmly as Sonora glanced up.
“Hey Sonora. I’m Marley Stevenson. Your new maid of honor.”
Sonora’s cold blue eyes raked over Marley, who was still wearing her yellow dress. From the frown on her face, Marley had a feeling Sonora wasn’t impressed by her.
“Have a seat.” The order was dismissive and it grated on Marley. She’d dealt with difficult people before, but she had a feeling this one was going to take the cake.
Sonora tossed her hair, glaring around the bar. “I have been waiting fifteen minutes for someone to come by and take my drink order, but nothing. I thought this place was supposed to cater to tourists.”
Marley opened her mouth to respond, but Sonora just kept talking.
“Finally, here she comes.”
“Hey there, Marley. How’s it going?” Lucy Decker set down a couple of napkins and waters with a smile. In her early thirties with jet-black hair and a full figure in an A-line, she put her hands on her hips. “Are you waiting for anyone else, or—”
“My fiancée and his best man will be here in about an hour, but we would like to eat before they arrive.”
Marley was a little put out about meeting the fiancée so soon, as she liked to have a few days with the bride first to really sell their stories. But from what Kelly had told her, Sonora didn’t want to be embarrassed by having another friend bail as her maid of honor, since she’d already lost three in the two months she’d been engaged to Brent. She wasn’t taking any more chances.
“Alright, well, what can I get you ladies?”
“I want a vodka martini with a twist and…” Sonora wrinkled her nose in what could only be described as distaste, “the Baby Mama Drama Spinach and Strawberry salad.”
“Oh, that’s one of my favorite things on the menu.”
Sonora gave her a onceover, her sharp gaze doubtful. Marley bristled.
“And I’d like my dressing on the side.”
Lucy kept smiling, and Marley was glad that she hadn’t picked up on Sonora’s attitude. “Sure thing. How about you, Marley?”
“I’ll take the Call the Preacher Bacon Burger with onion rings and a root beer.”
“You got it, babe.”
Lucy walked away and Sonora sneered. “I think her favorite thing on the menu is what you just ordered. I bet she eats two or three a day.”
Marley thought that was harsh, but she wasn’t there to help Sonora grow a heart size. She was there to plan a wedding.
Marley pulled her iPad out of her purse and opened her checklist app. “We need to get started if your fiancée will be here soon. Since we are just about eight weeks out, it doesn’t give us a lot of time to plan. I thought we could start with something fun, like your bachelorette party. What do you think of a spa weekend in Tahoe?”
Sonora made a face. “I was thinking that we could do something exciting, like a cruise to Hawaii or maybe a weekend in Cancun.”
Oh, hell no. There is no way I’m going to spend a week babysitting a bunch of drunk women in another country.
“Believe me, I want you to be happy, but most cruises are booked months to a year in advance. At this point, we might be able to find some rooms below deck, but they won’t be great. Plus, an overcrowded boat is a recipe for the stomach flu days before your wedding.” Before Sonora could argue, Marley rushed on. “Also, a trip to Cancun is going to get expensive, especially a last minute one during tourist season, and your other five bridesmaids might not be able to afford it. At least in Tahoe, we can do lots of fun things and we don’t have to pay for airfare.”
“Like what?” Sonora asked.
“Well, we could rent a suite, and after our massages we could gamble, go to the beach, the clubs, and—”
“Fine, we’ll go to Tahoe.” Sonora sat back like a petulant child and waved at Marley impatiently. “What ideas do you have about my bridal shower?”
Marley stiffened for a half a second at Sonora’s attitude, but she pulled herself together like she always did. She had worked too hard and gone through too much to let one rude bride get to her.
“I was thinking one of the vineyard clubhouses would work nicely. I just need to call in a favor. I understand from your file that you have thirty-five people you’re planning on inviting for the bridal shower—”
“No, there are a hundred people being invited to the bridal shower.”
Marley blinked at her, reigning in the urge to yell. “I’m sorry, I was under the impression that you were having an intimate bridal shower for close friends and family. A hundred people may be a bit hard to accommodate, especially with the shortened time frame—”
Sonora snapped her fingers at Marley and sat forward, her eyes flashing. “I am the bride, and you are the help. You are paid to make my dreams come true, right? So, why don’t you earn the hefty commission I’m paying you and do your job?”
Prickly heat spread over Marley’s skin, anger tightening every muscle in her body.
Don’t you mean the hefty commission your parents are paying me?
As Lucy came back and set their drinks down, Marley was tempted to stand up and dump hers on Sonora’s head. Of all the brides she’d worked with over the last seven years, never had one been so self-centered. Most of them were just stressed or nervous. Sonora was in a class by herself.
Marley could just tell Kelly to ask one of the other girls to take over. So it took a few more months to leave Sweetheart…
“Well, howdy sis.”
If Marley thought Sonora’s sneer was ugly, the molten rage turning her tan skin purple was vile.
“What are you doing here?”
“Mom thought you could use some help.” The cute blonde with a sprinkle of freckles across her nose and face ignored her sister’s obvious upset and held her hand out to Marley. “Hey there, I’m Kendall, Sonora’s younger sister.”
“Hey, I’m Marley, an old friend of Sonora’s.”
Kendall’s forehead knitted. “Oh yeah? She’s never mentioned you. How do you know—”
“I met her in rehab,” Sonora snapped.
Marley’s eyebrows shot up. That was not the cover story she’d been given. They were supposed to have met at summer camp when they were kids and kept in touch.
“Oh.” Kendall’s smile was a little strained. “Sorry. It’s really great to meet you. Is it okay if I join you?”
Marley started to say, “Of course,” but Sonora broke in. “No, we’ve got stuff to talk about before Brent gets here.”
An awkward silence shifted over their booth and Marley noticed the way Kendall’s hands clenched. She wouldn’t blame her for punching her big sister. Hell, Marley was tempted to do the honors.
Then again, it probably wasn’t a good idea to fraternize with anyone close to Sonora. Getting intimate with friends and family of clients was frowned upon.
“Fine, I’ll sit at the bar. I’d hate to cramp your style.”
Kendall walked away and Lucy brought their food over. Marley didn’t say anything to Sonora about the exchange, but she really wanted to. Instead, she devoured her onion rings with gusto until she caught the disgusted look on Sonora’s face.
What, do I have sauce on my face? “What’s wrong?”
“You eat like a starving gorilla.”
Marley stared at her, her temper blazing. That was it, she was going to kick this snotty little princess’s ass—
“Hey ladies.” A handsome brown haired man stepped next to their table. “Sorry, we’re a little early.” He held his hand out to Marley. “I’m Brent Harwood, Sonora’s fiancée . You must be Marley.”
Drawing in a calming breath, Marley took his hand with a polite smile. “It’s nice to meet you. I’v
e heard a lot about you.”
Not from Sonora, of course. Her sources had been Kelly’s file on Brent and several Google searches. She knew that he ran his family’s company with his two older brothers, was involved with several charities, and had been featured in People Magazine as one of their thirty under thirty to watch.
On paper, she had no idea what he was doing with this diva. In person, well, he was either incredibly shallow or a blind idiot.
“All good, I hope.” Brent slid in next to Sonora and kissed her cheek. “How’s the food? We didn’t have time to eat before we came.”
Sonora shot a sour glance toward Marley’s plate. “Fine, if you like lots of saturated fat and slow service.”
Marley was too concerned with what Brent had said to react to Sonora’s sneer. “Who is we?”
“His Neanderthal best friend.” Sonora gave Brent a feminine, glossy pout. “For the record, I agreed to have dinner with you. Luke is just an unfortunate addition.”
Marley’s heart started pounding.
No. It couldn’t be her Luke.
“Could you try to get along with him for one night? I know you two got off on the wrong foot, but he’s been my best friend half my life. It would mean a lot if you would try to be civil.”
Marley was too busy having a panic attack to listen to Sonora’s response. The blood thundered in her ears as she craned her neck toward the door.
Would it be too weird if I just made a run for it?
“I have the beers and she said she’d be over to take our order—hey!”
Too late. Marley turned and found herself staring up into Luke’s dark surprised eyes.
“What are you doing here?”
* * * *
Luke couldn’t believe Marley was the old friend from rehab Sonora had told them about. First off, he didn’t get that vibe from her. She seemed so down to earth and innocent and beyond that, he couldn’t imagine her genuinely liking Sonora.
“I was meeting my friend Sonora for dinner. What are you doing here?”
Why did she sound so irritated? “I’m Brent’s best man. I told you I was up here on and off for the next couple months for a wedding.” Luke reached out and punched Brent in the shoulder. “The things I do for this guy.”
“Oh, I see.”
Luke squeezed in next to her, his arm going to rest behind her shoulders. “This is the girl I was telling you about, Brent.”
“Ah, he hasn’t shut up about you all day. Funny coincidence, you both being in the wedding.”
“Yeah, it’s hilarious,” Marley muttered next to him.
No, he wasn’t imagining it. She definitely was not happy to see him.
Sonora glanced up from her salad, her eyes narrowed. “You two are involved?”
“No,” Marley said swiftly.
“We went to lunch earlier,” Luke said at the same time, shooting Marley a frown. Why was she pretending there was nothing going on with them?
Sonora took a ladylike bite of her salad, still watching Marley intently. Luke got the feeling Sonora was silently telling Marley she did not approve.
Marley focused on Brent, ignoring Sonora and him. “I was just talking to Sonora about the things left to do for the wedding—”
“Hey, Sonora, isn’t that Kendall at the bar?” Brent blurted, interrupting Marley.
Sonora stabbed her salad viciously. “Yes.”
“Why isn’t she sitting with us?” Brent’s voice was tight and angry, surprising Luke. That was what set him off? Sonora ignoring her little sister?
“Because we were having a private dinner and she just showed up.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it. I’ll be right back.” He got up and walked towards the bar.
Sonora tossed down her napkin with a sigh and followed him.
Alone, Luke leaned over her, his lips resting against the shell of her ear. “I missed you.”
She jerked away from him. “Stop it.”
Completely thrown by her hostility, he asked, “Stop what?”
“We can’t do this.”
“Do what now?”
She pulled away from him, putting her back to the wall at the edge of the booth. “I can’t date you. I’m sorry, but it is just too complicated.”
What the fuck? Considering just six hours ago, he’d had his tongue in her mouth, this was coming out of left field. “Whoa, why? Because Princess Sonora won’t approve? Who cares?”
Marley held out a hand, as if she was afraid he was going to keep moving closer. “I do. She’s my friend and it’s her wedding. I don’t want to cause any kind of drama for her.”
Luke snorted, not believing that for a second. “Please, Sonora creates drama no matter what anyone around her is doing. Besides, I thought things were going good.”
The waitress came by and Marley asked for a box before she answered him. Once she was gone, Marley shook her head.
“Look, I knew this was going to be a temporary fling when you first flirted with me, but now, with the wedding and how busy we’re both going to be, I think I’d rather just end it before one of us gets hurt and we ruin Sonora and Brent’s special day.”
Un-fucking believable. He’d been walking around like a sappy, frolicking idiot all day and she was just bailing?
“Don’t I get a say in this? How did you know things were going to be just temporary? Maybe I’d fall madly in love with you and follow you back to New York.”
“Please,” she scoffed. “Don’t make this into something it’s not. We had one date and as nice as it was, I don’t believe for one second that you were ever planning on falling in love with me, just like I wasn’t going to fall for you.”
“Gee, you’re such a sweetheart.”
“Don’t call me sweetheart.”
Their gazes clashed, and Luke was tempted to lean in and kiss her, just to feel her melt against him.
Instead, he turned away and took a long pull of his beer.
The waitress came back and handed Marley her box. As she was packing up her food, Sonora, Brent, and Kendall sat down, Sonora sulking as she was squished between them.
“Luke, have you met Sonora’s sister, Kendall?”
He shook the cute blonde’s hand and flashed her a smile, aware of Marley stiffening beside him. Did she think he was flirting?
I hope so.
Instead, she gave Kendall a sunny smile. “Here Kendall, you can take my spot. You guys look like a pack of sardines over there. I need to get home anyway.”
“But we’re not done talking about the wedding,” Sonora protested.
“We can talk about it tomorrow. We’ll head out to breakfast and go over everything somewhere a little less loud. Don’t worry, I’ve got you, girl.”
Sonora shot her a withering look. “I hate being called girl.”
Luke glanced between them. Something didn’t fit. If the two of them were such good friends, wouldn’t there be more warmth?
Marley’s smile tightened, and he wondered if she was gritting her teeth. “Sorry, I forgot.”
Luke slid out of the booth, but he didn’t move back far enough. When Marley passed by him, she rubbed against his chest. He ignored the fact that his skin prickled with goosebumps and nodded at the rest of the table. “I’m going to walk Marley out.”
She held her box of food in front of her like a shield. “That’s not necessary.”
“Yeah, it is, so let’s go.”
Marley rolled her eyes with a heavy sigh and after wishing the table another polite goodbye, headed for the exit. Luke followed her across the bar and out the door. The parking lot was filling up pretty fast for a Monday night, and as they reached her car, he put his hand on the door to keep her from opening it.
She turned toward him, but for the first time, this straightforward girl was avoiding
his gaze.
“I don’t know what is going on or what she has on you, but I’m not a guy to beg. You don’t want to see me anymore, fine, but I know it’s not some bullshit about sparing Sonora’s feelings. The least you could do is be honest.”
Finally, she looked up at him in the fading light and glared. “Ever think I’m just not that into you?”
He stiffened at her cutting words, and then relaxed, a slow grin spreading across his face. He boxed her in with his hands against the top of her car, leaning in. He heard the sharp intake of her breath as his lips descended toward hers, hovering there. His nose nuzzled her cheek, sliding up until his mouth brushed her ear. He felt her sway towards him, her breathing rapid and sexy as hell.
“Nah, that ain’t it.”
Pushing away from her, he turned and headed back into the bar. He was going to figure out what Marley was hiding, especially if it was something that could hurt his best friend.
And he planned on having a lot of fun doing it.
Chapter 6
Marley sat in the corner booth at the Sweetheart Café, sipping on her coffee as if it was a lifeline. She’d hardly slept last night, unable to stop thinking about Luke and the way he’d hovered over her. Arrogant. Knowing.
Sexy as hell.
Not even snuggling with Butters while watching Supernatural had pushed the sensation of his body pressing against her from her mind. She kept telling herself he was just a hot guy, easy to forget.
If only she really believed it.
“Hi. Marley, right?” a voice said above her.
Marley looked up to find Kendall, Sonora’s sister, standing at the end of her table, looking adorable in a floral dress and jean jacket, her honey hair pulled back in a messy ponytail.
“Hey, Kendall. How are you?”
“Good. Can I join you?” she asked.
Sonora was due to arrive any minute and considering how she’d reacted to her sister’s presence last night, it was probably asking for trouble to say yes.
“Sure, have a seat. Your sister’s on her way.”