Priceless (Finding Love Book 5)

by Paris Hansen

  Brad didn’t even stop talking as he left her table. She felt terrible for the woman that had to deal with him next. In the time he was at her table, she never even got a chance to tell him her name. She was going to be shocked if he ended up matching with anyone after the fact. Hell, Andi wasn’t sure he’d even have a name to write down on his sheet since he never seemed to let the women speak.

  “That was a bit brutal. He could have at least let you tell him your name so he knew who he was boring to death.”

  Andi’s head shot up as her final date sat down in Brad’s vacated seat. She gave him a quick once over, then another, slower, more thorough perusal. He was good looking although in a prim and proper sort of way. Everything about him screamed perfectionist. His hair was perfectly styled. His scruff perfectly groomed. He wore a suit tailored to fit him like a second skin. Glasses that she was reasonably certain weren’t a prop were perched on his nose giving him an air of intelligence. The frames were rectangle which was a look she didn’t see often.

  “It’s a bit rude of you to notice how my date went when you had one of your own,” she pointed out before taking a sip of her wine.

  For the first time in an hour, Andi was feeling a bit nervous. There was something about the man in front of her that she found both intimidating and intriguing.

  “That’s probably true, but I’m pretty sure she didn’t even notice. Her face was buried in her phone the entire time. Her inattention gave me plenty of time to observe what was happening around me and I happened to notice you looked absolutely miserable during your date.”

  “What? I didn’t realize that was an option. I thought we were supposed to keep our phones away from the table,” Andi jokingly whined. “To think I could have done something other than roll my eyes for the last five minutes. What a wasted opportunity.”

  “Now that you know it’s an option, I hope you won’t be tempted to use your phone during the rest of our time together,” he said giving her a thousand-watt smile. “I’m Matthew, by the way.”

  He reached a hand out across the table and for a moment, Andi wasn’t sure what to do with it. Not a single guy she’d met so far had wanted to shake her hand. Her cheeks heated as she took his hand in hers. His skin was soft, his handshake firm. He held onto her hand longer than necessary, but for some reason, she didn’t care. Had one of the others guys she’d met that evening tried it, she probably would have decked him.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Matthew. I’m Andi.”

  “What an unusual name for a beautiful woman.”

  Andi fought the urge to roll her eyes. Matthew had started out with so much potential but was going to lose a ton of points for the lame ass line he tried to feed her about her name. Like she hadn’t heard it, or something like it, for most of her life. She pulled her hand back out of his grasp and grabbed her glass of wine. The liquid was getting dangerously low, and it didn’t look like the servers were making the rounds anymore. She’d have to nurse the last of the liquid for the rest of her date. With any luck, the crap coming out of Matthew’s mouth wouldn’t get any worse.

  “Sorry. That was pretty bad, wasn’t it? That’s not usually my style. Can we start over?”

  Andi smiled. Finally, a guy who seemed to be aware of when he was being a douchebag. Either that or he was really good at reading body language and could tell that his line had irritated her. Either way, Matthew seemed to be a rare species in the dating world.

  “Sure. I’m Andi, and you are?”

  “My name’s Matthew. It’s lovely to meet you, Andi.”

  He gave her another blinding smile, showing off perfectly straight, white teeth and dimples hidden behind his well-manicured five o’clock shadow.

  “I would love to get to know you better, Andi, but it looks like we’re running out of time. Mind if I rapid fire some questions your way?”

  “Not as long as I can return the favor. Go ahead.”

  “If you were on death row what would you choose as your final meal?”

  Andi laughed at his choice of opening question. “That’s a bit dark don’t you think?”

  “Not at all. I think this question delves into the heart of a person. I suppose you were expecting something lame like favorite color.”

  Shaking her head, Andi felt her cheeks grow warm. “For my final meal, I would choose tacos.”

  “Tacos, really?”

  “Yes, tacos. They’re the absolute best food ever. I’d ask for hard-shelled tacos and soft tacos and a variety of meat. They’d have to have lettuce and tomatoes, olives and sour cream. Guacamole of course, which wouldn’t cost me extra cause I’m on death row and the state would be paying for it. Slather them with some hot as hell hot sauce, and I’d die happy. The only thing that would make the meal better would be a margarita as big as my head.”

  “Ummm...it kind of sounds like you’ve thought about this before.”

  “Nope. I just love tacos,” she said with a laugh. “So what about you. What would your last meal be?”

  “Oh, that’s easy. A thick, juicy steak and garlic mashed potatoes.”

  “Interesting. Okay, if you could live anywhere else in the world, where would you live?”

  “Another easy one. I’d move to London. Are you a morning person or a night person?”

  “Night person for sure,” Andi said quickly, noticing a hint of disappointment flash over Matthew’s face as she answered.

  Apparently, they didn’t have that one in common. He also didn’t seem to like tacos, which in her opinion should have been made into their own food group. And while London seemed cool, she couldn’t understand how that would be someone’s dream home. It seemed a bit stuffy, although there were a ton of exciting places to travel to.

  “If you could have any superpower known to man, which one would you choose?” she asked somehow knowing he would pick something practical like flight.

  “Oh, I would want to fly of course. I hate traffic, and if I could fly, I wouldn’t have to worry about it ever again.”

  Bingo. Matthew was adorably dorky and extremely predictable.

  “What do you do on Sundays?”

  Andi paused for a moment, wondering if it was some sort of trick question. Although the man gave boring, predictable answers, he was still cute and charming. There was still a chance until he asked the Sunday question. Was he the kind of guy who wanted to hear that she went to church twice on Sunday? If he was, he was going to be sorely disappointed.

  “Depends on the time of year. September through December, or January if we’re lucky, I’m watching football. The rest of the year it’s baseball or hockey or racing. Sundays are for sports.”

  “Me too. I’ve got season tickets for the Seahawks and the Mariners. Maybe we can catch a game together sometime.”

  Smiling, Andi felt herself relax a little. “That would be nice.”

  “Do you have any pets?” she asked picking their game back up.

  “No. I work long hours, so it never seemed right to get a pet. Hopefully, I can change that someday. Do you have any siblings?”

  “I have a twin brother.”

  “Wow, that must be weird and cool.”

  “Yes, to both. Do you have any siblings?”

  Matthew shook his head. “Only child, despite years of begging my parents for a little brother.”

  “Sorry, they disappointed you.”

  Laughing, he reached across the table, his hand brushing against hers. When Andi didn’t immediately pull it away, he picked it up, caressing her palm with his thumb.

  “What are you looking for in a relationship, Andi?” he asked softly, his gaze rising to meet hers.

  The man might give boring, predictable answers, but he gave ridiculously intense eye contact that sent chills down her spine in the most delicious way. Partnered with the seemingly innocent gesture of her hand in his and the intensely personal question, she found herself crossing her legs. Suddenly, the adorably dorky man in front of her had become dynamic and intrig
uing.

  She flicked her tongue out to lick her suddenly dry lips and noticed the way Matthew’s gaze dipped down to take in the action. So, she wasn’t the only one affected by the sudden uptick in the sexual attraction between them. Good to know.

  “This is going to sound stupid, but I’m just looking for someone to share my life with. The highs, the lows, the in between, all of it.”

  “That’s not stupid,” he assured her. “Isn’t that what we all want? A partner in life and love.”

  “I guess. Although, after this experience, I’m not so sure. I think what most people want is sex...that or someone to be their mommy. Or maybe even both. I’m not really sure.”

  Throwing his head back, Matthew laughed, the sound music to her ears. She enjoyed watching him let go. She assumed it didn’t happen very often, given the fact that he was pretty buttoned up and serious. Although, there was a chance she was reading him all wrong. Maybe he only came across as boring but was really a wild and crazy guy. Or perhaps he was a combination of wild and stoic.

  Andi just hoped she’d get the chance to figure out who exactly Matthew was. There was no doubt in her mind that she was going to be writing his name down on her card. She hoped he’d do the same. Before she could express that desire, the buzzer went off, and Kerrigan was making her final announcement. Matthew smiled over at her and winked before getting up and walking toward the front of the room. He grabbed a pen and card from one of Kerrigan’s helpers, scribbled something down quickly and then walked out of the banquet room without giving her a second glance.

  Excitement coursed through her as she made her way to the front and took the pen and card that Kerrigan offered. Her friend had a huge smile on her face, but Andi wasn’t sure if her smile was because she knew something Andi didn’t or if she was just happy the event went off without a hitch. Taking a deep breath, she uncapped the pen, then wrote down the name of the man that had finally made her feel something. She just had to hope he’d done his part.

  Chapter 3

  Braeden

  “Dearly beloved we are gathered here today,” Braeden paused for dramatic effect and tried not to laugh when Meghan raised an eyebrow at him. “We’re here today because we love the heck out of these two people and we wanted to show them how much we love them by throwing them this party. Of course, they decided to hijack it and turn it into a vow renewal instead of just a plain ol’ anniversary party. I mean, they did owe us something, right? Considering they eloped and none of us actually got to witness them getting married the first time.”

  “Braeden…” Meghan warned.

  “You knew what you were getting into when you asked me to do this,” Braeden said with a wink. “Now, where was I? Oh yeah. We could all see from the beginning how crazy Oliver was about Meghan. And she was just as crazy about him but too stubborn to admit it. Vegas was the best damn thing to ever happen to them.”

  Braeden looked around the room to see nearly everyone in the room nodding in agreement. No one knew what would have happened if Meghan and Oliver hadn’t drunkenly gotten married in Las Vegas. He liked to think that true love would have won out and they’d end up exactly where they were. He hoped that Oliver wouldn’t have given up on her and would have chased her to the ends of the earth.

  Of course, that was Braeden’s optimistic, romantic side seeing everything work out exactly how they were supposed to. The realistic side of him feared that Meghan would have run so far and so fast there was a good chance Oliver would’ve never found her. Not if Meghan didn’t want to be found.

  Thankfully, they’d never know how things would have played out. Vegas happened, the drunken wedding happened, and now they were going to live happily ever after for the rest of their lives. Just like they were supposed to.

  “My brother from a better mother has done his best to rein me in over the years and has been a constant in my life when I needed one. Thanks for that man. And thank you for bringing Meghan into my life. That night in Vegas, Oliver didn’t realize it, but he was gifting me with the sister I never knew I wanted. Even when she was dealing with some seriously heavy shit, she was able to knock some sense into me. I’m thankful to have you two in my life, and I’m honored that you asked me to stand up here in front of your friends and family even though I’m betting you’re getting real close to regretting that decision.”

  Meghan held up her hand, her thumb and forefinger an inch apart. She had a smile on her face, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Braeden laughed before grabbing her hand and placing a quick kiss on the back of it. He then looked over at Oliver who had a similar smile on his face but wasn’t as close to getting choked up. Braeden knew it was only a matter of time before his friend was shedding tears of his own.

  “Since neither of them remembers the vows they said in Vegas...owww,” Braeden said as he rubbed the arm Meghan punched. “Oliver and Meghan would like to exchange the vows they’ve written for this occasion.”

  “Since Oliver’s are probably going to be good and sappy, I’m going to go first,” Meghan said garnering a laugh from the crowd. “Oliver, I don’t think you realize this, but you saved me. In more ways than one, you’re the reason I’m alive today. Your stubborn perseverance, your love, your amazing smile, your sexy as hell body...just everything about you, I couldn’t resist and because of that, I’m here. Thank you for loving me so much you refused to let me go, even when I tried to force your hand.”

  As Meghan continued pouring her heart out, Braeden looked out at the crowd surrounding them. Some people were smiling, others dabbing at their eyes with tissues. His gaze landed on the one person he’d wanted to see more than any other and noticed that surprisingly she was one of the dabbers. Seeing her cry made him want to wrap her up in his arms; to give her comfort even though they were tears of happiness.

  Even with red eyes and tear-stained cheeks, Andi Reese was the most beautiful woman in the room. Her dark hair was swept away from her face on one side and brushed against her shoulders in soft curls. She was wearing something strapless and green, the color making the green of her eyes pop. Braeden wished he could get a better look at her, but she was surrounded by people who were blocking his view. Briefly, their eyes met, but she quickly looked away which annoyed him. As his friends talked about love, there was no one else he’d rather lock eyes with than the woman he’d been in love with for more than half his life.

  Reluctantly he tore his eyes away from Andi. He had a job to do, and she was distracting as hell. He’d have plenty of time to focus on her once the ceremony was over. She hadn’t brought a date which was a good sign in his eyes. It wasn’t too late for Braeden to make his move, to make things right with Andi and start over. The minute the ceremony was over he knew he was going to need to have the conversation he’d been putting off for years.

  “I love you more than I ever thought possible, Oliver. You are by far the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I promise no matter how difficult things get, I’ll never try to push you away again. You’re stuck with me now. I hope you know what you’ve gotten yourself into.”

  Laughter filled the room as Oliver nodded his head. He leaned in whispering something in Meghan’s ear that Breaden couldn’t hear. If the blush that crept up her cheeks was any sign, Braeden was glad he hadn’t been able to make out what his friend said.

  Looking over at Oliver, Braeden couldn’t help the jolt of jealousy that coursed through him. Of course, it was mixed with happiness and love and all the stuff that he was supposed to feel for his best friend in that moment, but the jealousy nearly knocked him on his ass. It only took him a second to realize he wasn’t jealous of his friend, but of what his friend had. The love that flowed between Oliver and Meghan was nearly palpable, and Braeden wanted that for himself.

  Mentally chastising himself for getting distracted again, he cleared his throat before saying his next line. He was mostly ad-libbing what he was supposed to say even though Meghan had made him write everything down. Braeden had always
been a more go with the flow or what feels right, kind of guy, so he’d use her notes as a guideline, but definitely wouldn’t say them word for word. What fun would that be?

  “Oliver your wife did a pretty good job squeezing tears out of everyone in the room, but I’ve got no doubt you’re about to top that and bring on the real waterworks. You always were good with the words buddy. Go ahead and show ‘em what you got. Owwww.”

  Braeden once again rubbed at the spot Meghan hit. The girl might be small, but she was strong and threw a mean punch. Next time he said something questionable, he’d have to figure out how to dodge her flying fist, or he was going to end up black and blue before the night was through.

  “Meghan you should have known from the start that you weren’t going to get rid of me that easily. The moment our eyes met for the first time, I knew you were the one for me. There was no doubt in my mind that we’d end up here because I dreamt about you long before I ever met you. In the beginning, we were supposed to be about having fun, casual, hot as hell fun, sorry mom,” Oliver said as he looked out to find his mother in the crowd. “But I only let you believe that was the case. I planned on wearing you down until you decided to let me love you. And now that I say that out loud, I realize how creepy that sounds. I swear though in my head it was all about being romantic and wooing you, not about keeping you locked up somewhere.”

  “Dude, you better hope Ben over there doesn’t decide to check your basement for other people you might have dreamt about. Son of a...owww. You two were meant for each other,” Braeden said as he covered his other arm that was now throbbing from being hit by Oliver.

  “I don’t have a basement, jerkface. Now stop interrupting me.”