The Engagement Arrangement

by Jaci Burton

  At least the heat had broken—a little. It was hovering in the low eighties, which for late August was like a cold snap. Maybe Finn wouldn’t sweat through his shirt and the jacket of his suit.

  He’d dropped Murphy off at the house earlier, not wanting to get any dog hair on the suit. He showered and dressed and made sure he was at the vineyard early, not that he had any duties other than being Brenna’s date for the event.

  He also didn’t know anyone there since none of his friends were attending the event. Not that that would stop him from mingling with the crowd. Some of the people were taking seats and some just standing around. He made his way to the folks hanging out at the back and introduced himself. A couple of them were there with the other bridesmaids. Brenna’s ex, Mitchell, happened to be hanging with that group as well. Finn didn’t mind that at all.

  He met William, Marie’s boyfriend; Dave, Sabra’s husband; and Sue, Andrea’s girlfriend. Mitchell just gave him silent looks while he learned that William was an insurance agent, Sue was a personal trainer and Dave owned a construction equipment company. Johan, Hilary’s date, was a chef. Finn told them what he did there at the vineyard.

  “Did you build any of the things round here?” Dave asked.

  “I had a hand in a lot of it.” He pointed out a few of the buildings he’d erected over the years.

  “What an accomplishment,” Sue said. “I love working outdoors. I do a lot of my classes outside. Nothing like building up a good sweat to make you feel like you accomplished something. Except maybe in August.”

  “August sucks,” Dave said.

  Finn nodded. “I’ll drink to that.”

  “I grow a lot of the vegetables for my restaurant outside,” Johan said. “Harvest in the late summers is awful.”

  “I’ve never been so happy to work inside an air-conditioned office,” William said.

  They all laughed.

  “What about you, Mitchell?” Dave asked. “What do you do?”

  “I’m a lawyer.”

  He didn’t offer up any additional conversation, so that was the end of that.

  Not really Mr. Personality, that Mitchell. Then again, Finn already knew that from the years he’d been married to Brenna. Whenever they’d come over for dinner with the family, he’d been quiet—or away from the table on his phone, something that had always irritated the hell out of Brenna. During the years Mitch and Brenna had been together, he had never been one to interact with Brenna’s family, which was really saying something since the Bellinis were people you couldn’t help but engage with. They were warm, friendly and hospitable. Mitch, on the other hand, was cold and standoffish and always seemed to hold himself above everyone else.

  Finn never could figure out what Brenna had seen in him. But he could definitely see why Mitch and Allison were a perfect match.

  Erin came up to them. “We’re about to get started, so if you could all take your seats?”

  The group ended up finding seats toward the middle. Esther and Brock had quite the group of family and friends, because the vineyard was filled.

  Awesome.

  Music started playing, the groomsmen took their positions next to Brock and the bridesmaids began walking down the aisle. Finn had caught a chair on the end, so he had a prime view when Brenna appeared.

  She wore a violet dress with skinny straps on her shoulders, her hair all wildly curled and pulled up, revealing her incredibly beautiful neck. The dress hit just above her knees, showing off her amazing legs. And her cowgirl boots were the perfect touch. She looked dressed to kill. He didn’t even notice the other bridesmaids because he was focused on Brenna, the most beautiful woman there. As she passed by him, their eyes locked and her lips curved into a hint of a smile.

  Damn.

  They all stood when the bride walked down with her dad. She wore a short dress, too, with sparkly white boots and the biggest smile. She looked really pretty and happy as she made her way to Brock.

  The ceremony was short and emotional as the bride and groom said their vows. It was sweet. They kissed and everyone applauded. Then the bridesmaids and groomsmen led them down the aisle and everyone filed out while Honor directed the crowd toward the barn.

  Finn wanted to see Brenna, but she’d already told him that she would have to linger behind for pictures, so he made his way to the barn and grabbed a beer.

  “You’re engaged to my wife, huh?”

  He turned to Mitch. “Not your wife anymore.”

  “You always had a thing for her. Even when I was married to her.”

  He wasn’t even going to dignify that with an answer, or say what he really wanted to say about men who didn’t appreciate their women when they had them, so he took a long swallow of his beer and ignored Mitch.

  Mitch ordered a scotch and water and the two of them moved away from the bar so other people could step in.

  “The two of you have nothing in common.”

  Okay, maybe Finn wouldn’t stay silent. “Oh, and you did?”

  Mitch shrugged. “More than you do.”

  “We’re doing great, my friend. Maybe you should focus more on your current wife and pay less attention to my relationship with my fiancée.”

  “Something seems off about the two of you. I just don’t see her with you.”

  Finn took a deep breath. “Afraid she might realize that she’s finally found what she was missing all those years? Because I’m telling ya, mate, she has. And it’s a step up for her.”

  He could see Mitch’s face turn a mottled red. If he had to, Finn would defuse a fight. Which would be too bad because this asshole deserved a good punch in the face.

  “There you are. Did you see how I looked up there?”

  Saved by Allison, because immediately, Mitch plastered on a benevolent smile and turned his focus on her. “I did. You were stunning.”

  “Thank you. It’s amazing how your taste has improved dramatically since . . . well, since you met me.” She shot Finn a scathing look.

  Finn rolled his eyes, finished off his beer and wandered back to the bar, not needing to hear anything else from the two of them. He grabbed another beer and stepped outside the doors.

  He paced back and forth between the barn and the vineyard for a while, drinking his beer and muttering Irish curses, wishing Mitch overly hairy, painful hemorrhoids and swollen balls that would make it uncomfortable to sit for the rest of his life.

  He smiled at that thought.

  He went back inside and found the table where his new friends were sitting. Fortunately Mitch wasn’t there.

  The deejay announced the wedding party and everyone stood and clapped when they entered. Brenna had a smile on her face as she walked in, and then they gathered around the dance floor as the bride and groom had their first dance, joined shortly by the bridal party. After that, they took their seats at the main table and toasts were given.

  Finn was hungry, so he was grateful once all the talking was done and food was served. He knew Brenna had duties to perform and she couldn’t sit with him, but he had fine company at his table and they found a lot to talk about.

  Mitchell had found other people to sit with, which worked great for Finn because his group was having a blast. They drank, they ate fantastic food, they shared stories about their lives and Finn didn’t have to put up with Mitch’s grouchy face.

  All in all, a damn fine dinner. After the plates were cleared the bridal party got up and left the table. The bride and groom hit the dance floor, and the bridesmaids headed their way.

  Finn stood and turned as Brenna arrived.

  “Did you have a good dinner?” she asked.

  “Food was amazing. Company was even better.”

  She laid her hand on his arm. “I’m so glad. I’m sorry I had to leave you alone for so long.”

  He looped an arm around her wais
t. Not because Mitchell was around, but because he’d missed her and he wanted to be close to her. “Don’t be. These are great people. We’ve all had a good time.”

  “I swear you can make friends no matter where you are.”

  He cocked his head. “Does that surprise you?”

  “I guess it does.”

  “Probably because you were previously married to Mr. Grumpy Face over there, who decided not to share a meal with us.”

  Her gaze tracked where he was staring. Mitch was currently introducing Allison to some people Finn didn’t know.

  “Other lawyers.”

  “You know them?”

  “I know of them. I went to enough legal functions when I was married to Mitchell that I recognize the faces.”

  Finn looked over the group, all talking and nodding with their noses in the air. He knew a few lawyers, but the ones he knew were all easygoing, fun people. Clearly not the case with that group, though.

  “Bunch of tightasses, just like your ex.”

  She sputtered out a laugh. “You summed him up in a single word.”

  “We had a few words earlier, actually.”

  “You did?” She tilted her head back and gave him a curious look. “About what?”

  “You. He thinks I’m beneath you.”

  Flames of ire fired up in her eyes. “He’s full of shit. He doesn’t even know you. Or me, for that matter. That was half the problem in our marriage. I’d like to go over there and give him a rundown of all the ways he doesn’t know me. In fact . . .”

  She’d started to make a turn but he held on to her arm. “Okay, feisty, rein it in. I wanted to shove my fist in his face, too. I took a walk outside instead.”

  “You did? You wanted to hit him?”

  “Of course I did. He’s an asshole. Who wouldn’t want to hit him?” He swept his hand down her arm. “Besides, how could any man not want to know everything about you?”

  He felt the tension leave her body.

  “Let’s go dance,” she said, taking hold of his hand.

  “Sure.”

  They joined the throng of dancers bouncing around on the dance floor. Finn had already discarded his suit coat, and the air conditioning was cranked to a nice cool level, so it wasn’t too bad while he hopped around and tried to keep up with Brenna. But he was happy when a slow song came on and he pulled her into his arms, her body against his.

  “Now this is more like it,” he said.

  “You just like having your hands on me.”

  He swept his fingers along her back. “No lie.”

  Her lips curved. “I will admit that it feels good when you touch me.”

  “I could do a lot more touching.”

  When her eyes widened, he added, “With your permission, of course. And in private.”

  “We haven’t even had a date yet.”

  “We will. Besides . . .” He rubbed his fingers over the ring she wore on her left hand. “We’re engaged, remember?”

  “Only for one more day.”

  “Which means, what? That I don’t get to touch you like this after tomorrow? Or lean in and kiss you on the neck like this?”

  He pressed his lips to the side of her neck, felt her whole body shudder as he wrapped his arms around her and drew her closer while they swayed to the slow strains of a love song.

  He thought she’d object, pull back, but she held tight to him, and he breathed in her tangy lemon scent, wishing he could run his tongue over her neck, her collarbone and all the other sweet parts of her body. He wanted to explore her, to learn everything there was to know about her body, her mind, her thoughts and what she wanted and needed.

  But for now, the way they fit together was damned perfect.

  He could do this all night.

  * * *

  • • • • • •

  BRENNA SANK INTO the lull of the music, the feel of Finn’s delightfully hard body pressed against hers. He smelled crisp and clean and just a little bit like something she wanted to take a bite out of, so maybe something a little dangerous, too.

  When had she ever done anything dangerous in her life?

  Uh, never.

  Mitchell had been the safe choice, the expected choice. She’d known within six months of marrying him that she’d made an epic mistake, but she’d hung on for another six months until she couldn’t take his constant criticisms and never-ending phone calls and disappearances in the name of work anymore. She’d tried so hard to engage him in their relationship, in the two of them, until she’d realized that she’d been the only one putting in the work.

  But that was in the past, and it was done and over with.

  Now—tonight—she was being held by a seriously hot man who smelled good and felt even better and she wanted so many things she couldn’t even put words to them. She wanted him to keep smoothing his hand down her back and pressing his hard thighs against her, and humming to the music with his amazingly good voice.

  Sure, it was all a fantasy, but wrapping herself up in a fantasy for a little while wouldn’t hurt anything, would it?

  “Hey,” Finn whispered.

  She looked up, mesmerized by his beautiful face with all its chiseled angles. He had an amazing jaw, and what woman could resist a square jaw like that? Or his angular nose? Or those eyes that always seemed to hypnotize her.

  “Mmm-hmm.”

  “Song’s over.”

  She blinked and stepped back. “Oh. Of course it is. I should go do . . . something.”

  He took her hand. “Do you have something specific to do?”

  She looked around. Esther and Brock were visiting tables, and all the other bridesmaids had disappeared.

  “Not right now.”

  He took her hand. “We’ll grab something to drink and sit at my table. You can meet all the fun people I’ve been hanging out with.”

  He seemed excited about her meeting his new friends, so she smiled and nodded. “That sounds fun.”

  She got a glass of wine and he ordered a beer, and then they went to the table. Everyone was laughing and having fun. She noticed Mitchell two tables away, sitting with Allison. There was a lot of nodding and talking, but no laughing or smiling.

  After thirty minutes at Finn’s table, she was laughing, too. Finn was right—this was a fun group of people. Sue had a bawdy sense of humor, and she’d already bonded with her girlfriend, Andi, over their shared love of books and reading.

  And the entire group raved about the wines, so how could she not love everyone at the table?

  Finn and Johan had discovered a mutual passion for whiskey, so apparently they were now lifelong friends.

  The group was animated and boisterous. Several of the groomsmen and their wives and dates made their way over, and soon they had their own party going.

  “Hey,” Esther said when she came by. “Am I missing the real party?”

  Brenna stood and hugged her. “Honey, you and Brock are the party tonight.”

  Esther grinned. “That’s true. But after Brock and I say hello to a few more of our relatives, we’re joining this shindig. It looks like you’re all having way too much fun.”

  True to her word, Esther and Brock ended up at their table. And then the entire group went out on the dance floor together and partied their asses off song after song. Brenna was grateful that Finn not only had joined in but had been instrumental in giving her one of the best nights of her life. A night, in fact, that she had been dreading. Out of all the people here, Finn had found the fun group and dragged her right into the middle of them. And even better, whenever Brenna glanced her way, Allison looked pissed because she was stuck at a table with a bunch of people who seemingly had zero interest in dancing. Or laughing. Or having fun.

  It couldn’t have gone better.

  The reception ended at
midnight, though several people had left before then. Brenna and her sisters helped Esther’s and Brock’s parents load gifts into the cars, and then everyone who was left lined the driveway and blew bubbles at the newlyweds as they made their way to their car and drove off. After that the rest of the reception guests climbed into their vehicles and departed.

  Brenna breathed in and exhaled.

  “How did it go?” Erin asked.

  “Better than expected, actually, thanks to Finn.”

  Finn looked over at her. “To me? What did I do?”

  She smiled at him, feeling warm and satisfied for reasons she couldn’t explain. “Everything right.”

  His lips curved.

  “Okay, then. Only one more day of this and we’re done,” Honor said. “Just a champagne brunch, and then it’s over.”

  Oh, right. There was still brunch to get through tomorrow morning. Today had been the longest event, and she’d survived it, thanks to Finn. She leaned against him and he instantly slipped his arm around her waist.

  “It’s almost over,” Erin said. “We’ll handle it.”

  “Of course we will.”

  “I’ll make sure everything’s being cleaned up,” Honor said.

  Erin nodded. “I’ll go with you.”

  “I can help,” Brenna said.

  “No.” Honor held up her hand. “You were in the wedding. You’ve done enough. We’ve got this.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Absolutely,” Erin said. “Go get some rest.”

  She had to admit she was kind of wiped out. “Thanks, both of you. Good night.”

  “I’ll walk you to the house,” Finn said.

  She might have objected, since the house was only a short walk from the wedding venue parking lot. But he had his arm around her and it felt good. And maybe she wasn’t ready for this feeling to end. So they strolled together, neither one of them in a hurry to get to her front porch.

  “I need to get Murph,” he said as they walked up the steps to the door.