You Say It First
Page 62
She was heading back to her office when she saw a familiar yet unexpected car pull up in the parking lot. She jogged toward it as Alan stepped out and held open his arms.
“You came!” She hugged him tight. “Thank you, thank you.”
“I couldn’t let down my favorite girl. Plus there was no way I could miss this wedding. It’s going to be your best one yet.”
A tall, redheaded man who looked to be about forty stepped out of the passenger side. Alan beamed. “This is Bryant. Bryant, this is Pallas.”
“Hi.” Pallas leaned close to Alan and lowered her voice. “He’s very handsome.”
“I know. Aren’t I lucky?” Alan linked arms with her. “Come on, Bryant. The gang’s all here. Let’s put on a show!”
* * *
NICK PARKED HIS truck next to several cars, then walked around back and pulled off the tarp. He’d spent most of the night making a long papier-mâché vine to wrap around the gazebo being used in the ceremony. He would get it in place, then touch up the paint. The backdrop would continue the theme and make Nova’s dress even more eye-catching for the pictures.
He carried in the first section of the vine. Workers were everywhere. Silver had set up her trailer and was putting out chairs covered in black cloth. The tables were set, and purple, teal and yellow flowers were everywhere.
He did his best not to look for Pallas. Her words had haunted him all night, and despite thinking about nothing but what she’d said, he was still confused.
He believed her. She loved him. Pallas. He knew he didn’t deserve her or her feelings, but he supposed that was the point. Freely given, she’d told him. With no expectation of anything in return.
He wanted to give back, wanted to tell her he felt the same. Only he couldn’t. Because of what could happen. Passion...
He knew the next line. Passion consumed, destroyed, whatever. He’d believed that most of his life. Yet without passion, what was the point? As she’d pointed out, without love, weren’t they all just going through the motions?
He walked into the ballroom and stopped to let his eyes adjust to the relative dimness of the huge room. Then blinked when he saw glowing glass orbs surrounding all the papier-mâché flowers he’d set out previously.
They were exactly as he’d drawn them. Light seemed to emanate from the very center. They were scattered on the runner in the center aisle and on the steps to the gazebo. Ronan walked in from the far entrance, an orb in each hand, and stopped when he saw Nick.
“You never got around to these,” his brother said with a shrug. “I figured they were important, so I made a few.”
There were more than a few, Nick thought as he glanced around at the glowing objects.
“That took some time,” he said.
Ronan shrugged again. “I didn’t mind. I figured out how to get the glow and the rest was easy. All anyone talks about is this damn wedding. I thought I’d help.”
He set down the two orbs he was carrying and crossed to Nick. After taking one end of the vine, he said, “Before, when we were fighting. I never meant you weren’t my brother. Just that we’re different.”
“Why didn’t you say that?”
“Because I can be a stubborn ass.”
“You got that right.”
Ronan grinned. “Come on. Let’s get this in place. I hear there’s going to be a wedding.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
NICK HONEST TO God didn’t know where to look. Yes, technically Nova was covered, but not in a way that made him comfortable. The thong was way too...thong-y and the corset bra thing wasn’t supposed to be seen by the likes of him. Her silk robe kept sliding off her shoulders and she didn’t seem to notice. Not that he was interested. He was a Pallas guy all the way, but still.
“Get over it,” Violet muttered as she pinned glittering fabric braids into Nova’s avant-garde hairstyle. “You’d see more if she were wearing a swimsuit.”
“She’s in her underwear,” he grumbled. “It’s not right.”
Nova sipped her glass of champagne. “Breathe,” she told him. “Joel knows you’re here and he’s fine with it.”
Words that allowed him to relax. “Okay then.”
Violet rolled her eyes. “Seriously? That’s all you needed to know?”
“Sure. You don’t hit on another guy’s woman and you sure don’t stare at her in her underwear on her wedding day.”
“But the fact that he knows you’re here makes it all right? Unbelievable.” She looked at Nova. “How did you think to say that?”
Nova smiled. “I work with guys all the time. After a while, you pick up a thing or two.”
Nick handed Violet another braid. She started to place it, then glanced at him.
“Over an inch,” he said. Not that he knew anything about hair, but he was pretty good at symmetry, which was why he was in the bride’s room two hours before the ceremony.
Except for long bangs, all of Nova’s hair had been pulled back tight against her head. Individual braids of hair created circles in an almost spiral design. The fabric braids were added, going the opposite direction. Once they were in place, Violet would sew in sparkling teal and yellow buttons, adding flash while also securing braids in place.
“You’ve all been so amazing,” Nova said. “I can’t thank you enough.”
“It’s been fun,” Nick told her. “We’ve enjoyed the challenge.”
“It’s true.” Violet pinned another braid in place. “Pallas is changing her whole business model. We’re going to do more crazy weddings. I, for one, can’t wait. You inspired us. You and Joel and your dad.”
Nova’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m so happy he can be here.”
“No crying,” Violet told her. “You can’t ruin your makeup until after the ceremony. And the pictures.”
Nick watched as Violet placed yet more braids. He walked around Nova and checked her hair from every angle. When it was time to get her in her dress, he looked away as she was hooked into a complicated hoop slip creation, then carefully held up the dress so Nova could scoot under it.
There was plenty to do. Fastening and adjusting and handing Violet buttons, but all the while he kept thinking about Pallas. How she had made this happen. She’d taken an idea and created magic. No one else was willing to do the work to help Nova and Joel, but Pallas had done it. She put herself out there and this was the result.
He missed her, he admitted to himself. He missed being with her and talking to her. He missed her smile, her laugh, her quick mind. He missed holding her. There was nothing about her he didn’t like. But the damn demons... How was he supposed to forget about them? How could he trust himself, trust them?
If only she hadn’t said she loved him. Then he could have walked away without looking back. But now...that gift was there. Waiting for him to grow a pair and claim it. She loved him. How had he gotten so lucky?
“Nick, I’m going to crawl under her dress and adjust the slip. I need you to hold it up for me.”
“Hell of a way to spend a day,” he said.
They both laughed.
He told himself he would get through the wedding, then he would head up into the mountains for a few days and figure out what was going on. He would either get over Pallas or surrender, because being where he was—so close and yet so incredibly far from what she offered—was impossible.
“You came!” She hugged him tight. “Thank you, thank you.”
“I couldn’t let down my favorite girl. Plus there was no way I could miss this wedding. It’s going to be your best one yet.”
A tall, redheaded man who looked to be about forty stepped out of the passenger side. Alan beamed. “This is Bryant. Bryant, this is Pallas.”
“Hi.” Pallas leaned close to Alan and lowered her voice. “He’s very handsome.”
“I know. Aren’t I lucky?” Alan linked arms with her. “Come on, Bryant. The gang’s all here. Let’s put on a show!”
* * *
NICK PARKED HIS truck next to several cars, then walked around back and pulled off the tarp. He’d spent most of the night making a long papier-mâché vine to wrap around the gazebo being used in the ceremony. He would get it in place, then touch up the paint. The backdrop would continue the theme and make Nova’s dress even more eye-catching for the pictures.
He carried in the first section of the vine. Workers were everywhere. Silver had set up her trailer and was putting out chairs covered in black cloth. The tables were set, and purple, teal and yellow flowers were everywhere.
He did his best not to look for Pallas. Her words had haunted him all night, and despite thinking about nothing but what she’d said, he was still confused.
He believed her. She loved him. Pallas. He knew he didn’t deserve her or her feelings, but he supposed that was the point. Freely given, she’d told him. With no expectation of anything in return.
He wanted to give back, wanted to tell her he felt the same. Only he couldn’t. Because of what could happen. Passion...
He knew the next line. Passion consumed, destroyed, whatever. He’d believed that most of his life. Yet without passion, what was the point? As she’d pointed out, without love, weren’t they all just going through the motions?
He walked into the ballroom and stopped to let his eyes adjust to the relative dimness of the huge room. Then blinked when he saw glowing glass orbs surrounding all the papier-mâché flowers he’d set out previously.
They were exactly as he’d drawn them. Light seemed to emanate from the very center. They were scattered on the runner in the center aisle and on the steps to the gazebo. Ronan walked in from the far entrance, an orb in each hand, and stopped when he saw Nick.
“You never got around to these,” his brother said with a shrug. “I figured they were important, so I made a few.”
There were more than a few, Nick thought as he glanced around at the glowing objects.
“That took some time,” he said.
Ronan shrugged again. “I didn’t mind. I figured out how to get the glow and the rest was easy. All anyone talks about is this damn wedding. I thought I’d help.”
He set down the two orbs he was carrying and crossed to Nick. After taking one end of the vine, he said, “Before, when we were fighting. I never meant you weren’t my brother. Just that we’re different.”
“Why didn’t you say that?”
“Because I can be a stubborn ass.”
“You got that right.”
Ronan grinned. “Come on. Let’s get this in place. I hear there’s going to be a wedding.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
NICK HONEST TO God didn’t know where to look. Yes, technically Nova was covered, but not in a way that made him comfortable. The thong was way too...thong-y and the corset bra thing wasn’t supposed to be seen by the likes of him. Her silk robe kept sliding off her shoulders and she didn’t seem to notice. Not that he was interested. He was a Pallas guy all the way, but still.
“Get over it,” Violet muttered as she pinned glittering fabric braids into Nova’s avant-garde hairstyle. “You’d see more if she were wearing a swimsuit.”
“She’s in her underwear,” he grumbled. “It’s not right.”
Nova sipped her glass of champagne. “Breathe,” she told him. “Joel knows you’re here and he’s fine with it.”
Words that allowed him to relax. “Okay then.”
Violet rolled her eyes. “Seriously? That’s all you needed to know?”
“Sure. You don’t hit on another guy’s woman and you sure don’t stare at her in her underwear on her wedding day.”
“But the fact that he knows you’re here makes it all right? Unbelievable.” She looked at Nova. “How did you think to say that?”
Nova smiled. “I work with guys all the time. After a while, you pick up a thing or two.”
Nick handed Violet another braid. She started to place it, then glanced at him.
“Over an inch,” he said. Not that he knew anything about hair, but he was pretty good at symmetry, which was why he was in the bride’s room two hours before the ceremony.
Except for long bangs, all of Nova’s hair had been pulled back tight against her head. Individual braids of hair created circles in an almost spiral design. The fabric braids were added, going the opposite direction. Once they were in place, Violet would sew in sparkling teal and yellow buttons, adding flash while also securing braids in place.
“You’ve all been so amazing,” Nova said. “I can’t thank you enough.”
“It’s been fun,” Nick told her. “We’ve enjoyed the challenge.”
“It’s true.” Violet pinned another braid in place. “Pallas is changing her whole business model. We’re going to do more crazy weddings. I, for one, can’t wait. You inspired us. You and Joel and your dad.”
Nova’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m so happy he can be here.”
“No crying,” Violet told her. “You can’t ruin your makeup until after the ceremony. And the pictures.”
Nick watched as Violet placed yet more braids. He walked around Nova and checked her hair from every angle. When it was time to get her in her dress, he looked away as she was hooked into a complicated hoop slip creation, then carefully held up the dress so Nova could scoot under it.
There was plenty to do. Fastening and adjusting and handing Violet buttons, but all the while he kept thinking about Pallas. How she had made this happen. She’d taken an idea and created magic. No one else was willing to do the work to help Nova and Joel, but Pallas had done it. She put herself out there and this was the result.
He missed her, he admitted to himself. He missed being with her and talking to her. He missed her smile, her laugh, her quick mind. He missed holding her. There was nothing about her he didn’t like. But the damn demons... How was he supposed to forget about them? How could he trust himself, trust them?
If only she hadn’t said she loved him. Then he could have walked away without looking back. But now...that gift was there. Waiting for him to grow a pair and claim it. She loved him. How had he gotten so lucky?
“Nick, I’m going to crawl under her dress and adjust the slip. I need you to hold it up for me.”
“Hell of a way to spend a day,” he said.
They both laughed.
He told himself he would get through the wedding, then he would head up into the mountains for a few days and figure out what was going on. He would either get over Pallas or surrender, because being where he was—so close and yet so incredibly far from what she offered—was impossible.
