Kitty Valentine Dates a Best Man Read online

  “He wouldn’t do that.”

  “I didn’t know that at the time. Heck, I still don’t. You never know how a person’s going to react in a situation like that. No matter how nice they are.”

  “He keeps looking at you.” I start to look around. “Don’t!” she hisses, squeezing my arm. “You don’t look when a person tells you that. Jeez, it’s like I’ve taught you nothing.”

  “What do you expect me to do when you tell me somebody’s looking at me?”

  “Let out a sparkling laugh, like life is so amazing and wonderful and you’re so funny. Obviously.”

  “If I’d laughed, it would’ve meant you said something funny. Dork.” I give her wineglass a pointed look. “Are you sure you haven’t had too much?”

  “Mind your business.” She finishes the glass and hands it off to a passing server in one single, smooth move. Even now, stressed out and already tired of being compared to her siblings and slightly tipsy, she makes everything look so effortless.

  “Okay, fine.” Her parents catch my eye from across the room, and I offer them a smile. “Your folks seem happy.”

  “They are. Their shining star is getting married.”

  I put an arm around her. “You’re a shining star too. You eclipse me, for sure.”

  She rolls her eyes. “That’s different.”

  “Why, because I’m such a nerd?”

  “Something like that.” She’s smiling again, which is good. “But thanks. I’m glad you’re here. In case I forget to say it while I’m in the middle of bridesmaid hell, I figured I should say it now.”

  “I’m glad too. You need somebody here to keep you sane. I’m happy it’s me.”

  Kylie waves Hayley over from across the room, where everybody is posing for pictures.

  “I never thought you’d be the one keeping me sane, but here we are.”

  “Yeah, life’s funny like that.” I give her a tiny shove in her family’s direction and watch with a whole lot of sympathy as her mother arranges her hair, which looked pretty the way it was.

  There was a time when I wondered what drove Hayley. What made her work so hard.

  Then, I spent about five minutes around her family and never had to ask that question again.

  She catches my eye, and I wince in sympathy, standing alone. Like the outsider I am. Which is okay since it gives me ample ability to observe. The way a writer does.

  Except I’m not the only one observing.

  I feel eyes on me. I know it’s probably no more than paranoia—who’d be watching me right now when there’s a bride and her bridesmaids? And, hey, let’s not even talk about the scenery—but I can’t shake the feeling. Somebody’s watching me.

  Should I laugh like I just said something sparklingly witty?

  Uh, no, since I’m standing alone, I don’t think laughter would have the intended effect.

  Despite Hayley’s advice, I take a look around. Casual-like. No big deal.

  And I find a pair of turquoise eyes looking back at me.

  Only Kellen isn’t like most people. He won’t look away, embarrassed at getting caught.

  If anything, he holds my gaze. Daring me to react. To avert my eyes.

  I have to eventually, moving across the room to tease Brandon about the bridesmaids who are clearly sizing him up like they want to share him for dessert.

  And I tell myself the flush on my cheeks has to do with getting too much sun this morning.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  “There isn’t enough coffee in the whole wide world.” I respond to Hayley’s groans with a groan of my own. Funny how the sparkle has already dimmed with the two of us stumbling from our room in time to meet with the group before going on our bus tour of the mountains.

  This resort seemed so magical yesterday.

  After I didn’t get enough sleep for the second night in a row, it feels a little too sunny and shiny. But there was no way anyone was leaving the party last night.

  My feet are dragging across the gravel pathways, and I’m not so jazzed about exotic flowers anymore. Like, who do they think they are, all colorful and fragrant and whatnot?

  “Do I have to?” I must’ve asked that question ten times by now, like a toddler.

  “Yes.” When Hayley starts with the one-worded answers, I know she’s good and tired.

  Does that stop me from pestering her? Of course not.

  “But I’m not even part of the bridal party.”

  “So help me,” she hisses. From the squint lines on her face I can tell she’s glaring at me from behind her sunglasses.

  “I’m just saying.”

  “And I’m just saying, enough already. You’re here as my guest, and I refuse to go through this alone. If I don’t show, it’s a whole thing. I don’t want this to be a whole thing.” She turns her head to glare at me again just before we enter the main building. “And neither do you, Kathryn Antoinette.”

  Oh. So, that’s how it is. The gloves have come off.

  I’d tell her she owes me for this, but I’m not entirely out of my mind. The girl has made it possible for me to enjoy a week in paradise.

  If paradise were chock-full of forced group activities. I mean, there’s a reason I’m a writer, and it’s not because I work well in groups.

  Still, I put on a happy face when we find the rest of our group waiting by the front desk like dutiful soldiers.

  Bleary-eyed, hungover, dutiful soldiers. I’m so glad I slowed down my drinking last night. It looks like the groomsmen are leaning on the desk to keep from falling over.

  Except for one of them. Of course, he catches my attention first and foremost. It’s one of those psychological things. You tell yourself not to think about something or somebody and that’s the only thing on your mind.

  He looks good—like, not just good compared to the testaments to binge-drinking who surround him. The man might’ve just gotten back from a trip to the spa. He’s rested, refreshed, wearing a bright polo shirt that makes his eyes pop.

  Not that they need any help doing that.

  Kylie’s smile shows off just about all her teeth. “Great! Now that we’re all here, we can get started.”

  “Wow. Be a little more obvious,” Hayley mutters under her breath.

  I don’t bother chiding her because I just got scolded in the most passive-aggressive way possible.

  There’s nothing that makes my skin crawl more than being spoken to like I’m a naughty little girl. I have to briefly wonder how Kylie would look on her big day with a black eye.

  Lack of sleep does wonders for my mood, I think sarcastically to myself.

  “The bus is waiting outside.” Kylie is all mother duck, gathering her ducklings and moving us toward the door.

  I pick up a pair of iced coffees from a tray. I guess there were more earlier along with a continental breakfast. There are still muffins and pastries available.

  “Here.” I hand Hayley the coffees before sliding a few pastries into my purse and then a couple muffins into hers.

  “We definitely look like the low-class guests right now,” she whispers, handing me back my coffee.

  “I don’t see you refusing the food. Sorry that I don’t feel like going hungry this morning.”

  This early, early morning. It’s not even seven o’clock, but here we are, boarding a bus. Would it help if I begged a random passerby to rescue me? Too late. We’re getting on the bus, the last two in line.

  “I need you to be on time for things,” Kylie whispers in a fierce tone when Hayley reaches her.

  “I need you to schedule things at a decent hour,” Hayley fires back—and she doesn’t bother whispering.

  There are a few snickers from others in the vicinity, though I notice their expressions go blank and innocent the second Kylie looks around to find the culprits.

  I feel sorry for her. I do. I only suspected she couldn’t possibly enjoy this when I first got here and saw how she was acting. Now? I’m absolutely sure of it. No way is she ha
ving a good time.

  It seems wrong.

  But I can’t exactly sit and have a heart-to-heart with her now. Especially when the bus is moving and, as everybody knows, we held up the departure.

  “I have a seat free.” Kellen waves to Hayley and me as we make our way down the row, swaying back and forth and clutching the seats to keep from falling.

  “I’ll keep going. I think my brother needs help.”

  Darn her.

  It doesn’t matter that Hayley’s half-dead from exhaustion; she’s still working on getting me hooked up. She gives us both a little grin, nodding toward the back. Sure enough, two girls are flirting with Brandon, and the poor guy is not going to be happy with his sister’s interference.

  Kellen snorts. “Brandon’s smart and good with the ladies.”

  “So you know him?” I look over my shoulder in time to see him shoot Hayley an annoyed look.

  “I know he seemed pretty comfortable with you last night.”

  I throw him a Look. Capital L included. “Why were you paying attention in the first place?”

  “What else was there to pay attention to?” He shrugs like it doesn’t matter.

  For the second time, I’m asking myself why he doesn’t respond to things the way other people do. He didn’t look away when I saw him watching me.

  And he doesn’t even have the decency to act embarrassed now that I’ve caught him admitting he was paying close attention.

  Maybe he didn’t think there was anything to be embarrassed about?

  “Brandon’s comfortable with me because he knows me.” I shrug it off. “That’s not the same as getting relentlessly hit on by strangers who could take advantage of him.”

  “You’re protective of him.” It’s not a question.

  “He’s the little brother I never had and I want the best for him.”

  “He’s a grown man.”

  “He is. He’s also super smart, possibly a little naive, and has gotten too hot for his own good. I don’t want him to get taken advantage of. Those girls will chew him up and spit him out.”

  “So you’ve taken it upon yourself to look out for him.”

  Another Look. “Never mind. I think I’m going to find another seat.”

  He reaches out, taking my wrist in a gentle grip. “Sorry, sorry. I think you’re just not understanding my sense of humor.”

  “Sense of humor?” I roll my eyes. “That wasn’t humor. You were being mean.”

  “I wasn’t trying to. I actually think it’s sort of nice. And I keep forgetting you’re a sincere person.”

  “Is there anything wrong with that?”

  “No. It’s odd, yeah, but that’s not your fault.” He chuckles, leaning back in the seat with a sigh. “I’m jaded. A born cynic. I don’t find it easy to believe the best about people right away.”

  “That … sucks.”

  “You’re also pretty blunt.” He grins.

  “It must suck though. I didn’t say you sucked. Just that the situation sucks. Not being able to believe good things about people right away, like everybody has an ulterior motive.”

  “A lot of people do.”

  “A lot of people don’t.”

  He frowns. “Where did you grow up? Somewhere over the rainbow?”

  “No. Brooklyn.”

  “Okay, so not over the rainbow.”

  “Hardly. Nobody would ever mistake me for a Pollyanna. I’m fairly cynical myself, but I don’t believe the worst about people as soon as I meet them.”

  He nods slowly, eyes narrowing. “Yeah. I guess you have to have that kind of outlook if you’re gonna write romance. You can’t be a jaded asshole like me.”

  “Wow. Are you sure you shouldn’t go into sales? Because you’re so good at selling yourself.”

  He chuckles. “That’s me. The consummate salesman. I guess an early wake-up time wasn’t helpful either. I’ve been in a better mood.”

  “Oh, don’t get me started.” I can barely stifle a yawn. “I think Hayley might’ve drowned me in the pool if I asked one more time whether I really had to do this.”

  “I’m the best man, so I didn’t have a choice either way.”

  I have to laugh. “Yeah, and it’s cute that you think I had a choice.”

  He glances out the window to his left before jerking a thumb out there. “We’re missing all this scenery, you know.”

  The scenery sitting next to me is much more interesting, but he has a point. We’re supposed to be looking around, taking it in.

  Jeez, do I wish I hadn’t looked.

  “What’s wrong?” He’s stunned, judging by the way his voice breaks a little when my nails dig into his arm.

  I have to hide my face in his shoulder. “We’re up so high!”

  “Yeah. It’s a mountain.”

  “Oh my God.” I close my eyes, teeth clenched. “Why are we so close to the side of the road?”

  “Because this is the road. Kitty, breathe.” His voice is gentle. He pats my arm. “You’re scared of heights?”

  “I live in Manhattan. Heights aren’t a problem. Being on a road without a rail along the side, hundreds of feet up? That’s the problem.”

  He pats my arm again. “Okay. Just breathe. Talk to me. Tell me stuff about you.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like how your hands got so strong.”

  He surprises me into laughing a little. I can’t bear the thought of opening my eyes, but the tightness in my chest loosens enough that I can speak without squeaking.

  “I type for a living, remember?”

  “Oh, right. How many books have you published?”

  “A lot. I don’t know.” I honestly don’t. I can’t even think. My insides feel tight and fluttery in a sickening way.

  “Okay. What’s your favorite part about writing?”

  His voice is low, his mouth close to my ear. While I’m half out of my mind with terror, it registers how nice he’s being.

  “Making my own happy endings.”

  The sound of his breath catching isn’t lost on me, even now.

  “It’s the truth,” I add when he doesn’t say anything for a while.

  “I know. It’s just not what I expected you to say.”

  “How do you know what to expect from me when we don’t know each other?”

  A brief snicker. “Remember, I’m a cynical asshole.”

  The bus comes to a stop.

  “Tell me we’re where we were supposed to end up and this isn’t a brief pause,” I whisper.

  “We’re where we were supposed to end up. We’ll be on our way back down after everybody gets off to take pictures.” There’s a sharp intake of breath. “Kitty. The claws.”

  Right. My nails are practically breaking the skin. If I were in a decent state of mind, I might even give him credit for his turn of phrase. Instead, I force my fingers to loosen. “Sorry. Please tell me I don’t have to go out there.”

  “You don’t have to go out there.”

  “Will you stay with me?”

  “I’ll stay with you.”

  And he does. While everybody goes out to look at the view and take pictures, he sits with me the entire time.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “What happened then?”

  “Nothing.” I shrug, staring at the water. It’s easier than looking even my best friend in the eye.

  I’m still so embarrassed over what happened on the bus. How I lost it. “I swear, I had no idea I was going to freak out that way. I didn’t even give it a moment’s thought, you know? A bus tour. No biggie.”

  “I know. It’s okay. These things happen to everybody. You don’t know something’s going to freak you out until you’re in the situation and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

  “It’s not like I could walk down the mountain.”

  “Exactly. You were trapped.”

  Still, there’s something in her voice that makes me nudge her. We’re sitting on the beach, stretched out on loung
e chairs. Finally relaxing for the first time since we got here.

  Though there’s no such thing as taking a vacation from scrutiny.

  “What? What aren’t you asking?”

  She purses her lips. “I was only wondering what you two talked about. What happened when you were alone on the bus.”

  “Ew!”

  “What?” She’s laughing, teasing me.

  “Hayley, I thought I was going to die. I’ve never felt that way before, that sort of panic attack. My heart was racing, and my stomach was in knots. I could hardly breathe or think.”

  “Except for the stomach part, that sounds like it could be the result of something else …”

  “You’re the absolute worst. Trust me, the only thing on my mind was getting off the mountain without dying. He was nice to stay with me.”

  “He was very nice. I’m not arguing that. It was cool of him to talk to you. I’m assuming he talked to you.”

  “The whole time.”

  “About what?”

  “Gosh, I can barely remember. It was all a way to take my mind off things.” With my hands over my face, I groan. “Everybody has to think I’m a complete idiot. I know they were all looking at me funny and whispering about me.”

  “Not everybody.”

  “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

  “I hoped it would.” She lowers her sunglasses, eyeing me. “I mean, some of these girls are total bitches. I hate even being associated with them through this wedding and can’t wait to never see them again. Though I guess they’ll be at the baby shower someday, if Kylie ever has a kid.”

  “Why does she have so many bridesmaids? I mean, eight seems a little much.”

  “Because she has soooo many friends.” Hayley snorts before leaning back in her chair. “It’s a shame they’re all wretched.”

  “She seems smarter than them. Too smart to want to spend time with them.”

  “They were sorority sisters. Honestly? I think she was so grateful to be accepted by older girls. With her going into college so early and everything, she wasn’t exactly popular. Most of the people there thought of her as a freak, I think.”

  “Jeez.” I never considered that before. It had to be lonely for her.