Three weeks later…
I stared at the bag hanging on my closet door. I’d picked up the tux yesterday. Tried to pay attention to how the guy had dressed me, but I was fairly certain I didn’t remember all the snaps and buttons, let alone how to tie the tie. I took a deep breath and unzipped the bag. The fancy black suit mocked me, but with only an hour until I had to be at the church, it was time to tackle the beast.
My phone rang and I glanced at the number. I’d expected it to be Jess, but it was a number I only recognized because I’d gotten two other calls just like it when I’d been at the tux place. Wasn’t a local number. I let it go to voicemail, again. I had enough going on today. Didn’t need to deal with phone calls from strangers when I couldn’t even figure out how to get dressed.
Fifteen minutes later, I’d managed to put on pants and a shirt. Considering how many tiny buttons I’d had to fasten, I was pretty darn proud of myself. I was staring at the dreaded tie and the silver and onyx cufflinks—a present from Mark—when a knock on the door signaled relief was at hand. I opened the door and gaped.
“Wow.” Someone hadn’t had trouble getting dressed. Jess walked in the room, shaking her head.
“You’re not dressed yet?” she asked.
“You look fantastic.” She did. Her little black dress hugged her hips and hit at the exact right spot on her thighs. Tall black heels. Well-toned calves. Breathtakingly beautiful. I’d never seen her like this, and as much as I wanted to savor the sight, all I could think about was unzipping her dress and ripping off all the little buttons I’d worked so hard to fasten.
She must’ve read the look in my eye because she shook a finger in my face. “You need to get dressed.”
I ignored her warning, instead touching her half-bare shoulder. “No scar?”
“Oh, it’s there.” She grinned. “It’s the only reason I didn’t go strapless.”
“Good thing since I wouldn’t be able to concentrate if you did. I think I’m supposed to be in charge of a ring, give a toast, shit like that. If you were wearing any less, I’d say let’s skip the whole thing.”
She placed a hand on my chest and pulled me close. Her breath was warm in my ear. “Later, okay?” I answered with a kiss. Slow, deep, the kind of kiss that ends with two people naked, rolling around in bed. Or on the floor. Or wherever. Through the haze of hormones, I felt her push me away. She led me to the bedroom, but she made it clear we had a singular purpose, and it didn’t involve sex.
“Where’s your tie?”
I pointed to the dresser. “Over there with the damn cufflinks.”
“Thwarted by your wardrobe?”
“I’m thwarted by a lot of things today.”
She kissed me on the cheek and then started on the cufflinks. She fastened them so deftly, I felt like a complete klutz for all my earlier efforts. When she placed her hands around my neck and started messing with the tie, I felt something completely different. She focused on the errant ends of the tie, but I focused on her. The funny way she held her tongue while she concentrated on the task. The slope of her neck—smooth, kissable, gorgeous. She’d dressed for me, I was certain. She knew how important this day was. How nervous I was at the big role I had to play, at the fact I’d be seeing my nothing’s-ever-good-enough mother for the first time in ages.
Why should I be surprised? Hell, she’d taken a bullet for me. She’d always been there, no matter what else was going on in her life, no matter how much of a shit I’d been. She was the one who’d sat by my hospital bed, who always answered my late night calls, who knew me like no one else. And still, she stuck around.
But she wouldn’t always. Deveaux had been a close call. Jess had started to fall and, if Deveaux hadn’t turned into a felon, she might be wearing that slinky black dress for a night out with the doctor. At some point, true love trumped friendship. Even I got that. Would I lose Jess? Was it only a matter of time? Could I, would I do anything to stop it?
She leaned back to inspect her work, and then she looked into my eyes and said, “You look like you want to say something.”
I swear she could read my mind. “Do you miss Deveaux?”
“No,” she answered quickly. “I miss the thought of it. Love, romance, all that. You know what I mean?”
I did. Probably for the first time ever. Could I have that? Could I have that with her? “Jess, I don’t really know how to say this, but I—”
A sharp knock on the door interrupted me. I ignored it at first, but whoever it was persisted. I leaned in and kissed Jess on the lips. Light, but with a promise of more. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.” I hurried from the bedroom to the door, anxious to get rid of whoever had interrupted what I’d had to say. Maybe the few seconds’ delay would give me the time I needed. I knew what I wanted to say, but I wasn’t sure how to say it without sending Jess running.
I threw the door open and sucked in a breath. Ronnie Moreno stood with her hand raised to knock again.
“I need your help,” she blurted. “I’ve been calling, but you didn’t answer, so I took a chance you’d be at home.”
I stared into Ronnie’s deep brown eyes and suddenly I had no words. Not a one.
THE END