Page 26 of The Only Heart that Matters
The after effects of her words linger, though, leaving me to think I may have done something right in life after all.
“He sure is. Did you know--”
“Sorry to interrupt.” Daisy scoots in, putting her arm through Mia’s. “But the ladies are heading out. We have to gossip about boys and get our beauty sleep.”
Did he know what? What the hell was she going to say?
“Well, it was nice meeting you, Mark. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She reaches out to shake his hand while I envision ripping his arm off his body and shoving it up his ass.
“I can’t wait,” he says, reverently taking her hand in his. I’m surprised he doesn’t lean down and kiss it as slick as he’s acting.
“Bye, Mark. See you in the morning, Gus,” Daisy says.
The moment she drops his hand I move to follow them before he can. “I’ll walk you out.”
“Uh, I think we’ll be okay.”
Ignoring my sister, I keep pace behind them. I am not letting Mia out of my sight until she’s belted into my mom’s SUV. If Mark thinks he’s gonna come in here like some single mom slayer, he can think again.
With my mom behind the wheel, the rest of the ladies load up and buckle their seatbelt’s. I say goodnight and go to shut the door, but before it closes, big sapphire eyes lock on mine. There’s a question in her gaze, but I’m clueless as to what she’s trying to ask.
When she doesn’t say anything, I close the door. Finally, I can breathe again. It’s been a long damn day. All the close contact has brought up the fake husband scenario, making it impossible to separate fact from fiction. It’s not like we’ve had to pretend to be a couple in front of anyone, but the possibility is always in the back of my mind.
Once they drive away, the worry over her attraction toward the hotshot Hollywood lawyer fades and my body relaxes. Walking back inside the bar, I let her words about how impressed she is with what I’ve done with the place lighten my mood and contemplate what in the world was going through her mind as she drove away.
Chapter Twelve
Mia
“Ican’t believe you’re getting married in a barn. If you had asked me to plan Charlotte Carruthers' dream wedding, it never would have been on New Year’s Eve. And certainly not in a barn,” Karissa, who was born and raised in Los Angeles, says from her spot on the couch where the bride’s feet rest in her lap.
The four of us are wearing matching pajamas and drinking hot toddies, huddled around the gorgeous stone fireplace in the living room of Callen’s ranch house. It’s a shame Cal refuses to live here. What he and his family built is beautiful, but his ex-wife wiped away all the beauty for him when he found her in bed with his cousin, Wyatt. Assholes, the both of them.
“That makes two of us. But I never really dreamed of my wedding day growing up. It was never on my to-do list,” Charlie replies.
“Well, I think it’s dreamy.”
Karissa’s right, it is all quite dreamy.
Knox’s gift to the beautiful couple was to send his party planner to do all the decorating, and the barn looks like a fairytale dream. White lights cover the wooden walls, and an enormous ornate chandelier hangs over the dance floor. It may only be family and their closest friends in attendance, but Knox’s planner spared no expense. Flower arrangements, candles, gold-trimmed dishes, the finest cutlery, and crystal glasses.
Dreamy is an understatement.
Daisy nods. “I’ve told my mom more than once to use the spare barn as an event space. It’s perfect for weddings and she could use the income, but as per usual, nobody ever listens to me.”
She’s right. It’s a great idea. After seeing what they can do with the place, it’s almost a no-brainer.
“Speaking of spare buildings. This house is beautiful. I can’t believe Callen lets it sit here empty,” Karissa says what we all think. “He built it from scratch and it’s freaking beautiful.”
“I know,” Charlie replies wistfully. “I’m working on it. The moment I walked through the front door, I was in love, but it reminds him of his failed marriage. He didn’t even want the four of us staying here tonight, but it makes too much sense for him to refuse. There’s plenty of space and we each have our own room. And it’s on the same property as the wedding. Eventually, I broke him down.”
“Are you excited about tomorrow?” I ask. “You feel like everything is ready to go?”
“As ready as we’ll ever be. Knox sending his team in was the best gift he could have given us. We didn’t exactly give ourselves a lot of time to plan, did we?” She chuckles. “Thank you all for giving up your New Year’s plans. We just figured it would be easier since Knox would be in town for the holidays.”
“It’s not like I had plans. I would have been having a private house party, with just me and the kid, so thanks for the invite.” I hold up my drink in salute.
“Speaking of you and plans,” Daisy says, pointing her fuzzy socked foot in my direction from her spot on the love seat. “You make any wedding hook-up plans with that hottie, Mark?”
