Page 5

Five

U ncle Durr danced with his new bride. They swayed together like a much younger couple to the beat of “Islands in the Stream,” Uncle Durr’s favorite of Dolly Parton’s tunes. The only clue to their age was the walker positioned just in reach, and, of course, the couple’s shuffling gait.

Jake and Angel sat across from me. So much for Gertie’s idea to switch them to another table. The minute I swapped the place cards from three tables over, my mom decided to double-check the seating arrangements.

“Well, my goodness, the wedding planner put Jake and his girlfriend at the wrong table. That’s the last time I use this company.” Mom plucked the two place cards off the table and walked quickly toward me. “They wouldn’t know a soul at that table. It’s Uncle Durr’s croquet team.” She switched them out and sent me a triumphant smile.

“Have you seen Marco since you returned from, you know?” Angel widened innocent blue eyes at me, bringing me back to my current table dilemma.

“No.” I ran my teeth across my bottom lip. I hated lying to her, but technically, it wasn’t a lie.

Jake flashed me a cautious glare.

I smacked my hand to my forehead like some forgetful fool. “Gosh, I totally forgot. Marco told me to tell you he needed some alone time.”

“He’s not answering his cell. He’s probably with his new woman. He won’t tell me who she is, but I have a feeling she’s special.” Angel winked at me like Marco was too busy gettin’ busy to answer his phone.

“Marco has a way of making all his girlfriends feel special.” I picked up my water glass and took a drink, swallowing the cool water along with my deception.

“It’s true. He’s still friends with all of them.” Angel looked wistfully at me. “I’d always hoped you and Marco would get together.”

I sputtered my water and choke-coughed. Gertie gave me a few slaps on the back.

“I’m OK.” I tapped my chest with my fist. “Got stuck in my airpipe.” Just like Marco was stuck in the wrong time.

The first dance ended. The guests clapped, and Gertie gave the newlyweds a two-fingered whistle that nearly burst my eardrums. My mom announced the buffet was open for guests.

“Let’s get in line.” Jake stood and offered Angel his hand. “I’m starving.”

“All right.” She beamed up at him with that special sparkle in her eyes of a girl in icky adoration of the man she loved.

“She’s got it bad.” Gertie smiled at them as they walked hand in hand toward the buffet.

“Yeah. Do I look at Caiyan like that?”

“Sometimes. When you’re not mad at him. Or in trouble. Or trying to decipher his mysterioso attitude.” She put a finger to her lips. “Or worrying that he might pop the question.”

“I’m not worried he might pop the question.”

“Really? The last time he was over, he said he needed to ask ye somethin’ in private. You turned green, excused yourself, then hid in the loo for twenty minutes.” She mocked Caiyan’s accent, which combined with her Texas twang, and I couldn’t stop from laughing. “The poor guy needed an antacid, for cripes sake, and he didn’t want to ask in front of your parents.”

“Caiyan’s not ready to propose, but if he ever asks me, I’ll be ready.” I think .

Gertie gave an improbable head shake.

I watched Jake serve Angel at the buffet. “I’m happy for Jake. He deserves Angel.”

“You’re not the least bit jealous?” Gertie asked.

“Maybe a little. I wish my relationship with Jake would have worked out, but we’re better friends than lovers.”

“Do you ever wonder what would have happened If you’d never met Caiyan?”

I opened my mouth to give Gertie a snarky answer, like I’d be working for my brother and wearing shoes off the clearance rack, when the skin on the back of my neck prickled. I turned to see the man with the mysterious stare eyeing me from across the room.

I leaned toward Gertie. “Do you know him?” I gave a subtle tip of my head toward tall, dark, and stalking.

Gertie whipped her head around without any subtly at all and checked him out. “No. Is he a relative of the bride?”

“He was sitting on Durr’s side during the wedding. He keeps staring at me.”

“Maybe he likes your Mee-maw dress.” Gertie giggled at her joke.

I frowned at her. “I like it. It has pockets.”

“It’s not the most flattering style, but he seems to be peacocking you in a Fifty Shades of Grey manner.”

“Whatever. Your imagination always gets the best of you.” I glanced at him again. She had a point. And the guy was wearing Armani.

“He’s wearing one of those expensive dark suits that screams Attorney, CEO, or I Own a Secret Sex Room.” Gertie stood. “I’m headin’ to the buffet. And I’d tell you to go say howdy to the mystery man, but…” Her gaze trailed behind me.

The scent of cinnamon, piney woods, and fine leather wrapped around me as Caiyan kissed my neck. “Hello, Sunshine.”

I jumped to my feet, almost knocking over my chair and forcing him to step back. “You’re… You’re…here.”

He straightened. The custom suit, cut to perfection across broad shoulders and muscular thighs, took my breath. His emerald-green eyes changed quickly from sultry to surprised. “Aye, I texted ye I would be late. Didnae yer mum tell ye I was coming?”

I’d gotten caught up in the wedding and forgotten about my dead phone. “Yes, but?—”

“I missed ye.” He pulled me into him, cutting off my warning with a mind-wiping kiss. It had been too long since I’d had one of those, and when he released me, I blinked awkwardly up at him. “I need to tell you.”

“McGregor.” Jake’s voice projected like a poison arrow across our table, aiming for Caiyan’s heart.

Caiyan searched my eyes for betrayal. I shook my head furiously before he could turn dark and stormy without hearing me out. “I didn’t know he was coming.”

Jake and Angel had returned with loaded plates. Angel put her plate on the table and placed her hand on Jake’s sleeve. “You’re off duty, Agent McCoy.”

Caiyan and Jake glared at each other over the white linen tablecloth, a simple candle, and a ring of daffodils.

“Pardon me,” a deep voice said.

I turned around and stared into mesmerizing blue eyes ringed in gold. They caught my breath for a moment until I realized it was the man in the dark suit. He held a brown shopping bag.

Oh jeez. My stalker had impeccable timing.

“Hello. I’m looking for Jennifer Cloud?” His accent tilted toward the East Coast, Pennsylvania, maybe Boston. His lean frame and sun-kissed face hinted at the build of a guy who jogs every morning, plays golf on the weekends.

“I’m Jennifer Cloud.” I eyed the brown bag. It lacked the fussy designs, satin ribbons, and sparkly tissue paper of a wedding gift.

“Could I speak with you?” The man’s gaze moved from me to Caiyan, then Jake. “In private.”

“Fifty Shades,” Gertie mumbled.

“Uhm.” I wasn’t getting any traveler tingles, but I didn’t want to be alone with Fifty.

“We’re all family here.” Jake motioned for him to take a chair, pulling back his suit jacket for a glimpse of his gun.

The man pressed his lips firmly together. “This is a personal matter, or, ehm, delivery for Miss Cloud.”

Better to be in public with this mystery man, I thought. I motioned for him to sit down. “It’s fine, really. I don’t have any secrets from my friends.” I slid into my seat, glancing at Caiyan over my shoulder and wondering if the irony of my words were lost on him.

The man scooted into the chair on my left, placing his brown bag on his lap. Gertie sat beside him, forgetting about the buffet. Jake and Angel followed. Caiyan continued to stand since the guy was in his chair, but I felt him glowering over my right shoulder.

“First, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Alexander Hamilton IX. I have,” he paused. “I guess you could say I was assigned to deliver a special gift to Miss Cloud.”

“Like the Alexander Hamilton?” Gertie’s eyes grew wide, filled with curiosity. I’d seen the musical about the frisky United States founding father but had no idea why Gertie was so intrigued.

“Yes.” Alexander shrugged off the question. “He’s in my gene pool, but please, call me Alex.”

Jake leaned back in his chair, doing his CIA analysis of the guy. He lowered his hand to his side, keeping it close to the gun.

Alex turned toward me, and I got a full view of his Bahamas-blue eyes. When he spoke, they sparkled like the summer sun’s reflection off a cresting wave. “This delivery has been in my family since the beginning. You see, I am a banker.”

I sent Gertie a Fifty-Shades-my-ass scowl. She lifted a wait-and-see shoulder.

Knives and forks clanged against china plates as the wedding guests dug into the roasted ham and beef, little round potatoes, coq au vin, steamed carrots cut into works of art, and tiny soufflés that made my mouth water like a busted faucet. I lifted my linen napkin and dabbed the corner of my mouth. “A banker?”

Alex folded his hands on the table. “Yes. I come from a long line of bankers.”

“What does this have to do with Jennifer?” Caiyan leaned against the back of my chair, keeping the high ground.

“Yeah,” Jake kept his hands under the table. “And why here, at this wedding? You could have delivered the package any time.”

“Yes. I thought of that, too. But my instructions were specific. At least they have been for the last three hundred years.”