Page 145 of The Business of Love Box Set 1: Books 1 - 4

PETER

K atie stood in front of the dresser in our hotel room looking at her reflection in the gold-trimmed mirror that hung above it.

Her hair was still a little messy from our escapades, but after she ran a curling iron through it, she achieved an intentional look, rather than its previous I-just-got-fucked-within-inches-of-my-life look.

I preferred the former, but who was I to tell her how to wear her hair?

I leaned back against the wall of pillows propped up on the bed and clasped my hands behind my head.

She caught me watching her in the reflection of the mirror and smiled as she slid a sparkly teardrop-shaped earring in her ear. “What are you looking at?”

“You,” I said simply. “I could watch you all damn day.”

She blushed as she put the other earring in.

“Well, I would like that, but we don’t have all day.

There are people waiting on us.” She turned to me and smoothed down the silky fabric of her sleek burgundy dress.

It had dainty spaghetti straps and a V-cut neckline that showed off her décolletage and elegant neck.

The only jewelry she wore were the earrings.

The showstopper was the dress. It fell gracefully to the floor, where her sparkly gold sandals peeked out beneath the fabric. “What do you think?”

“I think it’s going to be hard for me to keep my head in the game and meet your friends when all I’ll be able to think about is getting you back up to the room.”

She bit her bottom lip and grinned. “So that’s the longwinded way of saying you like it?”

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and rose to my feet. “Yes, most definitely.”

What wasn’t to like? Katie was going to steal the show. “You might want to be careful showing up looking so damn good. I’ve heard through the grapevine that brides don’t like competition.”

Katie laughed me off with a shake of her head. “Well, lucky for me, Vanessa isn’t like that. And even if she was, it wouldn’t matter. There’s no way I’ll show up looking better than her.”

“I wouldn’t bet money on that.”

Katie stole one last look at herself in the mirror before turning back to me and announcing that she was ready. “Thank you for waiting.”

I walked her to the door and pushed it open. We stepped into the hall, made sure the door locked, and walked arm and arm down the wide, airy hallway to the elevators.

Part of me was a little nervous to meet her friends.

There was a lot of pressure meeting the most important people in someone’s family, but I’d never cared quite this much before.

Sure, I’d had girlfriends in the past whose family I’d wanted to like me, but I’d never quite wanted to be liked this much.

It was borderline obsessive.

And far past embarrassing.

The elevator doors closed behind us and Katie pushed the button for the main floor. We rode down and she eyed me curiously. “Are you nervous?”

“No.”

“Are you lying?”

I shot her a look. “Maybe.”

She smiled knowingly and took my hand in hers. “It’s perfectly normal to be nervous. I’m nervous and these people are my friends.”

“Why are you nervous?”

She shrugged. “I haven’t brought someone for them to meet in a really long time. Since long before I started working at the El Cartana actually. So about five years or so?”

I gulped audibly. “No pressure, huh?”

She squeezed my hand. “You’re going to do great. They’ll love you. Besides, the only one that counts is Jackson and I have a good feeling the two of you will get along like two peas in a pod.”

“He’s your twin brother, so I imagine he’ll like me if you do.”

“Just don’t trample him like you trampled me in the market and you’ll do great.”

I winced. “You’re not helping.”

She laughed at my expense and the doors opened.

We stepped out into the lobby and she led me across the polished floors and out through the massive bay doors into the gardens beyond.

We made our way down a long winding path flanked with palm trees and local flora with pink and yellow blooms, and hooked a right when we closed in on the pool.

We crossed over an arched bridge and the pool lights beneath us painted Katie’s skin with blue light.

On the other side, we climbed a set of four steps onto the raised veranda where the pool bar was.

It swam with people in their best attire.

Men in suits sipped dark cocktails while women in formal dresses and glittering jewelry stood at the sides of the veranda, hands perched on railings, painted lips curled in delighted smiles as they made small talk with friends they probably hadn’t seen in a long time.

Katie turned to me, straightened out my tie, and nodded confidently. “This is it. Stick with me if you’re not comfortable. And you remember the signal if you want to leave?”

I tapped the side of my nose. “Sure do, but don’t worry. I’m no coward. I can handle a cocktail hour without getting cold feet.”

She giggled and leaned in close. “Just don’t fall in the pool, okay?”

“No promises.”

Katie stifled her laughter as a young man approached. He was tall, handsome, and familiar looking. It dawned on me when Katie hugged him that this was the most important man at the entire party, her twin brother Jackson.

When the two of them parted, he stuck his hand out for me to shake. “Hey, man,” he said enthusiastically, “I’m Jackson, Katie’s brother. We’ve all heard a lot about you.”

I shook his hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m—”

“Peter,” he finished for me with a wink. “Yeah, we know. In fact, I’d wager almost everyone here knows who you are.”

Katie offered me an apologetic smile. “It’s a close-knit group. Word travels quickly.”

Jackson nodded. “And my sister isn’t one for boyfriends. So now that she finally has one, everyone has a hundred questions.”

“Boyfriend?” I asked.

Katie plucked a glass of champagne off a tray carried by a server and took a grateful gulp of it as Jackson draped an arm over my shoulders and turned me to face the crowd.

“Now,” he said. “There’s only one person here you need to look out for, and that’s my good friend, Kim. She’s a hellraiser, that one, and she’s going to grill you like a burger. Ah, there she is!”

Jackson pointed out a tall, slender, beautiful, dark-haired woman on the other side of the veranda.

She wore a ruby-red dress that matched her lips.

Her skin was fair and smooth, and she was laughing at something the gentleman beside her had said.

His hand rested in the middle of her back and I realized they were an item.

“Kim,” I said. “Got it. I’ll be careful.”

Katie swatted her brother’s arm off my shoulder. “Give him some space, Jack. These people can be a lot at once. I don’t need you planting ideas in his head of who he has to look out for. They’re all nice, Peter. Don’t listen to my brother.”

Jackson snorted. “I’m just trying to keep it real with the guy, Katie. But hey, I’ll catch up with you guys in a bit. I promised the groom we’d throw back some shots. You feelin’ up for it, big guy?” He looked expectantly at me.

“Chris is drinking?” Katie asked.

Jackson nodded. “Sure is. His mother is hanging back in the room looking after Sandi so he could get some much needed adult time. Being a single father isn’t easy. I know Vanessa wanted him to be able to cut loose a bit, too.”

I didn’t know who these people were, but Katie seemed pleased to learn that the brother of the bride was here for the party.

I cleared my throat. “You go ahead man, maybe I should meet people before I start in on the liquor. You know, impressions and all.”

Jackson nodded his understanding and took off across the veranda to meet up with a group of men on the opposite side.

Katie gave me a tight-lipped smile. “See? Not terrible.”

“I should have had five cups of coffee first.”

She snickered. “It wouldn’t help. Believe me. Jackson is always on that level.”

“Oh my God, Katie! ” A feminine squeal split the air, and Katie was being ripped away from me by a flock of women who wanted to get a look at her hair and her dress and her shoes.

They inspected her like they were inspecting a new car, and I couldn’t help but chuckle with amusement as she shot me a wide-eyed, this-will-only-take-a-minute look.

I didn’t catch any names, but it seemed that Katie knew them all pretty well, and one of them, a curvy, short, dark-haired woman in white gave me the impression that she was the bride-to-be.

Someone tall who smelled like roses stepped up beside me and sipped on a glass of white wine. “You must be Peter.”

I turned to the woman Jackson had pointed out to me and smiled wryly. “And you must be Kim.”

She turned her red-lipped smile to me. “You don’t miss much, do you?”

I hooked a thumb over my shoulder in Jackson’s direction. I couldn’t see him, but I could hear him. “I might have been given a heads-up by Katie’s brother.”

“Ah,” she said knowingly. “That makes more sense. It’s nice to finally meet you in the flesh, Peter. We’ve all heard good things. How’s St. John treating you?”

“Good. I don’t know if I can ever leave now that I’ve seen what all the fuss is about.”

“Leave the island or the girl?”

I shot a look at Katie as she swept her fingers through her hair and laughed with her friends. “Both?”

Kim drummed her red nails on the side of her glass. “So you like my friend a lot then?”

“Yes?”

“Why do you sound unsure?”

“Erm, I’m not. I just—” I broke off. I’m not good at talking to beautiful and intimidating women like you.

“Just what?” Kim asked.

I cleared my throat. “I’m a little out of my depth here.”

Kim gave me a warmer smile. “Don’t let me ruffle your feathers, hun.

I’m just asking questions. Katie is a special girl and we all love her too much not to show interest in who she’s seeing.

I just want to know your intentions, is all.

” She paused and turned directly to face me.

“For instance, are you planning on up and leaving the island when your vacation time is over and going back to normal life?”

I blinked. “I hadn’t thought ahead that far.”

“What about Katie?”

“We’ve talked about it.”

“You have?”

I nodded.

“What have you spoken about?” Kim asked.

I almost answered, but then I closed my big fat mouth and shook my head. “I’m sorry, Kim. I’m sure your intentions are in the right place but I’m not going to share private conversations Katie and I have had. She’s lucky to have friends like you.”

Kim was stoically silent for a moment. Then she smiled like she was a grade-school teacher awarding me a gold star. “I like that.” Her eyes flicked down to my empty hands. “You need a drink, Peter.”

Within seconds, she’d flagged down a server and there was a glass of wine in my hand.

Katie had been torn away from me and ushered off to say hello to other people, but I didn’t feel like I was totally out of my depth as Kim introduced me to others who approached us.

Everyone seemed to like her, and now that her guard was down, I liked her too.

She introduced me to her partner, Rick, who had a bear claw of a handshake.

I also met Hailey, who had a round belly and was sipping on cucumber water with an air of disappointment that she couldn’t party like the others.

I met a short elderly woman in a sparkly mauve dress whose ninety-year-old eyes twinkled when she smiled.

Kim informed me she was the grandmother of the groom and possibly the most badass guest at the entire wedding.

Based on the woman’s impressive grip when she shook my hand, I didn’t doubt Kim’s word.

Lastly, I met the bride herself, Vanessa. She enveloped me in a big hug, pulled back, kissed my cheeks, and thanked me for coming.

I chuckled and shook my head. “No, I’m the one who owes you a thank you. I appreciate you letting me be at your wedding. It’s a big day and I’m glad I can be here with Katie to celebrate with you all.”

“For Katie? We would do anything .” She nudged me in the ribs with her elbow and I had the impression she might have had a couple of drinks too many.

I wasn’t judging. If I was getting married in a place this beautiful amongst such a great crowd, I’d have indulged too.

“We’re glad she decided to bring you. She’s been a bit down lately with the whole baby thing, so it’s nice to see her laughing and having a good time. ”

My eyebrows drew together. “Huh? Baby thing?”

“Gotta run, Peter!” Vanessa picked up the skirt of her white dress. “There are shots to be shooted!” She frowned. “Shooten? Shoot?”

“Just shot,” I said.

She pointed at me. “Yes! Shot!” She grabbed my hand and started dragging me over to the bar. “You need one too. Come on now. You can’t say no to the bride. Bartender, we need another tequila! I brought a Peter!”