Author: Jaci Burton

For God’s sake. She was in her parents’ dining room. She would not have sexual fantasies about Ty.

Her cheeks burned with the visual and her head shot up, expecting to find her entire family staring at her.

They weren’t. They were engaged in conversation, everyone ignoring her.

Everyone except Ty, of course, who glanced her way with a knowing quirk of his lips.

Bastard.

Maybe she should just have sex with him, get him out of her system, and then she’d never have to think about him again.

“Jenna.”

Grateful for the distraction, she looked to Tara. “Yes?”

“We have dress fittings on Tuesday night at seven. Can you make it?”

She relaxed and smiled at her soon-to-be sister-in-law. “Wouldn’t miss it. I’ve already got coverage at the bar that night, so I’m free for the evening.”

Tara wiggled in her seat. “I know I shouldn’t be this giddy, but with the wedding under two weeks away, I can’t help it.”

“We’re all excited,” Jenna’s mother said. “It’ll be here before you know it.”

Then Tara did the unthinkable. “Tyler, will you be available to come to the wedding?”

No. Please say no. Maybe he’d have a game.

“What’s the date?”

She told him and he paused, mentally calculating the date. “That’s a Friday. There’s no game that night, so yeah, I’m free.”

Tara’s eyes sparkled. “We’d love to have you come to the wedding. I know it’s last minute, but if you’re available, please say you’ll be there.”

“I don’t want to intrude.”

Jenna bit her lip.

“Don’t be silly. It’s not an intrusion. You’re friends with Gavin and Mick, and Gavin says you don’t have family here. Mick and I would love to have you at our wedding.”

Mick cast a grin at Jenna before turning his gaze back to Tyler. “Sure. Come to the wedding. It’s going to be a great party.”

“Thanks. I’d love to come.”

Jenna had a feeling she’d just been set up. By her entire family.

FOUR

ON TUESDAY SHE MET TARA AND ELIZABETH AT THE bridal shop, along with Maggie, one of Tara’s best friends from her event planning business, who had flown in to spend the final week and a half with Tara before the wedding. Maggie had taken over the event planning business from Tara in San Francisco.

Maggie was Tara’s maid of honor. Liz and Jenna were bridesmaids, and they were all enjoying the final dress fitting before the big day.

“I have to say you’re being pretty cool about all this,” Elizabeth said as she watched Tara being fitted for her dress. “I’m going to be a freakin’ wreck when it’s my turn.”

Tara smiled as the bridal shop seamstresses put the finishing touches on what Jenna thought was a breathtaking gown.

“I love Mick, and I’m getting my happily ever after. Everything else is just icing on the cake. Besides, I’m an event planner. It’s in my nature to stay calm under pressure.”

Maggie snorted.

“What?”

“Just wait until it’s the day. We’ve done weddings. You know how even the calmest of brides gets. I’m going to be prepared for anything, just in case, but I think you’re a simmering volcano waiting to erupt.”

Tara lifted her chin. “I am not going to erupt. My emotions are under control.”

Liz looked at Jenna, who shrugged. “No clue. Never been married.”

“Well, I’ll tell you. I have several months to go before my wedding and I already need Valium.” Liz glanced over at Tara and Maggie. “Don’t look to me to help calm your nerves. I plan to have a bottle of Patrón in my purse that day.”

Jenna laughed. “Glad it’s you all and not me.”

“Don’t you laugh over there,” Tara said. “Your day will come.”

“Are you kidding? I’m not even dating anyone.”

“That’s not what Ty said.”

Her gaze turned to Liz. “What did he say?”

“He told me you shot him down, refused to go out with him, and then you said you were seeing someone.”

All eyes settled on her. Fortunately, it was her turn to try on her dress, so she hightailed it into the dressing room in a hurry so she wouldn’t have to admit that she wasn’t, in fact, seeing anyone. But when she came out with her dress on, Tara, Liz, and Maggie were all waiting for her.

“So who’s the guy?” Tara asked.

Didn’t it just figure they weren’t going to let that subject drop?

Jenna blew out a breath. “No one any of you know.”

“So why didn’t you tell us you were seeing someone?” Liz asked.

“Because it’s not serious. I don’t tell you all every time I go out on a date.”

Tara tilted her head. “Are you bringing him to the wedding?”

“No.”

“Why not?” Liz asked.

“We’ve only gone out a couple times. Definitely not enough to sic the family on him.”

“Does he have brothers?” Maggie asked. “Because I’m here alone. A date would be nice.”

Jenna laughed. “No idea.”

“I could set you up with someone,” Liz said to Maggie. “I know a lot of sports figures.”

Maggie batted her lashes at Liz. “Really?”

“Really.”

“You would turn my wedding into a PR fest for one of your clients?” Tara said with a mock gasp.

“In a heartbeat, sister.”

Jenna laughed.

“Hey, do whatever you want, but find me a hunky date,” Maggie said. “I’m all in.”

“Done,” Liz said.

“And speaking of dates,” Tara said, “what about Jenna’s?”

Damn. She could have sworn they’d gone off topic and this would be forgotten.

“You don’t know anything about his family?” Tara asked. “Mom won’t like that. Neither will Mick and Gavin.”

Web of lies. This is what happened when she made up boyfriends. “I don’t know if we’ll be seeing each other again. So Mom and Dad have nothing to worry about.”

“No chemistry?” Maggie offered.

“Yeah. No chemistry.” She was glad for the excuse and the out. She could kiss Maggie right now.

“Well, honey, you’re gorgeous. And sexy. I’m sure if this one doesn’t work out, there are likely ten guys waiting in line to go out with you.”

She met Tara’s confident expression and smiled at her.

She was going to have to dig up a real person to date. And by God, she would bring him to the damn wedding. One, to get her family off her back, and two, to make herself stop thinking about Ty.

For all she knew Ty might bring a date of his own. She hoped he would. That would end any residual attraction she felt for him.

After the fittings the four of them went out for dinner, fortunately not at her family’s bar.

It was nice to have a night off and actually go out. Usually on her nights off she stayed home, caught up on sleep, or watched television. And she always played music and worked on writing songs. Tonight it was good to get away.

She isolated herself too much. She knew it, realized she should get out more, but she much preferred her apartment and her music.

She didn’t really like people all that much, anyway.

Yeah, she was girlfriend material, all right.

“How about that guy?” Liz asked as they settled at a table and ordered a round of drinks.

It took Jenna a few seconds to realize Liz was talking to her. “Huh? What are you talking about?”

“That guy. The one at the bar who’s looking at you.”

She followed Liz’s head motion to a suit type leaning against the bar with a drink in hand. Outstanding in the looks department, with sandy blond hair, straight teeth, and a smile that looked like it had been bleached at the dentist’s office.

“Likely dating twenty girls at once and can’t keep their names straight. No thanks.”

“And how do you know this?” Liz asked.

“Bourbon, straight up.”

Tara frowned. “What does that mean?”

“I can tell a lot about a guy by what he drinks.”

“Occupational hazard?” Liz asked.

“Or a plus, depending on how you look at it. Between the way they scan a room, how they dress, and what they drink, I’ve got them pegged before they ever say a word.”

Liz scooted her chair closer to Jenna’s. “Oh, this could be fun. Hot stuff in jeans and black T-shirt, far left side of the bar.”

Jenna took a look. “Cheating on his wife.”

“Nuh-uh,” Maggie said. “How do you know?”

“Too easy. Wedding ring mark on his left hand. And a fresh one at that. You can still see the ridges on his finger.”

“What an asshole.” Tara sipped her drink, then looked at Jenna. “You’re good at this. I would never have noticed that.”

“Most women don’t, not on initial glance, anyway. They’re not all assholes. But a lot of them aren’t worth a second look, especially at a bar.”

“Because they go there to pick up women?” Liz asked.

“And to get laid.”

Tara shook her head. “So cynical. No wonder you don’t date much.”

“Unless I’m in the mood for sex, I don’t really see the point. None of those guys are my type. And a bar isn’t a place to meet men.”

“Oh, come on.” Liz scanned the bar. “There are some serious hotties in here.”

Training her gaze into laser-point precision, she pointed it at the male traffic. “Unemployed. Gay. Mama’s boy. Bully. Wimp.” She turned to them. “Should I go on?”

Tara shook her head. “I think you might be just a wee bit too picky. Are you certain your system is as flawless as you’d like to believe?”

“I’ll prove it to you.” She smiled at the corporate type they’d singled out for her at the beginning. He graced her with his thousand-watt smile, pushed off the bar, and headed over to them, pulling up a chair and sliding into it.

“Hello, ladies. Enjoying your evening?”

Jenna took the lead. “So far.”

“Can I buy you all a drink?”

“Sure.” Jenna told them what they were having. Without even turning around, he raised his hand and snapped his fingers for the cocktail waitress. Jenna gritted her teeth.

They all introduced themselves. His name was Craig. He was in hardware technology sales.

“Do you travel?” she asked.

His lips curved. “Quite a bit, as a matter of fact. I’m on the road a lot.”

“You must enjoy it.”

“It’s an adventure. And what about you, Jenna?”

“I’m a bartender.”

He held up his drink and tipped it to her. “Nice. I like drinks.”

She’d just bet he did.

“And what about the rest of you gorgeous women? What do you do?”

Number one sin. When you’re hitting on one woman, you don’t also hit up her friends. You ignore them. Craig was hedging his bet, just in case Jenna wasn’t the one he decided he wanted to go home with tonight.

“Engaged,” Liz said.

“Getting married in a week,” Tara said.

“Dating someone,” Maggie lied.

Smart Maggie.

Craig scooted his chair closer to Jenna’s. Ugh.

“So you’re a bartender, huh?”

“I am.”

That was the last thing he’d mentioned about her. After that she endured a half hour dissertation all about himself, his career, his aspirations, and how he’d risen to the top of his company’s food chain in three short years, including the big quarterly bonus that allowed him to buy his new condo he was certain she’d want to come over tonight and see. She tried to avoid yawning.