Page 52 of Kiss the Bride

He pictured her walking down the aisle, not at Brianna’s wedding, but at their own. He’d stand beside the minister, his palms sweating until he saw her step into view. Her curls would softly frame her face. With a rustle of lace and satin, she’d walk toward him. All their friends and family would be watching, but he’d only have eyes for her. And when she stood beside him, when she said, “I do,” she’d make him the happiest man in the world.

Get a grip, Court.

He was getting way, way ahead of himself here. He and Evelyn hadn’t been on their first official date yet, and he was already hearing wedding bells. Oddly enough, the thought didn’t bother him in the slightest.

Not that long ago, he’d considered Evelyn nothing more than a selfish diva. Now, he knew nothing could’ve been further from the truth. She was everything he’d ever wanted in a woman—supportive and outspoken, compassionate and independent. Who cared if they’d reconnected less than a week ago? When it was right, it was right, and he knew in the deepest recesses of his heart that she was the one for him, the woman of his dreams. He’d always known. He just hadn’t admitted it before now.

“Hey, Ryan?” Daniel peered at him from across the small coffee table.

With a start, he straightened. “Sorry,” he mumbled, not sure what he’d missed but certain he wasn’t going to admit where his thoughts had taken him. “I must’ve drifted off there for a moment.”

“We were discussing the bridesmaids gowns. Brianna asked you what you thought of pink,” Evelyn coached without a hint of reprimand.

“Pink.” He sought Evelyn’s eyes and smiled at the amused expression he found there. Did she know what he’d been thinking? Nah. She couldn’t have. He blinked away images of her in a white dress and veil. “Pink’s good.”

“Pink, then,” Brianna agreed. “It’ll blend well with any of the floral arrangements we saw at Forget Me Knot or the table settings from Be Married.”

That topic behind them, the conversation drifted to other subjects. Through it all, he didn’t have much to say. Whenever he thought of a few words, his mind replaced them with an image of his future with Evelyn in it. Robbed of his ability to speak, he spent the next hour pretending to listen until, finally, Brianna yawned.

“This has been fun, but it’s been a long day,” Daniel said less than a second later. The groom gave his arms and legs an exaggerated stretch. He hugged his bride-to-be with one arm. “Tomorrow’s another busy one. What say we call it a night?”

Brianna poked him in the ribs. “You big goof. That wasn’t very polite.” She smothered another yawn behind her hand.

Hoping the motion would clear his head, Ryan was on his feet in an instant. “Don’t give it another thought. It’s time we headed back, too. Like you said, big day tomorrow.”

He and Daniel traded fist bumps while the women exchanged goodbye hugs. Almost before he knew it, he was holding the door to his pickup open for Evelyn. They’d backed out of the driveway before either of them spoke.

“You were awfully quiet back there.” Evelyn’s voice drifted from the passenger seat. “Nickel for your thoughts?”

He harrumphed. “Isn’t that supposed to be a penny?” He shifted the pickup into drive.

“Inflation. Humor me.”

He cast a sidelong glance at his passenger. Confessing that he’d been picturing her in a long white dress might win her over, but it might just as easily scare her off. He needed a surer bet, a more subtle approach. When in doubt, go with what you know, he told himself. And what he knew was restoration. The first step in every project was to scope out the extent of the job. His heart hammering in his throat, he moved to gauge the task that faced him. “Do you ever see yourself having what Brianna and Daniel have?”

Evelyn swiveled toward him, her jeans whispering on the leather seat. “Someday, yeah. I need to figure out my next step career-wise. After that …” She shrugged one shoulder. “I want someone to love, someone who loves me. Who doesn’t? I want the whole package—a home, a family.”

Good. That was good. His heart rate throttled down a notch. Next, he needed to find out if that someone could be him. His mouth dry, he asked, “Any prospects?”

Evelyn crossed her legs. “There’s one guy I have my eye on. Tall. Broad shoulders. Good with his hands. He’s definitely in the Maybe category.”

Him. She was talking about him. Hope bloomed in his chest. Before he let it go too far, he stole a glance from the road to see if she was serious. The smile that played around her lips told him he’d heard right and sent a jolt of pure joy racing through him. Determination straightened his spine. For as long as it took, he’d spend every minute working to change that Maybe into a Definitely. He’d start by picking up where they’d left off on the path. He wanted a second chance at the kiss Daniel’s text had interrupted.

When he slowed to check for cross traffic at Union and Procession, Evelyn dashed cold water on his plans by asking him to drop her off at Dress For A Day instead of taking her home. “Cheri and Jenny are meeting me at the salon so we can look at gowns for Brianna’s wedding.”

“In pink,” he added, just to prove he had been paying attention. He checked the digital readout on the dashboard, surprised to see it was well after nine. This time of night, all the stoplights in town had turned to yellow caution lights. Apparently, Evelyn had her own way of slowing things down, too. He made the final turn onto Boutonniere and stopped in front of the dress shop. “I’ll wait for you,” he said, letting the big engine idle.

“That’s sweet, but I can’t ask you to do that.” She uncrossed her legs and shifted toward the door.

“I don’t mind. I wouldn’t want you to walk home alone this late.” Even as he said the words, he knew she’d see through his excuse for staying put. Crime was practically nonexistent in the town known as America’s Top Wedding Destination. She’d be perfectly safe on the short walk to the Captain’s Cottage.

Evelyn’s hand on his forearm sent his pulse galloping, but her smile warmed his heart. “I have no idea how long I’ll be. This could take fifteen minutes, or it could take all night. Jenny will drop me off at the Cottage when we’re finished. See you tomorrow?”

Warmth flooded him at the hope he heard in her voice. He rushed to reassure her. “You can count on it. We have a Wedding-in-a-Week to plan.” And I have a heart to win.

He waited until the door of the bridal salon swung shut behind her. Then he aimed the truck for home. He had a campaign to plan, one that was sure to win the heart of the woman of his dreams.

Stop that!

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