Page 40 of Finding Her Leading Man

Becky laughed and grabbed a cup. As she filled it with water from the faucet, she shook her head. “What happened this morning? I caught Samantha humming, and it seemed to embarrass her.”

“He kissed her.” Grayson added, “On the floor.”

Addie smiled. “You got some slick moves, huh?”

“It wasn’t like that. We just happened to be sitting on the floor. And, right now, I’m headed to pick her up and try my luck at a different altitude. Addie, can you escort the famous movie star wherever he needs to go?” Trevor half-laughed at Grayson’s eye roll. He patted his friend on the back. “Addie can defend you. Don’t worry.”

Becky stepped in front of Trevor before he could leave the kitchen. “I like Samantha.”

“Funny, I do, too.” He widened his eyes. “I didn’t know we had so much in common.”

A corner of her lips tilted up. “We’re also both smart-asses it seems. But, seriously, I like her. I don’t think she’ll come to me for anything, but if there’s anything you think I can help with, let me know. I’m not the best person when it comes to chick-talk. I can offer her a drink and the chance to blow something up with my new shotgun.”

“A gun-shooting, Broadway star. Maybe she could play Annie Oakley?” Addie sat down at the table beside Grayson. “Let me know if I can do anything, too.”

“I’ll keep it in mind. Thanks.” He left the house, ready to see her and try for another kiss. And, maybe, she’d let him in a little more to help with whatever contractual obligation she’d mentioned.

Because fixing other people was a hell of a lot easier than trying to fix his own, jumbled up, shit of a mess heart.

* * *

“Ms. Nilsson?”A man called her name as she stepped out of the Daylight Diner. In New York, early June meant warmer temperatures but not blazing hot. Heatwaves were always miserable. But those came and went. The heat in Georgia never gave up. Right then, she would have sworn it was over two hundred degrees in Statem.

The man hurrying toward her wiped the sweat from his bald head. “Ms. Nilsson. There’s a package for you at the post office. Averylarge package. Big, white box. Special delivery.”

She froze. Surely Zara didn’t send it to her.

Becky walked out of the diner. “Hey, Mr. C. What’s the news from the post office today?”

“I was telling Ms. Nilsson that there’s a large package for her. I didn’t want to bring it to the bed and breakfast without knowing if she’d be there. And I didn’t know if it was a type of surprise for Cameron’s girl.” He wiped his head again.

“What is it?” Becky looked at Samantha.

Samantha couldn’t move.

Or think.

Or breathe.

The Postman seemed to say it in slow motion. “It’s a wedding dress.”

Becky’s eyebrows shot up as Samantha’s stomach dropped. She almost doubled over with pain. Since that first kiss with Trevor a few days ago, the pain had seemed to disappear. That phenomenon had ended. Not even someone as sweet as Trevor could keep reality away any longer.

“I’ll pick it up. Thank you.” Becky waited until the Postman walked away before facing Samantha. “Why in the hell did you have your wedding dress delivered here right before your old wedding date? Do you enjoy feeling miserable?”

“My agent—”

“The shitty one. Right. I remember the story.”

She hissed through her teeth, gripping her side with one hand as she straightened the best she could. “She kept it for me. She told me she didn’t have the room any longer. Since my wedding day was supposed to be tomorrow, she said she’d send it to me.” She would never forgive Zara. Not that Zara had much of a chance or had even asked for forgiveness.

Becky put her hands on her hips, her ice-blue eyes narrowing. “I’ve realized by now you don’t cuss, so I’ll keep my choice phrase for her to myself, but there’s really only one word to describe that woman.”

“I know. Believe me, I agree with you.” She spotted Trevor taking long strides down the sidewalk. Hoping to come across as something other than pitiful, she tried to straighten her shoulders and realized how doubled over she’d ended up again.

Her hand pressed harder to her abdomen as the pain in her stomach burned when she did force herself upright.

“Sam?” He stopped right in front of her, his hands on her shoulders. “Damn, what’s wrong?” He stuck his hand in his pocket, pulling out her roll of antacids. Had he kept those with him this whole time?

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