Page 102 of Love Game

He leaned down and pressed a smacking kiss to Avery’s cheek. “What church was it that gave you license to kill?”

“The Universal Church of Life,” she pronounced primly. “If you want to continue living, I suggest you get changed and get out here before Millie finishes with your bride.”

“Going,” he repeated, brushing past her to get to the men’s room.

Once inside, he changed with a haste he hadn’t tapped since his locker room interview days. Unlike most jocks, he didn’t relish getting caught on camera wearing nothing but a towel.

Humming under his breath, he turned to face the lone mirror in the room as he measured the ends of his necktie. The glass was foggy and smeared with God-knows-what, but there was no clouding the anticipation rising inside him. Soon, he’d see Kate in an actual wedding dress. Until Millie mentioned it, he hadn’t realized how much he wanted that. Not just for her, but for himself as well. And yes, they’d be in a dank, musty bar and not a church, but it didn’t matter. They’d be surrounded by friends, colleagues, and…family.

Snugging the Windsor knot up to his collar, he sighed as he studied his reflection, then reached into the pile of discarded clothes to retrieve his phone.

His mother answered on the second ring, breathless and a little agitated. He smiled when he realized he was most likely interrupting her bridge group. “Hey, Ma,” he said by way of greeting.

“Danny?”

Her bewildered tone carried a note of annoyance that made him smile. “I know it’s not my day to call, but we’re here, and we’re going to do the ceremony thing, and, well…” He paused to brace himself for what he needed to say next. “Thanks for sending Tommy out for the party. It’s good to see him.”

His mother covered the phone and called out, “I bid two hearts!” Danny chuckled, and his mother huffed as she came back to the call. “Sorry, it was my turn.”

“I won’t keep you, Ma. I just… I’ll call when we get back, okay? Set up a time when Kate and I can get up there to visit.”

“You’ll call on the Wednesday after you get back?” she confirmed.

Ducking his head, he nodded. “Yeah, Ma. I’ll call you on the Wednesday we get back.”

“Okay, Danny. Love you,” she said, though she was clearly in a hurry to get back to her game. “Take care of Tommy. Oh, and give my love to Kate,” she added just before ending the call.

Danny pocketed the phone, scooped up his discarded clothing, and shoved it all into the suit bag. Wadding it into a ball, he tucked it under his arm and stepped into the noisy bar. A few catcalls and whistles followed him as he made his way to the jukebox. He raised a hand to acknowledge the jeering, but his smile stretched a mile wide.

Avery nodded to a pile of bags jumbled in a corner, and he added his to the collection. When he turned, he spotted the crepe paper wedding bells hung from the ceiling rafters and pinned to walls among the Wolcott banners and pennants. Mike stepped up to take his place at his side, just as he had at the courthouse. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tommy and LeAnn slide off their bar stools and make their way toward the gathering crowd.

The ladies’ room door opened, and Millie flew out, her mouth drawn in a taut line of disapproval. When she bustled up to take her place across from him, she pierced him with a glare.

“Your bride is a pain in the ass,” she announced to the assembled group.

“Uh-oh,” Avery said under her breath. “Someone didn’t comply with the plan.”

Millie swiveled to glare at her, then froze when she saw the dashiki-styled caftan Avery wore over her clothes. “Our lady of cultural appropriation, preserve us!” she said in a rushed whisper. “What in God’s name are you wearing?”

Avery extended an arm and beamed as her flowing sleeves billowed. “Like it? I found it in my mom’s closet and thought it was perfect.”

Millie rubbed the bridge of her nose with two fingers. Amused by their byplay but growing inexplicably nervous, Danny searched the crowd for familiar faces. When he caught sight of the NSN talking heads chatting it up on one of the muted televisions, it occurred to him that he hadn’t seen Ty Ransom yet.

“Hey, is Ty coming, or is he in New York for the draft?” he asked Millie, hoping to distract her from the topic of Avery’s wardrobe choices. The question worked like a charm. Millie’s head swiveled around, and her gaze narrowed as she searched his face. The hair on the back of his neck rippled. “What? What is it?”

She stared at him for a second longer. “Oh, he’s not in New York, but I doubt he’s coming.”

“What’s going on?”

At that moment, the bathroom door opened, and Kate’s sister and niece emerged. Audrey nodded to Millie, who cast a worried glance at one of the television screens.

“Things aren’t good on the home front. Tell you about it later,” Millie murmured, then turned to signal someone in the corner.

Danny jumped when a six-piece pep band launched into a jaunty rendition of the school fight song. The bar’s patrons fell silent as the band ramped up the tempo. The ladies’ room door opened again. This time, Kate stood silhouetted in the frame, her long, lithe figure a shadow against the bright lighting behind her. And then, she started to walk toward him.

Though he preferred skirts that showed off her spectacular legs, even Danny had to admit the dress was perfect. The top of it draped softly below her collarbone. He was sure the effect was supposed to be soft and demure, but the way it left the tantalizing hollows exposed practically dared a man to kiss her there. And he would. Maybe even before he stripped her out of that tempting column of floaty, white fabric.

But for now, he was content to look at her. Stare at her, really. He always thought she was beautiful, but he’d never seen her look quite this stunning before. At least, not without a ball in her hand. He wanted to soak it all in and let her milk the moment too, because if he had his way, she’d never be a bride again.

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