Page 58 of Wedding Season
He looked at their joined fingers. “Is holding hands on a deserted beach acceptable?”
“If it’s truly deserted,” Mariella whispered, “but only then.”
He nodded. “I can live with that. But I have some parameters of my own.”
Her brow wrinkled. “Is that so?”
“No more making this small. I’m not saying it has to be on a billboard in town, but I spent too long being publicly bashed by Amber and her legions of adoring fans. I’m not looking to be belittled either publicly or privately any longer.”
“I didn’t mean to make you feel that way,” she said softly. “It’s the reason I normally hang out with jerks. I’m not great at knowing how to treat people.”
“You’ll learn,” he promised, utterly committed to making whatever this was work, and then kissed her. For now, it would have to be enough.
COULDSHELEARN? Mariella’s past had been littered with bad decisions and toxic relationships, starting with her mother who’d sucked all the fun right out of dysfunctional.
One thing she knew about herself was that she wasn’t afraid of hard work. She simply needed to look at this relationship—if she could call it that—with Alex as a project. He would help her learn how to be a normal person, just like her friendship with Emma and Angi had.
“I guess I can live with your parameters. Can we take lots of walks on deserted beaches?”
“Lots and lots.” Alex grinned and wiggled his thick brows. He looked younger in this moment with the sun golden as it started its long goodbye for the night. The breeze had rumpled his hair and she could see the edge of a tan line around the base of his neck in that casual T-shirt.
She wanted to put her mouth to his skin, to taste the salt on him and breathe in his rich scent. She wanted too much based on who she knew herself to be and her history of self-sabotage when emotions took over. “For the record, I’m not sure I deserve your faith in me.”
“That’s the thing about faith, sweetheart. You don’t have to do anything to deserve it. I’m giving it to you freely.”
Her heart wanted to believe him, but she had so many doubts. “In my experience nothing is free.”
“Maybe it’s time to think about broadening your horizons.”
He moved to stand behind her and wrapped his strong arms around her shoulders. She felt safe in his embrace, which both delighted and terrified her. Could she allow herself to trust this man?
“The beach is a good place,” he said as he nuzzled her ear and pointed to the open water, “for appreciating new horizons. We’ll start here. Back to the basics of dating, hopefully complete with lots of making out.”
She smiled and rolled her eyes. It didn’t matter how many roadblocks she tried to erect. Alex refused to be swayed by her doubts. And Mariella wanted nothing more than to truly put her faith in him.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
THENEXTWEEKpassed quickly with Mariella dividing her time between the shop and the inn. She was working on two custom dresses for brides who had booked the Wildflower as a wedding and reception venue. Although she’d feared they might change their minds after her mention in the article, both brides had assured her they didn’t think walking down the aisle in one of her creations would equate to bad luck in any way.
“I told you it would be fine,” Emma said.
Mariella was meeting with her and Angi in the small cottage on the property that Emma and Cam had moved into a few months earlier. Mariella had set up a sewing machine in one corner of Emma’s office so she could do on-site alterations as needed.
The dress this weekend’s bride would be wearing hung from a hook on the wall with a layer of protective fabric over it. The bride, along with her mother and bridesmaids, would arrive at the inn on Thursday to finish preparations and enjoy a couple of days of pre-wedding pampering before the big event on Saturday.
“How many weddings have you booked since the article?” Mariella asked.
Emma tapped a pen against her chin. “It’s a slow season for bookings,” she said, and Mariella’s heart sank.
“That translates to zero.”
“We’re going to be fine,” Emma assured her.
“Right,” Angi agreed. “So long as we don’t have any more brides or grooms hit the dusty trail before their trip down the aisle.”
“It was an unlucky coincidence that those two situations happened in a row,” Emma insisted.
“Unlucky for us,” Mariella agreed, “but maybe not for the groom who was spared hitching himself to a cheater.”
