Page 26 of Love and Other Trials
He gave in to the urge to stroke her cheek again, holding her gaze a moment longer, before pointing to the golf cart. Downtown was filled with tourists and other people walking by, but he only had eyes for her. “Come, our carriage awaits.”
“You shouldn’t joke like that too loudly around here.” She started the engine after she stowed the wig in the storage box in back and plunked down in the driver’s seat. “One of the carriage drivers might hear you and offer you a ride. Charleston is famous for its carriage rides, you know.”
He petted Sherlock under the ears when the dog rested his head against his side. “Is Cruella’s shop on the tour? I wonder if the wig heads in the window stare at people as they go by. Like the Mona Lisa’s eyes following you wherever you go.”
“Well, Charleston does have a famous ghost tour, but I don’t recommend it for you if you got creeped out by the wig shop.”
“Lord, I swear this city is looking better and better to me.”
She was laughing as their eyes met and held. “Good. Because as far as I’m concerned, it looks really good on you.”
That had him wanting to puff out his chest. She sent him a wink as she dug into her purse for her phone. He did the same. He had nothing from Rob, but he had a text from their buddy and fellow groomsman.
Carson
Heard you’ve given my room to Ariel and the two of you are getting cozy. Told you she was hot. Let’s not forget brave and smart. You go. I’ll be bunking with Perry since it sounds like you two might need your privacy. We’ve agreed to buy all your drinks when we arrive since you’re pulling most of the groomsmen duty. Rob is being a dick. Like he doesn’t know how cool it is that you’re into a girl like this. Have fun!
Rob is being a dick, sure, but we won’t hide his parachute. Yet. Thanks for bunking elsewhere. She IS hot. Cute. Funny. I could go on. But then you’ll have more ammo. See you soon.
Dax was kinda glad his buddies weren’t showing up until Thursday. Their work schedules didn’t allow them to come earlier like his had. He kinda felt bad about not telling his buddy what had happened with Tiffany, but Rob had made his position all too clear. Still, he wished there were a way to warn Carson and Perry not to be alone with her. God, that sucked. To pull himself out of those shitty thoughts, he opened up his family group text.
Hey! Checking in. Having a ball with the maid of honor while getting ready for the wedding. Wanted to tell y’all how awesome you are. I don’t say it enough. Some families are crazy. Thanks for not being one of them. Talk to y’all when I wrap up here.
He got a few hearts back and someAhs…before pocketing his phone. When he turned to look at Ariel, she was biting her lip, her brows smashed together. “What now?”
She made her eyes cross before shoving her phone in her purse and starting the golf cart. “My family has micromanaging down to an art. My mother checked in about the new wig I chose with some very severe language. Cruella apparently called her the minute we left her shop. Then Tiffany wanted to see pics of her koi. You know…”
“We should have taken a pic of Bumper and sent it to her.”
“With a koi photoshopped in his mouth.” She gave a snarky laugh. “She’d freak. I pretty much sent a thumbs-up back to all the texts. No point in answering them. It only encourages their interfering. Let’s keep going. We have more fun ahead.”
At the next errand, she got all serious with the wedding setup contractor, running through tables, chairs, silverware, and everything else including posh trash bins, intended to not distract from the day’s beauty.
Upon leaving, he made a face at Sherlock who gave him a soulful look as they climbed back into the golf cart. “I had no idea there was so much to a wedding. I’d always wanted a small one, but now I’m thinking of eloping. The trash cans sealed it for me.”
Her melodic laughter had him wanting to lift her onto his lap as they cruised through the downtown streets filled with Charleston’s charming shops. “They’re called disposal units,honey,and they were new to me too. Also, I agree on eloping—if that ever happens.”
“You mentioned thinking you fail to entice men, which I definitely don’t believe.” He motioned to himself. “Any other reason you sound so pessimistic?”
That greenish tint returned to her cute little face. “Let’s just say that right now I’m of the mind that there’s truly nothing a good vibrator can’t fix.”
He choked.“What?”
“You heard me.” She batted her eyelashes at him playfully. “Relationships are messy, with one or both parties not often fulfilling their end of the bargain.”
The edge in her voice made him observe, “Sounds like experience talking.”
“It is—in the form of a canceled engagement.” She merged onto Broad Street, wind playing with the ends of her hair. “I was in my mid-twenties and thought I could have it all. He decided once we started living together that I traveled too much for work.”
Yeah, he’d heard that comment after he’d graduated from the Naval Academy and started his career in the Navy. “I know what you mean. I had complaints about how much I was away. Made it hard to do any long-term dating.”
She pushed the gas pedal as they sailed through a yellow light. “I’ll bet they didn’t ask you to find a different job.”
He muttered a curse word under his breath. “No, they didn’t. They might have complained, but they liked the idea of dating a Navy pilot.”
“Women like a man in uniform.” She sent him a thorough once-over, smiling as she made his blood heat. “Understandable. My ex didn’t find my job that enticing, and he certainly wasn’t reasonable when I explained disasters don’t work that way. We broke it off. I haven’t met anyone since who understood my profession. It’s a calling.”
“Like how I love to fly.” He put his hand on Sherlock when the dog gave an enthusiastic ruff as they passed a horse-drawn carriage. “Look, some guys are jerks. I say that as a guy. But not all of us are.”
