the three sets of eyes watching her from across the mostly cleared table. And she was getting a very one-against-three vibe.
“But you guys got arrested together!”
Shaking her head, she shot Maeve a murderous look. “I told you—they didn’t even take us in.”
Maeve did the whole shoulders-around-her-ears thing while she dabbed at the corner of her mouth with her napkin. “And I told you I wouldn’t say anything. But apparently you didn’t secure the same blood oath from Officer Klinsky … who happened to be in Carla’s class. And ran into one of her girlfriends at the video store yesterday. Sordid tales travel fast, honey.”
Bethany grinned from behind her wineglass. “But thank you for confirming a story I hadn’t believed.”
Perfect.
Erin’s mouth was doing one of those weird twitchy things that happened when someone was trying exceptionally hard to keep a straight face. Not happening. Not even close.
Leaning an elbow on the table, Nichole laid her napkin to the side of her plate. “Just spit it out. I can see you’ve got something good.”
Wicked laughter that was totally Carter family burst past her lips as she glanced from one sister to the other and then back to Nichole. “Can you see the invitations? Embossed with bars? A pair of handcuffs between their names?”
All three Carter girls broke into gales of laughter, but suddenly Nichole didn’t feel like laughing. Invitations. Wedding invitations.
Just the kind of place she didn’t want her mind to go.
And then, to make matters worse, she had the sudden certain sense they weren’t alone. Sure enough, within seconds a wide hand was warming her shoulder and another Carter’s deeper, darker and yet just as playful voice was joining in with the rest. “I thought I recognized those cackles.”
A chorus of delighted welcome sounded around the table as Garrett made the rounds, dropping a kiss at each sister’s cheek as he went. An endearing habit which had Nichole smiling despite the fact her number-one taboo topic had been introduced mere seconds before.
Had Garrett heard?
Everything was going so well between them. The relationship was staying neatly within the lines they’d drawn. And it all felt so good. She didn’t want anything … anyone … to jeopardize it. But one glance around the table and she knew without a shadow of a doubt there was no way Garrett wasn’t going to get an earful about their brush with the law and what a special theme it would make, come marriage-time.
She almost wanted to drag him away to the nearest back hall for one last walk on the Garrett side before she had to let him go.
“What are you doing, crashing our girls’ night out?” Bethany asked, clearly delighted to see her brother.
Garrett nodded toward the plate-glass window across the dining room. “Had a dinner meeting at the place down the street. Was heading to catch a cab when I happened to look in and see this table of lovely ladies. Don’t worry, I won’t stay. Just wanted to say hello and make sure you were all getting enough to eat.”
At that moment the waiter arrived, hefting a tray laden with every dessert on the menu. None of which they’d ordered. “Compliments of the gentleman.”
“Dinner’s on me, girls.” He grinned as his sisters chirped out delighted thank-yous and then started staking claims on which decadent tart, chocolate pot or indulgent wedge of cake they wanted to try first.
Nichole took his hand and, when he met her eyes, mouthed a thank-you of her own.
He winked, giving her a squeeze. “Enjoy the evening and don’t do anything rumor suggests I might do.”
At that, Bethany threatened tears if he didn’t join them, and when everyone joined in he happily relented, taking a seat beside Nichole.
“So—having a good night, girls?”
There was really no way to warn him.
“The best, Garrett,” Erin assured him. “But not as good a night as it sounds like you had two weeks ago.”
Nichole had to give him credit. The guy didn’t bat an eye or let on in any way he was squirming. And if she hadn’t caught the ever so slight darkening across his cheekbones she might not have known at all. But there it was. Red.
And for once it wasn’t her.
“Apparently the cop knows Carla,” she offered helpfully.
And then Erin dropped the bomb, sharing her fabulous ideas on an arrest-themed wedding.
Nichole had expected Garrett’s reaction to be something along the lines of a sudden silence. A cool withdrawal. Or maybe just the stiffening of his body.
What she hadn’t expected was his bark of laughter, or the way he took her hand and grinned, stage whispering to her, “I thought those plans were going to be a surprise!”
A few more ideas for the “wedding” got thrown around, including horizontally striped black-and-white bridesmaid dresses and “get out of jail free” seating cards, followed by a handful of jabs at Garrett for fooling around in the backseat of a car in a parking lot. And then the conversation shifted again and they were talking about Bethany’s upcoming trip to Disney with the family, and Maeve’s less entertaining travel plans for work.
And through it all Nichole sat somewhat shell-shocked by the ease with which they’d sailed through what she’d honestly expected to be the beginning of the end. Stunned to see her hand still the object of Garrett’s idle touch. Startled by the revelation that this man at her side had just given her yet another lesson in the art of not taking things too seriously.
A tension she hadn’t been aware of eased from her shoulders and spine, allowing her to relax back into her seat, her night and the incredible ride she was taking.
Garrett stayed the remainder of the evening, which lasted far beyond the last bite of crème brulée and through all the coffees and cappuccinos. He knew wedding talk—even in jest—was a hot button for Nichole. One that, when pushed, got her head spinning in all the directions neither of them needed it to go.
He didn’t want her to worry he was running off freaked out about the mere mention of the “M” word, and he didn’t want to give her the opportunity to go there herself. And once the conversation had moved on, he’d had a damn good time listening to the girls gabbing about their lives. Listening to talk spanning the spectrum from reality dating shows to mortgages to the rocky state of a mutual friend’s marriage. It reminded him of when they’d all still been under one roof and he’d been privy to every inane and profound thought to cross their minds. And it was even better tonight, because intermixed with the ringing laughter he’d been hearing his whole life were the rich notes of Nichole’s phenomenal laugh.
It was something he could definitely get used to, but if he wanted the chance, a little damage control was in order. And it started within a half-block of the restaurant as they walked down Randolph for some air before catching a cab.
Slanting a look at the woman tucked beneath his arm, he brought up the topic he knew had never fully left her thoughts.
