let me down.”
“Rory—” A hint of sadness clouded her beautiful features. And that restless energy inside him changed into an urge to close the distance between them, to pull her into his arms and wipe the lingering shadows from her blue eyes...
“Daddy, look!” His daughter’s excited voice broke the moment, saving him from making a huge mistake, as she popped out from the dressing room. “It’s a real princess dress! Just for me.”
She giggled as she spun in a circle, the cream-colored lacy skirt flaring out around her tiny legs and glittery sneakers. The happy sound only magnified the ache, the guilt, pressing down on his chest. When was the last time he’d heard Hannah laugh?
“Just for you, Hannah,” he vowed.
From now on, everything was just for his daughter.
Because if there was one thing he’d already done far too many times, it was let the females in his life down.
So despite the attraction, despite the knowing, tender look in the wedding coordinator’s gaze, Jamison was going to keep his distance.
“Oh, my gosh! Didn’t Hannah look so cute?”
Seated at a wrought iron bistro table outside the café, Rory smiled as she listened to Lindsay describe every detail on the flower girl’s dress. Not that she minded. The time with the sweet little girl was still playing through Rory’s thoughts, as well.
Which was much better than thinking of the girl’s not-so-sweet but undeniably hot father...
The bride-to-be’s recitation stopped on a sigh as she paused to take a bite of a double-chocolate muffin. “Why did you bring me here?” she demanded. “That was supposed to be my final fitting, and after eating this dessert, I’m going to need to go back and have the seams let out at least two inches.”
Eyeing Lindsay’s slender frame, Rory laughed. “I think you’re safe, and besides, we’re splitting, remember?” she asked before breaking off a piece of the moist top rising above the sparkling pink wrapper. She gave a sigh of her own as rich chocolate melted in her mouth.
“Perfect, so the seams will only need to be let out one inch.” Despite the complaint, Lindsay went in for another bite.
“You have nothing to worry about. Ryder is going to take one look at you walking down the aisle and be blown away.”
The other woman smiled, but as she wiped her fingers on a napkin, Rory could see her heart wasn’t in it. “Hey, everything okay? I know how busy you’ve been between the wedding and the benefit next week.”
As part of her job promoting Clearville and its businesses, Lindsay was helping Jarrett Deeks with a rodeo at the local fairgrounds. The benefit was aimed at raising funds and awareness for the former rodeo star’s horse rescue.
“Everything’s on track. Jarrett lined up enough cowboys to compete, and local vendors have been amazing about donating their time and part of the proceeds from their booths.” Despite the positive words, worry knit her dark blond brows, and she crumpled the napkin in her fist.
“So then what’s wrong...and what can I do to help?” Lindsay was a Hillcrest bride, but she was also a friend. “Whatever you need, I’m here for you.”
“You might wish you hadn’t made that promise.”
“I never make promises I don’t keep,” Rory vowed, her thoughts drifting back to her ex, Peter, and his many, many broken promises, but she shoved the memories away.
“Okay then,” Lindsay exhaled a deep breath. “Here goes... It’s Jamison. He and Ryder have known each other for years, and I can tell by how Ryder talks how close they are. He’s already told me there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for Jamison, and I’m sure Jamison feels the same.”
The last part was said with enough worry for unease to worm its way into Rory’s stomach. “And what do you think Jamison’s going to do?”
“I’m probably being paranoid. But my relationship with Ryder... Well, let’s just say we didn’t get off to the best start.” The bride gave a shaky laugh at the understatement behind those words.
Rory might have moved to Clearville recently, but her frequent visits as a teenager had given her a taste of small-town life. Everyone knew everyone’s business. Which was why it was still something of a shock among the local gossips that Lindsay Brookes had managed to keep her son’s—Ryder’s son’s—paternity a secret for so long.
“But the two of you are together now,” Rory reassured her friend, “and that’s all that matters.”
She might not know the whole story of how Lindsay and Ryder had worked out a decade of differences, but she’d seen for herself how in love the couple was. The way Ryder looked at Lindsay—
Rory pushed aside the pinpricks of envy jabbing at her heart to embrace the positive. If Ryder and Lindsay could overcome such odds and find their way back to each other, then surely there was hope for her. True love was out there somewhere, but right now her focus was Hillcrest House and helping her aunt. Her own happily-ever-after would wait.
“I know. Things are going so well, but I can’t shake this feeling that something’s going to go wrong. Like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.”
“And you think that shoe’s a size-eleven Italian loafer?”
Lindsay laughed. “You noticed that, huh?”
“I think it’s safe to say Jamison’s strung a bit tight for a guy who’s supposed to be on vacation.”
And was it any wonder she was determined to ignore the instant, unwanted attraction? If Rory had a type, she certainly didn’t want it to be Jamison Porter. He was a corporate attorney, for heaven’s sake! A shark in a suit when she was looking for more of a—a puppy.
Someone sweet, lovable...loyal. Someone willing to defend her and stay by her side.
“From what I’ve heard from Ryder, Jamison doesn’t do vacations. Ryder really had to push him to take this time off. I guess Jamison has some big deal in the works, but I think if he would take a day or two to relax, it might give him a different perspective on the whole wedding and, well, on me.”
“Lindsay, Ryder loves you. And as for Jamison, I think he and Ryder need to go out for a couple of beers and a game of pool over at the Clearville Bar and Grille. They can do the whole high-fiving, name-calling, competitive guy thing, and all will be well.”
Even as she said the words, Rory had a hard time picturing Jamison Porter at the local sports bar. He seemed like her ex, Peter, who was more interested in being seen by the right people in the right places. But then again, so much about Peter had all been for show...
“And Ryder’s asked, but Jamison won’t go. He doesn’t want to leave Hannah.”
And that did not sound like Peter at all. Maybe Rory had been too quick in making her comparisons.
“She’s
