No Falling Allowed (No Kissing Allowed) (10 page)

Yep, day one I fall on my ass in front of my new client, and day two I show up to our first real meeting half an hour late. This had to go down in the record books as the worst start to a job ever.

I didn’t bother closing my room’s door, because honestly, what was the point anyway, and ran with all my might down the stairs, around the front desk, and stopped cold outside the dining room doorway. Drawing a breath, I told myself to settle down, remember who I was, what I was capable of. This wasn’t the time for a freak-out, this was time to rally and prove that I, Grace Soaring, was the best wedding planner on the planet.

“Hi there. You must be Grace.”

I turned, my eyes wide as I took in the blonde before me. “Yes. I am. And you are…?”

“Brighton Caulder.”

“Oh…right.”
Where had I heard that name? Come on, brain, work.

A smile curved her lips. “I’m the maid of honor.”

And just like that, I planted myself right back at the top of the I SUCK list.

“Right. I’m sorry, I knew that.” I felt sure I’d seen the name on the wedding party list, but how was I supposed to recognize her? Surely they didn’t expect that kind of thing on the first day, right?

Dear God.

“Lindy’s almost here. Shall we join the others?” Brighton pointed inside to a table where Mary Beth and Annalise were already seated, talking away.

“Of course.” I flashed a smile that didn’t quite work right and followed her over, hoping beyond hope that they had ramp up periods in this business, otherwise Annalise might send me back home. Fired from two jobs in so many weeks. The shame!

No, I’m not getting fired. This is fine. I’m fine.

“Grace? Are you feeling better?”

I stared blankly at Mary Beth. “Um…”

“Your headache?” Annalise added with a wink, and I released the breath held captive in my lungs.

“Right. Much better, thank you.”

“Wonderful,” Mary Beth said with a smile. “Have a seat now. I actually had the pleasure of meeting your mother a few months ago. Lovely lady.”

I took the seat beside Mary Beth, and Annalise smiled encouragingly at me. “She is. I’ll be sure to tell her you said so.”

“Please do. Perhaps the three of us could have lunch the next time I’m in the city.”

“That sounds great.”

Lindy appeared then, but it was quickly apparent that all was not well in Lindy-land.

“What happened, sweetie?” Mary Beth asked, her face moved so quickly from happiness to concern that I found myself watching her, curious if that’s what all mothers looked like when they were worried over their children. It wasn’t an expression I’d ever seen on my own mother’s face.

“Dane won’t come with me to choose the cake. He has a tee time today, so he said I should choose whatever I want. Whatever I want, like it’s my thing and not
our
thing. How are we supposed to start our lives together if I’m the one to plan everything and he does nothing and—” Her voice broke, and I quickly stood and helped her into my chair.

“Take a breath and a sip of water.” I urged her, handing over one of the small bottles of water on the table. “This isn’t a big deal, okay?”

“The cake? Are you crazy?”

“Not the cake. The argument. You’ll have things in your life worth getting upset over, things that demand that you and Dane compromise. I’m not sure this is one of them. Tell me, has he been to the other things?”

“The other things?”

“Choosing the venue, the reception site, the food? Flowers?”

She nodded. “Yes, he’s been to everything.”

“And does he like cake?”

At that, her chin dropped, and she toyed with a loose thread on her dress. “He hates it.”

I leaned in closer. “You’re stressed, and you feel like a lot of it is on you. I get that. I do. But if you love him, and I believe you do, you have to respect him and his wishes as much as you expect him to respect yours.”

I felt a hand squeeze my arm and looked over to see Annalise grinning wide at me. “Why don’t you go with Lindy to the tasting?”

Lindy’s head lifted. “Would you? That would be amazing.”

I eyed Lindy. “I mean, sure, I can. If you wouldn’t rather someone else…” I glanced at Brighton, but both women shook their heads.

“I’m diabetic,” Brighton said. “So no cake for me.”

“You’ll come, then, won’t you?” Lindy pleaded.

“Of course.” I grabbed my purse and stood, and just like that, I felt the tide turning a tiny little bit in my favor. Maybe I wouldn’t ruin this after all.

It took us exactly four seconds of being outside, before Lindy turned on me, not a hint of sadness on her face now. “Okay, I’m sorry, but I’ve waited long enough.”

I glanced around. “I’m…sorry?”

“Noah.”

I almost fell over as I spun around in search of him. “Where? Is he everywhere here? Can’t a girl get a break?”

“No, he’s not here. But
goodness,
you should have seen your face. What exactly happened between you and our most eligible bachelor?”

Using the new scenery as a distraction, I took in the clean sidewalks that ran along the shops, the few cars, the number of people walking around, yet not rushing. It was refreshing.

“Grace, you know you’re not getting out of this, right? You have to tell me more about how you met Noah Hunter. You said it was at an event?”

I thought of the gala, him drinking a beer like he could do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. It had been infuriating—and hot. I never would have guessed at that point that he would end up back at my apartment, that we’d open up to each other that night like old friends, and then reach for each other again and again like old lovers.

“A gala.”

“A gala? Noah?”

I laughed at that, picturing him there, so out of place. “Yeah, he was filling in for a cousin.”

“Which cousin?”

“Oh, I don’t actually know. Does he have that many?”

It was Lindy’s turn to laugh. “More than any sane person should have to deal with. His family is huge.” She stopped outside a shop with cakes in the window and a blue and silver sign boasting
Cakes & Confections
.

“So what’s Noah’s story? Obviously, his family owns the bar, but I haven’t seen them. Does he run it for his parents or something?” Even as the questions left my lips, I wished I could pull them back. I didn’t need to know anything more about him.

Lindy’s gaze slid slowly up to mine. “He didn’t tell you? No, of course he wouldn’t.”

“Tell me what?”

“His parents died years ago. He runs the bar now.”

“No, he didn’t tell me that.” I thought of all the things we’d talked about in bed that night and realized that his family never once came up—or mine. We talked about our interests, our wants in life. I knew he loved to fish, that his photo had been in some local paper for killing a giant deer, that he loved football and baseball. But I had no idea that his parents had died.

“Yeah, he doesn’t like to talk about it. The whole thing was…well, it’s not really my story to tell.”

I glanced at Lindy, hoping she’d go on and give me a bit more insight into this guy who had affected me so completely yet I knew so little about. But she didn’t, and I got the impression she felt guilty for telling me as much as she had.

“But all that drama aside, I’ve never seen him react that way to another person. Come to think of it, Noah doesn’t really show emotions about anything at all. Well, anything other than Jonah.”

I opened my mouth to ask her who Jonah was, when Lindy opened the door to the bakery, releasing a smell so divine my stomach immediately rumbled. “Wow,” I said, just as a woman appeared behind the counter, her hair black, her cheeks rosy, her brown eyes bright and excited. “Do I ever have some fun for you!”

The woman reached for Lindy’s hand, and Lindy giggled. “Grace, this is Shirley, local baker extraordinaire. Everyone who is anyone gets their cakes and desserts from Shirley.”

Shirley waved her on. “Hush now, child. You’ll make me blush.”

“It’s true. Just wait until you try her cake.”

Shirley winked at me. “Just promise me if you like them, you’ll hire me for your own wedding.”

I grinned. “Consider it done.”

Shirley led us to the back room where she had three platters lined up side-by-side on a table, a dozen tiny cake samples on each. I’d been to plenty of events, assisted in planning a few weddings, but never had I seen so many cake options. Mint chocolate. Red velvet. White chocolate raspberry. The list went on and on, from ordinary vanilla to pink champagne, each one more delicious than the last.

By the time we reached the third platter, I found myself wishing I’d at least grabbed a cup of coffee before diving into all these sweets.

The bell rang, signaling someone had come into the bakery, and Shirley disappeared up front, leaving Lindy to stare helplessly at me.

“They’re all amazing. How am I going to choose?”

“I’m betting you had a favorite. I know I did.”

She gripped my shoulders excitedly. “Ohh, tell me. Maybe that was my favorite, too, and I’ll know it’s the one.”

“No, ma’am. You have to make this decision on your own.”

She leaned against the table and patted her belly. “I should have eaten breakfast first. They all started tasting the same after the second platter.”

“I know, me, too. I need coffee.”

“Okay, I have an idea. Let’s go get breakfast, a real breakfast, and you can help me break down the pros and cons.”

“Of cake flavors?”

Lindy pointed at me, and I realized that I really liked her. In another world, we could have been friends. “Hey now, this is serious business.”

“You’re right, it is. The last wedding I did, the bride didn’t even have time to try her cake.”

Lindy gasped. “That has to be the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.”

I laughed, a real laugh, and I realized that I was enjoying myself. Maybe I’d survive this visit after all. “You’re going to be fun.”

She grinned back. “You, too. Now let’s get some breakfast.”

“And coffee. Please, God, tell me there’s coffee.”

“Definitely coffee. Noah’s an addict, too.”

I grabbed her arm, stopping her as we left the bakery. “Lindy…where did you say we were going for breakfast?”

She flashed me a wicked grin. “Where else? Hunter’s Place.” And then she winked before starting back down the sidewalk.

Chapter Fourteen

Noah

“Penny said you got a little flustered around the new city girl, and Zeek said you about dropped a pitcher when she walked in. What’s up with that?” Scarlett asked, her blond hair now striped with blue.

“Don’t know what you’re talking about.” I continued busing tables, the morning crowd filtering in like I was the only place in town to eat. And though it wasn’t true, at times it felt that way.

Scarlett stopped beside me, then cocked her head and crossed her arms. “Tell me.”

“There’s nothing to tell.”

The door opened again, and I pivoted on my heel, aggravated with the crowd and the early spring heat and the fact that a girl had waltzed into town and now my body refused to work properly. I glanced over at the people coming in, only to lock eyes with the perpetrator herself. Damn. Couldn’t she give me a few hours of sanity before tainting my brain again? I’d already been caught like a deer in headlights this morning, unable to look away from her as she stared out her window at the lake.

It was just my luck that Penny put her in a room facing Hunter’s Place instead of something else. Like Brick’s Hardware. Or the old junkyard. But no, she put Grace in one of the rooms facing my bar so she could tempt me to look and my dumb ass would be helpless to the whole thing.

Of course, Penny knew none of this, so she probably put her there because those rooms had the best view of the water, and I wanted that for Grace, because the lake was peaceful, and after a night of listening to all those doubts she had about herself, I knew she needed a little peace.

Just not at my expense.

“Shit.”

Scarlett followed my gaze and bit back a laugh. “Damn, that’s her? She’s pretty. Like, supermodel pretty.”

“I know.”

“You know?” She peered over at me, but I refused to meet her eyes. “That’s the first time I’ve ever heard you give anybody a semblance of a compliment. How well do you know her?”

I shrugged, my thoughts drifting back to Grace’s legs wrapped around my waist, my lips on her neck. “We met when I was in New York.”

“And…?”

“And that’s it.”

“It doesn’t look like that’s it. Maybe I should just go ask her.” Scarlett started toward Grace, and I all but tripped over myself to stop her. She grinned knowingly. “You like her.”

“What? No, I don’t.” I scratched my jaw, then went to work on the next table.

“All right, so why aren’t you seating them? Lindy’s a friend, even if she’s probably still in love with you.”

“Good God, do you ever shut up?”

“I will. As soon as you go seat them.”

“What exactly do I pay you for if I’ve got to seat the guests
and
scrub the tables?”

Scarlett beamed back. “My charm.”

“I’d like a refund, thanks.”

“You’re seriously refusing to go seat them, aren’t you?”

I sighed heavily and set down the dish bin I’d been carrying. “Clean the rest of these tables.” Then I walked toward the door, each step making me feel both enthralled and nauseous. I needed this girl out of my head before the whole town figured out how gone I was over her.

“Hey. Two?” I asked, my eyes on Lindy, before jumping to Grace, and damn. Her green eyes pierced through me, and all logical thought went out the window. “How was your night?” I asked, because clearly I was an idiot who couldn’t control himself anymore.

“Good.” She fidgeted. “Yours?”

“Same.”

“I saw you outside this morning. Nice Jeep.”

My eyes lifted back to hers from where they’d drifted to the floor like it could somehow save me from this conversation. “I saw you, too.” She tilted her head a little and bit her bottom lip, drawing me there.
Walk away, man. Please, for the love of God, walk away
. But I couldn’t. That invisible force between us, the one that had drawn me to her that night in New York, now wrapped around me, locking me to the spot—locking me to her.

It was then that I realized how quiet the bar had gotten. With effort, I peeked over my shoulder only to find what I feared. Every table had gone silent, all their eyes on us, all their ears pricked for gossip. What the hell was I thinking coming over here? I could almost hear Scarlett’s laughter from where she stood behind the bar. She’d baited me, and I fell hook, line, and sinker.

“Anyway, I should get back…” I motioned to all the full tables and had just turned away, when Lindy called out.

“Hey, Noah?”

“Yeah.” I turned back and blinked at her, hoping she wasn’t going to ask me any of the questions I could see flashing across her face. “A table?” she pointed, and I followed her outstretched hand, stupefied to the core, then it hit me.

“Right. Sorry.” I grabbed two menus, knocking three more off the table where Scarlett had stacked them that morning, but I couldn’t deal with that right now. I needed away from this vixen as quickly as possible or the whole town would have my number.

“This fine?” I sat them by the windows, where Mary Beth had them yesterday before Grace fell and I walked her to the B&B and found out she was out of my league.

“Perfect, thanks.” She patted my shoulder like I needed condolence, and I felt like the biggest shit-brain on the planet.

“No problem. Scarlett’ll be by in a second.”

Then before my mouth or body did anything else, I disappeared behind the bar and into the back where I could close my eyes and catch my breath.

“Smooth, Hunter,” Scarlett said. “I think you just gave her a story she can tell to the grandkids some day.”

“Funny.”

“Actually, sad came to mind for me,” Zeek, my cook, said as he flipped some pancakes. “But funny works, too.”

“Listen, this ends here. The last thing Jonah needs is town gossip following him around about stuff no one knows anything about.”

Scarlett stopped in the middle of leaving the back with an arm’s full of plates. “Wait just a sec. What does this have to do with Jonah? He’s your brother, Hunter. That doesn’t mean you can’t date. If you like the city girl, go for it. She’s a little clean-cut, if you ask me. Bet she doesn’t even have one dot of ink, and forget piercings, but if that’s your thing, go for it.”

“I’m not going for anything.”

“Scarlett’s right, man…though I can’t believe I just said that.” Scarlett winked at Zeek, and he went on, “You’re going to be alone forever if you don’t put yourself out there more.”

“I’m fine.” I ran a hand over my face, then smoothed my damp palms over my jeans. “Now everybody get back to work. We’ve got a full house, and this talking ain’t feeding anybody’s bellies.”

I pushed back out and rounded the corner to head to the bathroom for some peace, when I slammed into someone. I reached out to steady them, and my skin prickled in awareness even before my eyes registered who I’d nearly run over.

“Sorry, I was…” I held out a hand toward the bathrooms, and Grace smiled awkwardly, before her gaze landed on my hand, still wrapped around her elbow, and suddenly we were both staring at it like that single point of contact kept us grounded.

I swallowed as she pulled free and went to her right at the same time I went to my left, then we both tried the other way, colliding again. This time her hands braced on my chest, her eyes widening, and I couldn’t help it. I placed a hand over hers, fixing her to me.

“Grace, look at me.”

Slowly, she glanced up, a soul’s worth of emotions hitting me dead on.

“I’m sorry I left. I’m sorry.”

Her hand twitched below mine. “I never thought I’d see you again.”

“I know.”

“Have you… I mean…” Her eyes darted away. “Do you ever think about that night?”

I closed my hand around hers, my voice barely a whisper. “It consumes me.”

“Hey, Hunter, we need you to—”

Grace jumped away from me at the sound of Scarlett’s voice, and the separation was enough to make my brain work properly again. What was I doing? My life belonged here, hers hundreds of miles away. Plus we were from two different worlds. This would never work. So why couldn’t I walk away?

“I should get back to Lindy.”

“Yeah, you should.”

“See you later, Noah.”

“You called me Noah.” My breathing slowed, the name settling over me, warming me. So few people called me Noah that it always sounded foreign, but from Grace it sounded like coming home.

She glanced back over her shoulder at me. “It fits you.”

I tried to swallow, but couldn’t make my throat work.

“Well…see you around.”

“Yeah…see you around.”

And despite myself, I prayed that I would.