Читать книгу Final Deposit - Lisa Harris, Lisa Harris - Страница 10

Lindsey Taylor wondered exactly how many faux pas she’d be committing by taking off her three-inch sling backs, sneaking across the terrace and stealing into the library for a short reprieve from her best friend Sarah’s wedding reception. At the moment, both feet felt as if she’d just attempted to run a marathon. And after an extended ceremony, dozens of photos and an hour and a half of socializing, it was no wonder.

Still, barring the problematic issues of her attire, Sarah and Brad’s wedding had been a success. The decision to hold the ceremony in the enclosed garden behind Sarah’s parents’ luxurious North Dallas home hadn’t gone over well at first. But, with a bit of help from a wedding coordinator, the landscaped area had been transformed into an elegant wedding and reception venue. Even Sarah’s mother had agreed that the setting—while far from traditional in her mind—was perfect for a summer ceremony.

Lindsey winced as a stab of pain shot from the ball of her foot to her calf. The sight of the four-tiered chocolate wedding cake on the other side of the terrace clinched the decision. No one would miss the maid of honor for thirty minutes or so. And after enjoying some solitude with a thick slice of cake and the book she was reading, she’d be ready to join society again.

She made her way through the throng of guests toward the house, but crossing the tiled decking around the pool gracefully turned out to be an exercise in futility. Her ankle twisted, and she barely caught herself before sprawling into the pool. She teetered for a moment on the narrow heels, then righted herself, glancing up to see if anyone had caught her near mishap.

Best man Kyle Walker waved at her from the other side of the pool.

Great. She felt her cheeks redden as she forced a smile and waved back. Kyle was just as handsome as he’d been in college. Even more so, in fact. Clean shaven, short dark hair and that one familiar dimple on his left cheek, not to mention the classy tuxedo…

Memories of tutoring sessions, final exams and football games came flooding back. Lindsey and Sarah had met Kyle and Brad as freshmen at University of Texas. The four of them had become fast friends but Lindsey had lost track of Kyle after she left school. Apparently Sarah’s recent reconnection with him, followed by her engagement to Brad after a decade apart, had sparked an interest in matchmaking. Sarah had even gone as far as to suggest how romantic it would be if Lindsey and Kyle were to discover love after all these years.

Except she and Kyle had never been anything more than friends. And any matchmaking attempts had fallen between the cracks of last-minute wedding preparations and Kyle’s delayed flight into Dallas last night. There simply hadn’t been time for the two of them to chat.

But while Lindsey had no intention of romanticizing their long-overdue reunion, perhaps her escape to the library could wait.

Margie Adams, mother of the bride, waylaid Lindsey halfway across the terrace, balancing two plates of cake and a cup of punch in her hands. “You were right, Lindsey.”

“I was?” Lindsey squeezed her sequined purse under her arm, taking the cake Mrs. Adams offered.

“I thought a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting would be completely inappropriate for the wedding, but it’s absolutely fantastic,” Mrs. Adams said, taking a bite. “Don’t tell a soul, but I’m on my second piece. You’ve simply got to try it.”

Lindsey took a bite. “This is delicious.”

Mrs. Adams wiped the edge of her mouth with a cream-colored napkin embossed with Sarah’s and Brad’s names. “And another thing, Lindsey. I wanted to tell you that you look absolutely stunning tonight. That old adage of ‘always a bridesmaid, never a bride’ certainly isn’t true. Soon we’ll be planning your ceremony.”

Lindsey frowned. Suddenly the cake didn’t seem quite so appetizing. Why was it that everyone believed that being single was a matter of fate and not choice? She’d been a bridesmaid in three different wedding parties in the past two years and someone had made a similar comment to her at every wedding.

Lindsey pressed her lips together. “You know, Mrs. Adams, while I do plan to marry one day, I’m really not in any hurry—”

Mrs. Adam’s held up her free hand. “I know, my dear, I know. Even Sarah waited until her thirties to marry. But one can’t wait forever, especially if you want a family….”

Lindsey took another bite of cake, while Mrs. Adams continued her monologue on the importance of finding the right mate. Sarah’s mom tended to ramble—and eat—when she was nervous, and apparently the wedding of her only daughter had catapulted her into that precarious frame of mind.

Lindsey glanced across the terrace for a glimpse of Kyle, but he’d disappeared. Not that it mattered, of course. She took another bite of cake, trying to ignore the pain in her feet, and turned back to Mrs. Adams. Apparently it was going to be a very long night.

Kyle leaned down to kiss Sarah on the cheek. “Congratulations, you two. This evening turned out perfectly.”

Brad thumped him on the upper arm. “Now it’s your turn, buddy.”

“For marriage?” Kyle coughed. “One of these days, but I’ve got too much on my plate right now.”

Unfortunately, a relationship took time, which was something he had far too little of right now. Between running his own company and opening up a new office in Dallas, finding time for a serious relationship had fallen off his to-do list.

“Trust me, Kyle. When the right woman comes along, you’ll find the time.” Brad wrapped his arm around his bride’s waist. “Besides, do you see me worrying about work? There’s more to life, you know. And a few extra perks like marriage can’t hurt.”

Sarah pulled away from Brad’s embrace, her hands on her hips. “So you see me as a perk, Mr. O’Conner?”

“The only perk I’ll ever need, Mrs. O’Conner.” Brad wrapped his arms around Sarah, who melted into his embrace as they kissed.

Kyle cleared his throat. “I think I’ll leave the two of you to your blissful state of matrimony.”

“Wait a minute, Kyle,” Sarah said, stopping him from escaping. “You’ve had a chance to talk to Lindsey, haven’t you?”

Kyle shook his head. “Nothing more than a quick ‘hi, it’s good to see you again.’ Every time I head her direction, she’s deep in conversation with someone.”

“That’s no excuse.”

Kyle laughed. It hadn’t been an excuse. Not really, anyway. It was just that thirteen years changed a person, and picking up from the last day he’d seen her wasn’t exactly easy.

“I always thought the two of you were perfect for each other,” Sarah continued.

“We were friends. Nothing more.”

Sarah nodded across the terrace. “At least go rescue her from my mother. You remember how much my mother talks. She’ll keep her half the night, and Lindsey’s too polite to say anything.”

Kyle glanced at Lindsey, smiling to himself as he remembered the first time they met. He’d been pulling a load of pink clothes from a Laundromat washing machine, after accidentally tossing a pair of new red jogging shorts into the mix. Then Lindsey had walked in. A trip to the supermarket and two hours later, she’d somehow managed to turn his socks and T-shirts white again.

A decade or so later, she still looked beautiful even if the pink bridesmaid dress she wore might be a tad frilly for his tastes. Slender frame, honey-colored hair pulled up in a classic twist, big brown eyes…He’d often wondered what would have happened if their friendship had turned into something more all those years ago.

His cell phone vibrated in his jacket, stopping his reminiscing. He glanced at the text message and frowned. “Emergency in Amsterdam. Call D.C.”

Great. Matt’s timing couldn’t be worse, but Kyle knew he couldn’t ignore the message. Security breaches were a serious cause for concern, and he was afraid there was either a mole in their Amsterdam office or a bug in their computer software. Both posed a threat to the integrity of the company that couldn’t wait.

“Please don’t tell me you’re working,” Sarah said.

Kyle flashed her an apologetic smile. “It will only take a few minutes. You don’t mind if I step inside the house and make a call, do you?”

Sarah shrugged in defeat. “Try the library. It should be quiet in there.”

He heard Lindsey’s soft laugh as he headed inside. He would definitely make an effort to talk to her before the night was out.

By the time Lindsey heard the ominous crack, it was too late.

Her first mistake had been to agree to wear the pink taffeta bridesmaid’s dress with the layers of ruffles down the back. The second mistake had been the shoes—one of the silver heels had just snapped off like a dry twig. Her left hip jutted forward and punch splashed over the edge of her glass, dribbling down the front of her dress. Teetering on one foot, she struggled to keep her balance and avoid spilling the rest of the drink onto the beige suede couch in front of her. The book under her arm slapped against the floor of the small library, followed by her purse. A groan escaped her lips as she grabbed for the couch. Fortunately, she was still holding the generous slice of cake with an inch of chocolate frosting.

“Need some help?”

Lindsey’s arm jerked at the sound of a voice inside the darkened room. The cake flipped off the plate, into the air, and landed smack-dab in the middle of Kyle’s white tuxedo shirt. It was clearly too late for help. She looked at him, horrified, and wondered if it was physically possible to dissolve into the expensive Oriental rug on the library floor.

“I am so sorry,” she said, setting the drink and now-empty plate on the coffee table. “I didn’t know anyone was in here.”

Lindsey bit her lower lip, wondering how in the world she had managed to make a complete fool out of herself in less than five seconds. Kyle’s familiar smile—though lovely to look at—did nothing to erase her humiliation.

A wave of heat flooded her cheeks as he reached for the empty plate and used it to scrape some of the brown frosting from his white shirt.

“I really am sorry,” she said again.

“Don’t worry about it. This was heading to the cleaners tomorrow anyway. And better my shirt than Mr. Adams’s suede couch.” He flashed her another wide grin. “Besides, I was hoping we’d get a chance to chat before I have to fly back home to D.C.”

“Me, too.” She couldn’t help but match his smile as she sat down. “It’s been a long time.”

“Thirteen years to be exact.”

He was right, though she could barely believe it. Another decade, an extra pound or two, a handful of gray hairs she ensured were professionally colored every six weeks…

“Did you really have to bring up the fact that it’s been that long?”

He settled into the couch across from her. “Would it help if I told you that you look even better thirteen years later?”

“Only if it were true,” she countered.

“Oh, it definitely is.”

He always had known how to say the right thing, possessing enough charm to rival Prince Charming himself.

“Did I mention how good it is to see you again?” She reached down to examine what remained of her seventy-five-dollar heels and moaned at the ruined shoe. He picked up her book and purse, handing them to her. “Thanks. I didn’t know that the best man’s job description included taking care of the maid of honor.”

“Not a bad description in my opinion. Trying to escape the wedding reception?”

Lindsey squeezed the paperback into her purse. “My feet are killing me, and I didn’t think anyone would notice if I slipped out for thirty minutes. Of course, I didn’t expect you to beat me to my favorite hideout.”

“Your favorite hideout?”

She looked at the wall-to-wall bookshelves filled with everything from Grisham to Hemingway to Peretti. “I’m still a bit of a bookaholic, and Sarah’s father has always given me unlimited access to this room.”

“Now that you mention it, I don’t think I can ever remember seeing you without a book.” He stole a glance at his computer. “If we’re confessing, I suppose I have to admit to becoming a bit of a workaholic the past few years.”

“I’d say so.” The blue light of a laptop glowed on the coffee table. Lindsey’s brow furrowed. “Working during your best friend’s wedding reception?”

“An emergency in Amsterdam.” His smile faded. “Looks bad, doesn’t it?”

She dismissed his concern with a wave of her hand, ignoring her gut reaction. Just because her father had taken up permanent residency inside the World Wide Web didn’t mean Kyle was also stuck there. This situation was completely different. Kyle had to make a living.

Lindsey slid forward to the edge of the couch to unbuckle the strap of her broken shoe, mentally reviewing what Sarah had told her about Kyle.

First of all, he was still single. She could practically hear Sarah’s voice in her head, announcing the fact.

Secondly, Kyle lived in D.C., splitting his time between Washington and London with an occasional trip to Hong Kong or Eastern Europe. The fact that he lived halfway across the country removed any pressure. After tonight, they’d probably never see each other again. Considering she’d just dumped a half pound of chocolate frosting on his shirt, he was probably glad.

Thirdly, Sarah had told her that he was extremely successful, running his own security company. This was a plus to many single girls, but it wasn’t high up on her list. Money was nice, but she wasn’t going to fall for a bank account even if there was a handsome man attached.

The bottom line was, while she might be tired of always being a bridesmaid, she was even more tired of the constant matchmaking schemes of Sarah and her other friends. Perhaps being single was simply God’s plan for her life.

Lindsey held up the broken heel and shook her head. She undid the second sling back and plopped her feet up on the coffee table. “Sarah told me you’ve gone into the security business.”

Kyle started shutting down his laptop. “I spent a few years working in international finance and couldn’t believe how lax security was. I saw a hole in the market and decided to start a company. We deal primarily in fraud investigation and financial security systems. We’re just now expanding here in Dallas, so this visit is part business, part pleasure.”

“Sounds like an interesting line of work,” she said, thinking that she wasn’t the slightest bit surprised that he’d made something of himself.

“The hours are a bit crazy some days, but I love the travel perks. Sarah told me you’re working for an adoption agency?”

She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Not quite as exciting as seeing the world, but I feel as if I make a difference.”

“I’m sure you do,” he said.

Lindsey looked away from those intense sea-blue eyes and tried to convince herself that the odd feeling in her stomach had everything to do with the romantic atmosphere of her best friend’s wedding—and nothing to do with being in the same room with Kyle Walker. Or perhaps the salmon hors d’oeuvres she’d indulged in from the buffet weren’t agreeing with her.

She shot him another glance and saw him looking at her intently. She felt her breath catch and that odd feeling swelled. Was it possible that for once Sarah’s intuitions had been on target?

Kyle was surprised that an hour and a half had already passed. He and Lindsey had swapped story after story as they caught up on the past few years. He’d forgotten how much he used to enjoy being around her, talking to her. The unique way she interpreted life had always captivated him.

“The last time I saw you, you were making plans to intern in D.C. for the summer. Did you ever go?” she asked.

“Yes, and I ended up working for that same firm after graduation.” He lost his train of thought for a second as he admired her toffee-colored eyes. “And the last time I saw you, if I remember correctly, you had just received an A minus on your algebra final.”

“All thanks to you and your brilliant tutoring. Fortunately for everyone, my career has little to do with mathematics.” With her bare feet propped up on the coffee table, she looked content and relaxed. “College seems like a lifetime ago, doesn’t it?”

He nodded. All except for that one day when he’d looked across a pile of math books at her and suddenly wondered what it would be like to kiss her. He’d be risking their friendship, but he thought it might be worth it. But before he’d had a chance to act on the notion, her mother’s cancer diagnosis had whisked her out of school. Out of school and out of his life. Missing his chance with Lindsey was one of his few regrets.

And now, all these years later, she was sitting across from him again, making him want to forget the urgent phone call from his coworker, Monday’s business meeting downtown and more importantly, the fact that he lived a thousand miles away. He hadn’t expected that seeing her again would dredge up these feelings and remind him of the dozens of times he’d wondered what would have happened if he’d asked her out all those years ago.

“The Star-Spangled Banner” played, jolting him back to reality.

Lindsey rummaged through her purse and then held up her cell phone. “You don’t mind, do you?”

“Not at all.”

He watched while she took the call, making a determined effort to rein in his unruly emotions. Somewhere between listening to his best friend say “I do” and watching him kiss his bride, Kyle had dropped off the edge of insanity. His life was fine. Complete. He didn’t need a woman to find happiness. He caught another glimpse of her beautiful eyes and wondered at the truth of that statement.

Lindsey’s face was pale as she flipped the phone shut.

Kyle leaned forward, sensing something was wrong. “What’s up?”

“That was the hospital. My father’s just been taken to the emergency room.”