After several more drinks, the party eventually made its way to the dance floor. Though I’d known for a fact they’d had their fair share to drink, the energy surrounding them seemed to be more of that contagious kind that consumed people when alcohol and music pulsed through their bodies. I’d know since I saw it pretty much every weekend. But what had really drawn my eyes to the center of the room was the guest of honor herself. Audrey, if I’d remembered correctly. Somewhere along the way she’d loosened up and all that demureness that I’d seen at the bar had vanished.
With a laugh, she tugged at her shirt as if fanning herself from the heat of the dance floor. She then ran her hand across her forehead and frowned. One of the other girls said something and shrugged. The bachelorette’s frown reversed into a smile then widened as she reached up, yanked the veil off, followed by the sash and then handed each to her friend. She held up one finger as if to gesture be right back then disappeared down the hall leading to the bathrooms.
I busied myself with wiping down counters and restocking cups but couldn’t help but worry when she didn’t return. I glanced down the hall. Scoured the dance floor a few times, and finally decided she’d fallen victim to too much alcohol. I’d give her some time. Hope that one of her friends had gone looking and helped her, but either way, I’d send a waitress in after a while to double-check.
About ten more minutes passed and I was doing my final scan of the floor before sending a search party when my gaze landed on a girl. But not just any girl. Something was familiar yet different, and I couldn’t look away.
She was far from obnoxious like the two girls to her right. Nor was she begging for attention like the brunette to her left. No. It was so much more. Something about the way she moved, smiled, laughed…well, it demanded my attention. And I didn’t intend to stare but, to be honest, I was mesmerized.
Wavy hair hung loosely around her shoulders and seemed to move with every turn of her body. Unfortunately, her back was to me only allowing occasional glimpses of her profile. But I remained steadfast, my gaze locked on this hypnotic girl until finally she spun around and our eyes met.
Why did I know those brown eyes? That face? The sweet turn of her lips? Where did I know her from? So many people came in and out of the bar on any given night, I’d surely met her before but it was interesting that my brain had chosen to remember her, considering it didn’t seem to think it was important to remember when I met her, just that I had. Far from helpful.
She cocked an eyebrow and she stared back…her smile dancing across her lips as if threatening to fade but tempted to linger as well. And hell if it wasn’t sexy.
Then another girl walked, well more like stumbled up to her, and planted the veil on her head.
I blinked. My brain trying to process what was slowly becoming clear to me.
And then my mouth twitched into a grin as it all clicked into place.
I was staring at the real future Mrs. Audrey McDaniels.
She closed the distance between the dance floor and the bar with only a few quick steps.
“Um, judging by the way you’re looking at me. I should probably switch to water.”
What? How had I been looking at her? Mesmerized was the only word I could think of though she seemed to be leaning toward something more judgmental. I guess bartenders were notorious for cutting people off who’d had too much to drink but that had been the last thing running through my mind at the moment.
I pulled out a glass and filled it with ice water then slid it across the bar.
“Just didn’t recognize you, to be honest.”
Her eyebrows raised then she quickly ran her hand through her hair and grinned. “Oh. Yeah. That. It was a wig. A disguise.” She laughed, but it sounded more nervous than humorous. “The girls, well, they knew I was worried about what my future family would think and all the pictures and small-town stuff, so they came up with this crazy idea to make me…um, not me.”
She laughed again though still not convincing me that she found any of her story actually funny.
“So you were incognito?” I smiled, hoping to lighten the mood and convince her I wasn’t there to judge or blow her cover.
“Yeah? I guess. I mean, it was me, and all that but I was just hoping to be a little less recognizable. The family I’m marrying into, well, they have an image to maintain and I should be…you know…but I got hot.” She shook her head. “This party was a bad idea.”
“Hey, stop that. You’re getting married. You’re having fun. It’s a celebration. You’ve done nothing to worry about. Hell, you’re the best behaved bachelorette I’ve had yet.”