"What? What?"
"You're only wearing shoes."
"So are you! Put me down! I can't project a stern and forbidding demeanor when you're carrying me. Down, down, or they'll get by us."
The minute he set her down, she was off. In a kind of lope, Carter thought. A long-legged gazelle leaping through the snow. He wasn't graceful, he knew. But he was fast when he had to be.
He passed her. Carter figured his ungainly slide on the path, thanks to his now ruined and snow-slicked shoes, cut back on the impact of the barrier, but he blocked the forward motion of the furious best man and his current amore.
"I'm sorry. Mr. and Mrs. Lester have expressly ordered that Ms. Poulsen not be admitted to this event."
"She's with me, and we're going in."
Not just furious, Carter noted, but a little bit drunk. "Again, I'm sorry, but we have to respect the wishes of the bride and groom."
Just slightly out of breath, Mac reached them. "You were told, specifically and repeatedly, that your friend here isn't allowed."
"Donny." Roxanne tugged on Donny's sleeve. "You said it was all right."
A combination of anger and embarrassment heated Donny's face. "It's all right because I say it is. It's my brother's wedding, and I can bring whoever I want to bring. Meg's bent, and that's too bad. But she doesn't run my life. Out of my way." He jabbed a finger at Mac and Carter. "You're just the hired help."
"She's not going in," Mac said. Too many trips to the bar, Mac calculated, so his ego, his pride, his resentment all swam in a pool of alcohol.
Where the hell was the backup?
"You just said it yourself, it's your brother's wedding. If she's more important to you than his happiness today, then you can turn around and go with her. This is private property, and she's not welcome at this time."
"Donny." Roxanne tugged at his arm again. "There's no point-"
"I said you're with me." He whirled back to Mac. "Who the hell do you think you are? You don't tell me about my brother. Now move!" Temper ripe in his eyes, he planted a hand on Mac's shoulder and shoved.
Like a flash, Carter stood between them. "Don't touch her again. Now, you're drunk, and you're obviously stupid so I'll factor that in. You need to cool off and calm down, because you really don't want to do this."
"You're right. I want to do this."
He smashed his fist into Carter's face. Carter's head snapped back, but he didn't give ground. Roxanne squealed, Mac cursed. Before she could leap forward, Carter pushed her back behind him.
"She's not going in. You're not going back in. All you've proven is that you're too selfish to think of anyone but yourself. You've embarrassed Ms. Poulsen, and that's a shame. But you're not going to get the opportunity to embarrass your brother and his wife today. Now you can leave on your own, or I can help you with that."
"Why don't we all help him with that?" Del said as he and Jack flanked Carter.
"I don't think there's any need for that." Parker clipped down the path, then muscled her way through. She stood, an ice queen in Armani, and stared down the best man. "Is there, Donny?"
"We've got better things to do. Come on, Roxie. This place is a dump anyway."
"I'll make sure they leave." Del shook his head in disgust. "Go on back in. How's the face, Carter?"
"It's not the first time I've had a fist smash into it." He wiggled his jaw experimentally. "It always hurts though."
"Ice pack." Parker watched the CBBM and SBP's departure with cold eyes. "Emma."
"Come with me, Carter."
"It's all right. Really."
"Ice pack." Parker's tone brooked no nonsense. "I'll signal the all-clear, and let's get back inside. Nobody hears about this."
"Did you see what he did?" Mac murmured.
"He who?" Del asked.
"Carter. He just . . . Every time I think I have him figured out, he shifts on me. It's confusing."
Somebody else had it bad, Del noted as Mac hurried down the path to finish her job.
IT TOOK NEARLY TWO HOURS BEFORE MAC COULD FINISH AND track Carter down in Laurel's kitchen. He sat alone in the breakfast nook, reading. As she came in, he glanced up, took off his glasses. "All clear?"
"More or less. I'm sorry it took so long. Carter, you should've gone home. It's after midnight. I should've gotten word back to you. Oh, your poor face." She winced at the bruise on his jaw.
"It's not so bad. But we decided I should stay here. If I'd come back out, I might've had to explain how I came by this." He touched his fingers gingerly to the bruise. "I'm terrible at lying, so this was simpler. Plus, as promised, there was cake."