Worth the Trouble(4)
“Pffft. Have you forgotten that I watched you two dance around each other on the island last July, each stealing glances at the other yet pretending your secret make-out session at Jackson’s party earlier that year never happened? So don’t tell me there’s not unfinished business there,” Vivi said. “The more you protest, the more sure I am.”
Cat laughed, unable to envision a more mismatched pair. Hank rooted in sincerity, and her flying around untethered to anything. She could only imagine what he must think of her and her way of life. “You’ve always had a vivid imagination.”
“I guess we’ll find out soon enough which one of us is right. See you shortly.” Vivi hung up before Cat could respond.
Even if some part of Cat still harbored a little crush on Hank, it didn’t matter. She’d chosen to walk away from the chemistry and easy bond they’d discovered that long-ago night at her brother’s. She winced, deeply regretting the cowardly way she’d snubbed him afterward to run back to Justin.
Vivi may have hoped Cat and Hank had unfinished business, but if last summer’s week on the island proved anything, it was that Hank had had enough self-respect not to chase after Cat. Danced around each other, my ass. They’d avoided each other—her from embarrassment, him out of pride.
Surely, in addition to her many other shortcomings, all of Cat’s prior behavior made her the absolute last woman Hank would ever consider dating now.
Mom,
You’ve been in my thoughts all morning, and I’m sure David is wishing you were here to witness this occasion.
I’m now dressed and ready to help Vivi prepare to walk down the aisle. She’s so good for David—quite the opposite of Justin’s effect on me. You loved me because I’m your daughter. But the fact I chose Justin for so long pretty much proves I don’t deserve someone who’s good for me, doesn’t it?
Too bad, because I saw Hank checking in this morning . . .
CHAPTER TWO
The violinist’s sharp note sliced through the air with the crisp breeze that caused Cat to shiver. Huddled near the corner of the seaside veranda, apart from the crowd, she was sipping her champagne cocktail when she felt Hank approach her from behind.
“They look happy.” The timbre of his masculine voice held an appealing soft note. Like everything else about him, his voice soothed.
Across the hotel’s expansive lawn that dipped toward the ocean, Cat watched David posing for photos with Vivi, her brother’s tender feelings evident in every gentle touch and kiss.
“They are.” Cat smiled, her gaze fixed on the newlyweds.
“Proof love exists,” he said, leaning in close to her ear.
“For some, anyway,” she muttered into her champagne flute, trying to ignore the way Hank’s body heat warmed her more effectively than a bonfire. Even as she willed herself to resist, her body swayed closer to his.
A faint puff of air brushed her hair when he chuckled. “For those willing to try.”
As she turned to meet Hank’s provoking gaze, her breath hitched at the memory of his blistering kiss—a memory that reawakened dormant parts of her anatomy.
“You mean those willing to play a game they’ve little chance of winning?”
“Not shocked you consider it a game.” He peered into his glass of whiskey, temporarily hiding his green-and-gold-flecked irises. She’d always thought those green eyes reflected his serenity, but tonight their sunny flecks blazed like tiny flames, hinting at a deep well of passion.
“Aren’t most things?” she replied, keeping a measured tone to cover even a hint of vulnerability.
A shadow of disappointment crossed Hank’s face. “That’s pretty jaded, even for you.”
She shrugged. Her adult life had been an unending chess match, one in which she’d learned to dodge the threat of checkmate.
Averting her eyes so he couldn’t read her thoughts, she glanced over Hank’s shoulder and noticed Vivi’s alcoholic father—a man who managed to spoil most of Vivi’s happy moments—stumble headlong into a cocktail table. “Oh, no. He’s going to embarrass her again.”
Hank turned toward the commotion. “I’m on it.”
Within seconds, he’d gripped Mr. LeBrun’s elbow and begun leading him away from the reception. Cat’s gaze followed the unlikely pair of men as they trudged across the porch.
Once they vanished from her sight, she looked once more toward the glittering sea. The timelessness of the tides lapping against the shore provided the perfect complement to David and Vivi’s abiding love.
Steady. Constant. And while she’d never admit it to Hank, inspiring.