Home > Married by Monday (The Weekday Brides #2)(9)

Married by Monday (The Weekday Brides #2)(9)
Author: Catherine Bybee

“Please,” Eliza pleaded. The sooner they started, the sooner it ended. Then maybe she could slip into the shadows. She’d yet to come up with a way to make up her “party foul” with Carter. The news had jumped on his “bar brawl” and painted him as a volatile candidate. Carter didn’t address the media even though they camped out at the hotel in search of a quote.

Sam lifted her heavy dress to avoid stepping on it as she walked by.

Half way down the stairs Eliza spotted Carter and Neil, both decked out in tuxedos with yellow ties. Carter smirked at something Neil said before Neil’s eyes found them.

Carter swiveled his head, and his smile fell as his gaze landed on her.

Eliza swallowed hard, attempting to ignore the building tension in her gut.

Carter took his place at the bottom of the stairs and waited. His eyes glanced over her before he stuck his arm out for her to take. He was stiff and unyielding.

This is going to be fun.

“Hey,” she managed without stuttering.

He offered a hey back, but averted his gaze to Neil. “Let’s get this moving,”

Gwen’s radiant smile beamed toward Neil, and she snuggled into his arm.

Neil pulled at his collar and nodded toward Carter.

The music outside started to play, and Eliza let Carter escort her down the hall.

As soon as she and Carter stepped into the aisle, his charming smile manifested, and he moved Eliza a little closer to him.

He finally allowed her a glance, but must have not liked what he saw. “You look lovely,” he said.

“You must be blind,” she whispered and smiled as she did.

Two photographers snapped pictures. One hired by Samantha, the other hand picked from the media. The camera seemed to focus an awful lot on the two of them.

Good thing Neil had the okay to delete any pictures he didn’t deem appropriate.

“You look like Daisy Duke. Very Texas,” he managed from the corner of his upturned mouth.

“Daisy Duke would be wearing cutoffs and showing her butt cheeks.” Eliza nodded toward one of her and Sam’s clients who was seated on her right.

Carter chuckled under his breath. More flashes of light arrested her senses.

He led her up to the front and held her hand briefly before letting go and taking his place beside Blake.

The ceremony was brief. A renewing of vows with a sprinkling of words of devotion spoken from both Sam and Blake.

And though the gown stuck to Eliza’s skin by the time they were done, a tiny bit of emotion clogged her throat. Samantha and Blake were very much in love and seeing them together gave Eliza a splattering of hope for humanity.

****

Eliza snagged a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, and Carter’s palms grew damp as she let the sweet beverage trickle down her throat.

He licked his lips while a shot of desire wedged in his gut and wouldn’t let go.

Kathleen nudged his arm. “Is that the girl from the pictures in the paper?”

Embarrassed he’d been caught staring, and if he were honest, lusting, after a woman other than the one he’d arrived with, Carter turned to his date. “The woman with the dark hair?” he asked, forging innocence.

Kathleen offered a wan smile. “I’m not a fool.”

No, Kathleen wasn’t that. “Yes, that’s her.”

His date took a moment to stare over her glass. “She’s very beautiful, despite that awful dress.”

He nearly laughed and twisted his head toward Eliza again. He thought of her comment about cutoffs and butt cheeks and felt some of the week’s tension lift. “I suppose.”

“Suppose? Please, Carter, you’ve hardly taken your eyes off her all night.”

Damn. “I’m overloaded since the bar incident. Seeing her and Gwen again has my thoughts turned around.” Which wasn’t a lie. Only it wasn’t Gwen who fueled his apprehension.

Kathleen placed a hand on his forearm and managed a half smile. “I think it might be more than that.”

He started to shake his head and she stopped him. “Tell me, do you think you have the same chances today as you did last week to win in November?”

“We’ll start damage control tomorrow.”

“But you’re not as sure any longer?”

Kathleen’s blue eyes met his.

“I’m not sure.” He might have to wait another four years for the opportunity to clear his image.

She sighed and tilted her head. “You know what you need?”

“No, tell me.”

“You need a new scandal to overshadow the old. Something noble. With an impact of a soldier coming home from war.”

Perhaps.

The back of Carter’s neck tickled with awareness. He twisted and noticed Eliza shift her eyes away suddenly.

When he turned back to Kathleen, she shook her head and lowered her eyes. “This isn’t working for me, Carter.”

He stared at her for a long moment, neither of them speaking. Memories of their short time together flashed and were finished in less than a minute. He wanted to feel something with her declaration and he did. She was calling an end to their dating and he was relieved.

“I’m sorry,” was all he could say.

Kathleen lifted her head high, leaned in, and kissed his cheek. “Goodbye, Carter.” She turned and walked away.

****

It wasn’t her business.

She didn’t care.

Eliza noticed Carter’s beautifully polished date slip away from his side. The woman was clingy. Not something Eliza thought he’d admire in a woman. Apparently, she was wrong.

   
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