Teresa Carpenter - The Best Man and The Wedding Planner

He needed to stick close to her if this sabotage was going to work. He’d do his best to protect her as he went forward, but if it came down to a choice between her job and the happiness of the man who meant more to him than family, he’d choose Tony every time. No matter how pretty the wedding planner.

He’d revealed more about himself than he meant to, than he ever did really. But her attitude toward parental problems appealed to him: do what you can and move on. How refreshing to find someone who understood and accepted that not all parents were perfect. Many people didn’t get along with their parents but most loved and respected them.

He tolerated his parents, but he wasn’t willing to make a total break, which probably meant he harvested hope for a better relationship at some point. He couldn’t imagine what might bring it about so he pretty much ignored them except when he was on the east coast or at a family function requiring his presence.

Next to him Lindsay sipped champagne and flipped through the movie choices. The dim lights caught the gold in her light brown hair. She had the thick mass rolled up and pinned in place but soft wisps had broken free to frame her face. He wondered how long the confined tresses would flow down her back. Her creamy complexion reminded him of the porcelain dolls his mother collected, complete with a touch of red in the cheeks though Lindsay’s was compliments of the champagne.

She shot him a sideways glance, a question in her pretty baby blue eyes.

He realized she’d asked a question. “Sorry. I got lost in looking at you.”

A flush added to the red in her cheeks and a hand pushed at the pins in her hair. “I asked if you preferred the comedy or the World War One drama.” She turned back to the screen, fidgeted with the buttons. “But maybe I should just go back to my seat.”

“No. Stay. This is my celebration, after all.”

She glanced at him through lush lashes. “Okay, but you’ll have to behave.”

“I’ll have you know my mother raised me to be a gentleman.”

“Uh-huh.” She made the decision for them with the push of a button. “That might be reassuring, except I doubt you’ve been under your mother’s influence for quite some time.”

He grinned and reached up to turn off the overhead light. “Very astute, Ms. Reeves.”

* * *

Lindsay came awake to the rare sense of being wrapped in warm, male arms. She shot straight up in her seat, startling the man she cuddled against. His whiskey-brown eyes opened and blinked at her, the heat in his slumberous gaze rolling through her like liquid fire.

Escape . Now . The words were like a beeping alarm going off in her head.

“Can you let me out?” She pushed away from him, gaining a few inches and hopefully reinforcing the message to move. Now.

“Is the movie over?” He reined her in with an easy strength. His broad chest lifted under her as he inhaled a huge breath and then let it go in a yawn.

“Yes. This was fun.” Too much fun. Time to get back to the real world. “But I need to get past you.” He tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear instead of moving. The heat of his touch called for desperate measures. “I’ve got to pee.”

He blinked. Then the corner of his mouth tipped up and he stood. “Me, too.” He helped her up and gestured for her to go first.

“You go ahead,” she urged him. “I want to grab a few things to freshen up with.”

“Good idea.” He opened the overhead compartment and grabbed a small bag. “Can I help you get anything?”

“Thank you, no.” She waited until he wandered off to gather what she needed from her tote.

The attendants had performed her turndown service so both beds were down for the night. She automatically checked the garment bag holding the royal wedding dress. It lay nicely in place, undisturbed since the last time she checked. She bent to retrieve her tote from under the seat in front of hers and decided to take the bag with her. Strap looped over her shoulder, she hurried down the aisle.

It was after one and the people she passed appeared to be out for the count. Even the attendants were strapped in and resting. Good. Lindsay intended to take her time. She wanted Zach to be back in his seat and sound asleep when she returned.

He was too charming, too hot, too available for her peace of mind. She hadn’t needed to hear his views on marriage to know he was single. From her research she’d already gathered he had commitment issues. The only hint of an engagement had been back in his college days.

She’d found that snippet of information because she’d been researching his history with the prince. They’d both been going to Harvard’s school of business but they’d met on the swim team. They both broke records for the school, Zach edging out Antonio with a few more wins. Antonio explained those extra wins came from Zach’s longer reach. In the picture accompanying the article it was clear that Zach had at least three inches on all his teammates.

Tall, dark and handsome. Tick, tick, tick. The stereotype fit him to a tee, but did little to actually describe him. He was brilliant yet a terrible flirt. Could apologize when he was wrong and laugh at himself. But it was the touch of vulnerability surrounding his desire for his parents’ approval that really got to her. She understood all too well the struggle between respect and love when it came to parents.

Bottom line: the man was dangerous. Way out of her league. And a distraction she couldn’t afford. She may be headed for one of the most beautiful places on earth, but this was so not a vacation. She needed to stay sharp and focused to pull off the wedding of the century.

Face washed, teeth brushed, changed into yoga pants and a long-sleeved T-shirt, she glanced at her watch. Twenty minutes had passed. That should be enough time. She gathered her clothes and toiletries and tucked them neatly into her tote before making her way quietly back to her seat.

Zach lay sprawled on his bed. He was so tall he barely fit; in fact, one leg was off the bed braced against the floor. No doubt he had a restless night ahead of him. For once she’d sleep. Or pretend to. Because engaging in middle-of-the-night intimacies with Zach Sullivan could only result in trouble. Trouble she couldn’t afford.

Climbing into her bed, she pulled the covers around her shoulders and determinedly closed her eyes.

She had this under control. She’d just ignore the man. If she needed something from the groom, she’d get it from the palace representative or Christina. There was no need for her to deal with Zach Sullivan at all. That suited her fine. She’d learned her lesson.

No more falling into the trap of self-delusion because a man paid a little attention to her. But more important—work and play did not go together.

* * *

“There must be some mistake.” Lindsay advised the car-rental clerk. “I made my reservation over two months ago.”

“ Scusa . No mistake. My records show the reservation was canceled.”

“That’s impossible,” Lindsay protested. Exhaustion tugged at her frayed nerves. This couldn’t be happening. With everything she needed to do for the wedding, she absolutely required a vehicle to get around. “I had my assistant confirm all my reservations a week ago.”

The clerk, a harried young man, glanced at the line behind her before asking with exaggerated patience, “Perhaps it is under a different name?”

“No, it is under my name.” She gritted her teeth. “Please look again.”

“Of course.” He hit a few keys. “It says here the reservation was canceled last night.”

“Last night? That doesn’t make any sense at all. I was in the middle of a transatlantic flight.” Enough. Arguing did her no good. She just wanted a car and to get on the road. “You know it doesn’t matter. Let’s just start over.”