The Bridesmaid's Best Man (6 page)

Angie's mouth opened and closed. She wasn't sure what to say. Cole knew that they had to stick close to the truth if they wanted this ruse to work. “I dated Angie in the past.”

“So he is your ex-boyfriend! That explains why you're hanging around during an obligatory hospital visit.” She gave Cole a thorough look. “Most one-night stands would find an excuse to get out of it.”

“I wasn't ready for the day to end,” Cole said as he rested his arm along the back of Angie's chair. “I had to convince her to bring me along.”

“Interesting.” She studied Angie with narrowed eyes. “I never thought Angie had that kind of pull.”

Cole frowned. Why did these women think he wouldn't be interested in Angie? Were they blind? Angie was the most sensual woman he knew. He could see it in every move, every smile.

“Want something to eat?” Angie suddenly asked, obviously determined to change the subject. “Danish?”

“No thanks.” She held her hand up. “Food allergies.”

Angie rested her arms on the table and leaned forward. “So what's this about you and Heidi being frenemies? Was it because of her drug use?”

Cole reached up and grabbed the tip of her ponytail. He gave it a sharp tug and hoped she understood his message. There were times when Angie's straightforward attitude was a disadvantage. She couldn't bulldoze her way into delicate discussions.

Cole could see Robin look at Angie with caution. “How do you know about that?”

Angie shrugged. “I've heard the rumors.”

Robin sighed and made a face. “Brittany could never keep a secret.” She looked around the café before she bent forward and spoke softly. “Yeah, Heidi made my life miserable in college. The lying, the stealing. I thought she had cleaned up, but then she winds up in the hospital after a drunken night. I guess I was wrong.”

“Sounds like a lot of drama,” Angie said sympathetically. “I can't imagine Brittany putting up with that.”

“She wouldn't normally, but Heidi was more a groupie than a friend. Brittany is always on the lookout to add to her entourage.”

Angie pursed her lips. “She wanted a minion.”

Cole gave another tug on Angie's ponytail. Angie silently responded by pulling her hair over her shoulder so he couldn't reach it. He flexed his fingers and held back.

He wished he could interrupt the conversation. Angie was getting Robin to talk but she was skating on thin ice. It was like watching someone on a tightrope. One wrong word and Robin would stop talking. Or worse, she would notice their interest in Heidi.

When he first took on this case, Heidi's family only wanted to locate her. He had been able to track her down so easily that he wondered if the family had even tried. Once he gave the information to his clients, he soon realized that finding her was only the beginning. What they really wanted from him was to do surveillance. He was supposed to follow Heidi and see if she was still having trouble with drugs and alcohol.

He didn't have a definitive answer and he needed to be sure before he gave his report. What if the family didn't welcome Heidi back because they didn't like the answer? Would they only repair the relationship if Heidi met certain conditions?

He needed to know the truth. A lot was at stake. Unfortunately, the investigation wasn't going as planned. The people who knew Heidi best only seemed to remember how she used to be. They gave no insight into her life today.

“Brittany knew that Heidi would put up with a lot of crap to be friends,” Robin explained as she took a sip of her coffee. “I think Heidi wanted to be part of everything.”

“That's why she agreed to be maid of honor even though she knew it was going to be an ordeal.” Angie tapped her hand on the table. “I wondered why anyone would willingly take on that role. Especially after getting that very demanding email that listed all of Brittany's expectations.”

“Oh, I bet Heidi jumped at the offer,” Robin said with feeling. “If anyone should be maid of honor, it should have been me. I'm the closest sorority sister to Brittany.”

Angie clucked her tongue. “You should have gotten the honor.”

Cole winced when he heard Angie's sarcastic emphasis on the word
honor,
but Robin didn't seem to clue in. He was beginning to wonder what had happened in the past year that made Angie bitter about weddings.

“I should have,” Robin agreed, “but I don't take orders very well. Heidi will do anything for Brittany and she knows it.”

Angie nodded slowly. “I'm sure that's it.”

“I should go see Heidi before visiting hours are up. Thanks for the coffee,” Robin told Cole before she gave him a speculative look. “Will you be at the wedding?”

“Yes, I insisted.”

“Interesting.” Robin seemed confused as she cast a look at Angie before returning her attention to him. “Save a dance for me,” Robin said before she strode away.

Cole waited until she left the café before he spoke to Angie. “That was a close call,” he said, his gaze still on the doorway.

“You mean about Heidi's past?” Angie asked. “It could have gone badly, but Robin assumes Brittany said something. She won't track it back to you.”

He hoped that was the case, but he wasn't sure how much Robin gossiped. She could relay everything to whomever would listen, or she might be the kind of person who held back pertinent information until she found the right—and most damaging—moment. “Don't you find it strange that Robin isn't maid of honor?”

“No,” Angie said as she sipped her coffee. “Robin may feel she's closest to Brittany, but that doesn't mean Brittany feels the same.”

“True.” But something didn't quite add up. He felt like he was missing something.

“Is everything okay?” Angie set her cup down and watched him carefully. “What are you thinking about? It doesn't look good.”

He shoved his hand through his hair and sighed with frustration. “There's something about last night but I can't remember.”

Angie reached out and patted his arm. “You'll get it.”

He wanted to cover her hand with his. Keep her there and soak in her encouragement. Angie always made him feel like he could accomplish almost anything if he worked hard for it. “Thanks for meeting me here. I appreciate it.”

She awkwardly drew her hand away. “You're welcome,” she mumbled as she took a hasty sip of her drink.

“You were very good at getting information out of the bridesmaids,” he said and watched Angie blush from his praise.

“I'd like to take all the credit, but Heidi and Robin love to talk about themselves and each other.”

“It's more than that,” he insisted. “It's like you understand the feminine psyche.”

Angie pressed her lips together and her mood shifted subtly. “I should hope so,” she said slowly. “I
am
a woman.”

He was fully and painfully aware of that. “You know what I mean.”

“Yes.” She nodded, then rolled her shoulders back and thrust out her chin. “You're amazed that someone like me can understand how a woman thinks.”

“That's not what I said at all. It's just that you're nothing like those women.” When she was around, he was oblivious to anyone else.

“That's true.” Angie suddenly stood up. Her face was pale and expressionless, as if she wore a mask. “I need to get going.”

Did he say something wrong? He was trying to compliment her but he made a mess out of it. “What's the rush?”

“Personal stuff,” she said, avoiding eye contact. “I'll see you around. Thanks for the kiss, er...coffee.”

“It was my pleasure,” he said. “Always.”

6

“I'
M
OPEN
!” A
NGIE
waved her hands in the air as she tried to get her basketball partner's attention. Tim, her opponent, bumped into her. Angie pushed back. The game was aggressive and close. She'd already gotten an elbow in the face during a jump ball. She gave as good as she got.

Angie was glad she didn't skip her weekly game. She needed the familiar sight of the dark green trees, the long stretches of thick grassy lawns and the faded basketball courts. She found comfort in watching the seniors on their benches, the kids running free and even the dog walkers, who tried to balance leashes, cell phones and coffee cups with only two hands. But most of all, she enjoyed being with her real friends. This was where she belonged.

She needed this, Angie decided as she wiped her sweaty hands against her long basketball shorts. It was good to take a break from dress fittings and bridesmaid meetings. And Cole. She definitely needed a break from him.

Angie frowned. She hadn't heard from him since the day before, at the hospital. That was good. That was what she wanted. It took her a year to get over that guy and she didn't want to go through another Cole detox.

But how was she going to forget that kiss? Angie bit her lip as she fought back the memory of Cole's mouth against hers. The kiss started out soft and teasing. She tried to hold back but then his kiss grew demanding. Or maybe she had demanded more. There was a moment when she wasn't sure who was in charge. She had tried to resist, but his kisses were better than she remembered. His touch still excited her. She never responded as wildly with another man.

Tim blocked her and Angie shook her head, trying to get her head back into the game. She dodged and Tim tried to grab her oversize shirt but failed. She wasn't as tall as her basketball buddies, but she made up for it with speed. “C'mon, Steve!” she yelled as she ran next to the basket. “Give it to me.”

“I'd throw it to you,” Steve said as he tried to set up a difficult shot from the three-point line, “but I'm afraid you'll break a nail.”

Angie smiled as the other guys laughed. “Why don't you come a little closer and I'll show you how strong my nails are.”

“Yeah, right— Hey!” Steven complained as Patrick stole the basketball. “Foul!”

Angie watched as her best friend sank the ball in the basket. She groaned and dropped her shoulders in disappointment. “Steve, next time throw me the ball.”

“It's much more fun teasing you,” he said.

“Be careful,” Angie warned. “You and I are walking together at the end of the wedding. I just may trip you.”

Steve's eyes widened with horror. “You wouldn't dare.”

She pushed her finger against his chest. “Don't tempt me.”

“You don't have anything to worry about,” Tim told Steve. “Angie has to wear high heels. She'll be too busy clinging onto you, never mind trying to trip you.”

“Clinging? Not going to happen,” Angie insisted as she made a face. “I've worn heels before.”

Tim and Steve gave each other a look of disbelief. “She's going to take the whole procession down,” Steve predicted to Tim. “It'll be one big pileup.”

“A stack of dominos,” Tim decided.

“I'm not listening.” She pressed her hands over her ears. “La-la-la-la.” She wouldn't tell them that the heels were a concern. She actually followed her mother's advice and had been practicing walking in her bridesmaid shoes. They were taller than anything she'd worn and she wasn't as graceful as she wished.

“Hey,” Patrick said as he bounced the ball to Angie and jerked his head to the park entrance. “Is that Cole Foster?”

Oh, damn
. She winced as she slowly turned to where Patrick indicated. Cole was walking through the city park and heading to the basketball courts. Her heart gave a jolt. He was dressed in a hoodie and jeans, warding off the cool Seattle breeze, but she remembered how strong and lean his body felt against hers.

“Yeah, that's him.” she answered weakly as pleasure, dark and heavy, settled low in her pelvis. How did he find her? It wasn't as if he would remember her schedule.

Patrick placed his hands on his hips. “What is he doing here?”

“You want us to get rid of him?” Tim offered.

“Uh...no.” Angie pressed her palms against the basketball. She dreaded having to tell her friends about Cole. They knew how much she had suffered when Cole left. She didn't talk about it but they had tried to keep life normal for her. They probably wouldn't believe she was back with him, but she couldn't tell them the whole truth. That this was merely pretend. Or at least, it was supposed to be. That kiss sure felt real.

“Really?” Steve asked. “We can do it. It's three of us against one of him.”

“No!” she said sharply and gripped the basketball tighter. She knew Cole could handle any situation but she still felt very protective of him. She had worried about him when he had been on the force. Cole's colleagues had told her stories about his heroism. The idea of him hurt or in trouble had plagued her, but she had learned to trust that Cole wouldn't take any unnecessary risks. She had known that his top priority was being with her, safe and sound at the end of the day.

“What's going on?” Tim asked. “You're acting weird.”

“I've been meaning to tell you guys.” She cleared her throat and spoke quickly. “Cole is my wedding date.”

“What?”
Steve said in a squawk. “Is this a joke?”

“It's the funniest thing.” She gave a nervous laugh and bent her head, concentrating on her dribbling technique. “I bumped into Cole and one thing led to another. And, I, uh...invited him.”

“Have you lost your mind?” Patrick asked, his deep voice booming.

“One too many basketballs to the head,” Tim muttered.

“You guys, it's fine.” She held up a placating hand as she watched Cole getting closer. “There are no hard feelings.”

Patrick shook his head. “Well,
you
may not have them, but we do.”

She tossed the basketball to the side and let it bounce away. “Patrick, I swear, do not—”

“Hey.” Cole gave a nod as he stepped on the basketball court. She saw the caution flicker in his eyes as he saw her friends form a protective wall in front of her. “Haven't seen you guys for a while.”

“Yeah,” Tim said as he puffed out his chest. “Not since you dumped Angie and broke her heart.”

“Tim!” She tried to step in front of Tim and Steve but they weren't budging.

“Now you're sniffing around her again?” Steve asked. “I don't like the sound of that.”

“You have no say in the matter,” Angie pointed out.

“I disagree,” Steve said. “I don't stand by quietly when someone hurts my friend.”

“I'm fine, you guys,” Angie repeated. She jumped but couldn't see over their shoulders. “No harm done.”

“Are you kidding?” Patrick looked back at her. “Cole played with your head. You don't date. You haven't looked at another guy since.”

“Okay! That's enough.” She jogged around her friends and held up her hands for them to stop. “I can take over now.”

“We got your back,” Tim told her. “If he's causing trouble, just let us know.”

“Thank you.” Angie pulled Cole's sleeve, silently encouraging him to walk away with her. “Ignore them,” she said quietly. “They get a little aggressive but it's all show.”

“Don't believe that for a second.” He looked over his shoulder and smiled at Tim's posturing. “Those guys would take a punch for you.”

“And they know I would take one for them.” Angie grimaced when she realized how unfeminine that sounded. If she wanted to remind Cole that she was a woman, then that was not the way to go.

Cole stopped when they were off the basketball court. “Is it true? That you don't date?”

Patrick and his big mouth! Angie felt the heat of embarrassment in her face. “He has a tendency to exaggerate when he's trying to make a point.”

Cole looked in her eyes and then abruptly looked away. “I didn't mean to hurt you,” he said solemnly.

“Yeah, I know.” Angie began to fidget. She didn't want to discuss how he broke her heart or how she'd never be the same. She believed she had found someone who adored her for who she was. She wasn't sure why that wasn't true.

“I had some personal stuff to get through,” Cole continued to explain. “I was hurting and the last thing I wanted to do was cause you pain. That's why I broke up with you but it turns out I hurt you, anyway.”

“Personal stuff?” Angie asked, crossing her arms. “Too personal that you couldn't share with your girlfriend? I knew you were holding back.”

Cole sighed and raked his hand through his hair. “I thought it was best to let you go than to drag you into it.”

Angie stepped around him so her friends couldn't see her anger. “You know, you may think that sounds all noble, but it's not. It's an insult. Do you think I'm fragile? That I couldn't have understood or helped you?”

“It wasn't something I could share.”

“And something you still don't feel like sharing. I get it.” He clearly didn't want to tell her even though it had come between them. Was still between them. Cole was always private but this was too much. “Why are you here?” she asked abruptly. “I'm in the middle of something.”

Cole hesitated. “I need a favor,” he mumbled.

Angie clenched her jaw and slowly shook her head. She wanted to refuse. Or tell him she would do him the favor only when he confided about his personal problem. Although if she tried that, there was no guarantee that he would tell her the truth.

Maybe her friends were right to form a wall between her and Cole. All he had to do was show up and she got sucked back into his world. She was reluctant to tell him to leave yet she knew that was the smarter move.

But the sooner she helped him, the quicker he would get out of her life. She could stop thinking about him and be able to concentrate on the things that were important to her. “You are going to owe me so big after this wedding. What's the favor?”

Cole squeezed his eyes shut as if he knew he was pushing his luck with her. “I need the invitation list for the bachelorette party.”

That wasn't the request she was expecting. “I don't think I can help you with that. I've never seen it and I didn't know many people at the party. Cheryl was in charge of all that.”

“Do you think you can get it from her?” Cole asked. “I want to see if anyone else from Heidi's past was at the party. There may have been other sorority sisters who had a grudge against her.”

She considered the best way to approach Brittany's assistant with a request. The woman looked sweet and friendly but Angie had seen during the wedding preparations that Cheryl could be stubborn. “I can call her or drop by Brittany's office, but I don't even have a reason to ask for the guest list.”

“You'll come up with something.” He reached out and wrapped his fingers around her wrist. “I know it.”

She was reluctant to pull away but she was sure he could feel her racing pulse under his touch. “Your faith in my abilities is misplaced.”

“No way.” He gradually brought her close until they almost touched. “I've seen you finish a marathon when you had nothing left. I've seen you build your business from nothing to a success. I've even seen you win an argument with your mother. You will come up with a brilliant excuse.”

“Fine,” she reluctantly agreed. She hated how much pleasure she felt when she saw his appreciative smile. “But you're coming with me. If I talk myself into a corner, you'll have to get me out.”

“I'm with you all the way.”

Yeah, right.
Angie broke from his hold.
We'll see about that.

* * *

C
OLE
STOOD
AT
Angie's side as they visited Brittany's office. The suite was probably as big as his agency but he still felt claustrophobic. The dark green walls in the front room made the place feel smaller. The floor was painted in black-and-white stripes and the bookshelves were crammed with magazines and catalogs.

He felt like a giant standing next to the delicate furniture. Cole wrinkled his nose and glanced at Angie. How could she chat effortlessly with the assistant and not keel over from the headache-inducing scented candles?

“I'm sorry?” Cheryl asked as she set down a pile of pastel—and probably scented—files. “You want to do what?”

“I want to get a hold of everyone from the bachelorette party and see if they'd like to chip in for a special gift for Brittany,” Angie replied with a bright smile. “It would make her feel better, like the bridal spa did. And what with Heidi in the hospital and all. Cole, don't you think Brittany needs a little pampering?”

“Absolutely.” But what the heck was a bridal spa? He felt as if he were in a different land, where they spoke a foreign language.

Cheryl gave him a cursory look. It was clear she didn't understand why he was accompanying Angie. It was time to sell the adoring-lover routine but Cole was slightly worried. He had gotten carried away when he kissed Angie the last time and she'd been pushing back ever since. Would she automatically reject his touch?

He had never taken Angie's affection for granted. He always knew that if he reached out his hand she would take it in hers. She knew how to arouse and how to comfort him with a simple touch. She could tease him during the day and at night she held him in her sleep. He'd never felt alone when she was in his life.

Cole hesitated before curling his arm around Angie's waist. He didn't realize he was holding his breath until she instantly leaned into his embrace.