His Southern Sweetheart (11 page)

“It depends.” Amelia shrugged her shoulders. “If I'm working as a field producer, the perfume ad for the Ruizes kept me pretty busy since we were filming out on location. The ads for the perfume were going to be shown on an upcoming episode. I'd have to film every moment of their lives, including getting into their rooms before they woke up.”

“Sounds boring.”

“To most,” said Amelia, “it might. But I campaigned to be on their show. Their storyline is incredible and not one typical in the realm of reality shows.”

“Because they're not simply beautiful people, but also business folks, as well?” he asked and immediately explained. “Turns out the sixteen-year-old watches your show and she loves them.”

“Well, you have to love the Ruizes,” said Amelia.

Nate propped his elbows on the table. “No, I don't. I know them, remember?”

“Oh, yes,” Amelia said, grinning sheepishly. “You were going to tell me why your brother and Natalia were meeting that night.”

“Nice try.” He shook his head.

Amelia rolled her eyes. “Damn.”

“Maybe she'll be in town for the Crystal Coquí Ball,” he said, smiling over the rim of his coffee. “By the way, my mother is looking forward to meeting you. She already worships the ground you walk on.”

Heart speeding up, Amelia shook her head back and forth. “What?”

“My ma believes everyone needs to be introduced to the Puerto Rican life, and you're a pioneer in her eyes, thanks to your show,
Azúcar
. So, Labor Day weekend you're coming with me.”

The way he stated she'd come with him somehow excited Amelia. A flash of desire quivered in the pit of her belly. The last thing she wanted was to allow him to think his machismo turned her on, so she rolled her eyes and took another sip of her coffee. She was surprised how naturally the rest of their conversation grew. She learned more about his family and the girls. Kimber was a handful and Philly had him wrapped around his finger. Nate didn't elaborate on why he had not attended college after his high school graduation and she for once didn't press the issue. Amelia wondered if she would have wanted to go off to another school right after enduring a campus shooting. The story editor in her wanted to create a reunion of everyone affected by the school shooting. Had any of the survivors sought the arms of a fellow survivor, and had the relationship lasted? Did anyone stay in town after the shooting? Judging from the twitch in Nate's jaw whenever she alluded to the event, she figured it best to leave her ideas alone.

After they shared a few stories and two cups of coffee, Amelia headed upstairs to shower, offering Nate the bathroom downstairs. Ready to spend more time with Nate, Amelia dressed in a pair of ivory lace shorts and a matching short-sleeve top, and since she was heading to a glam shop, she put on some heels. Nate greeted her with a whistle and met her at the bottom of the steps with a kiss. He'd changed out of his jeans into a pair of khaki cargo shorts and a button-down preppy green Oxford opened at the throat. For a man, his feet, encased in a pair of tan canvas flip-flops, looked pretty damn good.

In the span of forty-eight hours since Nate had arrived on the property after following her, they'd gone from awkward silence to a passionate episode in his car to now holding hands as he drove down the back streets toward town. Dread no longer flashed in the pit of her stomach as the folks walking down the street waved. She didn't think about what anyone had to say to her about her past. The only thing that concerned her was what Nate's beloved family would think of her.

Any indication they might hold some form of resentment against her was washed away the moment the bells over the door of Lexi's shop chimed and everyone cooed all over her. For starters, Lexi was a dream. Amelia slightly remembered seeing photos of her in the gossip headlines about a scandalous beauty queen. Whatever Lexi's past, Amelia had no room to judge, especially when the tall blonde towered over her and wrapped her arms around her shoulders.

“I am so happy to finally meet you,” Lexi Pendergrass said dramatically. “It's about time someone else starts a ruckus around here besides me.”

At the beauty queen's emphasis on
finally
, Amelia glanced nervously over Lexi's shoulder toward Nate. As Lexi pulled back and straightened, she shook her head. “Didn't Nate tell you about all the trouble I've stirred up around here?”

“I don't get into the gossip.” Nate rolled his eyes toward Amelia.

“I've had my own brush with Southwood scandals,” Amelia said.

A tall, beefy man literally waltzed over to them. “Southwood Scandals,” he said. “I like it. Andrew Mason, at your service.”

“Nice to meet you, Andrew.” Amelia took the man's meaty hand. “I'm Amelia Marlow.”

“Oh, girl, I know all about you,” Andrew gushed. “I've followed your career since your show,
The Real Divas of College Park.
”

A warmth of embarrassment rose from Amelia's chest to her cheeks. “Not one of my finest.”

“What's this?” Nate leaned back to get a better look at her.

“One of the first shows I produced.”

“With the cattiest women in the world,” Andrew interjected. “But the best times were when you had to step on camera and yank those women apart. Talk about a weave war.”

Lexi cocked her head to the side and grinned. “You're embarrassing her, Andrew. Go away.” She took Amelia by the arm and led her through the rows and racks of dresses—not ones Amelia thought were appropriate for a wedding. “Don't fear. I'm in the middle of remodeling.”

A good storefront makeover was what Lexi apparently needed. For starters, she had too many dresses in one area, separated by colors. Amelia practically walked through a rainbow before Lexi brought her to the back of the store to a set of steps.

“I've got some dresses up here.”

Amelia followed Lexi up a set of wrought-iron stairs winding their way up to an open-floored loft. All types and sizes of mannequins filled the room with different styles of dresses. Short dresses made for children, long, prom-style dresses and wedding gowns hung in clear plastic wrap from satin hangers.

“Did you sew all of these?” Amelia asked in awe.

“I did.” Lexi nodded and surprised Amelia by blushing. “I wish my niece didn't leave for school early. We call her the Dress Whisperer. Oh, I have a great idea. Stand over there.” Lexi spoke a mile a minute and pointed toward the red couch shaped like a pair of lips.

Reluctantly Amelia stood by the couch. A gold-laminated oval mirror hung over the brick wall behind the couch. Lexi stood in front of her and used her phone to take a photo of Amelia. The flash blinded her momentarily.

“Sorry, but I'm going to send this to Jolene.”

“Your niece?”

Nodding, Lexi waved her hand to the couch and gracefully folded herself into a director's chair. “Tell me about yourself, Amelia. Nate mentioned over the phone about you being from here but not wanting to come back.”

“Well,” Amelia started, not wanting to offend. Lexi hadn't grown up in Southwood like she did. Lexi's parents were well-off and sent her away to boarding school out of state; she came home to Southwood with her friends for the summer. She'd come back and made something of herself. “I'm not fond of being back here.”

“Bad memories?”

“Let's say I don't expect to be inducted in the town's hall of fame any time soon.”

“Girl, you either?” Lexi slapped her long leg. “And my folks are on the committee.”

Amelia decided she liked Lexi and her spunk. “So are you in the pageant business or the wedding business?” She waved her hand toward the mannequin with the long white train.

“Both. Right now the pageant world is hot but it's about to die down since school's started. I've always loved to sew, and original pageant dresses are the way to go for a one-of-a-kind.”

“O-O-A-K.”
Amelia grinned.

“You know your pageant terminology.”

Amelia shook her head and confessed, “I know my reality show competition. Why haven't you been on one of the shows?”

“No way. Those shows take away the good and put an evil spin on something innocent.” Lexi's hand covered her mouth. “I'm so sorry,” she mumbled.

“No offense taken,” Amelia said with a laugh. “A lot of shows do prey on people. I can't say I've never gotten my hands dirty when I started but I'd like to think I've grown.”

“With Natalia Ruiz's show?”

Aware now of the history between Natalia and Nate's brother, Amelia pressed her lips together. Of course Lexi saw the story on the Real-A-Tea blog—as well as Amelia's oversight. The irresponsible anonymous blogger was a bane in everyone's existence. The person behind the computer screen had a mole at every reality show.

Before growing angry again, Amelia swallowed her feelings. “Yes.”

“She's a beautiful woman.”

“She is,” Amelia agreed. Amelia studied the beauty queen's face for a moment and tried to gauge a read. Nate was still tight-lipped about the reason Natalia had met with Stephen. Did Lexi know? “You're not worried about her and Stephen?”

“Nah.” Lexi waved off the notion without a wrinkle in her face. “What I am worried about is the Keaton wedding.”

Ah, a girl concerned with business first
. Amelia liked her even more. “Are you afraid something is going to happen?”

“Well, I've had a lot of rave reviews and new customers brought in because of the pageant business, but the last wedding dress I believe jinxed me.”

The ivory dress on the mannequin with its sweetheart neckline and full skirt was beautiful. Every intricate stitch was perfect. “I swear I won't attend the wedding.” She held two fingers together in the air.

“Not
you
,” said Lexi, reaching out and playfully waving off the notion with a flick of her wrist. “You better come. We're about to pick out the best dress, if Jolene will ever text back. I'm talking about the last dress I made. The bride disappeared.”

Amelia pressed her lips together and watched through half-closed eyes as Lexi fretted. “What do you mean disappeared?”

“I mean, slipped out the back door and no one has heard from her.”

“Where was this wedding?” Amelia sat up straight. “Was this in Orlando?”

“Yes, how did you know?”

“When I'm not working, I live there in an apartment. Well, used to.” Amelia shook her head to get to the point. “Are you talking about the Ramos-Montenegro wedding?”

“You know Grace?” Lexi's mouth gaped open.

“I know the groom, well, the-would-have-been-groom, Ricardo.” Amelia sank into the cushions of the red couch and briefly explained her job at MET and how they were going to document the life of the young congressman, and the footage filmed leading up to the wedding and the ceremony itself would be aired on their network. Amelia had offered to edit the footage, but with the bride disappearing, her project had ended. She'd pitched an idea to Rory about trying to find the bride, a local chef, but Rory thought it was too soon.

“So you edit film?”

“I used to. I have a team who pores over the twenty-four hours of footage and then comes up with a storyboard for a forty-four minute show.”

Lexi perked up. “But you have experience.”

“Sure. Do you need help with something?”

“Well,” Lexi said, nodding eagerly, “my assistant, Chantal, has been following Emily and her fiancé around all week, leading up to the wedding. I'm determined to put something nice together for them but I'm afraid I'm going to overdo it on the footage or ramble. I don't want the video to be boring.”

Flattered, Amelia nodded. “I'd be honored to don my story producer crown to help.”

“You're already familiar with the terminology.” The beauty queen beamed.

“Let's get some tea while we wait for Jolene.” Lexi stood and rubbed her hands against her pink slacks. “I don't have to explain there's sugar in it, do I?”

“Hell no.”

“Ugh,” Lexi moaned playfully and held her hand out to help Amelia to her feet. “Those Reyes men, gotta love 'em, eh?”

Love? Hmm, nah.
Amelia shook off the notion and allowed Lexi to lead her into the kitchen. Love didn't happen in the span of forty-eight hours. She'd tried putting two weeks of footage once into a believable fairy tale of falling in love in two days—completely unbelievable.

Chapter 8

“Y
ou're smiling,” said Stephen Reyes, leaning against his brother's shoulders to state the obvious.

Nate's eyes swept over the toothy grin across Amelia's face, laughing at whatever one of her friends just whispered in her ear. Shrugging his brother's hand off, Nate rose from his spot on the couch, careful not to knock over the low round table filled with drinks of various sizes in Southern Charm's VIP section.

Amelia Marlow sauntered toward him the only way Amelia could—seductively. He'd spotted her the moment she walked into the club, flanked by Lexi and Amelia's cousin and looking more suited for a music video than a combined bachelor and bachelorette party. With the exception of the groom, every single man in the club had damn near broken his neck—in Nate's eyes—for a peek at Amelia and her gorgeous long legs. Her height didn't measure up to her cousin's or Lexi's, but she held her head high as a princess. The sway of her hips had his head moving from side to side. A strange brew of jealousy and desire twisted in his gut. He didn't play the jealous type; however, his body craved another taste of Amelia. When he recognized the combination, Nate started to regret agreeing to come, but now he was pleasantly surprised.

“Nice to see you out,” Amelia's strawberry-tinted lips mouthed. “Enjoying yourself?”

The contemporary song bounced off the speakers in all four corners of the VIP room. The volume made hearing her next to impossible, which Nate appreciated. Amelia stopped a half an inch from him, bringing along with her a sweet berry scent. His mouth watered but not for the fruit.

“I am now,” he answered. Instinctively his arms went around her shoulders. She pressed her light-colored fingernails against the fabric of his black T-shirt. The soft touch evoked an automatic erection, which strained against the fabric of his tan chinos. Nate cleared his throat. “I am surprised you came tonight.”

“I hadn't planned on coming out,” Amelia said with a grim smile, “but since you kicked me out of the house I didn't have many choices.”

“I didn't kick you out,” said Nate, making air quotes with his fingers. “I just needed to concentrate on finishing up the work.”

“Thanks for kicking her out.” Lexi danced her way over to the two of them, wrapping her arms around their shoulders. “I needed to get out of my apartment, too.”

Cay came over, slapped her arms around Amelia and Nate's shoulders, as well. “Whew, I needed to get out of the house. Those kids were driving me nuts.”

“Don't talk about my babies.” Amelia winked at Nate. The corners of his mouth twisted with relief as she flirted with him. “She forgets she left the house last week.”

“Don't forget—” Cay rolled her eyes “—you left me to find my own way home.”

A sweet, champagne-scented breath blew across his face when Amelia sighed in sarcasm. “I did you a favor. I called Gregory to come and get you. Don't try and tell me the two of you did not take advantage of an evening alone.”

Gregory, the man Nate was introduced to earlier by Stephen, walked over to the group and asked his wife to dance. Stephen took the cue and led Lexi off. Alone, Nate wrapped his arms around Amelia's waist. “I like what you're wearing.”

“It's a romper.” Amelia stepped out of his arms to twirl her frame. “Lexi insisted I get it.”

“She does know her fashion.” Nate made a mental note to thank his future sister-in-law.

“Yes.” Amelia stepped back into his arms. “But does she know how to take this off?”

Nate raised a brow. “Already trying to get naked for me?”

As a licensed contractor and real estate agent, Nate did not like the idea of milking the time on one project. The forty hours Amelia had paid for had gone by quicker than expected, especially since the episode Monday in the front seat of his SUV. Nate had decided he'd refrain from taking advantage of Amelia until he finished the job. He had diligently worked his forty hours, finishing up this morning when he turned off the engine of the cement truck at five. Now when Helen Marlow came home Monday morning, she'd get inside with the ramp hidden behind her bushes right up to her porch.

Had it not been for the rain, the job may have been done earlier. A part of Nate was thankful for the bad weather. It had given him a chance to help Amelia with some heavy lifting and get to know her better. Besides rearranging the furniture, they'd sorted through the items in the breezeway. Amelia reminisced over each piece of equipment from her family's business. It suffered the most when the locals stopped coming in for ice cream. Eventually, her parents had to shut the shop down. His heart ached at the sound of the pain in her voice.

Trying to maintain his gentlemanly reputation over the last three days with Amelia had been hard.
Literally.
Tuesday evening, Amelia had bent fully over into the deep freezer, trying to find a container of homemade ice cream. Her lace shorts roamed his dreams that night—at least the pieces he imaginarily shredded off her frame did. Wednesday morning, she had stepped out onto the porch in the smallest pair of denim shorts ever and a bright yellow halter top. She'd had the nerve to break out an old-fashioned ice-cream maker and wrap her legs around the brown wooden bucket as she turned the crank; Nate should have been inducted into sainthood. Hearing the shower every morning drove him insane with the temptation to peep through the barn's window. At least he sought a bit of mental revenge by bringing Amelia daisies every day. She might not have had any idea why he chose the flowers and in a sick twisted way it satisfied him even more.

“No one is trying to get naked for you. You're crazy.” Amelia laughed, pressing her hand against his beating heart, bringing him out of his trance. Did she feel the way his heart beat for her? Nate glanced down to where her hands curled against his chest.

Nate cleared his throat and willed his body to stay in control with the mental image of Amelia stepping out of this romper in front of him while he sat in a chair. The only thing he focused on was the spot on her glass where her lips curled. Nate took her by the hand and led her back to the low table where he and a few of the guys were sitting. A waitress came by and took away the empty glasses and wiped up the wet circles where the glasses had sweat.

“Are you having fun tonight?” Amelia turned toward him in the couch. She pulled her right leg up onto the couch to angle herself better to see him. Nate's eyes grazed over the triangle she made with her legs. The hem of the shorts rolled up, offering a view of the sweet nectar his hands wanted to have the pleasure of seeking.

“Me?” Nate realized he'd leaned too close to her. He sat straight up and looked forward, counting to ten backward and in Spanish. “I'm enjoying myself now.” Body settled, he turned toward her and bumped her shoulders with his.

The waitress returned with two more glasses of champagne. “Sam didn't hold back on the expenses tonight,” he said.

“I'm sure he's grateful Emily stuck by him all these years,” Amelia said, draining the drink in hand before taking another. “Did I tell you the two of them were the first to break the ice for all of us in the same class? She invited him to our Sadie Hawkins dance and they were the first boy-girl pair to dance together. Can you imagine?”

“Uh, no.” Nate tried to contain his laughter.

“I bet you were asked by all the girls in your graduating class.” Amelia brushed a piece of lint off his left shoulder and let her hand lie there. Her fingertips drew circles on his collarbone.

“Not all.” He shrugged off the memory. “Remember, half the girls were related to me.”

“Ah, the infamous Torres clan.”

Nate nodded his head. “You don't believe me?”

“No.”

“Dating in Villa San Juan was hard,” said Nate. “I had to check all the girls' family trees before asking them out.”

“Aw, you poor thing,” she cooed against his ear. “Is that why you left town? Did you go through all the women there?”

“If I hadn't...” Nate cocked his head to the side and leaned closer. His lips brushed against hers. “I wouldn't be here with you.”

“Well, let's toast to getting off the island.” Amelia left his side for a moment to grab new glasses of champagne for the two of them. Nate gave her wrist a gentle push for her to set the drinks back down. Instead of taking what she offered, he took a kiss. His hands sunk into her silky hair and brought her face closer.

Everything else around them blurred out of his mind. Nate closed his eyes, wishing they were anywhere but here. Amelia's sweet lips opened for him and it took no coaxing of his mouth to taste her tongue. Three days of no touching or kissing came out with the kiss. Nate pulled Amelia into his lap. She straddled his legs and cupped his face with her soft hands, eager for more. He loved the way her hands roamed through his hair. His leg threatened to twitch when her fingernails scratched his scalp. If ever he wondered about heaven, he got a taste of it sliding his hands down her waist and grabbing a handful of her butt cheeks. The tempo of the music set the pace of each stroke she ground down on his hard body. Amelia broke the kiss only to torture him more, nibbling his ear once, then turning his head to face the other direction of the VIP room so she could give him some more of her sweet torture.

In the heartbeat of a changeover between songs, someone above them cleared his throat. Nate wanted to curse his brother out but reality hit him. Any moment now, the rest of the wedding party would find them up here in this position. Gently Nate pulled Amelia against him in a bear hug. “We have company,” he whispered into her ear.

“Whoops.” Amelia smoothly slid off his lap and stood up, using the sides of her thumb and index finger to wipe away any remnants of her makeup. Too late; he'd already kissed it off. While Amelia inconspicuously tugged at the hem of her romper, Nate lounged back in the cushions. The crew she'd walked in with made their way up the steps but turned to follow Amelia. “I think I may need to freshen up my lipstick.”

Stephen watched the three women walk off, waiting until they disappeared down the steps. “Bruh, what are you doing?”

“I thought I was spending time with Amelia. What's up?”

“Brittany is here.”

Nate shrugged his shoulders. “So?”

“So?” Stephen mocked his brother. “She's been pissed off since she hasn't seen you all week.”

Nate shrugged. “Again, so? I am not with Brittany and I've made myself perfectly clear.”

Stephen sighed and scratched the top of his bald head. “She thinks you're taking her to the wedding.”

Nate did not understand why the teacher would think so. He'd made himself clear he did not bring women to weddings—at least not usually. Amelia was different. She didn't ask him questions about where their relationship was headed.

Wait, why didn't she? Nate sat up straight. Sure she'd only been in town for a week now, but she was getting used to the idea, right? What if she left? Where would she go? Did they need to have the talk about where this relationship was heading?
No
, he refused to have it.
And why not?
A voice nagged at him. Because once they had the talk, things became complicated. Things always became complicated when he had “the talk” with women he dated. His biggest focus now was his nieces. The women he'd met so far were quick to want to start a family with him and play mother to Philly and Kimber. Before moving to Southwood, women tried to acknowledge him on their social media pages as their boyfriend or significant other, thus bringing in more drama for him from the others he dated.

He did not do complicated.

* * *

Despite the ridiculously high heels Lexi and Cay had talked her into wearing, Amelia coasted into the women's bathroom on cloud nine. The moment the doors closed, the music ceased and after that episode in the VIP room, Amelia's heartbeat echoed even louder in her ears.

“So what music were the two of you listening to up there?” Cay teased, adjusting the level of her voice.

“We practically had to use a machete to cut through all the sexual tension between you and Nate,” added Lexi.

Amelia missed moments like this—not like she experienced them herself. In her years as a young producer, she'd captured the moments of camaraderie of young ladies gushing over guys. Amelia never expected to be the subject of such a topic. “Hush,” she told them.

“Check out the grin.” Cay elbowed Lexi, her new bestie. It comforted Amelia knowing Cay had gained a new friend. Lexi had already talked Cay into bringing her kids to a pageant. At least when Amelia went back to work Cay had someone to turn to. “I haven't seen her grin since she packed up her bags and left town.”

Ignoring the two of them, Amelia reached in her pocket for her favorite strawberry lip gloss. Despite the makeover Lexi and Cay had talked her into today, she still recognized herself a bit. She hardly ever got the chance to wear her hair loose and free. Lexi must have amped up Amelia's shoulder-length hair with sex appeal. Men never turned to take a second look at her, and yet tonight she'd been swarmed by single guys asking her to dance. For once, she felt glamorous and wondered if this was what Natalia went through on a daily basis.

Perhaps her newfound confidence had brought on her sexual energy upstairs with Nate. Nate being as hot as he was helped fuel the flames. Who knew not seeing him for a full day would spark such desire? Maybe she did need to get laid again. Didn't Natalia always tell her such crude stuff?

“You saw me grinning in the rearview mirror when I left town.” Amelia side-eyed her cousin in the refection in the mirror. Using her pinky finger, she swiped the extra bit of gloss off the bottom center of her lip and the divot of her cupid's bow. “And as soon as Grandmamma is well, I'll show you the same grin again.”