Sweet on You (The Bridesmaids Club Book 4) (28 page)

The slow, sexy, smile on his face almost melted her resolve. “You’ll not be using your smile to charm your way past me, either. I know all of your tricks, and they won’t work.”

Jacob stood nose to nose with her. “You don’t know
all
of my tricks.”

A shiver of anticipation raced through Molly’s body. “’Tis true. I don’t know all of your tricks, but I’ve enjoyed a few.” She ran her hand over the front of his shirt and smiled. “If it’s boredom you’d be wanting to overcome, then I might have another suggestion.”

Jacob’s green eyes became wary. He knew she was up to no good. “What did you have in mind?”

Molly leaned forward and kissed the side of his neck, below his ear. The place that gave him goose bumps and made him shiver in her arms. “Your mom and dad are coming for dinner. We could cook them a lovely Irish stew with some of the cornbread you’re so fond of.”

It wasn’t a groan of desire she heard, but a groan of frustration. “My parents are coming here? Tonight?”

“Your mom’s worried about you. She thought a little company might soften your grumpy disposition.”

Jacob took half a step forward, pressing Molly between the front door and his body. “My mom and dad have seen me every day since I’ve been home. You could always tell them we’ve got other plans.” He lowered his mouth, kissed her until neither of them could breathe easy.

Molly closed her eyes and enjoyed the sweet sensations rolling through her body. She thought about what Jacob had said, let her mind wander over all of the possibilities that a night with him could mean.

His hand roamed over her body, distracting her from other matters more dear to his heart. She heard a click, then poked him gently in the ribs.

He leaped back as if he’d been struck by lightning. “Oww. What did you do that for?”

“I know what you’re up to, and it’s not going to work.”

Jacob scowled. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Molly pointed at the door. “You might have had your lips and one hand on me, but your other hand was sitting on the doorknob. You were distracting me while you plotted your escape.”

“You can’t blame me for trying.” Jacob moved carefully over to the sofa, rubbing his ribs.

Molly watched his slow progress. “You’ll be trying to make me feel guilty, now.”

“Is it working?”

She shook her head. “Not as well as you might think. You’d be forgetting that I saw you getting ready to go outside when I arrived.”

“That was before you poked me in the ribs.”

Molly walked across to the kitchen and took an ice pack out of the freezer. “You’ll be in need of a little coldness, then. There’s nothing like an ice pack to help the parts of your body that need attention.”

Molly ignored Jacob’s outstretched hand. With an efficiency that would have delighted her gran, she put the ice pack on Jacob’s lap.

He leaped out of the seat, sending the ice pack spinning across the floor. “For Pete’s sake, woman. What’s gotten into you?”

Molly grinned. “I thought you needed a distraction?”

“I do, but not what you have in mind.” He picked the ice pack off the floor and put it back in the freezer. “I’m going crazy cooped up in here. Dad and Alex keep dropping in to help around the house. Mom’s made enough food to last two winters. Anyone would think I can’t look after myself.”

“Maybe you should have thought of that before you drove your racing car into a ditch. And just out of interest, have I been annoying you as much as your family?”

Jacob knew when he was on the losing side of an argument. He closed his mouth and concentrated on the kettle. “Of course not. I enjoy being poked in the ribs and given frostbite. Do you want a cup of tea?”

“Tea would be lovely. And if you’re not too proud to take what I’d be offering, I’ll have a slice of the honey cake I brought with me.” Molly followed Jacob and slid a stool out from under the kitchen counter. “Tell me about your land? Have you sold any of your properties?”

Jacob put an inch-wide slice of cake in front of her. “Yes and no. I’ve sold two parcels of land and another buyer is looking at the third. There’s been interest in this property, but no contracts have been signed.”

“You’re running close to the date you need everything sold by. Do you think you’ll make it?”

“The website has been getting a steady stream of hits. All it takes is one person to show an interest and I’ll get there.”

Molly sipped the tea Jacob gave her. “It sounds promising.”

Jacob shrugged. “We’ll see.”

An easy atmosphere settled on the kitchen. Jacob went back for another slice of cake and Molly listened as he told her about the happenings in the Green household. He showed her the latest photos of Cooper.

She smiled, enjoying the pride she heard in his voice. “Would you be wanting a family of your own one day?”

Jacob’s gaze shot to hers.

“It’s a simple enough question,” she said quietly.

“Not as simple as you might think.”

“It doesn’t have to be complicated,” Molly explained. “You’d make a fine father.”

Jacob pushed his coffee cup away. “How are we going to make this work?”

Molly leaned her elbows on the counter. “It’s not far by air between New York and Bozeman. We could see each other on the weekends when we’re not working.”

Jacob sighed. “How many weekends have you not worked since you’ve been living in Bozeman?”

Molly knew as well as Jacob that most of her work was done on the weekends. “A few. It’s not going to be easy fitting a relationship around our work, but other people do it.”

“Other people’s long-distance relationships don’t last forever.”

“If it’s commitment you’d be worried about, then I don’t see that as an issue. I care for you, Jacob Green, and no amount of distance will change that.”

“I can’t move back here, Molly. If the New York purchase doesn’t work, there’ll be others. I don’t know where I’ll end up living.”

She took a deep breath. “Are you saying that this is the end of the road for us?”

“No, I’m not saying that. I just don’t know how we’re going to make a long-distance relationship work.”

“I don’t have an answer for you, Jacob. I’m going back to Los Angeles after Christmas for another exhibition. I’ve booked three commissions, and another gallery in San Francisco wants to show my photographs. It’s a busy time, to be sure, but we can make it work.”

Jacob walked around the counter and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “You’re right. We can take each week as it comes and sort the rest out later.”

Molly held him close. She would make the most of these moments. Soon, he’d be in New York, working with his property developer friends and making a new life for himself.

It made her heart feel heavy to think of those times. She’d miss him terribly, but she didn’t know how to change what would be. Jacob had his own dreams to build and so did she.

Maybe he was right - their lives would sort themselves out as they were meant to be. She just hoped they were meant to be together, not separated by more miles than either of them could take.

***

Molly unfolded a bridesmaid’s dress from the box in front of her. The deep blue silk reminded her of the color of Emerald Lake when she’d first seen it all those weeks ago.

“Are you all right?” Tess asked.

Molly pulled her mind from the past and focused on the present. Tess had arrived back from her honeymoon last night. She had a glow about her that had nothing to do with the deep tan on her skin. She was in love, and it showed. “I’m fine. Would this belong in the Grace Kelly Collection?”

Tess nodded. “I’ll put it over here with the other dresses. Annie told me you’ve seen a lot of Jacob while I’ve been away?”

Molly glanced quickly at Tess to get the measure of what she knew. “He’s a fine man. He was happy with the photographs I took of his property. Two of the parcels of land have sold.”

“It sounds as though your photos have worked.”

Molly knew they were beautiful photographs. Jacob’s land was touching something deep inside prospective buyers and that was a satisfying thing to see. “Jacob had an accident last weekend. For a man with a talent for making money, he doesn’t have much common sense between his ears.”

Tess laughed. “He’s not the only man with that problem.” She tilted her head to the side and smiled. “You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”

It was so like Tess to cut to the heart of the matter. Molly sat down beside her friend. Tears filled her eyes as she thought about loving the man who’d become the center of her world. “We have busy lives that are going to take us away from each other. It’s a hopeless situation and I don’t know what to do about it.”

“You might not need to do anything.”

Molly glanced at Tess. “What do you mean?”

Tess pulled an envelope out of her pocket.

“Is this from a new bride or bridesmaid?”

Tess shook her head. “Do you remember Trish and Tony’s wedding?”

Molly thought back over all of the people they’d helped. “Do they live in Three Forks?”

Tess nodded. “They got married at Trish’s parents’ ranch.”

Molly remembered the fun they’d had in the old barn on the ranch. The photos she’d taken had been a wonderful mix of love and laughter. “Is the letter from them?”

“Before I tell you about the letter, you’ve got to promise not to be angry with me.”

“What have you done?”

“Do you promise?”

Molly frowned. “I promise not to be angry.”

Tess took a deep breath. “Before Logan and I got married, I spoke with a friend who lives in New York. She works for a publishing company. One of their bestselling authors is writing a book about weddings.”

Molly’s mouth dropped open. “She’s not going to put something about The Bridesmaids Club in her book, is she? We’ll be buried under thousands of dresses.”

“She’s not going to mention us by name. She’ll use our idea for other people to copy. But that’s not what the letter’s about.”

“It’s not?”

Tess shook her head. “She was looking for a photographer to work with the author of the wedding book. I sent her some of the photos from Trish and Tony’s wedding - the ones that never made our website. When I told her you were living in Bozeman, she got really excited. She’s followed your career and went to your exhibition while she was on vacation in Los Angeles. Lucy wants to know if you’ll provide the photos for their book. The letter explains her offer.”

Tess handed her the letter.

Molly put it on the table. “Why would you do such a thing?”

“I know you wanted to get away from being seen as a fashion photographer, but this is different. Lucy knows a lot of people in the publishing industry. This could be another way to get your photos seen by a wider audience.”

“Who is the author?”

“I don’t know. Lucy never told me.”

Molly stared at the envelope. “And their publishing house is in New York?”

“It is. But I don’t know where the author lives.”

Molly picked the envelope up and opened it. She read the first paragraph three times before looking at Tess. “It’s Martha Stewart. Becky follows her advice like a stream of gold from heaven. Her bouquets and flower arrangements are so pretty that you can’t do anything but adore them.”

Tess smiled. “It sounds as though you’re interested?”

Molly was more than interested. She was excited to be working for a woman who inspired so many people. “She’s writing the book from Maine. She wants some of the photography done there, the rest will come from different weddings around the country. It’s perfect.”

“And Maine is a lot closer to New York than Bozeman. Will you take the job?”

Molly put the letter on the table and pulled out her cell phone. “I’ll give Lucy a call to let her know I’m thinking about her offer. As soon as I’ve spoken to Jacob, we can work through all of the details. Thank you for thinking of me.”

“All I did was talk to Lucy. She already knew who you were.”

As soon as Molly was off the phone with Lucy, Rachel ran through the front door. She was waving an envelope in the air and looked as though she was about to explode with excitement. “You’re not going to believe this…”

She looked at Molly and Tess. “Do you remember Bella, our mystery girl?” she said breathlessly.

Tess slid off her stool and got Rachel a glass of water. “The little girl who was looking for a bride for her dad?”

“That’s the one. Well…I think I’ve found her.”

“Where?” Molly asked. “Annie’s been searching for her for months.”

Rachel took a sip of the water Tess handed her. “She visited our school and spent time with the students I’m working with. Her dad travels a lot, so she’s got a private tutor who helps with her school work.”

Molly put the kettle on for a cup of tea. “It must have been scary, walking into a classroom full of students. What’s her father like?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t meet him. Do you know where Annie is? I want to let her know that I’ve found Bella.”