Work Like You Don't Need the Money (23 page)

“Where?” asked Jack.

All their eyes followed as he pointed to a group in the middle of the floor. Missy and Laura were dancing together, mingling with a group of guys.

“What the...?” Jack had spotted Emma. “I didn't even know she could salsa! And look at that guy!”

Pete found her and grinned. “You've got no worries there, Bro. That's Roberto, he works for Holly. Great guy, but he's not going to be stealing your woman, I can guarantee it.”

“Yeah? So can I,” Jack growled as he set out for the dance floor.

Pete hurried after him.. “Bro, his boyfriend wouldn't let him!”

Jack stopped and grinned. “In that case, I like him!”

They cut their way through the crowds, Pete was still trying to catch a glimpse of Holly. He found her as the song was ending. She was dancing with some big, tall muscle-bound dude. Pete felt his fist clench at his side. It looked like she was having a good time too! He couldn't believe his eyes as the song changed and she clung to the guy. The lambada? Shit! They were all over each other! She was rubbing up against him, they were moving like they were.. Damn! You didn't dance like that with someone you didn't know. They must know each other pretty well judging by the way their hips were moving together.

Pete needed to stop the guy. He couldn't hold her like that, move with her like that! Jack's words echoed in his mind, 'Making her happy makes me happy.' It was true it did, and he didn't like it, hated it in fact, when some other guy was the one making her happy, like this one was right now. He needed to get to her. He elbowed his way through the heaving mass of couples. Never mind public foreplay, this was more like an upright orgy of grinding bodies!

He was almost to her when someone stepped in his way and a strong hand gripped his arm. Roberto!

“Pete, darling! How lovely to see you.”

Pete felt himself dragged forward, taken by surprise by the vice-like grip. He glanced over to see Jack and Emma tangled up in each other, just before Roberto brought him to a halt and tapped Holly on the shoulder. Her eyes opened wide when she saw Pete. There was no mistaking the delight on her face.

“Very nice display, children, but now this man wants his honey back.” He slid an arm around John's waist, “And I want mine!” He blew a kiss at Pete as they glided away.

Pete felt pretty dumb. He should have known. But he hadn't been able to think. He'd just reacted, instinctively. Was that what jealousy felt like? He didn't know and right now he didn't care. She was smiling, holding her arms out to him. All he could think about was holding her again, having her dance with him, moving like she meant it. He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her. She molded her body to him as they moved together. Now, it would be a good night.

Chapter Fifteen

“For two people who are just having fun, you and Pete seem awfully intense.”

Holly glanced over at Missy who was driving and then turned to stare back out the window at the lake. “I suppose it's intense because we know we've only got a week left.”

“Seems crazy to me,” said Missy. “You two are like the perfect couple. But for Pete and his stupid plan.”

Holly nodded. “Tell me about it. But it is what it is. That's how he lives his life. He wouldn't be the man he is if he didn't follow his plan.”

“I know,” sighed Missy. “He's been that way since we were kids, and you can't say he's not done well on it. But still, it makes me sad.”

“What do you think it does to me?” asked Holly. “Part of me wants to bawl my eyes out and beg him to forget his stupid plan. But, that's not my style, and I know it wouldn't help anyway. It'd be asking him to change who he is. I don't want to him to change. It'd be doomed from the start.”

Missy nodded. “You're right, Hon.”

“And here I was hoping you would tell me that I'm wrong. That there's some way round this that I'm not seeing.”

“Sorry, but if there is, I'm not seeing it either.”

Holly smiled sadly. “So how about we change the subject?”

“Sure. Want to tell me what we're going to do with all this fabric?”

They were on their way to Emma's Gramps' house. Holly needed to work out how they were going to decorate the place for the wedding.

“Wish I could, Sweetie. But that's what you're going to help me figure out when we get there.”

Missy laughed. “Now that I can relate to. No plan, just make it up as we go along.”

“Yeah,” said Holly. “That's the way I roll.”

Gramps was waiting for them on his front porch.

“Hey, Gramps!” Missy greeted him with a hug. Holly did the same.

“You two don't look any the worse for wear. I hear you kids had quite a night of it?”

Holly grinned. “Yeah, it wasn't quite the night we had planned.”

Gramps caught her eye. “Take it from an ole fella, the best times in life are never the ones you plan.”

Holly swallowed and smiled back at him. He always seemed to know everything. “I'd have to agree with you there, Gramps.”

He patted her arm. “That's ‘cause it's the truth. You'll see. Did the boys get their suits?”

“They did,” laughed Missy. “But it was touch and go this morning.”

Everyone had ended up staying at Pete's last night, after what had become a joint night out. Even Ben and Nate had rolled in there at some ungodly hour. Holly and the girls had been ready to go and do their last bits of shopping by nine, but the guys hadn't been too enthusiastic about getting ready and going tux shopping before Smoke flew them all back to Summer Lake.

“I picked your suit up this week too, Gramps,” said Holly. “It's in Missy's van.”

Gramps' eyes twinkled. “You're a good 'un Holly. No way did I want to be going down to the city and around them stores.”

Holly laughed. “And why should you when you have your very own fashion consultant and personal shopper?”

Gramps laughed. “Well thanks. You got me gussied up and now you need to see what you can do with this old place too, right? You don't need me, do you?”

“What would you do if we said yes, Gramps?” Missy teased.

“Ha! I would tell you, Miss Melissa, that I have fishies waiting on me. You'll know where to find me if you really need me.

                                                          **********

Pete hung his new tux in the closet with Jack's, then ran back down the stairs. Jack was out on the front deck, drawing on one of his huge pads.

“What you working on, Bro?”

Jack grinned. “Plans for what I'm going to do to this place. Em's agreed to let me renovate. I'd wondered about building us something out at Four Mile, but she's so attached to this old place.”

“She's got too much history here,” said Pete. “And besides, you wouldn't have me as your neighbor if you moved over there.”

“I know. Sorry your place has taken a back seat with all the wedding stuff.”

“Hell, seeing you two get married is more than worth the delay. And now you mention it, what other wedding stuff do we need to be doing? Seems like everyone is off organizing something or other and we're sitting round here like a pair of old women.”

Jack grinned. “Yeah, Em's got everyone running round like a well-organized army. I thought you were the planner, but I'm half expecting her to start giving out clipboards.”

“She's a woman on a mission. Seems crazy to think that you two will be married in a week.”

“Yeah, and then lying on a beach for two weeks after that,” smiled Jack. He was taking Emma to St Lucia for their honeymoon. He looked at Pete. “Two more weeks delay on your place, but I'm sure you'll find something to keep you busy while we're gone. Or more to the point, someone. I'm guessing the Maid of Honor will be keeping you entertained.”

Pete closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Nah.”

Jack laughed. “What do you mean, 'nah'? You two are almost as bad as me and Em!”

“Yeah, she's fun.”

Jack frowned. “But?”

“But we won't be seeing each other after next weekend.”

“Why the hell not? What about the plaza?”

“I'm still trying to get her to take on the plaza. But, don't worry, even if she won't, I'll find someone other than Mia and Jade for it.”

“And if she does?”

“She'll work with Ben, not me.”

“What the hell, Pete? I thought you really liked her?”

“I do. That's the problem.”

“The problem?”

Pete unclenched his fist and looked at Jack. “It's not part of the plan, is it?”

Jack shook his head. “Fuck the plan, Pete! Do you think I was planning on getting married?”

Pete shook his head. “No, but this is different.”

“How?”

“Oh, come on! You know me better than anyone. You've known the plan since we first even dreamed about starting Phoenix. I have to get everything else in place before I can make room for a woman in my life.”

“Pete, that's crazy! It was a great plan to keep you from getting distracted by women, but when the right woman shows up in your life, you need to make a new plan. I have.”

“Yeah, but that's not how I work, is it?”

“So you're just going to end it with Holly?” Jack was looking at him as if he really was crazy.

“Yup.” He didn't want to. Knew it would be hard, but he had no choice, did he?

“Fair enough, then. If she's not as important as the plan, then she's just not that important. I guess I'd gotten the wrong idea about you two.”

“Jesus, Jack! She IS that important! She's... It's just...” Pete cut himself off, surprised by his outburst.

Jack's eyebrows were raised. “It's just what?”

“Just nothing. You're right. She's not
that
important.” Even as he said it, he knew it wasn't true. Jack's face told him
he
knew it too. But how could he let her be more important than everything he'd spent his whole life working for?

“When you come to your senses, talk to me,” said Jack. “For now, we need to get back into town, talk to the band and run a few more errands. We need to move if we're going to be done in time to meet everyone for dinner.”

                                                      **********

Holly swung her feet as she sat at the airport waiting for Pete. Laura was talking to Smoke in the little flight planning room. She'd come to sit out here to leave them alone—and to get out of that room. All she could see in there was Pete's face, blue eyes blazing as he'd 'persuaded' her, up against the door, to accept his apology. They way he'd run his fingers down her cheek, told her she was special. She sighed and kicked the chair in front of her. Just not special enough!

It'd been a busy couple of days with everyone scrambling to pull the wedding together. When Pete had said he was going over to see his folks, she'd stupidly assumed she was going with him. Instead, he'd said something about not being too long. Emma had quickly asked her for help and said she and Jack would drop her back at the airport. What had she expected? Why would he take her to meet his parents? But still, after Friday night, after the way he'd been with her, she'd felt so close to him. Felt like they were a real couple. His not wanting to take her to his parent's place had felt like a slap in the face. A cold hard reminder that she wasn't, nor was she going to be, a part of his life.

“Hey, Sweetheart!” She looked up. He had no right to be so damned handsome. And he certainly had no right to look like he cared so much! He came toward her, eyes soft with concern. “Are you okay?”

She nodded. She had to snap out of this. He'd done nothing wrong. She'd known the deal from the start. She forced a smile she didn't mean and spoke the words she did, as she stood and he wrapped her in his bear hug. “Much better now.” Now that she was back in his arms.

He kissed the top of her head and stroked her hair. “I'm going to ask again. And this time I'm not taking no for an answer,” he said.

“Ask what?”

“Say you'll stay with me until the wedding?”

She was no longer in danger of getting more attached to him than she already was, that would be impossible. She met his eyes. “I'll stay with you.”

His smile spread, but his eyes remained solemn. “Thank you.”

Laura and Smoke came down the corridor. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yeah, let's get out of here,” said Pete.

“I hope no one minds,” said Holly, “But I've asked Smoke to drop me first.”

She knew Smoke was happy to drop her and Pete off before he took Laura back to San Francisco. From the smiles all around she knew the others liked the idea too.

“Sorry the view isn't  as good as yours,” Holly called down the stairs to Pete. They'd come to her house so she could collect everything she'd need to spend the week with him.

“It's a great little place,” he shouted back up. “You need a hand up there?”

“No thanks.” She'd deliberately asked him to wait in the kitchen. She hated bringing him here at all. It wasn't that she was ashamed of the place. To the contrary, she loved her little townhouse, though she knew it was small and ordinary compared to Pete's massive place at the beach. It was more than that though, she didn't want to fill the place with memories of him. So she'd confined him in the one room she could easily avoid.

“I won't be long.” She crammed clothes and toiletries into her bag and closed it. She'd hardly been here in the last few weeks. She looked around, knowing that she'd more than make up for her absence, moping around for the next few.

She joined him in the kitchen. “Ready to go?”

He frowned. “What's the rush? We could hang here?”

That was the last thing she wanted. “No, let's get going.”

                                                                **********

Pete looked at Holly curled up on the sofa in the den. He'd gone to get them another glass of wine and come back to find her with her eyes closed, knees curled up to her chest. Beautiful. She was so capable, she'd taken care of so many details over the weekend. So strong, she stood on her own two feet, as she kept reminding him. So independent, he'd noticed she didn't readily accept help from anyone, not just him. Yet curled up like that, she looked so vulnerable, he wanted to take care of her. He didn't want to step in and be the 'Bigshot' she so often accused him of being. No, he just wanted to be there for her. With her. Stand beside her as she fought her own battles. Be her soft place to land when she needed one. He shook his head. Not happening. He needed to stop thinking like that.