A Winter Wedding(96)

Or maybe it was logical that Olivia would be more aware of what was going on with Kyle than the rest of the group. She’d probably been keeping a pulse on that since they split up. She’d have to, in order to maintain the careful balance necessary for them all to get along.

“There’s no one else quite like him,” Lourdes admitted.

Olivia’s lips curved in a conspirator’s smile. “Trust me. You’re speaking to a convert. I may not be in love with him in that way anymore, but I’m a big fan of Kyle’s.” She popped a chip into her mouth. “So you’re over Derrick, then? That’s all in the past?”

Lourdes detected a hint of concern. They were happy for Kyle, but they also wanted to be sure she wasn’t playing him. “For the most part. We’ll still work together. At least we’ll try.”

Olivia smiled. “I hope that turns out well for you.”

“Thanks.” In an effort to shore up her decision, Lourdes told herself she could get over Kyle as easily as she had Derrick. Her first Nashville boyfriend had once told her she wasn’t deep enough to fall in love for real. Maybe he was right—and, if that was the case, she was doing Kyle a big favor.

It was better for both of them that she was going back to Nashville, getting back to work. She knew she loved music, knew she wanted to be involved in that. All the rest was...less clear.

“It’s different when the right person comes along,” Olivia said.

Was that what had happened with Brandon? He’d come along and Olivia had somehow known? How? And was Kyle, not Derrick, the right man for Lourdes? Or was there someone else, someone she’d meet later?

“How do you know when you’ve found the right person?” she asked.

Olivia didn’t have an opportunity to answer before Kyle approached. “We’re done,” he said. “You ready to go?”

With a nod, Lourdes said goodbye to Olivia and everyone else and walked out of the reception center under Kyle’s arm. He asked if she wanted to see a movie or go ice-skating in Sacramento, where there was an outdoor rink set up for the holidays. But she told him she’d rather go to the store.

“For...”

“What do you think?”

He nodded as he figured it out. “Ah, right. How could I have forgotten? That’ll be our first stop.”

As it was, he barely had the chance to buy the condoms, drive home and turn off the engine before she started kissing him. She felt strangely possessive of him. It had to be the dwindling time and all the things they had to face in the next two days that brought such urgency to the way she touched him.

He didn’t complain when she straddled him before he could open his door. “Do I have something you want?” he joked.

“I want this,” she said and undid his pants.

His hands slid up her shirt. “It’s cold out here. Wouldn’t you rather go inside?”

“No. I have to be closer to you. Now.”

The horn went off a second later, but even that didn’t stop them. “Don’t worry, Warren went to see his kids this weekend,” Kyle whispered, his voice hoarse.

She bit Kyle’s lip just hard enough to make it plain that she wouldn’t let him stop.

Somehow he managed to get them out from behind the steering wheel, silencing the horn, which was quite a feat, since they were both half-clad. Then he laid her down on the bench seat and shoved her legs apart, taking her as hard and fast as he had in the alley.

She braced herself against the dashboard and the seat as she surrendered to the satisfaction of being with him. At the same time, she told herself she’d be fine without this, without him.

Because it was Nashville that held everything she’d ever wanted.

*

Kyle watched Lourdes as she studied the computer screen. It was early, but they’d gotten plenty of sleep. They’d been in his bed since they’d come home from the rehearsal dinner last night, talking, laughing, massaging each other, play wrestling, sleeping or making love. They’d probably still be there, if hunger hadn’t driven them out.

While they were in the kitchen, he coaxed her into sitting down and helping him write his remarks for the wedding. He had to get it done before she left; he felt it would be much better with her input. He’d searched the internet for sample ceremonies, and he’d found some decent ones, but he wanted Riley and Phoenix’s ceremony to have more of a personal touch.

“Why don’t we start by having you tell me what’s special or unique about them,” Lourdes said.

“There’s a lot. Phoenix and Riley were together for a short time in high school. She wasn’t the usual type of girl. He was into sports and dated cheerleaders or one of the girls in student government, so she was a...departure for him and not someone his folks thought he should be with. She came from a sad, dysfunctional home, dressed all in black and wasn’t exactly a stellar student. Not that she isn’t smart.” He took a sip of the coffee sitting beside him. “Anyway, his folks said they wouldn’t pay for college if he insisted on ‘ruining his life’ with ‘that girl,’ and when he finally folded under the pressure and broke up with her, Phoenix took the news really hard. She was pregnant, not that anyone knew it at the time, and scared to death. And she was madly in love with him, so she was heartbroken, too.”