Sister of the Bride (Fool's Gold #2.5)(7)

"Thanks, but no."

"Cash?"

Jackson cleared his throat. "Ms. McCormick, while I'm flattered by--"

Tully dismissed him with a wave. "You don't get to negotiate. Katie?"

"Sorry. No."

"Fine. I'll have to see who else is available. Does the groom have a brother?"

"No," Katie said, proud of herself for not suggesting Alex instead. While there would be karmic justice in having the man Courtney had stolen taken from her, it would create too much trouble for everyone else. Besides, there was a slight possibility that Courtney really did love Alex.

The elevator returned to their floor. Tully got on it.

"We'll take the next one," Katie said, thinking Jackson would need a moment.

"See you at the party."

The door closed.

Jackson leaned against the wall. "That was Aunt Tully."

"I tried to warn you."

"She wanted to buy me."

"I know."

"For cash."

"She likes men."

"She's old enough to be my mother."

"Technically she might be old enough to be your very young grandmother, but try not to think about it."

He shook his head and straightened. "Now I know why you needed a date for the wedding."

"My family isn't all bad. My parents are great. Courtney is very pretty." Katie wanted to add that it would be nice if Jackson didn't fall for her sister, but what was the point? He either would or wouldn't.

"Tully's the worst of it, right?" he asked.

Katie laughed. "Yes. I promise. The rest of my family will only ask pointed questions. Things like how long have we been going out and what are your intentions."

"They want you married, huh?"

"It's an ongoing goal. You'd think having a great career and lots of friends would be enough, but it's not. You, being a man, don't get the same kind of pressure."

"My mother makes not-so-subtle statements about wanting grandchildren, but I ignore her."

If only she could do the same, she thought. She tried, but every now and then, the volume got to her.

She pushed the down button to call the elevator. "Which begs the question--why aren't you married? Or are you one of those men who doesn't want to be tied down?"

"I like the idea of a wife and family," he said, moving next to her. "When I was younger, I couldn't get the girl."

She glanced at his broad shoulders, the sexy green eyes and the shape of his mouth. "At the risk of feeding your ego, I don't think that's a problem anymore."

"No. Now the problem is finding the right girl."

"What are you looking for?"

His gaze settled on her. There was something knowing in his expression. As if he thought maybe--

The elevator doors opened.

"Katie, darling. There you are." Katie's mother swayed slightly on her feet.

Katie got on the elevator and turned to her dad. "She's drunk."

"You think?" Her father held out his hand to Jackson. "Mike McCormick."

"Jackson Kent. I'm Tina's son."

"Of course." He kept his arm around his wife. "Your mother had two martinis."

Katie winced. "One usually puts her on her butt. While she's a charming drunk, I doubt this is the time or the place."

Janis patted her husband's cheek. "Don't be mad. You know you like me drunk. It's when you get lucky."

"Mo-om!" Katie covered her ears. "Please, stop. I don't want to hear this."

Janis smiled at her daughter. "You should be happy your parents are still having sex. It means we have a good marriage. You don't want us getting a divorce, do you?"

"Should I hum loudly?" Jackson asked with a grin.

"You think this is funny?" she snapped. "Want to talk about your parents doing it?" Katie faced her mother, while trying to avoid looking at her father. "This is Courtney's wedding. You have to focus."

"I will. I'm just saying, the sex really does get better as one gets older. Back in the day, we always had to worry about you and your sister interrupting us. All those afternoon showers, when we were just trying to get in a quickie. But did you cooperate? Of course not. It was always Mom this and Mom that. You startled me so much once, I nearly bit off your father's--"

The doors opened and Katie bolted out onto the lower level, where the party would be held. She walked fast, as if she could outrun the hideous image in her head.

"Kittens and puppies and ice cream," she murmured as she moved. "London. I'll think about London." She came to a stop and covered her face.

Then strong arms were around her, pulling her close. The supportive gesture was mitigated by the shaking chest as Jackson laughed.

"If it makes you feel any better," he said, "your father is mortified."

"It doesn't. How could she say that stuff?"

"There was alcohol involved."

"Still." She shuddered, her face still pressed into his shoulder. "It's gross. Not the happy-marriage part. I want them to be happy, not just for me but for them, too. But parental sex shouldn't be discussed in front of children."