Sister of the Bride (Fool's Gold #2.5)(9)

"Where you studied sports communications."

Something flashed in her blue eyes. "You remembered."

He'd remembered nearly everything she'd said, he thought. She was the kind of woman a man would have trouble forgetting.

"You're my first sports communications major," he said lightly. "A guy remembers his first time."

She laughed. "You're good. Seriously. Have you been back to your high school reunion?"

He shuddered. "No, thanks. I'd rather face the fires of hell."

"You should think about it. You're the guy who will cause quite the reaction. All those girls who blew you off will be all over you."

"Maybe I don't want them all over me."

"You're not into revenge?"

"No. I don't need their approval to enjoy my life." He studied her. "Are you into revenge? If you are, this is the weekend for it."

She wiped her face with a towel. Even sweaty and hot, she looked good, he thought. Her hair stood in spikes, her br**sts continued to bounce. This was his idea of a great morning.

"To quote you from a second ago, no, thanks. I'm not interested in Alex. He had his chance with me and he blew it."

"The man's an idiot."

Katie smiled. He felt the heat of if all the way down to his groin.

"You say the nicest things," she told him. "Courtney can be a pain. But you have to understand the context. She was sick when she was a kid. Cancer. Everyone spoiled her and when she got better, we all kept treating her like she could die any second. She got used to the attention, and then she grew up gorgeous and guys kept falling for her. She'll grow up someday, and when she does, she'll be a good person. For what it's worth, I think Alex really does love her. This is their weekend. I want everything to go well for them."

Although his workout was over, he kept going until she was done. They walked out of the gym together and headed for the stairs. On the main floor, he was about to ask her to breakfast, when someone touched his arm.

"Jackson? Hi."

He turned and saw Ariel standing in the lobby. She was still tall and beautiful, with golden-red hair and eyes the color of spring grass. Pretty enough, but not anyone he'd missed after she'd left.

"Ariel," he said, then shifted his attention to Katie. "Katie, this is Ariel, cake decorator extraordinaire."

Katie glanced between them, then gave a smile that didn't seem happy. "Great. We're thrilled you're here. Have you had a chance to see the kitchen yet? We spoke to the staff and they've set up a work area for you. The pastry chef made the cakes last night, so they should be cooled and ready for you to work on. We all really appreciate you helping us out."

Ariel focused on him instead of Katie. "No problem. This gives me a chance to take care of a few things myself." She gazed into his eyes for another second, as if willing him to understand something, then looked at Katie. "I haven't been to the kitchen."

"Why don't you two take care of that now," he said, wondering why Ariel was acting strange. Was she pissed because he'd called her about the job? If she hadn't wanted it, she could have refused.

"Sure," Katie said. "The kitchen is right this way."

Ariel was one of those women who entranced men and intimidated women without breaking a sweat. Katie, on the other hand, had been sweating for the past forty minutes. She was not at her best as she showed the tall, gorgeous redhead back to the kitchen. Fortunately, Katie didn't seem to register on Ariel's radar, so she hadn't appeared the least bit critical.

Katie showed the other woman the freshly baked cake, the decorations and introduced her to Andre, who was their "kitchen liaison." Then she headed for the coffee station in the lobby.

After taking her first sip, she closed her eyes and inhaled the aroma. It wasn't that she needed the caffeine to feel awake--it was that the ritual would ground her in a world where goddesslike women weren't ex-girlfriends and former nerds like Jackson didn't make her heart beat faster with just a kiss...or a smile.

Just when she'd been thinking about possibilities, she thought grimly. She'd been so sure they'd had great chemistry, that he really liked her. That he'd been interested. Maybe he had been, but there was no way she could compete with someone like Ariel. Not that it was a competition, but still. Couldn't Jackson have dated someone slightly more...ordinary?

She refilled her cup and headed for the elevators. When they opened, her sister, Courtney, stepped out. It might be early, but Courtney was charmingly dressed in a flirty little skirt and formfitting top. Her long hair gleamed, her makeup was perfect.

"Katie." Courtney looked and sounded shocked. "What happened to you?"

"I worked out."

"You look awful." Her gaze narrowed. "Are you sure you're okay? Your face is really red."

"That's what happens when I exercise," Katie said cheerfully, trying to maneuver around her, only to have the elevator doors close. Sighing, she pushed the up button again.

"I know you have to work out because of your weight, but you really shouldn't be out like this in public. Alex always said--" Courtney paused and smiled tightly. "Did you sleep well?"

Katie could have pushed and discovered what Alex always said. That she wasn't at her best in the morning? That she didn't wake up looking radiant and tall? Then she decided it didn't matter.