Which was silly, because Kaelin was an adult and capable of looking after herself, but still… Margot knew Kaelin had had to give up hopes and dreams, just as she herself had. When Margot had gotten pregnant at age twenty, had given in to the pressure to marry, which mostly came from Ken, and to drop out of college, her life had changed forever from how she’d always envisioned it, and she knew Kaelin’s life, too, wasn’t what she’d always thought she’d have. With Margot’s own children gone, perhaps it was natural that she’d look for someone else to transfer those maternal feelings to.

Margot smiled. “I have some last-minute things to look after for the rehearsal dinner tonight. Dry cleaning to pick up. A few other errands.” Trivial, boring errands, but at least it was something to take up her time until the dinner that evening when once more her family would all be together and they’d have another chance at coming back together as a family.

Tyler and Nick carried boxes of decorations up to the house Kaelin had grown up in, a small white bungalow in a nice neighborhood. Tyler eyed the neatly painted dark green shutters, the bright flowers in the flowerbeds and the grapevine wreath adorning the front door. He rested the box on the railing of the steps and pressed the doorbell. Immediately a dog started barking incessantly from somewhere in the house, the noise getting louder as the animal apparently charged at the door. Tyler lifted a brow at Nick.

A moment later the door opened and Kaelin stood there holding a small black-and white-dog, some sort of terrier mix, Tyler guessed. The dog still barked its head off, but now that he saw it, he was amused at the difference between the ferocious sound of it and the small size of it.

His gaze moved up to Kaelin’s face, completely bare of makeup, making her look about fifteen years old, sweet and innocent.

“We brought the decorations,” he said. “There are more boxes in the car.”

“Oh. Thank you.” She stepped aside, the dog still growling at them, so they could carry the boxes in.

“Where do you want them?” Nick asked.

Tyler glanced around at the neat interior with shiny hardwood floors, the modern décor of the living room with funky red leather furniture and stainless steel tables catching his eye. How very un-Kaelin-like. It would be like seeing her in a red leather miniskirt and stilettos.

Which would be extremely hot.

Jesus.

“You can just set them here in the hall,” she said. “I’m going to put Taz down, but don’t worry, he doesn’t bite.”

“Like I was worried,” Tyler said, dropping the box to the floor. The little dog ran up to him, but now he was free, he became much less aggressive. Tyler bent and held out the back of his fingers for him to sniff. “Hey, pooch.” He looked up at Kaelin and realized she was wearing nothing but a silky robe, and he meant nothing, because he could clearly see her bare breasts outlined through the thin fabric, her sharp little nipples poking out. His groin tightened and he had to swallow and look back at the dog. “What’s his name?”

“Taz.”

He scratched Taz’s head. Damn, he was pretty cute.

“Why Taz?”

“He does this thing when I get home. He gets so excited he spins around in circles. Like a—”

“Tasmanian Devil.”

“Yeah.”

She scooped him up again, and Tyler wasn’t sure if she was protecting the dog, or hoping the dog would protect her, at least by covering her nearly naked body.

They carried in the other boxes. “You gonna need help with this tomorrow?” Nick asked.

“Oh no, I’ll be fine. I have all day to get stuff over to the hotel and pick up the flowers. I’ll be fine. Thanks for doing that today.”

“How was the spa?” Tyler asked. “All buffed and polished?” And he dragged his gaze down her body. Her cheeks lit on fire.

“I suppose,” she said. She held out one hand, her nails all shiny pink with white tips.

“Pretty. Let’s see the toes.”

Her cheeks got even redder, if possible, but she extended one foot out to show her pink toenails. Her feet were as adorable as the rest of her.

What the fuck was he thinking?

“We gotta go,” he muttered, earning a startled glance from Nick. “I need a beer before the rehearsal.”

“Okay,” she said, still holding that little dog, which was looking up at her adoringly. “See you there.”

“I don’t want anyone to walk me down the aisle.” Avery’s voice was low but strained.

“But your father wants to do it,” Mrs. Wirth said.

They stood in the hushed vestibule of First Presbyterian Church, an exquisite building of honey-colored stone and stained glass. Kaelin watched Avery and her mother having their low-voiced argument, her hands clasped tightly.

“I’ve lived on my own for a long time,” Avery said through tight lips. “Nobody owns me to give me away. I’m walking down the aisle alone.”

“But, Avery—”

“That’s it, Mom. Let’s get on with it.”

Kaelin licked her lips and moved to the door to give the signal to the guitarist and pianist. Avery had eschewed the traditional organ for these two musicians, who began Vivaldi’s Guitar Concerto in D Major. Maddie started down the aisle, and Kaelin followed her at the appropriate interval.

The rest of the rehearsal went smoothly despite the faint tension buzzing in the air. When they were done, Avery and Scott went and spoke to the musicians while the rest of the group left the sanctuary. Kaelin paused and looked back at Avery. Did she need help with something? Was there a problem with the music? Avery had never decided on a song for the recessional, so maybe that’s what they were discussing. Avery caught her eye and waved for Kaelin to go on to the hotel for the dinner.

Throughout dinner, Kaelin’s nerves felt stretched taut at the tension that still zinged between Tyler and his parents, and between Tyler and her. Avery chatted brightly and nonstop, fueled by nervous energy and several large glasses of wine, and Kaelin had to make an effort for her sake to keep conversation going, but it was exhausting her.

It would help if Tyler would say more than two words, sitting there grim-faced and silent, drinking red wine. She wanted to kick him under the table, but he was too far away from her and she didn’t have the courage to give him hell in front of everyone else. Could she get him out of the room for a minute somehow? She nibbled her bottom lip then remembered that Avery had given her Tyler’s cell phone number earlier when he’d been a few minutes late showing up at the church. She’d just started to call him when he’d arrived.

She pulled her phone out of her purse and, holding it on her lap below the table, she thumbed in a message and sent it. “U R acting like an asshole again. Cld U at least pretend U R happy to be here.”

His phone must be on vibrate because she didn’t hear a thing, but he reached for it on his hip and pulled it out. He read it, read it again, and then his blue gaze zeroed in on her. His mouth twitched.

She lifted her chin and then her wineglass, tilting her head, holding his gaze.

He bent his head and she waited, knowing he was replying.

Her phone vibrated on her lap and she flipped it open discreetly. “I am a dick,” she read. Laughter bubbled up in her throat and her fingertips flew to her mouth. “Sorry.”

She tightened her lips in to keep her amusement from showing. “Don’t think apologizing makes it okay for U to act like a dick,” she sent back, a feeling of satisfaction sweeping through her. She could text message him the things she wanted to say but didn’t have the nerve.

She shot him a glance as he read her next message, anticipating his response. He read it, sat back in his seat and looked at her again, this time thoughtfully. Oh-oh. Had she pissed him off?

He slid his phone back into the case on his hip, picked up his wineglass, then set it down and reached for the phone again. He was typing in his message, when Avery said, “Tyler. What are you doing?”