“I know it is, but you’re a smart, strong woman. I don’t know where the Mac I know went, but she needs to get her butt back here.”
McKenna’s brows scrunched together. “How many times do we need to discuss my name is McKenna?”
He smiled. Right on cue, as he’d hoped. “There she is. Welcome back.”
McKenna swatted him on the arm. “You did that on purpose.”
“Sure did.”
“I know you said all those things to make Katharine more comfortable with me singing, but you lied to a bride in a church on her wedding day. That has to be a double sin or something. Who knows what will happen because you did that?”
He’d spent a lifetime perfecting the skill of skirting the truth, but the ability deserted him. While on the surface she appeared to be a control freak, leaning a bit toward OCD, workaholic, when McKenna sang, got upset, or lost her cool, she transformed into a woman he suspected possessed deep, set-a-man’s-boots-on-fire passion.
“Everything I said was true.”
“Including the comments about my voice?”
McKenna’s voice reached deep inside me in a way no one’s ever done before.
“Every word.”
When McKenna sucked in her breath in surprise, Zane closed his eyes for a second and silently cursed himself. Why had he said that?
“You really think I can do this?”
A flip comment sat perched on his tongue but gazing into her pale face again and her uncertain wide brown eyes, he folded. “I have complete faith in you.”
The words settled between them, thick and potent. He was being silly and overly dramatic. He’d said those words because they were what McKenna needed to hear. She’d made a promise and to pull off the performance she needed to believe in herself. For that to occur she needed reassurance and confidence. No big deal. He’d given her what she needed.
Liar. She’s gotten to you in ways you never imagined possible, and you want to reassure her and ease her fears. You want her to know you believe in her.
“I need to warm up my voice and practice the song, but I have other details to see to. I can’t do both.”
He raised the tablet he still held. “Is what needs to be done on here?”
McKenna nodded, stood, and leaned toward him. Her lavender and peppermint scent floated over him as she showed him her checklist. “Other than what’s here, keep the brides and attendants calm. If someone needs a button sewed on or forgot something, you’ll find what you need in my duffel bag there in the corner.”
Zane cleared his throat and stepped back, needing to put distance between them. “I’ll see to this. You practice.”
Then before he knew what she intended, she threw her arms around him and held on tight. “Thank you for giving me the courage to do this.”
After she hurried out the door, he stood there for a minute before his breathing returned to normal.
*
About fifteen minutesbefore the ceremony was to start, McKenna joined Zane in the narthex.
“It’s been crazy. I’ve sewn on three buttons. I kept pricking my finger.” Zane raised his right hand to reveal a bandage on his index finger. “I’ve also answered more questions on how makeup looks than any straight man should have to answer in a lifetime. Here, take this.”
She accepted the tablet he shoved in her direction. “It usually gets hectic right before the ceremony starts.”
“Does everyone become helpless on their wedding day?”
She bit her lip to keep from smiling at his frazzled tone. “They simply need extra reassurance. It’s a big day. People get nervous.”
“That’s an understatement.” He swallowed hard and straightened his suit coat. “You look like the rehearsal went well.”
“It was a little bumpy at first, but with Martin’s help, I improved quickly. You know, I might pull this off.” McKenna checked her list and the time. “Now we need to get the attendants and our couple ready to walk down the aisle.”
