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What if there was no beauty?
She was thinking too much! Criticism killed the creative soul. Her self-doubts overwhelmed her as she stepped up on the stage. A man in black carried a stool to the center of the wooden platform that was set under Lacy Lynch’s elaborate staircase.
In an hour, she would be sitting on that, elevated in front of everybody where she couldn’t escape. Her breath felt strangled, like she was drowning.
That’s when Emily caught sight of Nash Slade walking through security to the side of them. He was in an immaculate black tux, his dirty blond hair swept back with his usual indifference. He turned and caught eyes with her. A broad grin spread over his face.
She froze. She hadn’t known how instantly her worries could evaporate at the sight of a genuine smile like that. She couldn’t think why, only that she’d always been drawn to his fun mischief, and he’d accepted her,not just accepted her…he embraced her with teasing and laughter… figuratively speaking. Well, maybe a little literally—he rushed through the crowd to get to her.
Her heavy heart immediately bobbed up from the choking depths of despair and shot through the sky like a dolphin, as it struggled to regain her joy from before. Oh, bless that man! She’d never felt more relieved and happy to see his familiar face. “Nash!” she called, waving over to him.
“Emily!” He’d easily made his way past the others and jumped up the stairs of the stage to reach her. His hands went around her next. His eager greeting didn’t stop there. No, in true Nash fashion, his arms tightened against her back. He picked her up.
Dang! The guy was strong! He pressed her against his hard chest, forcing a laugh from her rejoicing soul at his unexpected appearance. But then again, he was one of those cowboys who roped cattle on and off the rodeo scene. He’d hauled away heavier things than her—at least two ton bulls.
He tucked her protectively under his chin. Her cheek brushed past his bristly neck, giving her a good whiff of his manly scent of musky cologne and aftershave. Everything about him made her feel so secure, even as he swung her playfully around like they were on the dance floor at Mo’s.
She clung to him, smiling like an idiot, realizing too late that they were embracing in front of everyone at the party. Strangely, she couldn’t care less. Nash had a way of infusing into her his own confidence, and he had plenty of it to go around. She doubted that he’d let a few keyboard warriors stop him from doing anything that he wanted to do.
He set her down, his appreciative eyes running over her. “I’m so happy to see you.”
She stepped back, breathless. Goodness! Nash had a way of making her feel like the most attractive woman in the room. Her heart thudded as she took in his handsome face. The Slade men were all gorgeous devils, but she had a soft spot for Nash, and even more so now. Just seeing him put all the insults floating out there into perspective. Unlike all those critics online, he knew her, and he liked her for who she was.
“That goes triple for me,” she told him with a laugh. “I’m really glad you’re here.”
But whywashe here? That schemer that he called brother had brought him to Nashville to teach him the business that had almost ruinedherbrother, and now he was at Lacy Lynch’s party?
Just like I am.
She gulped. Were they two fish out of water or had they been thrown back into the elements where they most thrived?
“You look beautiful,” he said. His hand ran down the smooth silk of her dress, sending waves of unexpected attraction through her.
She’d always thought that he was fascinating. That had never been in question. In fact, she definitely noticed how a few women in the crowd eyed him with open interest. Imagine if they guessed that he had a twin who was almost a mirror of him?
She’d always preferred Nash, however, especially since he was the one who seemed to take the time to see how she was doing whenever they met. “You’re so sweet,” she said. “Are you just saying that because you can tell that I’m dying for a compliment tonight?”
“Are you?” His eyes ran over her. “What else are you in need of?” He captured a strand of her hair. “I’ve been known to give really good back massages. Let’s go.”
She bumped his arm away with a laugh. He was also the more obnoxious of the twins, but he had that old fashioned, country boy charm that made her melt all over. “I’ll keep that in mind,” she said. “What did you do with that big old pickup you drive around? Did you have to leave that at home?”
“I’ve got something better. Let’s go for a ride.”
She smiled. If only she could drop everything and go. He took her hand, playing with her rings. She knew the flirtatious move didn’t mean anything. Nash was a player through and through. There was no chance that he was truly interested in her.
From the moment she’d met him at Harvest Ranch, there hadn’t been a time when he hadn’t fallen all over some pretty face. Kylee Morningstar, of all people, was his latest love interest of the… hour. That girl was one of the biggest flirts at Harvest Ranch, and apparently so was Nash. The only thing keeping him in check was Kylee’s brother on the small town’s police force or those two would’ve run away with each other by now.
Emily laughed when he tried to steal her ring. She slipped away from him. “Oh no, you don’t, Robin Hood! I know your tricks.”
“Do you?”
“Yeah, I’m surprised you haven’t secretly tied my shoes together by now.”
“I’m notthatbad.” He took her hand again.
“Oh, you are,” she assured him with a wink, “but I wouldn’t have you any other way.”
And still, no matter how much she liked Nash, Emily was in search of a relationship that was a little more stable. She knew what bad boys were; her brother was one before he met Liv, and Emily needed a man that she could trust with her fragile heart—an anchor in times of trouble. She never wanted to feel as lost as she’d been when River had almost died.
