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Baylee blinked. “Um. Well. Sure.”
She smoothed down her skirt and came out from behind the cupcake table. He took her hand and led her to a spot under the twinkle lights and disco ball. Her heart raced in her chest. She hadn’t danced with a man since… well, since her own wedding.
Christ Stapleton crooned about Tennessee whiskey as Drew put his arm around her waist and pulled her close. Oh, dear Lord. The man smelled as great as he looked. Like leather and the outdoors. A heady mixture, for sure.
A hint of vanilla on his breath tickled her senses when he said, “I’m Drew.”
She looked up at him, her left hand on his right shoulder, her right hand clasped in his. Up close, his eyes were more of a grey than blue. “I know.”
He nodded. A simple movement of his head. A smooth dancer, he moved them across the floor. He didn’t speak another word. When the song ended, he nodded again, kissed her hand, then left.
Baylee stood in the middle of the dance floor and watched him go.
*
Drew stepped outsidefor some fresh air. The joy and merriment inside was beginning to smother him. Not to mention the feelings of happily ever after that radiated off his sister.
He was happy for her. He was. Jack was a good guy, from what Drew could tell. He’d only met the guy a few times since coming to Silver Bay, but from what Kate had said, along with their mother, Jack was the real deal. Nothing like Kate’s ex, a no-good piece of work, now in prison where he belonged. Good riddance.
Drew leaned up against the building, crossed his feet at the ankles, jammed his hands in his tuxedo pants pockets. No. He didn’t begrudge his sister happiness. He just wasn’t ready to face whether he’d ever find any again himself. He’d been sitting in the corner, glad to be left alone, when the blond behind the cupcake table caught his eye. He’d seen her at the rehearsal dinner, but didn’t talk to her. He didn’t talk to anyone, really. Wasn’t up for it.
But something about her drew him in. Short, curvy, and, dare he say, cute, she was like a breath of fresh air in the dismal existence that was his life. As he watched her chat with people from behind her tower of cupcakes, for a brief moment, he hadn’t felt sorry for himself. His mind could only focus on her.
He had zero idea what had possessed him to ask her to dance, but he had. And after holding her up close, cute would definitely not be his first word to describe the woman. An all-out siren hidden under a buttoned-up floral dress was more like it.
Drew shook his head. That last thing he needed right now was a distraction like Baylee. His mind was messed up enough.
Baylee. Hmph. Not a typical girl name. And yet he liked how it rolled off is tongue when he said it. It fit her too. Along with the underlying southern twang in her voice, it worked. Where was she from? Texas, maybe.
“Hey, big brother.”
Kate’s voice pulled him from his thoughts.
“Hey, sis.” He didn’t move away from the wall. Just smiled. Well, as much of a smile as he could give at this point.
Kate stood next to him, her concern for him evident in the furrowed brow.
“Don’t give me that look.”
“I’m not giving you anything. Yet.”
He managed a full smile at that. Feisty little sister she was, never afraid to give him grief.
“Shouldn’t you be in there dancing and enjoying your wedding reception?”
“I’m worried about you.”
“Don’t.”
“Why?”
“’Cause I’m fine.”
“Phh. Right.” She leaned up against the wall as well and leaned her head on his shoulder.
His good shoulder. The one that didn’t ache. The one that wasn’t potentially costing him his entire livelihood. His dream. Damn it, his pity party was back. He sounded pathetic, even in his own head. But so what? His life was swirling down the toilet. He was entitled to a little self-pity, right?
“Stop that,” Kate said.
