Snowfall in Cold Creek, page 22
It made Gavin smile to see his practical, pragmatic sister head over heels, especially since Zach was the perfect partner for her, as driven and dedicated to the business as Maddie.
“Maybe you’ll be the one to tie the knot in Houston,” Schuyler suggested cheerily. “I could see it at—”
“Stop.” Gavin managed to extricate himself from his sister’s grip without having to resort to chewing off his own arm. “I’m not getting married. What is it with everyone and this obsession with weddings? Mom and Dad have been dropping not-so-subtle hints since I stepped off the plane.”
Schuyler sighed. “We want you to be happy.”
“I am happy,” Gavin insisted.
She arched one delicate brow in response. “You could be really happy.”
Gavin rolled his eyes. He wasn’t about to get into an argument about his level of contentment. Of course he was happy. Why wouldn’t he be? He had a great job working with a prestigious law firm and was on track to be named partner within a year. He owned a fantastic loft in the bustling Lower Downtown neighborhood. The city was a perfect mix of urban and outdoorsy, with enough cowboy left to appeal to his Texas heart. Plus, Colorado offered almost limitless opportunities for the adrenaline-pumping adventures Gavin couldn’t seem to get enough of during his downtime. He rock-climbed, mountain-biked and skied every weekend throughout the winter. Well, not this January weekend since he was at his sister’s wedding, being subjected to the third degree by his well-intentioned family.
“Look at Everett,” Schuyler continued, pointing across the room to where their brother stood talking to a friend of their parents’. His wife, Lila, was at his side, Everett’s hand on her back. “He’s happy.”
As if on cue, Everett glanced down at Lila, and the tenderness in his gaze made Gavin’s chest ache the tiniest bit. Lila smiled up at him, practically glowing, and he drew her in closer. Gavin studied the couple, high school sweethearts who’d reunited last spring after years apart. There was something different about them tonight, a new kind of energy to their already strong connection.
Schuyler nudged him, drawing his attention back to her. “Don’t you want a woman to look at you like that?”
“What I want is a drink,” he told her. “And for you to drop the subject of my love life.”
“When was the last time you had a serious girlfriend?”
Never, Gavin thought to himself. He only dated women who wanted the same things he did: fun, adventure and a good time. “Would you like a glass of wine?”
“You didn’t answer my question.” Schuyler placed her hands on her slim hips. As Maddie’s matron of honor, she wore a burgundy-colored cocktail dress and matching heels that gave her a few extra inches of height. At six feet two inches tall, Gavin still towered over his petite sister. Her classic features and tiny frame made her look like any other beautiful young woman, but Gavin knew underneath the subtle makeup and coiffed hair beat the heart of a tenacious fighter. Once Schuyler latched on to a cause, she gave “dog with a bone” new meaning. It had been that determination that had led the Fortunados to the discovery that they were actually part of the famous Fortune family.
Schuyler loved a challenge and a quest, and Gavin didn’t relish being her next one.
“Who says I don’t have a serious girlfriend?” he countered, willing to say just about anything to make her drop the subject. “Maybe I just didn’t want to subject her to my crazy family.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Doesn’t make it less true. If you all weren’t such true-love tyrants, I would have told you about it before.” Gavin smiled to himself. That should be enough to keep her occupied for a while.
He realized his mistake as her eyes lit with excitement. “Who is she? How long have you been dating? Why didn’t you bring her to the wedding?”
“I’m heading to the bar,” he said, invoking his big-brother selective hearing. “I’ll get you a glass of Chardonnay. Oh, and it looks like Maddie is having trouble with her train. You have work to do, sis.”
“Gavin, I want to hear about your lady.”
“Maddie needs you. Gotta go.” He moved around her, dodging like he was back on the high school football team when she reached for him.
“Valene can help. Wait... Gavin.”
He waved over his shoulder and called, “Back in a sec,” having no intention of returning to his sister. She’d regroup soon enough, anyway. Another glance over his shoulder showed Schuyler following him.
He tugged at his collar and glanced around, catching the eye of the slim redhead standing near the corner of the bar. Not exactly catching her eye, as he got the impression that she’d been watching him approach. Either way, she was a friendly face and he’d take it.
“Christine,” he called, not daring to check on Schuyler’s approach. He wrapped an arm around Christine Briscoe’s shoulders. “Great to see you. How have you been? You look lovely. Shall we dance?”
“Um...” Christine, who’d worked for his father’s real estate agency in Houston for close to a decade, seemed at a loss for words. That was fine. Gavin didn’t need her to speak. As long as she came with him.
The man standing next to her, average height with dark hair and the start of a paunch that indicated he’d done too many keg stands back in college, frowned and made to step forward. Gavin took an immediate dislike to the guy but flashed a grin and held up one finger. “You don’t mind if I steal Christine for a dance, right?”
He didn’t wait for an answer. He grabbed Christine’s hand—soft skin and fine-boned, he noticed—and tugged her toward the dance floor, breathing a sigh of relief as he saw that Schuyler had been waylaid by a distant cousin on their mother’s side of the family.
The music changed from an up-tempo dance number to a slow ballad. Automatically, he wrapped his arms around Christine’s waist, careful to be respectful of her personal space since he’d basically hijacked her for this dance.
She lifted her hands to his shoulders and glanced up at him.
“Hi, there,” he said with his most charming smile.
“Hi,” she breathed. “You, too. Well. Thanks. Yes.”
He felt his mouth drop open and closed it again. “I think I missed part of the conversation.”
She tugged her bottom lip between her teeth and his mouth went dry. He’d known Christine for years, but how had he never noticed the way her mouth was shaped like a perfect Cupid’s bow, the lower lip slightly fuller and damned kissable, if he had the inclination?
Which he didn’t. He couldn’t. She was a cover to save him from his sister’s meddling in his private life. Clearly, Schuyler had messed with his head because he’d never thought of Christine as anything more than a casual friend before this moment—never gave her much thought at all if he had to admit the truth.
“I’m responding to your comments,” she answered, somewhat primly. “It’s great to see you, too. I’m well. Thanks for the compliment. Yes, I’d like to dance.”
“Ah.” He felt one side of his mouth curve. This time the smile was natural. Why did it feel so unfamiliar? “You’re precise.”
She frowned. “Oh, you weren’t looking for a response? The questions were rhetorical.” Color flooded her cheeks and it fascinated him to watch the freckles that dotted her skin almost disappear against the blush. “I should have figured.”
“No... I...” He shook his head. “I’m a little bit off my game tonight.”
“Your game,” she murmured.
“Not that this is a game,” he amended quickly. “It’s a wedding.”
“Your sister’s wedding,” Christine agreed, sounding amused.
“The Fortunados are dropping like flies,” he said, glancing around for Schuyler, whom he thankfully didn’t see in the vicinity. “Schuyler seems to think I’m next. Can you keep a secret?”
Christine nodded solemnly.
“I told her I have a girlfriend.”
“But you don’t?”
“No, and that’s how I like it.” He pulled her closer to avoid a couple trying some sort of complicated spin and tried not to notice the feel of her soft curves pressing against the front of his tux. This dance was about avoiding Schuyler. Nothing more. “For some reason, my sister can’t seem to accept that. It was easier to lie, although I’m not sure she believed me.”
“I’m sure you could find a girlfriend if you wanted one.”
He grimaced. “But I don’t want one. Not even a little bit.”
“Oh.”
He had the strange sensation that he’d disappointed her and didn’t like the feeling.
“How’s Denver?” Christine asked quietly after a moment of awkward silence between them.
“Good,” he answered and struggled to come up with something better to say. Something interesting. Charming. Gavin was well-known for his charm. He had an easy way with women that made him popular, even with his ex-girlfriends. Where was that legendary charm now?
He couldn’t figure out what the hell was wrong with him. Had he allowed Schuyler to rattle him that much? Hell, he came from a family of six kids. Good-natured teasing was nothing new.
“Did you cut your ski trip short to come to the wedding?”
He blinked. “I did, actually. How did you know?”
“Your sisters talk about you a lot,” she said. She stiffened in his arms, making him regret questioning her. He liked dancing with Christine. She was just the right height and her body fit against his perfectly. She smelled clean and fresh, like strawberries or springtime or sunshine. Okay, that was stupid. Sunshine didn’t have a scent.
He needed to get a hold of himself, but all he could manage was hoping she’d relax into him again. The song ended and another ballad began. Gavin would have to tip the bandleader later for his sense of timing.
“Do you ski?” he asked, tightening his hold on her ever so slightly, splaying his hand across her lower back.
She laughed, low and husky, and his stomach flipped wildly. He hadn’t expected that kind of laugh from straitlaced Christine Briscoe. “No skiing for me. I’ve never even been to Colorado.”
“You’ll have to visit,” he told her. The way her eyes widened in shock was like he’d invited her to have wild monkey sex on the hood of his car. The image did crazy things to his breathing, and he pushed it out of his mind.
“Th-things are b-busy,” she stammered, “at the office right now.”
“That’s right. You moved to Austin to manage the new branch. My dad mentioned that.”
“I’m originally from Austin, and it was a great opportunity,” she confirmed. “Of course, I loved working for your dad in Houston, too.”
“Of course.” He felt the sensation of someone staring at him and glanced toward the bar. The man Christine had been standing next to was still there, shooting daggers in Gavin’s direction.
“Did I steal you from your boyfriend?” Even though it was no business of his, he didn’t like the idea of this woman belonging to another man.
She shook her head, her full mouth pursing into a thin line. “Maddie and Zach invited everyone from the Austin office to the wedding. Bobby and I work together, but that’s all, despite his best efforts. He’s a good real estate agent but can’t seem to understand that I’m not interested in dating him. In fact, you kind of rescued me.”
“So then I’m your hero?”
Christine blushed again, and Gavin couldn’t help but wonder what it would take to make her whole body flush that lovely shade of pink.
“I don’t know about that,” she murmured, her gaze focused on the knot of his bow tie.
He forced a chuckle, ignoring the pang of disappointment that lanced his chest at her words. What was going on with him tonight? He didn’t want or need to be anyone’s hero. “Already you know me too well,” he said as the song ended.
Her eyes darted to his like she’d been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. “I should get back to...um...the bar.” She squeezed shut her eyes then opened them again and offered him a lopsided smile. The first strains of a popular country line dance song started. “I’m not much for this kind of dancing.”
“We have that in common,” he told her then led her through the crowd. “Thanks for helping me out,” he said as they stopped at the end of the bar. At least the guy from earlier was nowhere to be seen. He waited for her to say something, oddly reluctant to have this strange interlude come to an end.
She crossed her arms over her chest and nodded, barely making eye contact. “Enjoy the rest of your night.”
“You, too,” he said and took a step away, to be almost immediately stopped by an old family friend.
He glanced over his shoulder to see that Christine had already turned toward the bar. She was well and truly done with him.
Gavin didn’t have much experience with being blown off by a woman, but he recognized the signs just the same. Christine Briscoe obviously wasn’t having the same reaction to him as he was to her. He was more disappointed than he would have imagined.
Chapter 2
Christine picked up the glass of wine the bartender placed in front of her and drained half of it in one long gulp.
She’d just had her heart’s desire handed to her on a silver platter and she’d made a mess of the whole thing. Gavin Fortunado might not be a hero, but he’d been her secret crush since the moment she’d set eyes on him almost ten years ago.
For ten years she’d harbored fantasies about her boss’s adventurous, drop-dead-gorgeous youngest son. Then tonight, out of nowhere, he’d taken her into his arms, like a scene from every Hallmark movie she’d ever watched. And she loved a good romance.
Unfortunately, Christine hadn’t even been able to put together a decent sentence. He’d actually flirted with her. Of course, Gavin flirted with everyone. Not that she knew him well, other than adoring him from afar, but he’d come into the Fortunado Real Estate Agency office in Houston often enough over the years.
She’d watched his easy banter with his sisters as well as the women who worked in the office. He was always charming but respectful and had a knack for remembering names and details. Half the women she knew in Houston had a crush on him, and she imagined it was much the same in Denver.
At first, when his gaze had met hers as he strode toward the bar, she’d thought he might call her out for staring. She’d been trying to ignore Bobby, who seemed to think he was God’s gift to women. He was harmless but annoying, and Christine wasn’t sure why he wouldn’t give up on her. Maybe because she had very little social life to speak of so he assumed she should be grateful for his attention.
Irritated was more like it.
He’d been blathering on about some property he couldn’t close, and Christine had been watching Gavin talk to Schuyler. Or rather argue. She was used to seeing Gavin smiling and jovial and hadn’t understood the tension that made his broad shoulders appear stiff. Unlike her own, the Fortunado family was tight-knit so it bothered her to see the brother and sister at odds.
She’d been shocked when Gavin had approached the bar and taken her hand. It might have been a simple dance to him. For Christine, having Gavin pull her close, her body pressed against his, was the culmination of all her secret desires come to life. Of all the single women at the reception, he’d picked her. Did that mean something?
Probably not, but a girl could dream. Sadly, all she’d be left with was her dreams since she’d been so discombobulated that she hadn’t been able to truly enjoy the moment. Or relax. Or hold up her end of the conversation.
What was the point, anyway? Gavin lived life in the fast lane. She could barely get out of first gear. Normally, her boring routine didn’t bother her. She was good at her job, had a cute apartment and a sweet rescue dog that adored her. She owned her own car and one designer purse she’d splurged on last year. The barista at her neighborhood coffee shop sometimes remembered her order, which never failed to make her feel special. She had a good life.
Only occasionally did she think about what it would be like to have more. To be fun and sporty like her sister, Aimee, or confident in the way of the Fortunado sisters. To be the kind of woman who could attract a man like Gavin.
She took another drink of wine and turned back toward the reception. The dance floor was filled with wedding guests, all of them laughing and swaying whether they had rhythm or not. Christine should join the crowd. Despite her two left feet, she loved to dance. But the thought of drawing attention to herself made her cheeks flame. Drat her pale Irish complexion. She had no ability to hide her feelings when her blush gave them away every time.
She had a travel-size powder compact in her purse. Maybe a little freshening of her makeup would help her feel more confident. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Bobby heading in her direction. She grabbed the glass of wine and slipped into the hallway, turning the corner toward the bathroom, only to find her way blocked by Gavin and Schuyler. Immediately, she slipped behind a potted palm, curiosity about the Fortunados getting the best of her despite the fact that it was wrong to eavesdrop.
“Come on,” Schuyler urged. “At least tell me her name. A name and then I’ll leave you alone.”
“You don’t fool me for a second,” Gavin said, amusement and irritation warring in his tone. “I’m not telling you anything.”
Schuyler threw up her hands. “Because this mystery woman doesn’t exist. Admit it, you aren’t dating anyone.”
Gavin opened his mouth, but Schuyler held up a finger. “At least not anyone serious.”
“Oh, it’s serious. It’s also none of your business.”
“Tell me something about her. One thing, Gavin.”
“She has blue eyes,” he answered without hesitation then added, “And fiery red hair.”
