Part 7 (1/2)
”I know. And they deserve it. I've never seen two people more in love.”
Jenna could only nod as Mick led Tara around the floor. Tara was breathtaking in her cream and pale pink strapless ball gown, a true vision with her blonde hair pulled up, diamond drops in her ears and across her throat-a wedding gift from Mick.
”She looks like freakin' Cinderella.”
Her mother laughed. ”She's stunning. And so are you.”
”Thanks, Mom. But no comparison. This is Tara's day.”
”You're gorgeous, Jenna. The ruby red dresses Tara chose bring out the blue in your eyes and make your hair stand out. And what they do for Maggie and Elizabeth's hair-I'm telling you, she chose the best dress for all of you.”
”She did.”
It was the bridal party's turn to dance, so Gavin danced with Maggie as best man and maid of honor, Liz danced with Mick's cousin Cole, and Jenna got to dance with Nathan.
”You look all grown up.”
Nathan grinned. ”I kinda feel that way. And sometimes I still feel like a kid.”
She laughed. ”Enjoy the feeling-like-a-kid moments. They'll be gone before you know it.”
”I know. I'll be off to college soon. Only one more year of high school after this.”
”I'm not sure we'll let you leave us yet.”
”I'm not sure I'll be ready to go.”
”Oh, trust me. You'll be ready. Too much of the Rileys can be suffocating. You'll have your bags packed and sneaking out the door in the dark of night so we can't tie you to us.”
He squeezed her hand. ”I like having you all for family, Jenna.”
”We all like you, too, Nathan. A whole lot.”
He turned her so they were facing Mick and Tara. ”My mom and dad look happy.”
”They are. And they will be. Forever.”
She felt him relax.
The night flowed smoothly. She ate, finally, so she was content. Everyone danced, and she wandered around to greet the guests.
”h.e.l.lo, gorgeous.”
She was picked up and whirled around. When she was set down, she whirled around with a glare. She rolled her eyes when she saw her cousin's smug grin.
”Cole. Don't you know it's impolite to annoy the c.r.a.p out of a lady?”
”First, you're not a lady, you're my cousin. And second, annoying the c.r.a.p out of women is what I do.”
Her cousin Cole was and always had been a big pain in her a.s.s, second only to her brothers in that department. A jock just like Mick and Gavin, Cole played in the NFL and was one of the best wide receivers currently playing for Green Bay. And he had the giant ego to go with his giant talent. But she loved Cole nearly as much as she loved her brothers, despite all the years he'd spent tormenting her when she was a kid.
Her uncle and her dad must have been a h.e.l.l of a duo when they were kids, because they sure pa.s.sed it on to their sons.
”Shouldn't you be off doing shots with the guys?”
”On my best behavior tonight. I promised my mother and Aunt Kathleen.”
”And when have you ever kept a promise?”
”Never. But since they're both here with their eagle eyes, I don't have much of a choice.”
”Aren't you just a boy scout?”
”Yeah, until about midnight when I ditch this s.h.i.+ndig and head to a club. I've got some babes waiting for me.”
”And the media will be right behind you, waiting for you to get into a fistfight or some new scandal that'll make headlines. The new bad boy of football.”
Cole shrugged, then grinned, the dimples in his cheeks doing nothing to diminish his rugged good looks. No wonder the media loved him.
”Hey, not my fault I'm photogenic.”
”Yeah, your mug shot was charming. I'm sure Uncle Jack and Aunt Cara were thrilled with that.”
”That was bulls.h.i.+t. And I've got great attorneys, and that was thrown out of court.”
She shook her head. ”It pays to make money, I suppose, but you're pus.h.i.+ng thirty now, party boy. Isn't it time to grow up?”
He laughed. ”Just call me Peter Pan. It'll never be time to grow up.”
She waved him off with a shake of her head. Cole was trouble with a capital T. Great football player, but he did like his social life. Maybe a bit too much.
She grabbed a gla.s.s of champagne and was watching Gavin and Liz and Mick and Tara dance when she felt a warm presence behind her.
”You're not dancing.”
Tyler. She'd successfully managed to avoid him for the past couple hours. She turned to face him.
Oh, did he ever clean up nice. Dressed in a black suit and tie that fit him as if it had been tailored for him, his dark hair spilled over the collar, making her want to sift her fingers through it to see if it was as soft as it looked.
”No, not dancing.”
”Who was the guy you were hanging out with? Your date?”
She frowned, then realized he was referring to Cole. She laughed. ”No, that was Cole Riley, my cousin. You might recognize him from the Green Bay team. He plays wide receiver.”
Tyler nodded. ”Thought he looked familiar. You Rileys like to breed the sports players, don't you?”
”You have no idea.”
”So where's your date?”