The next few minutes were a scramble as they assembled at the back of the church as quietly as possible. She and Jack were walking down the aisle after Mandy and Steve, just like at rehearsal. Caroline had opted out of having a maid of honor, not willing to choose between the three of them, and not having a sister or a future sister-in-law to single out.
The church was air-conditioned, and the murmuring of the guests settled down into shuffling silence as the musicians began to play louder. Jamie fought the urge to grip her stomach and took deep breaths to steady herself.
She could do this.
The sea of faces, Brad waiting expectantly at the front of the church, all swam in front of her. Jack offered his arm with a sultry smile, and she took it.
He squeezed her hand and whispered to her, “You look fantastic, Jamie. But I bet you would look even better in white.”
Whatever calm she had managed to achieve fled. Was he hinting about marriage?
She thought she might have a cow right on the spot.
Because of the insanity of the idea, and the presumptuousness, and the fact that they hadn’t even managed a second date yet.
And for a much different reason.
Gazing down that aisle, poised next to Jack, she realized she wanted to believe Beckwith. She wanted Jack to be her forever.
Maybe from the minute she had laid eyes on him she had wanted him. Beckwith had said he would touch her soul, and Lord, she was feeling pretty touched already.
She gripped her bouquet of lilies like it was a winning lottery ticket she didn’t want to drop.
“Thank you,” she said, for lack of anything better. They certainly could not have a major discussion regarding their relationship right at this moment. But Lord, thanking the man for a compliment like that was downright lame. Next he’d propose, and she’d be giving him a thumbs-up.
Then Allison nudged her. “It’s time to walk.”
“Just like in practice,” Jack whispered to her. “No sweat.”
Did he actually remember the practice? She couldn’t remember anything except the tidal wave of lust that had been crashing over her at Jack’s touch.
But she had been walking since her first birthday, after all. She could handle this.
They walked up the aisle, her fingers lightly on his tuxedo sleeve, and Jack’s presence next to her reassuring and masculine. She smiled like a beauty pageant contestant and sank into her seat at the end of the aisle with significant relief.
Best of all, Jack was sitting across the aisle with the other groomsmen, so she could actually relax and not have to worry about his wandering hands.
Everyone stood and watched Caroline walk up the aisle on the arm of her beaming father. She looked stunning, confident and poised, and Jamie felt tears pricking at her eyes.
It was a wonderful day for Caroline, and from the looks of Brad, wide-eyed up front, he appreciated the woman he was getting. Jamie was so happy for her friend, and equally determined that Beckwith was wrong in Caroline’s case. She didn’t look like a woman poised for tragedy, and Brad didn’t look like an uneasy groom.
Beckwith’s prediction for her rose up into her mind again and haunted her as the minister began to speak about the responsibilities that accompany marriage. Beckwith had said Jack was going to make her happy, and touch her soul.
Well, he had. For one night.
Beckwith had never said anything about forever or marriage.
So there.
Jack could find himself a nice little properties lawyer in a red power suit, and they could settle down in TriBeCa during the busy work week and head out to the Hamptons on the weekends.
That would leave her free to find a wonderful…someone. That she didn’t want.
She wanted Jack.
How dumb was that?
Chapter 18
Jack stood in the corner, choking on a piece of bruschetta. He had been minding his own business, stalking the door, waiting for Jamie, when he had realized something.
He was going to have to give up all of his money if he wanted Jamie.
The thought had come to him out of nowhere that if he donated every last cent, she would see that he was sincere. That he wanted Jamie for the long haul—for forever. For a marriage that lasted until death did they part.
Pounding his chest with his fist, he dislodged the wayward appetizer and sucked in a startled breath. He must have thrown all common sense out the window to think that he and Jamie…that marriage to her…that she could…
That he could give away the financial rewards of ten years of hard work for something that wasn’t a guarantee.
Jack took a huge swallow of wine, dribbling some on his chin.
He had only known Jamie for a couple of weeks. He couldn’t possibly love her enough to give up all his worldly possessions and live like a monk. Well, like a monk without the celibacy vow. No, no, he could not even be considering this. Living in a tiny walk-up. Selling his car. Cooking at home and having to fly coach class. My God, he couldn’t believe he’d do that for anyone.
Yet that sack of pudding in his chest said otherwise.
He’d do it. He’d shed all vestiges of his wealth for Jamie. He’d join a freaking commune if she wanted. Okay, so he wouldn’t go that far. But he would definitely take the subway for her. And tell Meredith a big fat resounding no on the job offer.
Now so he could declare his intentions before he changed his mind and went to visit his mother’s therapist, Jamie and the other bridesmaids had to actually show up. The rest of the guests and the bride and groom had been mingling for fifteen minutes now and nibbling food off the trays of tuxedoed waiters moving through the room silently.
The minute the limo had pulled up at the hotel and they had all entered the lobby, Mandy, Allison, and Jamie had disappeared. So Jack was staking out the door for when they walked in, which ought to be any minute now or they were going to risk being noticed as missing by his mother.
He wanted to be nowhere near her if and when that happened.
He hid behind a potted plant and tried to look nonchalant. By all accounts, he should be networking and shaking hands, not stalking the entry, but he was powerless to move away.
Female voices rose in excitement. Jamie. She was coming through the doorway.
“Oh, my God. Look at this place, y’all! It’s like a garden tent inside right here in Manhattan.” Jamie clapped her hand over her mouth as she came to a standstill in the doorway.
The heightened hitch of southern in her voice made Jack smile. She was so unbelievably sexy.
Her arm in the air was giving a mouth-watering rise to her chest, while her dress stayed in place where it was.