“No, thanks.” She shook her head at the barkeep and he left them alone. Then she turned to Jace and granted him a patient look from that fine pair of enormous brown eyes. “No offense,” she said.
“None taken.”
“And don’t even think about it, okay? I’m on a solo vacation and right now, I hate men.”
He studied her face. It was such a great face. One of those faces a guy could look at forever and still find new expressions in it. “Already, I really like you.”
“Didn’t I just say I hate men?”
“That makes you a challenge. Haven’t you heard? Men love a challenge.”
“I’m serious. Don’t bother. It’s not gonna happen.”
He faced the rows of liquor bottles arrayed in front of the mirror over the bar and shrugged. “Okay, if you’re sure.”
She shot him a look. “Oh, come on. Is that the best you’ve got?”
He leaned his head on his hand and admired the way the dim barroom light somehow managed to bring out glints of auburn in her thick, wavy dark hair. “Uninspired, huh?”
She almost smiled. “Well, yeah.”
“Story of my life lately. I’ve got no passion for the game.”
“What game?”
He shrugged again. “Any game.”
She considered that. “Wow,” she said finally. “That’s sad.”
“Yeah, it is, isn’t it?”
She frowned and then looked at him sideways. “Wait a minute. Stop right there, buddy. I’m on to you.”
“Oh? What am I up to?”
“You sit there looking gorgeous and bored. I find I have a longing to bring some life back into your eyes. I let you buy me another margarita after all. I go home with you. We have wild, hot, incredible sex. But in the morning, you’re looking bored again and I’m feeling cheap and used.”
He decided to focus on the positive. “You think I’m gorgeous?”
“That was not my point. It was a cautionary tale.”
“I think you’re gorgeous,” he said and meant it. “And that’s kind of a breakthrough for me.”
“A breakthrough.” She was not impressed. “You’re kidding me.”
“I am as serious as a bad blind date. You’re the first woman I’ve felt attracted to in months. Who’s Kenny?”
She shook a finger at him. “You listened in on my phone call.”
“Not exactly. I overheard your phone call.”
“I’m just saying it was a private conversation and I don’t even know your name.”
“Jason Traub. Call me Jace.” He offered his hand.
She took it. “Jocelyn Marie Bennings. Call me Joss.”
It felt good, he realized, just to hold her hand. It felt… comfortable. And exciting, too. Both at once. That was a first—for him anyway. As a rule, with women, it was one or the other. He didn’t want to let go. But in the end, it wasn’t his choice.
She eased her hand free. “My wedding was supposed to be a week ago today. Kenny was the groom.”
“Supposed to be? You mean you didn’t marry him?”
“No, I didn’t. And I should have backed out long before the wedding day. But Kenny and I were together for five years. It was going to be a beautiful wedding. You should see my wedding gown. I still have it. I couldn’t bear to get rid of it. It’s fabulous. Acres of beading, yards of the finest taffeta and tulle. We planned a nice reception afterward at my restaurant.”
“You own a restaurant?”
“No. I mean the restaurant I was managing, until I quit to marry Kenny. I gave up a great job for him. Just like I gave up my cute apartment, because I thought I wouldn’t need either anymore.”
“But then you didn’t marry Kenny.”
“I already said I didn’t.”
“Just wanted to be sure. So what went wrong? Why didn’t you marry the guy?”
She ran her finger around the rim of her margarita glass. “Who’s telling this story, Jace?”
He gave her a nod. “You are, Joss. Absolutely. Carry on.”
“It was going to be the perfect wedding.”
He nodded once more, to show her he was listening, but he did not interrupt again.
She went on. “And after the wedding and the lovely reception, there was the great getaway honeymoon right here at the Thunder Canyon Resort. Followed by a move to San Francisco. Kenny’s a very successful advertising executive. He just hit the big time and got transferred to the Bay Area.” Joss paused. She turned her glass by the stem.
He wanted to prompt her to tell him what went wrong, but he didn’t. He waited patiently for her to go on, as he’d promised he would.
Finally, she continued. “I got all the way to the church last Saturday. Camellia City Methodist in Sacramento. It’s a beautiful church. And I was born and raised in Sacramento and have lived there all my life. I like my hometown. In fact, I didn’t really want to move to San Francisco, but I was willing to support my future husband in his powerhouse career. And I would have gone through with the wedding in spite of my doubts.”
He’d promised to let her tell it her way, but still. He had to know. “What doubts?”
She shook her head. “Kenny used to be such a sweet guy. But the more successful he got, the more he changed. He became someone I didn’t even know—and then I caught him with my cousin Kimberly in the coat room.”
“Hold on, you lost me. What coat room?”
She shook her head again, as though she still couldn’t quite believe it. “The coat room at Camellia City Methodist.”
Jace let his mouth fall open. “Kenny canoodled with Kimberly in the coat room on the day of your wedding?”
“Oh, yeah. And it was beyond canoodling. Kimberly was halfway out of her hot-pink satin bridesmaid’s dress and someone had unzipped Kenny’s fly. Both of them were red-faced and breathless. Kind of ruined the whole experience for me, you know?”
He made a low noise in his throat. “I guess so.”
Joss picked up the cell phone, studied it for a moment and then set it back down. “So I threw his engagement ring in his face and got the heck out of there—and I’m here at the resort anyway. Having my honeymoon minus the groom.”
He tipped his head at the phone. “But Kenny keeps calling.”
“Oh yes, he does.”
“What a douche bag.”
She sipped her margarita. “My sentiments exactly.”
“I hate guys like that. He blew it already. He should show a little dignity and leave you alone. But instead it’s, ‘Joss, please. I love you. I just want to work this out. Come back to me. I’m sorry, okay? And that silly thing with Kimberly? It meant nothing and it will never happen again.’”
Joss laughed. She had a beautiful, husky, warm sort of laugh. “How did you do that? You even captured the slightly wounded, whiney tone of his voice. Like I’m the one with the problem.”
Jace stared at her wide, soft mouth in unabashed admiration.