Million Dollar Christmas Bride - Holly Rayner Page 0,49

but the two had still had a nice time catching up, and Bianca had enjoyed meeting the man.

“Bobby,” the guy said, as he extended his hand. “We met the other day, at the—”

“That’s right,” Bianca said, accepting the handshake. “At your restaurant. The food was excellent.” Her eyes shifted involuntarily back toward Jackson.

At that very moment, Jackson looked across the room. His eyes met hers.

Bianca felt a lump form in her throat. All she could think about, as their eyes locked, was what it had felt like to fall asleep in his arms.

I can’t think about that right now, she told herself. I just have to get through this.

“Jackson was just telling us that you had to work today but that you’d be here any minute. And here you are! Looking lovely, by the way.”

“Thank you,” Bianca murmured. She saw Jackson say something to Danielle, then step away from her.

He’s heading over here, Bianca realized.

She wasn’t ready to talk to him one-on-one. Once the rehearsal started, the situation would be more bearable. They’d be side by side but surrounded by others. Their conversation couldn’t dip into intimate tones. She dreaded the idea that he might apologize for their night together or call it a mistake.

Bobby went on. “You’re a nurse, is that right?”

“Nursing assistant,” Bianca said.

Jackson was now halfway across the room.

“Um, excuse me,” Bianca said, reaching out to pat Bobby lightly on the arm. “I see someone over there who I haven’t seen in years… if you don’t mind…” She inched away.

“Of course!” Bobby said, before merrily turning his attention to another guest.

Bianca ducked around a corner in the small bar area and found herself in an enclosure that was packed with winter coats.

She took her time removing her jacket and purse, hanging them on a rack with the others. By the time she peered back around the corner, she saw that Jackson had been side-tracked by an elderly gentleman; the man had wrapped his arm around Jackson’s shoulder and was steering him toward the bar.

Bianca tentatively stepped back out into the crowd, engaging a nearby woman in conversation and keeping her back turned to Jackson. The woman turned out to be Jackson’s cousin, a writer with many well-known books published. Bianca asked her a steady stream of questions, right up until the moment it was time for everyone to move over to the hotel’s ballroom.

Soon, the logistics of the rehearsal took over, and Bianca was relieved at not having to endure a one-on-one conversation with Jackson.

After the rehearsal, Jackson, Bianca, and their wedding party returned to the Italian restaurant, where the owner announced that their meal was served. Here, Bianca stalled again, this time by visiting the restroom.

When she made her way to her chair, which was right by Jackson’s side, the long rectangular table was already filled with people.

“We’re all very excited about tomorrow,” one woman said.

“A Christmas Day wedding,” a man with a mustache said. “We think it’s fantastic! Unique. Memorable. Reminds me of a wedding I went to, back in the eighties, in Colorado. It took place at this ski resort, you see… on Valentine’s Day. You should have seen it….” He launched into a long, rambling story, and Bianca was more than happy to let him talk.

“Everything okay?” Jackson asked quietly, at one point when Bianca forgot to avoid eye contact.

“Fine,” she said coolly. “You?”

“Just fine,” he said politely.

Well, we are in front of everyone, Bianca thought. We can’t talk about anything real here. And maybe it’s a good thing.

“Great,” she told him, trying to keep her tone light. She lifted her glass of white wine. “That’s good to hear.”

“I’ve never been to a wedding on a holiday,” Danielle, who sat across the table, said. “I think it’s a tacky idea.”

“Danielle!” Mary Wylde, positioned three chairs down, swiveled her head around to direct a stern look at her daughter.

“What?” Danielle said with a shrug. “I’m not saying that Jackson and Bianca’s wedding is going to be tacky. I’m just saying the idea of it, in general…” She shrugged, lifted her wine to her lips, and took a long sip. “Oh wow, am I ever jet-lagged. That’s the last time I take a red-eye flight. Everyone hear me on that?”

“How could we not?” Jackson said. “You’re practically yelling.”

Bianca stayed quiet as various family members, relatives, and friends bantered back and forth. Though she’d sent out invitations to a few of her own family members and friends, only a handful of them had actually RSVP’d to