Apparently the issues between the parents of the groom had not yet been resolved. Katie couldn't find out if there had been flirtation between Tully and Bruce or something more. To be honest, she didn't really want to know.
There were footsteps on the patio. Katie turned and saw an older couple in a passionate embrace. Even from several feet away it was easy to see their bodies straining, the deep kisses, the way the man's hands cupped Tully's butt oh-so possessively.
Katie's stomach flipped over. "Oh, God," she murmured. "That's not Alex's mother, is it?"
"Sorry, no. It's definitely Tully."
"What should we do?"
"They're adults."
Katie looked at him. "You're saying it's not our responsibility?"
"Something like that."
"So we should run."
"Quietly."
He took her hand and led her away.
Instead of returning to the hotel, they went around to the front, then across the driveway to the rose garden on the side. There was a gazebo, with a few chairs and benches. Jackson waited until she was seated on a bench before pulling a chair up across from her. He drew her feet onto his lap, pulled off her flats and began to rub her toes.
"How is your knee?" he asked, his long, strong fingers massaging her.
"Good. A little stiff, but I'm fine." She glanced over her shoulder, toward the hotel. "I don't know about leaving Tully and Bruce like that."
"You really want to get in the middle of that conversation?"
"No. But Alex's mom is going to be pissed." She shook her head. "No. Not pissed. Hurt."
"You're assuming this is the first time."
Katie looked at him. "Tully does this a lot. Takes advantage of men."
"Sorry, no. She doesn't take advantage of them. They're willing partners in whatever she's doing. Maybe she shows them something they didn't know was there. Maybe they use her as an excuse. But either way, they have to take responsibility for their actions."
Something Katie hadn't thought about. "Everyone always says Tully is a force of nature. That no one can resist her."
"I did."
"You're different."
"No. Just scared."
Katie laughed. "You're saying she's not your type?"
"She'd probably kill me. I doubt I could keep up."
He continued to massage her feet. Warmth spread through her, making her want to confess her true feelings. But saying she was falling in love with him wasn't an option. If anything, it would frighten him off and that was the last thing she wanted to do.
"I think you could take on Tully and win," she told him.
"I appreciate the confidence but I'm not interested in that particular competition. I'd rather take on you."
"Good answer."
Ten
After a few more minutes of massage, Jackson slipped Katie's shoes back on, then shifted so he was sitting next to her on the bench. He put his arm around her and she snuggled in close.
He felt warm, she thought. Safe.
"Tell me about where you live," she said.
"Outside of Los Angeles."
"Not Silicon Valley?"
"I avoided the cliche," he said. "There's plenty of talent in L.A. and when I was starting my business, I wanted good people."
"Have you lived there long?"
"Seven years. We're looking to move the company. We want something more low-key. Everyone's getting married and having kids. We used to talk about the latest game innovations. Now conversations are about parks and school districts."
Something fluttered in her chest. Hope, she thought, wondering if Fool's Gold could make the short list.
"Any contenders?" she asked.
"Not yet. We're just starting the process. What about you? You said you were a hometown girl. Is that permanent?"
"Yes. I went away to school, but I came back here. For a while I thought about moving to a bigger city--trying to get a job on a real paper. But this is my home."
He looked up at the mountains soaring behind the resort. "It's beautiful." He hesitated. "There hasn't been anyone to tempt you into moving?"
"A guy, you mean?" She glanced up at him. "Oh, please. You've met Alex. Not exactly my finest hour. I thought he was one of the good guys." She closed her eyes, remembering. "I'd always thought that he took one look at Courtney and was simply swept away. But now I'm not so sure. I don't think we were right for each other. Courtney was a catalyst, not a cause."
"And before him?"
"The usual suspects. A high school boyfriend who broke my heart. A guy in college who was intense and romantic and was ultimately too intense and boring."
He played with the ends of her hair. "So you're the girl who got away."
His voice was low and sexy and made her insides shiver. "Not exactly."
"That wasn't a question. You are."
If only, she thought, then cleared her throat. "What about you? Other near misses besides Ariel."
"A couple. I didn't have a girlfriend in high school. My first romantic encounter was in college."
"Let me guess. She was older, taught you everything you know."
He shifted to face her. "How did you know?"
"You went to college when you were what? Five?"
"Sixteen."