Once the rehearsal is over and I’ve put everything away and stored the dresses properly, I step out from behind the stage area. Almost everyone has left the barn, but I spot Joselyn, her husband Brennen, and Stone, along with a gentleman I don’t recognize. As I approach the group, I’m immediately drawn to Stone. The closer I get, I can feel the warmth radiating from him, attracting me with its intensity.
He turns his attention from the group. “How’d everything go backstage?”
“As smoothly as it could, I suppose. How about out here?”
Joselyn grins. “Great! Everyone knows what to do. And if they forget, we’ll improvise!”
“Have we sold all of the tickets?”
“Yep, we are sold out! We’ve got people coming from as far as Palm Beach and Hibiscus Harbor. And we received some very generous corporate donations, thanks to Stone, Candace, and Ryan.”
“That’s fantastic!” I extend a hand toward the gentleman I don’t know. “Hello. I’m Desirae Russell.”
He clasps my hand firmly. “Please forgive my buddy for failing to introduce us.” He elbows Stone in the side. “I’m Kyle Carver, COO of Stone Development, and best friend of this asshole.”
I can’t help but laugh.
Joselyn adds, “Kyle is also Kristina’s dad.”
“Thank you so much for lending us Kristina. She’s a lovely girl.”
Jos turns to Stone. “Could you do me a favor? I need to take care of something, and Desirae rode over here with me. Would you mind taking her back to her car?”
I shoot daggers at Jos, silently calling her out for her not-so-subtle attempt at matchmaking. “That’s not necessary. I can call an uber real quick.”
He grins at Jos, as if they had it planned all along. “I don’t mind at all. Are you ready to go?”
Stone is a perfect gentleman as he escorts me to his car, opening the passenger door of his convertible and helping me inside. I slide into the buttery soft leather seat, taking in the opulent interior of the metallic black BMW M8 Competition, the perfect combination of luxury and sports car. Once he’s in the driver’s seat, he says, “It’s a beautiful night. Would you mind if I put the top down?”
“Not at all.”
As we leave the winery, I look up at the sky full of stars, so bright that I have no trouble making out the features of Stone’s handsome face in the moonlight, his strong jaw with just a touch of late evening scruff looking sexy. My fingers itch with temptation, as I resist the urge to run them across his chin to feel the roughness that exudes masculinity. I inhale deeply, the scent of the ocean salt air mingling with the grapes on the vines as we cruise down the lane toward the main road.
Even though the top is down and we’re outdoors,there’s a feeling of intimacy here in the car with Stone. I lean back into the soft seat and close my eyes, letting my mind wander.
He breaks the silence. “How about we take the overlook road back to your store?”
“Sure, that’ll be nice.”
As we drive along the coastline, the crash of the surf can be heard above the precision hum of the BMW’s engine. It dawns on me that I don’t know much about Stone personally, other than the basic bio data I was able to glean from the internet, and whatever tidbits I got from Regina before I realized Stone was her son.
“Have you always lived in West Palm?”
“Yes. My mom raised me there with the help of my grandfather. What about you? Where are you from?”
“I grew up in Atlanta with my parents. My grandmother was a big part of my life, too. She taught me to sew, and she left me the money to start my own business.”
“My grandpa taught me about the value of investing in real estate and whetted my appetite for business. Seems we both had grandparents who steered us into a career path. So what brought you to Pelican Point?”
“Growing up in a big city, I wanted to establish myself in a place where I could put down some roots and get to know my neighbors and clients. When I found Pelican Point, it just felt right. And when I saw the Reilly building, I knew it was the perfect location for my shop. I’m a lover of all things vintage, including architecture. What I’d really like to do is find an old coastal house or one of the beach bungalows to buy. I’ve beenso focused on my business that I haven’t had a chance to make a home that suits me. My condo is nice and all, but it’s just not me.”
Stone glances over and nods before returning his eyes to the road. “I know what you mean. I actually miss the small town vibe that Palm Beach had when I was a boy. Believe it or not, it used to look much like Pelican Point before all of the businesses moved their headquarters south and the wealthy made it their playground.”
A few minutes later, Stone pulls up to the curb in front of my building, parking right next to my Volvo in the spaces that are angled toward the curb. He turns to me, eyes smoldering, and I’m mesmerized. It feels as if we’re the only two people in the world. Without a word he leans in, and with no conscious effort, I feel a pull, as my upper body moves closer to him of its own accord.
In an instant, the blare of a horn in the distance ruins the moment.
My voice sounds uncharacteristically breathless to my own ears. “Thank you. For being there tonight and for the ride back.”
