BREANNA STOOD IN THEmiddle of her front room and surveyed the confined space she had to work with for her party. There was no way thirty people could fit in her apartment. With a deep sigh, she raked her fingers through her thick hair and lifted it off her neck.
“Why did I agree to this?” she grumbled.
But she knew the answer. If Tom hadn’t upset her by cancelling their date – again – she wouldn’t be worrying about the unknown guests soon to arrive.
Blowing out a gush of air, she walked into the kitchen and leaned against the wall. She hated feeling unwanted, and lately Tom’s actions had really hurt her. Why did he always choose his friends, Kevin and Trisha, over her? She was the one marrying him, for heaven’s sake! But it was like pulling teeth to get him to spend time with her.
She moved over to the kitchen counters and rearranged the food items Brad had told her to purchase. She’d never been one to go to parties like this, but because of Tom’s rejection this evening, she felt like doing something a little out-of-the-ordinary.
Although she didn’t drink alcohol, she guessed one of the guests would bring some. Hopefully, her guests would have respect for her things once they got a little tipsy. She’d bought an assortment of soda-pop like Brad had told her to get. Over on the table, she grouped the cheese and crackers together and the chips and dips. Thanks to Brad’s generous three hundred dollar donation to the party, there was plenty of food.
But the question was... could thirty people fit in her apartment? She groaned. And if all those people could fit, how was she going to keep it hidden from Tom?Mister had-to-have-everything-perfectwould certainly detect something different tomorrow. And she didn’t look forward to that confrontation.
The chiming of the doorbell took her thoughts off Tom, and she hurried to the door. Her heart beat frantically. Could she actually go through with this? But then, Tom was having a good time tonight, so why shouldn’t she?
Taking a fortifying breath, she opened the front door. It had only been a few hours since she’d seen Brad, and once again, his good looks startled her and made her heart rate accelerate. Faded blue Levis molded to his muscular legs, and his red pullover golf shirt stretched across his wide chest.
He looked absolutely gorgeous. When he smiled, her knees weakened.
“Hi, sweetie. Are you ready for tonight?”
She was scared to death, but his enthusiasm relaxed her, if only slightly. “No, I’m not ready. I’m a nervous wreck. There is no way thirty people are going to fit in my house,” she rambled hysterically. “And what if by chance, they do? What if we make too much noise and the neighbors get mad? What if someone brings beer? I’ve never had alcohol in my apartment. And what if the party gets out of control and I’m not able to stop it? Do you know what my landlord will do?”
Chuckling, he stepped into the living room, and then closed the door behind him. He rested his hands on her shoulders. “Okay, first... breathe.” He went through the motions of inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, and she copied. “Next, you need to loosen up. Everything will be fine, sweetie.”
“I don’t think,” she began, but he placed his fingers on her lips and stopped her.
“Shhh, calm down,” he told her. “Take another deep breath.” Her chest rose and fell from his coaxing. “Good girl. Now relax your shoulders.” His magical fingers gently massaged her stiff neck.
“That’s the way. Now sweetie, listen to me. I’ve been to hundreds of parties and I’ve been able to control them, so if the crowd happens to get out of hand tonight, let me handle it. Okay?” She nodded. “Good. Now tell me, are any of your neighbors old and grouchy?”
She’d lost herself in his dreamy green and couldn’t bring herself to look away. “Umm, no. My oldest neighbors are in their late forties, but they’re never home.”
He nodded as his fingers continued their massage but moved to her shoulders. “Good. Now, what about your landlord? Where does he live?”
“My landlord is a woman. Pat is in her early forties and she’s as ornery as an old bear. She lives up the walk at the first apartment on the corner.”
When Brad moved his hands away, comfort left, too. Emptiness seeped through her body, and she wanted his warmth back.
“Everything is going to be just fine.” He glanced around her living room. “Hey, let’s move some of this furniture to make more room.”
With a nod, she stepped to the long couch.
“Grab the other end and we’ll take it over to that corner.” He motioned his head in the direction he wanted to go.
As she assisted in lifting and pulling the heavy objects, she peeked at the muscles rippling over his arms. Suddenly, her mouth turned dry and her heart raced. Yes, he was very well put together.
She shook herself out of the hypnotic stare and thought of something to discuss so she wouldn’t look at his body. Instead of admiring his outer shell, she should concentrate on getting to know the man within. After all, didn’t she expect people to do that with her?
“Brad?”
“Yes?”
“You said earlier that you had attended hundreds of parties. Is that true? Has it really been that many?”
He chuckled as his gaze met hers. “Yes, I’m guilty. I’ve gone to so many parties I can’t recall them all. I guess you can call me a swinging single. You know, a playboy kind of guy?”
She remembered the conversation he and his buddy had in the cab, and especially the things he’d explained to her. “Are you living at home?”
