Convincing Lina: A Bachelor of Shell Cove Novel (The Bachelors of Shell Cove Romance Book 2) (15 page)

Every vendor, including the decorators, arrived at the Cove Towers Somerset ballroom sixty minutes before the event was to start. Granny Lou and Mrs. Walters helped the Towers staff with setting the tables. Janna, Lina, and Bernadean worked with the decorators to dress all fifty round tables in navy blue linens with yellow accents. The ballroom walls were covered in soft yellow silk. An elegant backdrop with the dark linen table. The live band unpacked their equipment in the far right corner. As the florist added fresh bouquets to each table, the scent of lilies and sunflowers perfumed the air.
 

Lina wanted the evening to be perfect for Ava. Ava and Logan’s romance was far from story book, their love was hard won. Ava, the most relationship averse woman she knew, was engaged to be married. Lina had kind of pushed Ava and Logan together. The night of the Shell Cove Medical Center fundraiser, Ava found the man of her dreams, and Lina lost hers. Threats from Ava’s future mother-in-law had forced Ava to leave Shell Cove and Logan behind. It took Ava weeks to muster the nerve to face Logan’s wrath over her abandonment. Ava left Logan following his mother’s threats to ruin them both.
 

“Lina.” Her best friend glowed in a soft, yellow mermaid dress with a navy blue belt at her twenty-four inch waist. Lina knew that because Ava offered her a few shirts that were too big for her since joining the Navy Nurse Corps. Lina, meanwhile, filled out every stitch inlay in her clothing.
 

“Hey girlfriend, you look beautiful. Logan and the Navy must be treating you well.” The words came from Lina’s heart. Logan’s love had given Ava the strength to pursue her dreams.
 

“Thank you, bestie. I am enjoying my first duty station and Logan treating me like a queen. The verdict is still out on his thoughts about me serving in the Navy.” Lina threw her arms around her friend and held tight. They shared matching lunch boxes, matching outfits, and matching hairstyles through the years.
 

“Logan will adjust to sharing you with the Blue and Gold.” Ava laughed, rolling her eyes heavenward.

“If I agree to another collateral duty in the clinic, he’ll apply for hardship reassignment.” Lina crinkled her nose in confusion.

“Collaterals are additional duties outside of my nursing responsibilities.”

“Ah, I get it.” Lina pulled her best friend into another hug.

“I’m in charge of staff education and training and we have an inspection coming up within the week. The prep work keeps me in the office later than Logan would like.” At Ava’s sniffling, Lina pulled back to look at her friend’s face.

“There’s no crying before the engagement announcement.” Ava shrugged and dabbed at her eyes.

“I’m happier than I ever imagined I could be, but there’s a weight in my chest that makes me want to run before something terrible happens.”
 

“Ava are you ending the engagement?” Wide eyes in disbelief Ava stared at Lina.

“No. The only thing that can stop me from marrying Logan, is the heavenly rapture.”

“Amen, to that.”

“But, this day feels out of sorts. Aron and Zari, haven’t arrived with Shaylah from the airport.” Ava’s younger brother and his wife had volunteered to pick up the oldest Walters’ sibling. Shaylah was a doctoral student at Howard University and worked for the Department of Social Services in Washington, DC.

“I received a text alert that Interstate-95 was gridlocked courtesy of the police blockade.” Lina patted her friend’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry about the details. You’re here and Logan will forever be at your side. That’s what’s important.” Ava’s smile brightened and Lina’s work at reassuring the bride-to-be was done.
 

“Can you believe I’m getting married?”

“Yes, I can.” That’s all Lina got to say before the elite of Shell Cove’s shakers and movers started spilling through the double doors. Logan’s family tree and social network sported million dollar homes, luxury cars, and private yachts. Ava was the middle child of a postal carrier and a school teacher. When the two looked at each other, all she saw was love. The differences didn’t matter if you loved someone. That’s what Lina told herself, though her reality with love was a less forgiving tale.
 

Gideon was her date again tonight. He stayed close to her, but gave her enough space to socialize with her friends. She hadn’t uttered the word dating and neither had he. They had a comfortable weekly routine. Friends that spent every waking moment together. Of course, he had taken off to the men’s dressing room to commute with Logan and his male entourage.
 

Lina noticed Darwin Masters, Logan’s younger brother, love interest Rebecca Lynn Holbrook had arrived with a new man in tow.
 

“Who is the guy with Rebecca?” she directed over her shoulder to Gideon. Gideon golfed with the men of the Masters family on Sundays, so he knew more details about the Masters family. Almost as well as Lina knew the Walters’ clan.
 

“The one with the scar along his face is Bluton S. Faraday. He’s made millions creating industry in underdeveloped countries.”
 

“He has the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen, but he’s not the one I’m asking about. Who’s the guy crowding Rebecca’s personal space?” Lina touched Gideon’s arm as she spoke. When had she gotten comfortable with touching him?

“Richard Ascot, his family is heavy into defense contracts. With Logan off the market, Dick is Rebecca’s latest wealthy suitor.”

“Dick?” she tried not to smirk, taking in the laugh lines formed at the corners of his mouth.
 

“Hey, that’s what the guy told me to call him.” Lina studied the man standing next to the perfectly coiffed Rebecca. He was lean, approximately six feet, light on muscle mass with an arrogant smile on his too thin lips. There was enough gel in his hair that it resembled a high-gloss combat helmet. At his side, Rebecca kept her eyes forward, back straight, toes pointed at twelve o’clock. She looked like she was on duty, rather than a date.
 

“Rebecca looks miserable trapped between B.S. and Dick Richard.”

“Probably, because her father is trying his hardest to orchestrate a relationship between her and Dick.”

“Please stop calling him that. I’m afraid food, drink, or both will fly out of my mouth.”
 

Gideon’s laughter filled the chilled air around her, warming her skin with a slow infusion into every cell. That warmth happened whenever he was near. She felt his stubbled jaw graze her ear before he pressed those full lips close to her ear.
 

“Shh, it’s time for the big announcement.”

“Don’t shush me, I’m pouring out my fears to you,” she teased. He pressed his well-muscled chest closer to her curves in response. Yep, all that man muscle and clear mountain air scent shut her up. He chuckled. So he knew his effect on her. Well, turn around was fair play. Offering a challenge test of her own, she pushed her derriere back into his groin. Smug satisfaction was her reward when she heard his groan.
 

“You’ll pay for that later, sweetness.” She hoped he was a man of his word. Nope, nope she didn’t. Her head was screwed up. At the sound of a man clearing his throat Gideon increased the space between them.
 

 
Lina turned to face the stage as a smiling Logan and a grinning Ava came into view. Lina felt someone brush against her right arm, she looked to her right and down to find Lieutenant Janna Williamson at her side. Gideon stood at her side having a casual conversation with Kathryn and Cannon Quest. Kathryn worked as a nurse manager at SCMC before transferring to a similar job opportunity at Queens Bay Medical facility. Gideon’s arm hung loose around her waist, heating her insides.
Friends held friends around the waist she rationalized.
Janna and Ava met at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, better known as FAMU, their freshman year. Janna grew up in the neighboring town of Halaskie, FL and traveled home with Ava at least three times a year during college.
 

“Who’s the stallion with the shoulders?” Janna whispered. Lina shot a quick glance up at Gideon, hoping he didn’t hear Janna’s reference to him. He was occupied, talking with the man standing next to him.
 

Before she could respond Janna’s phone dinged, signaling another text message. Lina watched as her friend, pulled the phone from her palazzo pants pocket, read the message, and promptly deleted it without responding.
 

“What are you talking about?” Janna zeroed in on Gideon’s arm about her waist, then met her eyes with an undeniable smirk. “Mr. Six foot five, two and quarter pounds of muscle.”

“You are good.” Janna knew a man’s height, weight, collar, and cuff length by sight. “I didn’t want to come stag and Gideon invited me to be his date.” Janna regarded her with a narrow eyed gaze before studying Gideon from head to toe. Lina recognized the moment Janna reconciled his name with previous history.
 

“Cut your losses, romance junkie,” Janna said in a flat, matter of fact tone. It had always unnerved Lina how callous Janna was about the male species. Janna thought of men as a necessary evil that had to be managed.
 

“Is that what you’re doing with the man on the other end of all the text messages you keep erasing?”

“Dawson knows the deal. He’s interviewing for a joint task force billet on the narco-terrorism staff. He’s trying to sweeten the pot since we are both in the area, but all we’ll ever be is friends.”

“Gideon and I are friends.”

“Uh, huh. He’s the
friend
that licked your tonsils at the fall charity event.” It was a statement. Lina felt the other woman’s stare and refused to look in her direction.
 

Keeping her eyes forward, “We are just friends. Nothing more.”

“So what are you getting out of this?” Janna looked genuinely interested in her response.
 

“He makes me feel feminine, soft, and delicate. He appreciates more than my body,” Lina whispered. “I’m the woman I’ve always wanted to be with him.”
Cherished.

“That’s a twist on
just friends
I haven’t heard until today. Did you tell this man that makes you feel like a crystal figurine, that he’s just a friend? His hold on you says otherwise.”

“He knows.”

“I thought you were on a man-fast?”

“I am.” Janna stepped back and pointed at Gideon’s hand on her back.

“Is this the kind of fast that you smell the steak, lick the steak, rub the steak all over your lips, but don’t take a bite?”

“I’m still ironing out the fine details.”

“If you keep him around, your fast, diet planning, and calorie count is out the window.”
 

 
“Besides, I don’t have anybody with me.”

The three women had become fast friends. Lina had considered transferring from First Coast University to FAMU with Ava and Janna, but that meant leaving Troy Lawson behind. Back then, she hadn’t been strong enough to walk away from the man she loved.
 

“True, but you’re not interested in anybody.”

“I’m definitely into bodies. I’m not interested in anything else.”

“Commitment phobes only need apply.” Lina knew Janna’s standard operating procedure when it came to men.
 

“Exactly, there’s no room for drama between body parts.” Janna said in all seriousness.

“Only if he knows what he’s doing.” They both laughed.
 

“Would you want an engagement party like this?” Gideon’s question took her by surprise. When had he finished his conversation?

“You offering for my hand or is this purely academic?” She stiffened, but it was too late to retract the words.
 

“Are you ready to end your man detox slash fast?” Her breath caught at his heated tone.
 

“I want a viable engagement candidate, then I’ll consider planning a party. With my track record, I’d skip the engagement phase and get him to the altar before he ghosts on me.” She laughed, but Gideon just watched her.
 

“We’ll talk about diet modification tonight when we get home.” She glanced up to find an all too serious expression on Gideon’s face. Home. Her cozy, condo had transformed into a home since Gideon entered her life.