Running Away With You (Running #3) (12 page)

I immediately cut him off, “Derek, please.  Go.  Entertain her.  Keep her occupied.  Don’t let her leave.  I’ll be there in five minutes.  Do this for me.”

Rather than help, he argues with me, “But you ... ”

I implore him with my eyes, “Derek, please?!  Five minutes?”

He nods and I return to my conversation with Alyssa.  It sounds like a very worthy charity.  Last July, I wasn’t able to go with Evan to the ESPYs.  It would have been my first red carpet event.  Although I got to see Evan all dressed up on television, I didn’t get to see him in person.  When I imagine what he must look like in a tuxedo, my mind is made up.

For the next few minutes, Alyssa goes over the details and I take furious notes.  She tells me about the date and time, the workings of a silent auction, the limousine service she’ll arrange for us, and the location of the event.  It sounds like a magical night.  Evan told me the choice was mine to make, and now I’m starting to get excited.

I’m floating on cloud nine when I emerge.  I look over at the booth I’ve set up, but it’s empty.  How long was I on the phone for?  I look at my watch and it was definitely no more than ten minutes.  Surely Derek could entertain my guest for at least that long. 

I look toward the bar and I find her sitting on a barstool talking animatedly with Derek.  The woman sitting there is exotic and beyond gorgeous.  Her voluminous black hair falls to the small of her back and her bronze skin glows.  When she looks up at me with her almond-shaped eyes and sultry smile, my heart stops.  This woman is the spitting image of Laci Keilani.  Only it can’t be Laci.  She died in a fiery helicopter crash last August.

She immediately gets up and walks toward me, hand outstretched.  Frozen in place, I just stand there dumbfounded.  The closer she gets, the more haunting the resemblance.  Numbly, I raise my hand to shake.  With her other hand, she offers me a business card.  “Hello, Evangeline.  It’s great to finally meet you.  I’ve heard such lovely things about you and Thomas from your friend August.  Please, take my card.  Let’s sit and chat.”

I nod and lead her toward the booth I’ve set up.  As she scoots in, I glance down at the card and notice the name imprinted reads
Shea Keilani, Wedding Consultant
.  Daisy Shea Events”.  My wheels are spinning.  I’m trying furtively to put the pieces together.

“You’ve got that look.  I get it a lot.  Let me explain,” she offers.  “My twin sister, Laci, was a reporter on television.  We were twins.  She died last summer.”  As she talks, I can see some stark differences between the two.  Both are strikingly beautiful, but there’s a gentle kindness in Shea’s eyes.  Laci’s eyes were more determined and icy.

“I’m sorry,” I stutter.  “I thought I was meeting with Daisy Shea today.  I didn’t realize ... ”

“Yes, that happens, too.  Daisy Milano is my business partner.  She does the corporate events, and I specialize in weddings.  We formed Daisy Shea Events about four years ago.  I understand you have an event you’d like some help planning.”  She smiles warmly at me and I know in an instant she is not the same ice queen as her sister.

Derek comes over to the table with the unfinished drink Shea left at the bar.  He hands it to her, grinning like a schoolboy.  Derek really can be sweet and charming when he wants to be.  “Is there anything I can get you ladies?  I can have the kitchen whip up an appetizer platter if you’d like.”

“Sure, Derek, that sounds fine,” I tell him.  He fills our water glasses and excuses himself.  I can see Shea staring up at him as she spreads an array of brochures and albums across the table.  Glancing at the photographs she has laid on the table, I know in an instant that she can give me my dream wedding. 

“Let me start by offering my condolences for the loss of your sister.  It must have been a terrible shock.”

A sadness appears on her face, the tragedy still fresh, even these months later. “Thank you.  Our family is still grieving.  It’s not easy losing a sister, especially a twin.”  She takes a big gulp of her wine and then regains her composure.  “Tell me about your wedding.”

“Well, my fiancé and I ran across a few obstacles trying to plan our wedding.  Details kept getting leaked to the press, and the last thing we need is for our special day to be ruined by onlookers and paparazzi.  We were hoping you could make the arrangements for us without using our names.”

She looks at me quizzically, unsure what to make of my declaration.  “I’m sorry, but I don’t understand.  Do you get attention from the paparazzi often?”

“Well, they usually leave me alone unless I’m out with my fiancé.  He plays in the NFL.  I should introduce myself properly.  My name is Juliette
Evangeline
Fletcher and my fiancé’s name is –”

“Evan
Thomas
McGuire,” she answers flatly, finishing my sentence for me.  But as she does, the color drains from her face, taking away all traces of her smile.  She begins muttering to herself as she gathers up her things.  “I can’t do this.  I shouldn’t be here.  I’m sorry.  I have to leave.”  She bumps the table as she tries to get up quickly, knocking over our glasses and spilling water all over our table.  I scramble to get my binder safely away from the trailing water.

“I don’t understand,” I protest.  She’s shoving her things into her bag and is ready to high-tail it right out our door. 

I’m helpless to stop her.  In the few moments it takes me to gather my precious belongings, she’s gone.  She’s out the door, taking with her all my hopes of a dream wedding.

Derek arrives at my table with our appetizers.  He is stunned, confused, and clearly disappointed.  “Jette, what happened?  What did you say?”

“Derek, I swear, I didn’t say a word.  I never had a chance to say anything.  When I admitted to her who we really are, she freaked out and ran out the door.”  I sit back down and slump down into my seat.

Derek helps me clean up the mess.  He takes the glasses back to the bar and Lindsay takes away the uneaten food.  He’s halfway to our table with a mop bucket when the door opens and a sopping wet Shea Keilani reenters, looking frazzled and defeated.

Speaking to no one in particular, she mumbles, “It’s raining.  I dropped my phone in a puddle looking for my keys.”  She stifles a whimper and adds, “And now my car won’t start.”

“Derek, go help her,” I urge.  “Drive her home and talk to her.  See if you can get her to change her mind and come back tomorrow.  Find out what has her so freaked out.”

He nods and leaves the mop with me as he walks directly over to Shea, grabbing a clean bar towel along the way.  I’m not sure what he says to her, but she nods in agreement.  Derek pulls out a chair at the closest table and helps her sit down while he gathers his keys and his phone.  She turns so she has her back to me, clearly avoiding looking in my direction.

Derek rushes over to me with his wallet in hand.  “I’ll call you when I know something.”  And just like that, off he goes.  What the hell just happened?

I send text messages to Auggie and Evan, trying my best to play down the fiasco.  I tell them that the first meeting went well and she’s going to check her calendar to see when we can meet again.  I haven’t heard back from Derek, so I really don’t know what’s happening.

I try my best to make heads or tails of the situation.  All I can piece together that Shea and Laci were twins – they must have shared many secrets with each other.  I don’t know what, but Laci had some sort of unfinished business with Evan.  Perhaps she felt jilted.  Maybe she felt used and discarded.  Laci came to the restaurant once and tried to warn me about Evan, so I know she didn’t think very highly of him.  As her sister, Shea must also have a negative opinion of Evan, even though they’ve never met.  But Derek is a charmer.  If anyone can get her to change her mind, it’s him.

By the time Marcus arrives to relieve me, I’m starting to feel better.  I’m positive that Shea overreacted because the loss of her sister is still so fresh.  She probably thinks helping someone her sister disliked would be disloyal to her memory. 

Nearly every hot-blooded American woman in the world is infatuated with the handsome quarterback Evan McGuire.  How is it possible that I get the only female on the planet who seems to have a strong dislike for my man? 

S
aturday at the restaurant is nearly as slow and quiet as Friday was.  Normally I’d be concerned, but this time I’m grateful for it.  Emmy works the day shift with me and we finally get a chance to chat.  Adam’s family took the news very well and welcomed Emmy and the baby with open arms. Who doesn’t love Emmy?

Derek finally arrives for the second shift.  I drag him into my office and shut the door.  “Why haven’t you called?” I demand.  “What happened?”

“It’s complicated,” he tells me.

“Not you too.  No more of this,
it’s complicated
crap.  Just tell me.  Why didn’t you call me?  Where have you been?”

“Shea has a place not far from here in Holmdel.  I spent the night there.”  He has a devious look on his face.  “Sorry I didn’t call.  I was a little ... busy.”

“Oh really?” I ask.  “I take it you two hit it off pretty well, then?”

He nods.  “You could say that.”

“Did you ask her about me?”  The moment the question leaves my mouth, I feel terrible for asking.  It sounds so narcissistic.

Derek hesitates at first, but reluctantly admits, “She’s heard terrible things about Evan and some not very complimentary things about you.”

“I figured as much.  Do you think there’s a chance?” I ask him hopefully.

“There’s always a chance, Jette.  She’s meeting me here tonight at the end of my shift, and then I’m taking her out.  Give it time.  Give
me
time.”

There’s hope.

I have to try to take control of the situation before it’s too late.  “Evan and I can meet you guys here.  We can all go out together.  As soon as she gets to know us, she’ll realize ... ”  Derek is shaking his head emphatically.

“No,” he interjects.  “The only reason she agreed to meet me here is because I promised her that you guys would
not
be here.  Slow down.  She’ll come around.  You’ll see.”

“I hope you’re right, Derek.  It’s my dream to have a beautiful wedding, and Shea Keilani may very well be the only one who can make that happen.”  I’m beyond scared – I’m terrified that no matter how hard I try, I may never be able to get married like a normal person, and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.

“You know it’s my life’s mission to make your dreams come true.”  Derek gets up and kisses me sweetly on the forehead.  He walks out of my office and toward the bar, ready to get to work.  I know his words should make me feel better, but somehow they just make me feel worse.

I gather my things and get ready to leave for the night.  I’m going with Emmy to her house to help her pack.  She’s moving into Adam’s house, officially.  It’s about time, really.  I can’t believe they haven’t done it sooner.

E
van’s playing at home today.  Callie and Dean are picking me up in a few hours.  Evan’s already at the stadium, so I have some time to myself.  I’m still upset about the meeting with Shea on Friday.  It did not go at all as I had hoped. If Derek was able to smooth things over, I would have heard.  In this case, no news is
not
good news.  I wish I knew something.

I need to clear my head.  I need to run.  It’s too cold and blustery to run on the beach.  Besides, I promised Evan I wouldn’t go without him.  So instead I suit up for a neighborhood run.  Many of our neighbors have abandoned their homes, preferring to spend their winters in warmer climates.  With Maddy’s leash in hand, I hit the streets. 

I don’t want to think, I just want to run.  I fumble with my phone, turning on Pandora to choose my songs for today.  As I jog past empty houses, I wonder about the people who own them.  I don’t know any of our neighbors.  Not one.  Is that odd?  On campus, I knew everyone living on my floor.  Growing up, all the neighbors knew one another and the kids all played kickball in the street.  Everyone here is a complete stranger to me. 

There is no life here.  Not now.  This place, which bustles with activity during the warmer months, is now quiet and peaceful.  There is no traffic and there are no tourists.  This is the solitude I craved during the summer.  So why does it feel so unnerving?