Taking A Shot (5 page)

Mick snorted. “She hates sports and any guy who plays them. Except her brothers, of course.”

“Dude. She barely tolerates us and we’re family.”

Mick nodded at Gavin. “True.”

Ty tilted the bottle of beer to his lips and took a long swallow, then nodded. “Yeah. She made it pretty clear I didn’t stand a chance.”

“Do you like her?”

Ty shifted his gaze to Nathan. “Yeah, I like her.”

“Then go for it.”

“Kind of like beating my head against a brick wall, kid.”

Nathan dragged his gaze away from the soccer game that was on to focus his full attention on Ty. “So? Dad always tells me not to give up on something I want.”

Ty didn’t plan to give up, but he wasn’t going to have this conversation with a teenager and Jenna’s brothers. “I’ll give it some thought. Thanks for the pep talk.”

“Anytime.”

Mick grinned over Nathan’s head at Ty. “He’s right. She’s stubborn, but we kind of like you.”

“We do, though I don’t know why,” Gavin added with a wink. “And God knows she never goes out. Give it a shot.”

“She said she was seeing someone.”

“She’s lying,” Mick said. “Tara said she’s not bringing anyone to the wedding. If she had a guy, she’d have a date. As far as I know she’s going solo.”

Interesting.

JENNA HID OUT IN THE KITCHEN WITH HER MOTHER until the last item had been dragged into the dining room. Then she had no choice but to join the family—and Ty—in there.

It seemed like every time she turned around, there he was. At the bar, and now at her parents’ house. What was it going to take to get rid of this guy? It was bad enough he haunted her fantasies. Did he have to stalk her reality, too?

Of course, since everyone was paired up, and Nathan had such a fierce case of hero worship of Mick that he had to sit next to him, Tyler ended up being seated next to her. The physical attraction she felt for him was intense. She tried to focus on her food, but she had damn good peripheral vision, which meant even glancing at her plate meant she could see his hands—strong and large, with dark hairs that crept up his wrists. He’d pushed the sleeves of his Henley up so she couldn’t help but notice his muscled forearms. So instead, she focused on her lap, which meant she’d occasionally steal glances at his thighs, and then her gaze would travel inward toward his—

Stop. She would not stare at his lap, would not imagine him pushing his chair back so she could climb on and rock against him.

For God’s sake. She was in her parents’ dining room. She would not have sexual fantasies about Ty.

Her cheeks burned with the visual and her head shot up, expecting to find her entire family staring at her.

They weren’t. They were engaged in conversation, everyone ignoring her.

Everyone except Ty, of course, who glanced her way with a knowing quirk of his lips.

Bastard.

Maybe she should just have sex with him, get him out of her system, and then she’d never have to think about him again.

“Jenna.”

Grateful for the distraction, she looked to Tara. “Yes?”

“We have dress fittings on Tuesday night at seven. Can you make it?”

She relaxed and smiled at her soon-to-be sister-in-law. “Wouldn’t miss it. I’ve already got coverage at the bar that night, so I’m free for the evening.”

Tara wiggled in her seat. “I know I shouldn’t be this giddy, but with the wedding under two weeks away, I can’t help it.”

“We’re all excited,” Jenna’s mother said. “It’ll be here before you know it.”

Then Tara did the unthinkable. “Tyler, will you be available to come to the wedding?”

No.
Please say no
. Maybe he’d have a game.

“What’s the date?”

She told him and he paused, mentally calculating the date. “That’s a Friday. There’s no game that night, so yeah, I’m free.”

Tara’s eyes sparkled. “We’d love to have you come to the wedding. I know it’s last minute, but if you’re available, please say you’ll be there.”

“I don’t want to intrude.”

Jenna bit her lip.

“Don’t be silly. It’s not an intrusion. You’re friends with Gavin and Mick, and Gavin says you don’t have family here. Mick and I would love to have you at our wedding.”

Mick cast a grin at Jenna before turning his gaze back to Tyler. “Sure. Come to the wedding. It’s going to be a great party.”

“Thanks. I’d love to come.”

Jenna had a feeling she’d just been set up. By her entire family.

ON TUESDAY SHE MET TARA AND ELIZABETH AT THE bridal shop, along with Maggie, one of Tara’s best friends from her event planning business, who had flown in to spend the final week and a half with Tara before the wedding. Maggie had taken over the event planning business from Tara in San Francisco.

Maggie was Tara’s maid of honor. Liz and Jenna were bridesmaids, and they were all enjoying the final dress fitting before the big day.

“I have to say you’re being pretty cool about all this,” Elizabeth said as she watched Tara being fitted for her dress. “I’m going to be a freakin’ wreck when it’s my turn.”

Tara smiled as the bridal shop seamstresses put the finishing touches on what Jenna thought was a breathtaking gown.

“I love Mick, and I’m getting my happily ever after. Everything else is just icing on the cake. Besides, I’m an event planner. It’s in my nature to stay calm under pressure.”

Maggie snorted.

“What?”

“Just wait until it’s
the
day. We’ve done weddings. You know how even the calmest of brides gets. I’m going to be prepared for anything, just in case, but I think you’re a simmering volcano waiting to erupt.”

Tara lifted her chin. “I am not going to erupt. My emotions are under control.”

Liz looked at Jenna, who shrugged. “No clue. Never been married.”

“Well, I’ll tell you. I have several months to go before my wedding and I already need Valium.” Liz glanced over at Tara and Maggie. “Don’t look to me to help calm your nerves. I plan to have a bottle of Patrón in my purse that day.”

Jenna laughed. “Glad it’s you all and not me.”

“Don’t you laugh over there,” Tara said. “Your day will come.”

“Are you kidding? I’m not even dating anyone.”

“That’s not what Ty said.”

Her gaze turned to Liz. “What did he say?”

“He told me you shot him down, refused to go out with him, and then you said you were seeing someone.”

All eyes settled on her. Fortunately, it was her turn to try on her dress, so she hightailed it into the dressing room in a hurry so she wouldn’t have to admit that she wasn’t, in fact, seeing anyone. But when she came out with her dress on, Tara, Liz, and Maggie were all waiting for her.

“So who’s the guy?” Tara asked.

Didn’t it just figure they weren’t going to let that subject drop?

Jenna blew out a breath. “No one any of you know.”

“So why didn’t you tell us you were seeing someone?” Liz asked.

“Because it’s not serious. I don’t tell you all every time I go out on a date.”

Tara tilted her head. “Are you bringing him to the wedding?”

“No.”

“Why not?” Liz asked.

“We’ve only gone out a couple times. Definitely not enough to sic the family on him.”

“Does he have brothers?” Maggie asked. “Because I’m here alone. A date would be nice.”

Jenna laughed. “No idea.”

“I could set you up with someone,” Liz said to Maggie. “I know a lot of sports figures.”

Maggie batted her lashes at Liz. “Really?”

“Really.”

“You would turn my wedding into a PR fest for one of your clients?” Tara said with a mock gasp.

“In a heartbeat, sister.”

Jenna laughed.

“Hey, do whatever you want, but find me a hunky date,” Maggie said. “I’m all in.”

“Done,” Liz said.

“And speaking of dates,” Tara said, “what about Jenna’s?”

Damn. She could have sworn they’d gone off topic and this would be forgotten.

“You don’t know anything about his family?” Tara asked. “Mom won’t like that. Neither will Mick and Gavin.”

Web of lies. This is what happened when she made up boyfriends. “I don’t know if we’ll be seeing each other again. So Mom and Dad have nothing to worry about.”

“No chemistry?” Maggie offered.

“Yeah. No chemistry.” She was glad for the excuse and the out. She could kiss Maggie right now.

“Well, honey, you’re gorgeous. And sexy. I’m sure if this one doesn’t work out, there are likely ten guys waiting in line to go out with you.”

She met Tara’s confident expression and smiled at her.

She was going to have to dig up a real person to date. And by God, she would bring him to the damn wedding. One, to get her family off her back, and two, to make herself stop thinking about Ty.

For all she knew Ty might bring a date of his own. She hoped he would. That would end any residual attraction she felt for him.

After the fittings the four of them went out for dinner, fortunately not at her family’s bar.

It was nice to have a night off and actually go out. Usually on her nights off she stayed home, caught up on sleep, or watched television. And she always played music and worked on writing songs. Tonight it was good to get away.

She isolated herself too much. She knew it, realized she should get out more, but she much preferred her apartment and her music.

She didn’t really like people all that much, anyway.

Yeah, she was girlfriend material, all right.

“How about that guy?” Liz asked as they settled at a table and ordered a round of drinks.

It took Jenna a few seconds to realize Liz was talking to her. “Huh? What are you talking about?”

“That guy. The one at the bar who’s looking at you.”

She followed Liz’s head motion to a suit type leaning against the bar with a drink in hand. Outstanding in the looks department, with sandy blond hair, straight teeth, and a smile that looked like it had been bleached at the dentist’s office.

“Likely dating twenty girls at once and can’t keep their names straight. No thanks.”

“And how do you know this?” Liz asked.

“Bourbon, straight up.”

Tara frowned. “What does that mean?”

“I can tell a lot about a guy by what he drinks.”

“Occupational hazard?” Liz asked.

“Or a plus, depending on how you look at it. Between the way they scan a room, how they dress, and what they drink, I’ve got them pegged before they ever say a word.”

Liz scooted her chair closer to Jenna’s. “Oh, this could be fun. Hot stuff in jeans and black T-shirt, far left side of the bar.”