Twist of Fate (A Holiday Romance Novella) (4 page)

Ty couldn’t agree more. His mother did care—way too much. If only other people besides him could understand this. But he was tired of trying to get them to understand and more than tired of talking about it.

“You’re a mother?” Ty said, hoping the change the subject.

She nodded. “Of three crazy kids. And I’m telling you” —her eyes narrowed— “I’d go crazy if they refused to return a phone call.”

Ignoring the comment, Ty tried again, “Hey, question for you. You wouldn’t happen to know the best way to present my job to a bunch of third graders, would you?”

The evil look returned as Linda thrust a small stack of messages toward him. “Why don’t you call your mom and ask her? I bet she’d have some great ideas.”

Ty bit back a retort as he took the messages and headed toward his office.

TY TIGHTENED HIS bowtie as he studied himself in the mirror. Normally, he wasn’t a tux kind of guy, but tonight he wanted to look good. He needed to look good.

Aside from sharing Chinese takeout with Kenzie, all of his attempts at subtle dating over the past couple days had ended in failure. She’d worked late one night and had gone out with friends another. She even turned down Nutcracker tickets to try on dresses for tonight’s event, because Ty wouldn’t want her showing up wearing a casual skirt, would he?

Honestly, Ty didn’t care what she wore. He only cared that his window of opportunity grew smaller and smaller every day. If she kept being this much of a pain to “date,” he’d never get a chance to try to win her over.

A loud knock echoed through his apartment.

Ty glanced at his watch, straightened his jacket, and then strode toward the door. When he opened it, his eyes widened. There stood Kenzie, dressed in a floor-length shimmering green dress, carrying her coat over her arm. She had her hair pulled back in some kind of up-do, leaving a few curls to frame her face. Ty couldn’t help looking her up and down and thinking about what it would feel like to hold her in his arms. To press her against him. To kiss her.

She moved her coat to her other arm in a nervous gesture, and the light caught her diamond ring. Ty forced himself to take a step back.

“Sorry, but I couldn’t wait anymore,” she said, following him inside. Her fingers fidgeted with her coat. “I’ve never been to a party this fancy before and—well, I’m kind of nervous. I borrowed a friend’s dress and it’s too long and I have to wear really high heels and I’ve never been good at walking in heels. And, well… do I look okay? You look amazing.”

Ty shook his head as he stared at her, wondering how to describe what he saw. Incredible or beautiful were the words he’d use any other day. But tonight—in that dress—she was way more than that. She looked… “Wow.”

“Wow?” She bit her lip in confusion, apparently not sure how to take it.

Ty cleared his throat and forced his gaze back to her face. “You look gorgeous, Kenz.”

“Thank you.” She let out a breath and offered him a full smile, making Ty think “wow” all over again. “Did I mention you look amazing?” she said, touching his lapel. “Seriously, you make this tux look really good.”

“Thanks.” Ty took her coat and helped her put it on. When he caught a whiff of her light perfume, he resisted the impulse to pull her against him. His hands lingered on her shoulders then slid down her arms before he finally stepped back.

Shrugging into his coat, he held out his arm for her to take. “Ready?”

She slipped her arm through his. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

Moments later, when they walked out into the frigid Rochester, December night, Ty didn’t feel cold at all.

Kenzie had never seen so many forks at a place setting before. They made chopsticks look simple. She tried to remember what she’d been taught about dinner etiquette. Did she start with the outside or the inside fork? Was her bread plate the one on the left or the right? Which glass did she use for water? She never felt so out of her element and suddenly found herself wishing for Styrofoam plates.

Not to mention a more casual dress code.

Tonight, Ty looked way too good. Black tux, black tie, brown hair, green eyes—he was the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome. Kenzie had to consciously stop herself from looking, admiring, and looking some more. Like now.

Stop it, stop it, stop it.

In less than two months, she’d be walking down the aisle with another man—someone she adored. Ty was her friend. Only her friend. She needed to remember that.

Yet being here, in this setting, wearing a beautiful dress and hanging on to Mr. Handsome’s arm, romance crackled in the air.

She really needed Brad to come home.

Focus on the silverware—the forks. There’s way too many.

“Relax,” Ty whispered in her ear. His warm, minty breath sent shivers down her spine. “Just start with the outside fork and work your way in. Oh, and no eating off my plate tonight. That would be very bad form.”

Kenzie pressed her lips together to keep from smiling. “Not even your dessert plate? What if they serve cheesecake?”

“Then I’ll get to eat it all for once.”

“I’m not that bad.”

“Yes you are.” Ty smiled as he pulled out a chair and waited for her to take a seat. When she did and he draped his arm casually across the back of her chair, more shivers went down her spine.

Not good.

Why was she reacting this way? She’d touched him before, even hugged him. Granted, it had always felt good, but never quite like this. Kenzie slid forward slightly so she wouldn’t feel his arm graze the back of her shoulders. The last thing she needed right now was to develop an attraction to Ty.

A couple took the seats across from them, and the woman nodded toward Kenzie’s left hand. “That’s a beautiful ring.”

“Thank you.” Although the compliment made Kenzie feel guiltier for her thoughts.

“Have you two been married long?”

"Oh,” Kenzie rushed to say, “we’re not married.”

“Yet,” Ty added, winking at Kenzie.

“So you’re engaged,” the woman said. “How nice. Have you been dating long?”

“No.” Kenzie shot Ty a meaningful look as she twisted the ring on her finger. “In fact, it hardly seems like we’ve been dating at all.”

“Really.” The woman turned to her date. “Did you hear that, hon? They’ve only been dating a short time and are already engaged. Isn’t that nice?”

“Will you stop?” the guy said. “Please?”

The smile disappeared from her face. “Rod, it’s been two years now. Two! Getting engaged isn’t getting married, you know. It’s just a baby step in that direction.”

“More like a giant leap,” Rod returned. “And one I’m not willing to take yet.”

Kenzie shifted in her seat and exchanged an “Are you as uncomfortable as I am?” glance with Ty. His lips twitched, which made her lips start to twitch.

Again, not good.

“Do you want to dance?” Kenzie blurted.

His mouth formed into a smile. “I thought you’d never ask.”

As Ty took her hand and led her to the outskirts of the dance floor, a live band played an instrumental version of “White Christmas.” In a smooth movement, he pulled her into his arms and held her closer than necessary. Against her better judgment, Kenzie let him. He smelled spicy and masculine, and she felt the urge to rest her head against his chest. She’d almost forgotten how good it felt to be held by someone this way. Maybe it would be okay to let herself enjoy it for just one dance.

“So that was awkward,” Ty said, referring to the argumentative couple.

“I blame you.”

“Me?”

“If you hadn’t told them we were engaged, she wouldn’t have had a reason to go off like that.”

“Please,” Ty said. “It was an argument waiting to happen. She pointed out your ring, and then used it as an excuse to bring up her lack of one because she
wanted
to bring it up. Besides, I never told her we were engaged.”

“Yes you did.”

“No, she assumed. I only said that we weren’t married yet, which is the truth. We’re not.”

“Yet?” Kenzie raised an eyebrow.

He shrugged. “Who knows, maybe I’ll do the unthinkable and steal you away from your boyfriend. Wouldn’t that be something.”

Sometimes the way Ty said things made it impossible to tell whether or not he actually meant them. Like now. Although his eyes glinted the way they usually did when he teased, there was an underlying hint of seriousness that made Kenzie wonder. And worry.

Kenzie patted his lapel. “Or maybe you can wear this same tux to my wedding. You’ll have all the single girls drooling if you do. And everyone knows weddings are the best place to meet people.” Not that Kenzie really wanted him to show up wearing this tux, or flirt with her friends for that matter—which was a problem.

“I look that good, huh?”

She nodded, unable to deny it. “You look that good.”

Ty smiled as he tightened his arms around her, bringing her even closer. “So what kind of a girl do you see me with, anyway?”

Kenzie lifted her eyes to his as she considered the question. “That’s a tough one,” she said. “Definitely someone who isn’t afraid to challenge your opinions—or you, for that matter. Someone who will appreciate your mad skills with computers and your sense of humor. And someone who will be… well, happy, I guess.”

“Well of course she’ll be happy,” said Ty. “She’ll be dating me.”

Kenzie laughed. “True. But while dating you will make her happi
er
, she should be the type who can be happy all on her own.”

“You mean like you?” Ty’s green eyes seemed to darken with an intensity Kenzie had never seen before. Her heart beat faster, and she suddenly found it difficult to breathe. What was going on? Was this the result of a night where two people dressed up, left the realm of reality for awhile, and felt things they wouldn’t normally feel? When tomorrow dawned and Kenzie’s hair came down, would Ty still find a reason to look at her that way? Would she want him to?

The answer to that question had Kenzie breaking free from his hold and taking a step back, out of his arms and away from that look—even though “White Christmas” continued to play in the background. She needed distance, and she needed it now.

“Um, I’ll be right back,” Kenzie said. “I need to find the restroom.”

“Okay.” He nodded, still searching her eyes.

Kenzie spun and headed toward the double doors at the side of the room. She didn’t care if a bathroom existed beyond them, she only cared about finding a quiet place to collect her thoughts and catch her breath—a place where she could return to reality and remember that she had a fiancé in Madagascar who’d be flying home in a couple weeks to marry her.

The engine hummed as Ty maneuvered his Toyota 4-Runner through the slushy streets of downtown Rochester. The windshield wipers created the only sound in the car. Back and forth they went, wiping the snow away the way Ty wished he could wipe the tension in the car away.

He mentally kicked himself yet again for the not-so-subtle way he’d acted earlier. Yes, they’d had a definite moment—one where he could have sworn that Kenzie looked at him as more than just a friend—but all too soon, it had ended, taking her with it. The rest of the night she’d kept her distance and retreated behind a mask of detached friendliness—a mask she continued to hide behind as she stared out the car window.