High Stakes

“She says you and Candice have been fighting again,” said Tyler.

“How could I fight with Candice? I’ve been in London for the past three days.”

“Candice obviously didn’t notice you were gone. She kept right on fighting.”

“Only way she can win,” Derek muttered.

“You do realize that you two are driving Jenna nuts.”

“So get Jenna to talk to Candice.” It wasn’t Derek’s fault that Candice was impossible.

“Candice says you’re micromanaging.”

Like hell. “I’m making sure Candice Hammond doesn’t blow three and a half million of my dollars.”

“They’re a reputable company.”

“She’s out for revenge.”

“Why?”

“Because you and I lied to them.”

“Jenna and I are happily married. Candice isn’t mad anymore.”

“She may not be mad at you, but she’s still plotting against me.”

“You’re paranoid.”

Derek took another swallow of his water. Paranoia was a highly underrated quality in a corporate executive. It had saved Derek’s ass more than once. “Just because I’m paranoid, doesn’t mean she’s not out to get me.”

“GET IT, CANDICE!” cried Jenna as Erin tossed the bridal bouquet over her head toward the middle of the Quayside ballroom.

Candice cringed when she realized it was coming in her direction. She faded to the back of the pack, vowing to thank Jenna later for calling even more attention to her single, relationship-less, dateless status. Cream-colored roses and pale orchids arced gracefully toward the domed ceiling, far above the heads of young women who’d gathered in a cluster.

That Erin had some arm on her.

Candice took another step back, then another and another. The women in front of her stretched up, their fingertips just missing the ribbon streamers as the bouquet’s trajectory brought it back toward earth.

They were all missing, turning, frowning…

Candice’s eyes widened in disbelief. Who would have thought Erin could toss that puppy thirty-five feet? Despite her efforts to avoid it, the huge bouquet zeroed in on her like radar. It plunked against her chest, and her arms automatically went around it.

Jenna dashed over from the sidelines, cheering madly in her apricot bridesmaid dress and high heels. Tiny sprigs of baby’s breath jiggled in her upswept hair. “Great catch,” she sang.

“Gee, thanks.”

Jenna laughed. “Now all we need to do is find you a man.”

Candice quickly shifted the bouquet to one hand, lowering it and tucking it behind her thigh, trying to shake the feeling that all eyes in the room were on her. Why didn’t somebody just write up a big Loser sign and paste it to her forehead?

It wasn’t that she had any particular interest in getting married. It was more that the world at large seemed to think twenty-seven was too old to be single. Like she was some kind of wrinkled spinster.

Jenna scanned the room. “Let’s see. Not too tall. Somebody with good career prospects. We want patience and a good sense of humor, since you can be—” She abruptly snapped her mouth shut.

“Since I can be what?” asked Candice, eyeing up her friend and business partner. Even wearing a satin gown and baby’s breath, Jenna still managed to look calculating.

Jenna didn’t answer.

“Are you suggesting I’m grumpy?” asked Candice.

“Testy.”

“Testy?”

The single men lined up for the garter toss, and Jenna took Candice by the arm, pulling her aside. “Only sometimes.”

Candice was more than happy to vacate center stage. She looked around for a nearby table to abandon the bouquet. If she was lucky, one of the eager, single ladies would steal it. “I’m never testy,” she said.

Jenna patted her arm. “I’m thinking about you and Derek.”

Candice rolled her eyes at the mention of Derek’s name. She and Jenna had been working on the Lighthouse Restaurant renovation for three months now, and he’d been her shadow—like she couldn’t be trusted. Well, she had news for him. He’d lied to her, not the other way around.

“He’s the testy one,” she said to Jenna.

“Only when you’re around.”

Oh, sure, like it was Candice’s fault. “He’s arrogant, overbearing, bossy and conceited.”

Jenna smiled. “Yeah. But in a good way.”

A roar rose from the crowd of men as Erin’s garter sailed through the air. A hand shot up and snagged it. The successful man let out a whoop and made a big show of twirling it around his index finger. At least somebody was happy about being publicly tagged as next.

Jenna tilted her head and checked out the garter catcher. “Maybe you just need to get laid.”

Candice wasn’t sure she’d heard right. “Excuse me?”

“After three months of marriage, I can highly recommend it.”

“Over-sharing,” said Candice.

Jenna grinned, nodding toward the group of men. “I bet any one of them would be willing—”

Candice took a backward step. “Think I’ll go up and check on the Lighthouse.”

“What’s to check? You’re off duty, and we’re setting you up here.”

There was no way in the world Candice was hanging around while Jenna set her up. She tried to pull her arm from Jenna’s grasp. “I want to make sure the paneling was delivered.”