Page 6 of Summer Sky
“I’m not here to hook up with anyone. I’m a waitress serving drinks and food, that’s all.”
“Okay, fine. But tell that to all the guys checking you out.” I don’t need to look at the guys Hazy is talking about—I’ve felt their eyes on me all night.
“That’s only because Tessa and I are the only two single women under seventy here.” I huff, sneaking another glance at Tucker, but he’s no longer behind the bar—he’s now walking toward us.
“I mean, that plays in your favor when the bride throws the bouquet.”
“Speaking of throwing the bouquet,” Tessa suddenly appears out of nowhere, as stealthy as her brothers if not more so. “Comeon. They're getting ready to throw the bouquet.” Tessa loops her arm through mine and pulls me toward the group of older single women waiting for their turn at the bouquet.
The crowd counts down the bouquet toss.
“Three!”
“Two!”
“One!”
A flurry of flowers rushes past me as everyone steps back. Instinctively, I reach out and grasp the bouquet amid cheers from the wedding guests.
“Looks like you’re next.” Tessa smirks.
“You have to have a boyfriend before you can have a groom.”
“Did someone call for a boyfriend?” Tucker pulls me into his arms. How he got to my side so fast is beyond me.
My heart flutters at his touch until I remember he’s dating Sara. “You’re not my boyfriend.” I smack him in the chest with the bouquet and spin around to make my escape when a pair of strong hands grip my waist and turn me around, only to be slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. “Tucker, put me down!”
“Not until you agree that you’re mine and I’m yours.”
“Tucker put me down.” I use my stern voice, but on the inside, I’m giddy that he’s basically kidnapped me in a room full of people, staking his claim on me. “What about Sara? Did you at least break up with her before you plan to drag me out of the wedding reception?”
“Sara who?”
“Sara from the hospital.”
“Oh, you mean my speech pathologist, Sara. Why would I have to break up with her?”
“Well, it’s either her or me. I refuse to share you.”
He gently lowers me to the ground, our bodies brushing with each movement, and gazes into my eyes. “Why would you have to share me with my speech pathologist?”
“Sara is your speech pathologist?”
“Yes. Who did you think she was?”
Not wanting to make a bigger spectacle than we already are, I take his hand and lead him to the staff locker room and close the door behind us.
“I thought she was your girlfriend.”
“You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted. I’ve had a horrible stutter since I was a kid. I started going to Sara about a week after youwalked into the bar and sang your heart out to Summer Nights from Grease, singing both the male and the female parts.”
“I was so awful.” I roll my eyes, remembering the hazing every new travel nurse has to endure, which includes singing karaoke on their first visit to the town’s only bar. To make matters worse, I had to follow Grace, who has the voice of an angel.
“You’re wrong.” He takes my hands in his and kisses each one. “When I heard you singing that song, I knew without even looking at you that you were mine. Grease is my mom’s favorite movie. I’ve watched it a thousand times. I’ve always dreamed of singing that song with my wife, just like my parents always do when they join in for karaoke night.”
“Then why did it take you so long to even talk to me—why now?”
“As I said, I have, or I guess I had a really bad stutter. I didn’t want you to be embarrassed by a boyfriend who couldn’t speak clearly. Sara has helped me work on my stutter to the point where it’s barely even noticeable. I told myself I wasn’t going to claim you as mine until I could come to you as a whole, fully functional boyfriend.”
