Page 65 of To Belong Together
Stacy slid into the neighboring seat. “So, Erin, what do you do?”
“I’m an automotive technician.”
Kate stopped telling Angie about a relative who was stranded in Chicago. “Really? I’m all about girl power, but how do you dothat?”
Erin plastered on a smile. She’d hoped John had said something to his sisters about her, but they didn’t know the two most important things about her—her name or her profession. And it didn’t help that Kate and Stacy both looked incredulous at the idea of her fixing cars.
Only Angie’s smile remained gentle, a contrast to that red dress and those heels. Perhaps one of the others had picked her outfit for her? “It must be handy to be able to fix your own car.”
Kate slipped her phone from her clutch, checked the screen, and put the device away again. “Three more inches of snow. Unbelievable. We hardly have any all year, and then in April, bam!”
The conversation turned to the weather and relatives Erin had never heard of. She peered over at John’s table and caught him watching her.
When their gazes met, the corner of his mouth tightened. Was that supposed to be a smile?
A blonde attractive enough to be a model—if she’d been about a foot taller, anyway—came up behind him, a man trailing her. Even across the distance, Erin heard her pop her question.
“Are you John Kennedy?”
The fan obviously was thinking of rock music, not presidents, but Erin chuckled. She ought to ask his mom about the name choice tonight. Although, it could be a touchy subject.
She glanced to his sisters to see if they showed any sign of catching the humor.
Instead, Kate and Stacy rolled their eyes as other diners turned to peer at their brother. John rose and replied quietly as three more people flocked to him.
The woman bounced and blurted out something about being a fan. She slid her arm around John and held her phone out to the man who’d followed, but John stepped from her reach. Erin didn’t hear what he said, but it looked like, “No pictures.”
He did, however, sign whatever the fans offered him—scraps of paper from purses, cocktail napkins, one girl’s phone case. A cluster of what Erin assumed were bridesmaids and groomsmen watched from the head of the table. Notes of anger, skepticism, and distaste shaded a few of their faces. What did that add up to? Jealousy?
As the fans left and John retook his seat, the vibes from around the table varied. His mom smiled proudly, his dad seemed neutral. Mark looked amused.
A built guy in his early twenties left the bridal party and approached the bar. He slid his arm around Kate and ordered a drink. While waiting for the bartender, he nuzzled the bride-to-be’s neck.
Stacy groaned. “Get a room, you two.”
“Not tonight.” Kate’s eyes glittered as she gazed up at her man.
Erin couldn’t imagine being so enamored. Looked to her as if he’d come for a kiss to console himself that he didn’t have women running to him the way John did.
But then again, Erin fought a serious urge to go console herself with John. If she approached him, would he treat her more warmly than he’d treated the fans? He’d let her go easily enough when his sisters swarmed her.
She caught him watching her again, but then he looked away to respond to something Mark said.
He hadn’t been completely wrong in the hotel hallway.
She was regretting this already.
21
John watched as Tanner made his way to Kate. The guy didn’t know how lucky he was to be able to go over and kiss the woman he loved.
Though it was early for John to bring love into his relationship with Erin. Tonight was a first date, and an awful one at that, given half a restaurant and all his family had come between them.
What kind of games were Stacy and Kate playing? John didn’t believe for a second that Stacy had dropped Tara’s name by accident. He’d specifically told them Erin, the friend who’d been helping him car shop, was not the woman he’d added to tomorrow’s guest list. And then they’d whisked Erin away from him.
He would’ve protested, but Erin wouldn’t tolerate a man monopolizing her. If she wanted the lowdown from his sisters, so be it. If they told her about Tara, he could explain easily enough—he’d invited Tara to the wedding before his accident, before things between him and Erin had changed, and there was no chemistry there.
But there was loads of chemistry with Erin—at least on his end. When he’d seen her in that dress, his grip on control had slipped, much like when the ice had caught the tires on the highway. He’d nearly pulled her in to investigate his theory about how her face would flush if he kissed her.
