Page 4 of Imperfect Saint
“I’m not exactly seeing anyone these days, Lem.”
“I know.” The blonde smiled again.
“And the wedding is this weekend.”
“I know.”
“So, I take it you already have someone in mind for this charade?”
“I do.” Lemon gave a smug nod.
“Who?”
“Don’t worry your pretty little head about it. I’ll take care of everything.”
Millie narrowed her eyes suspiciously when her boss brushed off her question, “Lemon…”
“Don’t use that warning tone on me. I’m doing you a favor, Mills. I’ll have a date for you, ready and able to distract you from your ex and as an added bonus, he’ll make that bastard think twice before coming anywhere near you this weekend. When do you leave for the wedding?”
“Tomorrow afternoon but…”
“No buts.” Lemon pushed herself up to her feet, “I’ll take care of it. After all, what are friends for?”
“Apparently setting up fake wedding dates?” Millie gave a panicked, half-laugh, “This seems like a really bad idea. Taking a random person to my brother’s wedding just to keep Joshua at bay? It’s ridiculous, not to mention selfish. Just forget it. I’ll figure it out myself.”
“Not a chance that I’m leaving you to your own devices on this one, Mills. I have the perfect date in mind for you and I’ll tell him what’s going on so he’ll know the score before you two leave tomorrow, okay? I would never send you with someone I didn’t trust to have your best interests at heart. You know that right?”
“Yeah but-”
“So, there’s nothing to worry about. Trust me.”
With a quick hug and a mischievous wink, Lemon bounded back out of Millie’s office. Once she was alone again Millie dropped her head into her hands and wondered just what the hell she’d agreed to. Lemon was good-intentioned but having her set up a fake date with some guy Millie had never even met for an event as momentous as her brother’s wedding seemed like a disaster in the making.
The invitation on her desk stared back at her, taunting her with the knowledge that Joshua would be unavoidable at this wedding. She couldn’t help but wonder if that wasn’t part of Colin’s plan making them Best Man and Maid of Honor. Colin thought he knew what was best for her but he didn’t know the whole story and he couldn’t find out, definitely not at his wedding.
Millie had to admit she didn’t want to go to this wedding alone. She didn’t want to face her family alone. Maybe if she showed up with a date they’d finally realize she was serious when she said things with Joshua were through for good.
Instead of picking her phone up and calling Lemon to tell her that she didn’t want or need a hired date, or whatever Lemon was planning, she typed out a text to her brother. He would have questions but she could deal with those later. Right now, all that mattered was changing her RSVP to a very last minute plus-one.
2
“He did what?”
The headache that had been brewing since the moment he picked up the phone reacted to the venomous words he’d just heard and turned into a full-blown migraine. He gripped the phone so hard he was certain the thing would be cracked when he looked at it again. He could hear the blood rushing in his ears; feel the heat of anger light up every nerve ending in his body. It was like a switch had been flipped and all of the violent urges he’d have sworn even five minutes ago that he didn’t have, went on high alert.
He wanted to hit something. Destroy something. He wanted to tear something apart but it wasn’t a something, it was a someone.
Hunter St. James took a deep breath, closed his eyes and let it out as he worked to steady himself. Silently he counted backwards from ten and with each inhale and exhale he regained control. With each breath he reminded himself that he wasn’t in a life and death situation, that his anger was understandable but violence wasn’t acceptable and eventually his body agreed with what his mind already knew. By the time he hit one he could at least hear the voice on the other end of the phone line saying his name again which was a good sign.
“Hunter? Hunter! I know you didn’t hang up on me because I can hear you breathing. Hunter. Whatever you’re thinking, don’t do it. He isn’t worth it. That isn’t why I called.” A small pause and then another exasperated curse, “Dammit Hunter, at least grunt so I know you’re still listening.”
“I’m here.” He managed a growl.
“Thank God. I thought you might have dropped the phone to go kill the bastard.”
“The thought crossed my mind.”
Lemon Kelly laughed on the other end of the phone line but Hunter didn’t. He didn’t even smile, because he had been completely serious. Even now, without conscious effort, his brain was working through the details, sorting out what he knew from what he didn’t, trying to make sense of what Lemon had just told him about Millie.
