One Special Night by Caridad Piñeiro Page B

been gone all this time.”
    She had no doubt that he understood it was about way more than that, but thankfully he didn't push.   He took hold of her hand and twined his fingers with hers, his touch comforting.
    At the door, he checked to see if anyone was around before they left his room and walked back toward the wedding reception.
    There were fewer guests than there had been before, but the party was still going strong.   On the flagstone terrace, long tables were covered with pastries for a Venetian hour, complete with a barista making fancy coffee drinks for the guests.
    “I hear your sweet tooth calling,” Tommy said as they stepped out onto the terrace.
    “Don't you want any?” she asked.
    “This is going to sound totally corny, but I'm not sure anything could be as sweet as you,” he said and she shot him a playful nudge.
    “That is so totally corny, de Salvo,” she said, but it still kind of made her feel special to hear it.
    “I see Jase looking this way and he doesn't seem too happy. Do you mind getting us some goodies while I try to find out what's up and fulfill my best man duties?”
    “Not at all.   I'll meet you back at the table,” she said and watched him hurry in Jase's direction.
    He was right that Jase didn't look all too pleased.
    She only hoped she wasn't the reason for that upset.

 
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 6
    Tommy hurried over to where Jase and Nickie sat at the head table.   Nickie’s head was tucked close to Jase’s and his friend, and now brother-in-law, smiled at something his sister Nickie said, but as soon as he looked his way, the smile faded.
    He had no doubt what was bothering Jase .
    He went straight up to them, hugged Nickie tightly before swinging a chair around from a neighboring table to sit by Jase .   “What’s up, dude?”
    “I should be asking you that, Tommy.   Doc’s not someone to be played with,” Jase warned in tones low enough for only Tommy to hear.
    He clapped Jase on the back and whispered, “Not playing, Jase .   Jasmine is a really special lady.”
    “Remember that,” Jase pushed back, a little louder, which drew Nickie’s attention.
    “Remember what?” she asked, a tired smile on her face.   The day was already long and she’d been up early to get ready for the wedding.   Even with a sleepy-eyed droop, she still looked beautiful, but more importantly, radiantly happy.
    “The day you, me, and Jase went skinny dipping when we were kids and dad caught us.   Tanned my behind for egging you to do it with us,” he said.
    “And grounded us for a month in the middle of the summer.   I think I must have read two dozen books that month,” Nickie said with a laugh and a look at Jase that said there was something private there between them.   Something not for him.
    “Rough life reading romances, Nickie ,” Jase teased back and then glanced toward the table with the parents.   “My dad was major league pissed.   Took me to work with him every day and worked me until I was so tired that the only thing I could think about was falling into bed.   Told me that’s what life would be like if I screwed up and did stupid things like that.”
    “But you didn’t screw up and look at you now, all married man,” Tommy kidded.
    “Yeah, don’t screw up, Tommy.   Seriously man.   Don’t do it,” Jase said and his sister surprised him by jumping into the conversation, totally aware of what was up despite their earlier efforts to hide their discussion.
    “Don’t play around with her, Tommy.   She seems like the serious type.”
    “And not my type at all?   Maybe it’s time for me to pick a better kind of woman,” he shot back.
    They shared a quick glance and then faced him, features serious.   “Maybe it is, Tommy.   Doc wouldn’t be such a bad choice, but you need to go slow with her.”
    Heat flooded his features at the memory of how he hadn’t gone slow with her all night, but he nodded and said, “I won’t screw this