Chapter 55
Chapter 55
Mandy pressed her cool hands against her burning cheeks. “Hey, this day is supposed to be about you, remember?” She handed her sister a lipstick tube. “Fix the last bit of your face. As soon as Mom gets back, I’ll fix your dress.”
“I’m glad you’re here, Mandy.”
“Me, too.”
“SO, YOU MADE IT THROUGH,” Carl said, pouring them both a glass of champagne. “How do you feel?”
“Relieved,” Mandy said honestly. “But it’s not over yet.” She looked around at everyone enjoying their meals and making polite chatter about the wedding ceremony. At the sweetheart table, Claudia was leaning into a very uncomfortable Stephen, who kept looking fearfully at Carl and Mandy. Claudia, however, looked more content than Mandy had seen her in a long time.
“Don’t worry,” Carl whispered to her. “Claudia will whip him into husband material soon enough.”
“I think they look adorable together,” Mandy’s mom broke in. She and Mandy’s father were their only two dinner companions, much to Mandy’s relief. The last thing she wanted was to talk to any of Stephen’s or Claudia’s shallow friends.
Mandy’s dad rolled his eyes. “I hope he knows that I can make it look like an accident if he hurts her.” He looked directly at Carl when he said it.
Carl gave such a slight nod that Mandy just caught.
“Okay,” she said. “Claudia told me everything about what happened between the two of you.” She pointed at both men at the table who simultaneously groaned.
“I can’t believe you told Claudia!” Carl pointed a fork at Mandy’s father and chuckled. “I told you I didn’t want Mandy to know and you told her sister!”
“I didn’t tell Claudia, I told my wife!” The older man turned an accusing eye on his wife. “I didn’t know she’d blab it out.”
Mandy’s mom held up her hand in defense. “Look,” she said. “Nobody said anything about keeping it a secret from Claudia. I’m so not to blame here.”
“Enough children!” Mandy laughed. “It’s water under the bridge. How about we all agree to let it go?” She elbowed Carl. “Cheeky bugger.”
“Mandy!” Her father cleared his throat. “I plan on continuing these lunch dates and please tell your mom, I’m not having an affair. That’s the whole reason I had to tell her.”
Mandy grinned and she felt the tension in her stomach go away. “Mom, I’m seeing your husband.” She beamed at her dad. “That’s all I wanted to hear, Dad.”
The band began playing as the meal finished up. The obligatory first dance, and then the father-daughter dance, followed by another slow song for couples to join the wedding couple.
“Dance with me, Mandy,” her father asked, and pulled her away from Carl before he could ask her.
“Of course,” Mandy said, flashing an apologetic smile to Carl, who nodded and went to sit back down.
“I’m glad you came,” her dad said. “And I’m happy you and Claudia have made up. Truly.”
“So am I,” she said as her dad twirled her. “It’s nice being part of the family again.”
“You always were, Mandy,” he said, grinning. “We can just be assholes sometimes.” His face grew serious after they danced a bit. “What’s going on between you and Carl? Are the two of you dating?”
Mandy flushed. It didn’t matter how old she got. Her father asking her about her love life would always be awkward. “Dad.”
“I’m serious,” he said. “Are you dating?”
“It’s complicated,” Mandy said.
“I’d tell you not to let him go, but I doubt he would leave you even if you tried to pry him loose.”
Mandy raised an eyebrow. “What are you saying?”
He smiled. “I’m saying he loves you, Mandy. More than anything. He’s proved himself to be a good guy, and he deserves a chance with you.” He cleared his throat. “And you know I don’t say that lightly.” He tilted his head. “Are you not in love with him?”
Mandy shrugged. “I don’t know,” she lied. “I think Carl’s heart is in the right place, but I’m just not sure it’ll work out. I mean, he’s my boss, and he doesn’t really do committed relationships.” Her face burned with embarrassment. She needed to figure out a way to stop the constant blushing, it was getting ridiculous.
“He’s already committed to you, Mandy,” her father said. “He just hasn’t told you yet because he doesn’t want to scare you away.”
Mandy stared at her father. “How many times have you guys talked, exactly?”
He grinned. “Just once. After he told me to take you to lunch. He asked me what he should do to win you over. It’s a father’s job to scope out bullshit, and I know he’s being completely genuine. We’re not perfect, Mandy. We all make mistakes. Give him a chance to try and fix his.”
“I can’t believe he went to you for dating advice,” Mandy grumbled. Not only was her dad a terrible example when it came to romantic relationships, but it was so awkward.
“You’ll get over it,” he said bluntly. “I’m telling you, Mandy, he’s a good guy and I don’t think there’s a better fit for you out there.”
“We’ll see.” She still wasn’t convinced things would work out. It might take her leaving her job for them to have a relationship. Maybe talking to Nicholas wouldn’t be a bad idea. She loved her job, but she was pretty sure she was in love with Carl more.
The song ended and Carl came up to her. “May I have the next dance?”
Her father smiled and backed away. “Think about it, Mandy,” he said as he went to join his wife at the table.
Carl raised an eyebrow. “What was that about?”
Mandy flushed. “Nothing.”
The band started playing a slow dance and Carl smiled at her as he slipped his arm around her waist. “You look incredible. That dress is amazing. Remind me to not let you wear something like that to an office party. I might start a fight.”
She smiled back at him. She knew she was blushing more than anything and she looked down, wishing she could hide it.
“Hey, why are you looking at the floor?” Carl said. “Believe it or not, I do know how to dance. I won’t step on your feet.”
“The thought never even crossed my mind.” She smiled, thankful for his humor. “I just... I just can’t believe how much you’ve done for me today. Thank you.” She swallowed. “I want to thank you for everything. Not just today. For the job, for helping me find my confidence, for all of it. I—”
“You deserve every bit of it,” he said, cutting her off, as if afraid she might tell him she would miss him when she left. “I would do it all over again,” his whispered, voice thick with desire. “And more. I’ve screwed up more times than I can count, and yet, for some reason, you keep giving me chances.”
He twirled her around the floor, his ballroom dancing skills making it easy for Mandy to follow. Several other couples stopped to watch them move.
“I promise you I won’t screw it up this time, Mandy.” His hand pressed against the small of her back, sending thrills of desire in every direction starting from his touch. “It’s me who doesn’t deserve you, Mandy. But I want to spend the rest of my life trying.” He cupped her face with his free hand as her feet forgot to keep moving. He stopped with her. “I’m in love with you, Mandy. More than work, more than money, hell, even more than myself. If you decide to give me one last chance, I promise you I’ll give you everything I possibly can. I’ll do everything I possibly can to make you happy. I’ll never throw you away or treat you like crap because you deserve so much more than that.”
She bit her lip. “You really mean that?”
“I do.”
She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him. Carl sighed and pulled her close, his hand sliding up her back to hold her neck and run his fingers into her hair. He kissed her gently.
She smiled and deepened the kiss, trying to express all of her feelings and all of her love with that simple contact.
They broke apart when the song ended. Carl rested his forehead against hers. “I’m yours,” he said. “Forever.”
Mandy grinned. “What do you say about getting out of this place and fooling around in that big limo of yours?”
A sexy smirk broke across Carl’s mouth. “Hell, yeah. You don’t have to ask me twice.”
She grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the dance floor. “Good. I’m dying here.”
“You are?” He followed closely behind her, his free hand reaching to caress her derriere.
“And I’m not wearing any panties!”
The growl that came out of his throat had them both running for the exit.