Nearly choking, she turned to him. “What type of dude do you like?” He could not be g*y! She’d seen him making out with women and he had been sort of romantic with her and, oh man, what if she’d misunderstood the whole thing?

He slid his thumb over her bottom lip, sending shivers through her. “I’m just teasing you. I like women. One in particular.”

She blushed and damned her skin for showing it so easily. “Oh. Well, all right, because I was wondering if all those women hanging all over you every two feet you move were overcompensation or what.”

He chuckled. “It’s not that bad.”

She turned and motioned toward the bed. “Ha! In any case, I see the platters are here.” She put the pretty boxes she and the rest of their friends had tied countless ribbons and bows to, on two large platters. “This way when people leave they can take one with a cake box.”

“Cake box?” He helped her stack and then made sure it wasn’t too heavy before taking his platter out first to clear a path. “You okay with that?”

“They’re not heavy. And cake boxes are self-explanatory. They have little slices of cake in them. The caterer will be bringing them out soon. These other boxes have a picture frame in it with a save-the-date card for the wedding. You know those cameras at all the tables? We’ll have the pictures developed and available at the wedding for people to grab and put in these frames.”

They put the platters out, and Ella watched carefully as the caterers added their boxes.

“Wow. That’s amazing and thoughtful.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I just read about it in a magazine and thought it would be fun. I may have talked Elise into having a photo booth at the wedding. Everyone loves pictures.”

“Ella, you rocked with this whole thing.” Adrian came over and hugged her tight. “If the social work gig falls through, you should look into event planning.”

“Pfft.” Ella arranged several tea light candles on the centerpiece towers. “I didn’t do very much. Heck, you did more than I did.”

“Yeah, yeah, I had people do that.” Adrian caught a glimpse of Cope, and Ella didn’t miss the raised brow.

“I think your brother is trying to get your attention,” Cope said to Adrian as he moved closer to Ella.

Adrian just laughed and kissed Ella’s cheek one last time before strolling off again.

What the heck was that all about?

“There’s going to be a rush over here.” Ella handed him two cake boxes and a gift box. “That should be a nice snack for tomorrow morning.”

He put his arm around her waist, keeping her at his side as they stepped away from the table. She wouldn’t have moved for anything.

7

It had been another week after the engagement party before they could both adjust their schedules to begin the lessons. She’d received word just an hour prior that she’d gotten the job at the nonprofit dealing with family violence. She’d start full time in January, but begin shifting her schedule that following week, slashing her job at the café in half and spending the extra hours at her new job. Being the kind of person she was, she’d prepared for this eventuality. She’d prepped the new manager who’d taken over for her, doing a very good job in her stead. The new part-timers would be trained well enough to be totally up to speed by the time she left the café behind totally in late December. A new year, a new job, a new step in her life.

She hadn’t been this silly and nervous over a man in years. She’d met Bill in her sophomore year of college. He’d taken over her life slowly. She hadn’t noticed until it was too late and he’d entrenched himself into her life so deeply she hadn’t quite known how to get him out.

The past was past. And this was her life now. Andrew Copeland was not even from the same universe Bill vomited out of. Cope had called her several times and had come into the café nearly every day. Their first training session had been thick with romantic tension. He hadn’t even tried to kiss her. He’d remained all business, despite all the chemistry zinging around. But afterward, he’d touched her cheek, just lightly, and it had felt as intimate as a tongue kiss.

Still, she’d finally allowed herself to accept Cope just might be sending romantic signals her way. On the elevator up she made herself focus and tried to calm the fluttery bits.

He’d be up there waiting for her, Andrew Copeland of the sexy blue eyes and the just-too-long black hair. Working out with him was a big test, she told herself. A test of will, because, boy, did she want to touch his belly, slide herself against him. And she could under the guise of this class. She learned a lot too, even from just one class. Felt more confident as she’d practiced the moves he’d shown her the lesson before.

As she got off the elevator, he pushed from the wall where he’d been standing and moved to her, his gaze lazily sliding up her body until it reached her face. His smile was easy and no small amount of sexy. “Hey there.”

She let the attraction wash through her like a drug. He made her all tingly, just from a hello and a look. All that pseudo calm she’d talked herself into believing she had, washed away.

“Hey yourself.” She had rushed over, getting dressed in the bathroom at work to save time. Of course, that meant she didn’t have a damned bit of makeup on. Still, he’d seen her without it more than he had with it, and he still flirted with her, so maybe he had a freckle fetish. Ha.