Never Kiss A Stranger

I mean, sure Henry’s a good-looking dude, I guess. I’m sure he could score someone as hot as her, but she doesn’t seem like his type...at all.

And I’m not being biased about that.

“This is Ellis,” he says, and I try to force the muscles in my face to smile back.

“Nice to meet you.” I hold out my hand, somehow keeping my cool together. “Where’s your ring?” Rude question to blurt out, I know, but she did not have a ring on the other day in the parking lot. I would have noticed. And I would have never kissed a woman sporting a rock on her finger. I’m not that kind of guy.

She glances at her left hand, like she too forgot she isn’t wearing one. “I’m waiting on a goat to...never mind.” She waves off the question and shakes my outstretched hand. “It’s so nice to meet you...uh...Ellis.”

Henry squeezes her tighter with a laugh, puffing out his chest with pride. “This is my Kiki. The affianced. She planned this crazy thing.” He raises a brow at me. “Thinks it’ll take off.”

For some reason, I’m not liking the condescending vibe coming from Henry’s eyebrow about the wedding she put together.

“You did a great job,” I tell her, not letting go of her soft hand. I’m very aware that I need to because we’re just standing here with our hands connected. “I think Georgia and Ace will live a long and happy life together.”

Henry laughs. “She gets a lot of crazy ideas. Just the other day she was looking into llamas.”

“Llamas?” Let go of her hand. Dude. “That sounds interesting.”

She’s not pulling away her hand either. “It was goats.”

A blonde with a little white furball in her hands joins our awkward conversation.

“We have an issue,” she says to Kiki, and then glances at our hands still joined together and eyes me up and down.

This is the moment I should definitely let go of her hand, but I swear it’s like there’s superglue keeping them together.

Finally, Kiki let’s go, and I slide both my hands in my pockets. Don’t want that happening again.

Kiki and the blonde leave, and I’m left standing here with Henry. Lucky, lucky Henry. Lucky fucking Henry. The affianced.

So, that was Kiki.

He smiles, like he’s the happiest man in the world. And why wouldn’t he be? He’s got the girl. And she’s a phenomenal kisser. I’d never tell him that, though.

Oh god, I’ve kissed his soon-to-be wife. This isn’t good.

Well, I’m not telling him. And I’m pretty sure Kiki hasn’t said anything to him either.

That’s best. It’ll just be our own little secret. Not that it was anything major. It was just a kiss. A scorchingly hot, meaningless kiss.

My phone dings in my pocket and I pull it out, reading the text from my brother that he’s ready to meet. “Sorry, man. I gotta go. We’ll catch up soon. Just let me know if you need anything.”

Henry shakes my hand. “Thank you for being my best man. It’ll make Kiki happy.”

Near the altar, I get a glimpse of Kiki trying to stop Ace from humping his new bride. “It’s all about making the bride happy on her big day.”

Time to forget that kiss. Like I said, I’m only here to save the brewery and then get my ass back to Atlanta.

SIX

Kiki

Never trust a feeling...

Silence is not always a good thing. It’s eerily quiet in my office after the wedding ends and the guests have gone home. Everything has been packed away and now I’m going over the end-of-day reports on the computer.

And it’s too damn quiet. That means my thoughts are too damn loud. My face is hot, because what are the odds Ellis is Henry’s friend? How did this happen?

“Woohoo,” Lola says, entering with a champagne bottle and three plastic glasses. “Congratulations on your first successful wedding.”

She pours the bubbly as Poppi walks in and perches on my desk. “Who was that guy Henry had with him?” she asks.

“Nobody,” I grunt out. “I mean, his name is Ellis.”

“Doesn’t sound like nobody.” They sip their champagne, eyeing me over the rim.

I take in a deep breath. “Fine, he’s Henry’s best man.” I drain what’s in my glass. “And he’s kind of the same man who kissed me in the parking lot.”

“Trellis guy?” Lola asks, completely surprised. “Ellis is the trellis guy?”

“Oh my god,” Poppi joins in. “Ellis the trellis guy. Trellis Ellis.”

Ugh. “Yeah.”

I push back from my desk, and move my head from side to side, cracking my neck and trying my best to loosen these tense muscles.

“What are you going to do?” Lola asks.

“What do you mean? I’m going to do nothing and pretend it never happened.”

“Damn, and I was going to ask you if he was single.” Lola fake frowns.

“Well, what do you mean was? You can date him. I don’t care.” Think they believe me?