Millie laughed and hooked her arm through his. “Come on, young man. Let’s go get a drink before this shindig starts.”
“Millie, you’re due for pictures, too,” Lana stated, crossing her arms over her chest. “You’re already late as it is.”
Jade’s grandmother waved her free arm in the air. “I have time for one drink. This wedding party is so large, nobody will notice I’m missing for the next ten minutes.”
Jade continued to stare at him as her mother started to lead her away. The only way he could describe her look was that she had big plans for an epic talk later. He definitely had some explaining to do regarding the fight at Taps. There was no way he could deny what happened, not now that he’d let the secret out.
Millie patted his arm. “Shall we?”
Cash nodded and let her lead the way to the bar. He was going to need that drink to make it through the rest of the day.
Chapter Five
Jade made it through the ceremony, she’d made it through another round of photos, and she’d even made it through the cheesy introductions of the wedding party as they entered the glamorous outdoor seating area for the reception.
But she was done with her duties and on the hunt for Cash.
What the hell had he meant, he got in a fight with Brad over her? She hadn’t asked him to do that, and she didn’t appreciate him telling her mother about that humiliation.
What on earth had happened when she’d left that bar? Why did Cash get involved in the first place?
Though, if she were being completely honest with herself, the fact that he’d stood up for her against Brad had her feeling all sorts of warm and tingly and, damn it, completely turned on. She could take care of herself—she had for years—but knowing he’d done so really clicked something inside her. He’d not only come to her defense, he’d done so without boasting or bragging about it.
Maybe there were more layers to Cash’s ego than she’d thought. Clearly, there was a humble side to him.
She had so many questions that only he could answer, and she found she wanted to get away and just see him. My, how things had changed just since yesterday morning when she’d walked into that hangar and seen he was her pilot.
Jade’s eyes scanned the reception area. Whoever Ruthie had hired for a wedding coordinator and decorator really had pulled off something magnificent. Not that Jade wanted to get married and not that she needed all the frills and glam, but there was no denying this place was something from a fairy tale—hideous dresses aside.
Rich, brown velvet couches sat beneath cream canopies. Circular, gold ottomans served as spare seats or mock tables for drinks. Clusters of fall flowers in a variety of colors were used to secure the openings on all four sides of the canopies, leaving an open and airy ambience. The sun had just started to descend behind the hills and trees, the twinkling lights draped all around, and the lanterns suspended from trees were giving off a gorgeous glow.
Jade gathered the skirt of her dress and grabbed a flute of champagne as a waiter came by with a tray. She needed something to keep her hands occupied and she wasn’t going to turn down a drink right now. Her nerves were on edge between her mother’s embarrassing reaction to Cash and Jade’s sudden attraction to the man.
She planned on ignoring the attraction because she assumed it was just a temporary bout of insanity. But they seriously needed to talk, and she owed him an apology. She’d warned him how upper crust her family was, but she never would’ve guessed her mother would be so blatantly rude.
“If you’re looking for your man, he’s been standing in the back with his eyes on you.”
Jade hadn’t even realized her nana had come to stand right beside her. She’d also not corrected the whole boyfriend comment . . . another reason she owed Cash an apology. She’d completely blindsided him with that little bombshell, and he’d gone right along with it and hadn’t taken Lana McKenzie’s mouthy greeting.
Jade sipped her champagne, not wanting to turn around and see Cash eyeing her. Was he really staring at her? Or was Nana only seeing what she wanted to see? Perhaps he was staring. The combo of hair, dress, and makeup was certainly something he’d never seen her in before . . . and never would again.
“You’re wasting a perfectly good opportunity to dance,” Nana continued. “I already got mine in. He’s got some moves.”
Shocked, Jade jerked her attention to the woman who’d always been Jade’s rock and biggest fan. “Nana. You danced with Cash?”
Millie McKenzie smiled and held her champagne flute up to her mouth. “He asked me, for the record. And like any Southern lady with manners, I accepted.”
Jade leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “I love you. I’m going to go check out those moves myself.”
“You’d better, before someone else does. That whole dark, broody thing he has is rather sexy.”
“Nana, if you were younger, I’d think you were making a play for my guy.”
The second the words slid through her lips, she wondered why the lie came so easily. Cash wasn’t her guy, and she had only been pretending such for a few hours.
“Darling,” Nana stated with a hand on Jade’s arm, “you know I’ll never love anyone like I loved my Walter. Now, you go. Your young man is waiting.”
Jade tossed back the last of her drink and turned until she spo