Wisconsin Wedding (Welcome To Tyler, No. 3) by Carla Neggers Page B

indeed come from a prominent East Coast family, Byron could have himself quite a coup if he managed to photograph his wedding.
    “How long has it been since Cliff’s seen his family?” Nora asked casually.
    Liza was getting well ahead of her. “Five years at least,” she said over her shoulder. “Why?”
    “I was just curious. Sorry if I seem nosy—”
    “No, that’s okay. You don’t seem nosy.” Liza stopped in the middle of the narrow path until Nora caught up with her, a matter of thirty seconds. Nora was intensely awareof her new friend’s scrutiny. “You do seem a little…I don’t know, nervous or something.”
    “I’m not—”
    But Nora stopped, feeling her face drain of all color. Up ahead, probably on the same path, or not bothering with a path at all, two men were walking toward them. One clearly was Cliff Forrester. The other, just as clearly, unless Nora had gone completely off her rocker, was Byron Sanders.
    “Hey, there!” Cliff called, waving.
    Spotting him, Liza beamed and waved back. A woman in love. “What’re you up to? Who’s that with you?”
    “I can’t hear you. Wait there and we’ll join you.”
    Liza frowned, her hands on her hips as she peered down toward the lake and the two men. “That’s not one of Joe Santori’s crew, is it?”
    “I don’t think so,” Nora said, gritting her teeth.
    Then the two men came up over the rise and she could see Byron’s dark hair glistening in the sun, the hard edges of his face, his strong, even gait. The prospect of such ignominy, of having to deal with this man again, and in front of two friends—two potential victims of Byron Sanders’s wiles and charms—thoroughly unsettled and annoyed Nora.
    She thought she saw him smiling.
    The cad. Had he just recognized her? Did it amuse him to know he threw her off balance? Did he enjoy making her miserable?
    I won’t give him the satisfaction, she thought.
    But as the two men came closer, Nora found herself muttering an oath Aunt Ellie certainly had never taught her.
    Liza glanced at her, eyes twinkling. “Gee, Nora, I didn’t think you had it in you.”
    Nora could feel the color returning to her cheeks. “Sorry. I’m just…it’s possible I know this guy.”
    “No kidding?”
    Then they were approaching and Nora gritted her teeth, saying nothing, refusing even to look at Byron Sanders. She felt his presence, though. It was just that way with her and him—one of those uncomfortable realities, like poison ivy and root canals.
    “Hi, Cliff,” Liza said. “Who’s your friend?”
    “He’s not a friend.”
    Nora’s eyes shot up. Cliff was looking pointedly at Byron Sanders. Had he found out what a two-faced weasel his fellow Rhode Islander was? Had he—
    With a brief, dark glance at Nora, Byron stepped forward, stretching out his hand. “Hello, Liza,” he said in his most suave, debonair voice. “It’s a pleasure finally to meet you.”
    “Oh, yeah? Who are you?”
    Only Liza.
    “My name’s Byron,” he said, with no detectable catch in his voice. “Byron Sanders Forrester.”
    Nora’s knees when weak.
    Liza said, “Then you’re…”
    “Yes. I’m Cliff’s brother.”

CHAPTER FIVE
    G IVEN THAT SHE HAD an audience, Nora managed to keep her mouth shut and not go for the bastard’s throat. She prided herself on her ability to make a quick recovery and hold back her emotions under the most trying circumstances, but this was beyond trying. She knew she must look shocked, pale, stiff, furious. But at least she wasn’t in the process of committing a felonious act of violence.
    “It’s great to meet you, Byron,” Liza said, not a little unnerved herself. Nora could see her glancing sideways at her husband-to-be, who hadn’t, of course, known his brother was invited to their wedding. “When did you get here?”
    “Yesterday.”
    Byron, Nora observed, was the only one who didn’t look as if he wanted to strangle someone. He was used to sticky situations, however,