Leah glanced across the dinging room table at the handsome, dark haired man who was taking his seat. He was the college roommate of her sister's fiance, the best man in tomorrow's wedding. She had heard from her sister that the best man was hot, and she'd looked forward to seeing him at the rehearsal dinner. All her expectations had been exceeded. Leah couldn't help but notice his broad shoulders and the muscles to which his button-down shirt clung as he gestured, greeting those around the table that he knew.
Once he'd settled into his seat, smoothing down his tie, he looked up at her, his eyes widening ever so slightly when they met hers.
"Well, hello," he said in a pleasantly deep rumble. "I don't think we've met, although you're the spitting image of the bride - younger sister?"
"Older, actually, but thank you," Leah said with a smile, extending her hand across the table. "I'm Leah. And you're...best man?"
"Yes, but you can call me just 'best' if you like."
"Oh, I think I'd be more comfortable calling you Mr. Man."
"That's a tad formal," he said, laughing. "Maybe just Landon, then?"
"Landon. It's nice to meet you."
"And it's lovely to meet you, too." They were silent for a moment, each of them scanning the table, watching the families chat companionably as food began to be served. "So...any family members in particular I should be sure to avoid?"
"Well, Ellen has a crazy sister named Leah that you might want to steer clear of."
"Oh? What does she look like?
"She's kinda tall, funny-looking, lots of freckles..."
"Huh. That's weird. The only sister I knew of was incredibly gorgeous, big green eyes...does she perchance have two sisters named Leah?" He winked at her and she grinned, glowing with the compliment.
Leah leaned forward conspiratorially, dropping her voice so that her words almost disappeared amidst the laughter from the other end of the table as someone finished their anecdote. "Landon, are you seeing anyone?"
"I'm not, currently. Why do you ask?" His eyes glittered.
"I was just thinking...I mean, maid of honor and best man...we're kind of the perfect pairing, don't you think?"
"At least as long as this wedding stuff is going on, of course," he said with a grin.
"Right! And since the wedding will be tomorrow afternoon..."
"We should take advantage of this maid of honor/best man dynamic while we can?"
"Precisely."
"What exactly are you suggesting?"
There was a lull in conversation around the table, and Leah looked around, waiting for the volume to pick up again before she spoke.
"If I were to excuse myself from the table, and you were to find some reason of your own to leave..."
He nodded, then frowned as he fished in his pocket for his beeping phone. He pressed a few buttons, texting dexterously, then sighed. When the phone began to ring, he stood up, moving toward the door that led toward the back rooms of the house.
"Sorry, everyone," he apologized. "I've got to take this. Apparently, they've got some sort of emergency at work."
Leah watched him dart out the doorway; as he turned the corner, he caught her eye and raised an eyebrow, smirking.