Smiling widely, she began walking back toward the house. “That worked out well. Does he know?”
“Yeah,” I said as I followed. “Men aren’t big on surprises.”
Laughing loudly, she reached for the door the same second I leaned around to open it for her. The contact drove me mad, and I wanted to feel her touching me all over. “Sorry,” she said, jerking away.
Why was she so skittish? “Don’t be,” I said. Holding the door open, I allowed her to go in before taking a deep breath. This was going to be torturous.
“What took so long?” Cade said as he and Francesca stopped us both.
“Uhh,” Daphne said, stammering to come up with something.
Chiming in, I stepped beside her and lay a hand on her arm. Anything to touch her again. “I was confused about where to stand, so Daphne was explaining. She’s a very good coordinator, Francesca. You’re lucky you have her around.”
Grinning, she reached for Daphne, pulling her from my reach. “I know! She’s amazing.”
Daphne blushed, the flush of her cheeks making her even more beautiful. “Thanks,” she said meekly. I didn’t expect her to be shy, so her sudden modesty was adorable. “Let’s eat,” she suggested.
Francesca rounded everyone up, standing next to Cade as he held her close. “We want to thank you all for being here with us. This is a day I never thought would happen, and the fact you’re all here helping and celebrating with us means so much,” she started, glancing up at Cade every few seconds. “Tomorrow is going to be an amazing day, and we couldn’t have done it without your help. Thank you to everyone who helped us set up in the last two days, those of you that helped cook or clean, or even just listen when I needed an ear,” she said with a pointed look at Daphne, then me. “Cade and I are so very honored to share this day with you.” Turning back to Cade, she nodded for him to speak.
“Everything she said and more. I’m marrying the woman of my dreams tomorrow, and I never thought I would have this opportunity. We have the best friends and family anyone could ask for and we love you all.”
Half the room was bawling, including my newfound rapture inducer. I grabbed a tissue from the box, dangling it in front of her face and giving her a half smile. “For you, my lady.”
She took it slowly, her long fingers wrapping around it and gently wiping her nose. “Thanks, Zander.”
My name on her lips was perfection. It belonged there. Why I felt this draw, this need and want to be near her, I didn’t know, but I was feeding it. The wedding would be over tomorrow, so I had to woo her before then. “Any time.”
We all got in line, Francesca and Cade insisting everyone fill their plates before them. Daphne was ahead of me, so I got lost in conversation with a redhead named Ava.
“Hey, Zander, right?” she asked.
“Yep, we’re walking down the aisle together,” I joked. “Glad we got to meet first.”
She giggled, nodding. “Things move too fast these days,” she said with a wink.
She was beautiful, no doubt, but the raven haired beauty waltzing into the other room with her hand wrapped around the little girl’s was the only woman I wanted flirting with me. Maybe the familiarity was fate intervening, telling me it was the time to move in. Only once before had I been drawn to a woman so much, and she was my one and only one night stand. Though, now that I thought about it, the two of them had similar features. Perhaps they were related?
Francesca smiled as I passed her, and it took all I had not to stop and ask her if Daphne had a sister. It would be better to go to the source, so I searched for her, finding her in deep conversation with little Ally. Setting my plate down on the table beside hers, I asked, “Is this seat taken?”
Beaming, she glanced up and shook her head. “Go ahead.”
Ally chattered away, using her hands to tell an elaborate story about something that happened at school. Daphne listened intently, and I couldn’t help but be mesmerized by her beauty. I leaned over, catching the slight scent of cinnamon, and my mind was taken back to that night in the bar. “Daphne?”
She turned, her face dangerously close to mine. “Yes?”
“Do you have a sister named Lucy?” I quizzed.
She paled, gulping and clutching at her abdomen. “Excuse me.” Practically running from the room, she disappeared down the hall and through Francesca’s bedroom door.
Looking at Ally, I saw her staring at me wide-eyed. “What did I do?”
She shrugged, giggling loudly. “You scared Auntie Daphne.”
Chuckling with her, I scarfed down my food as I waited for her to return. Had I made her angry? Was she ill? When she finally came back, she slumped down in her chair and pushed her plate away. “Are you ok?” I asked.
She nodded. “Yeah, I have a nervous stomach. And to answer your question, no, I don’t.”
They weren’t related. The body movements, the cinnamon scent, her features…it was all so familiar. Perhaps Lucy was on my mind, because I hadn’t been able to stop thinking of her since that night, and I was digging in spots I shouldn’t. “You remind me of someone I knew.”
“Lucy,” she said with a nod. “I get that a lot.”
Before I could respond, little Ally grabbed her attention and Jay sat beside me. “Hey, man.”
“Hey,” I said. Jay and I had hung out a few times with Cade when Francesca and the ladies had girl’s night and she’d set up Cade a boy’s night, as she called it. We usually ended up playing pool or video games, so it wasn’t a completely terrible experience.
“What’s up?” he said, cramming a sandwich in his mouth.
“Nothing. Ready for tonight?”
He nodded, gulping his food. “Yep. Hope there’s strippers.”
Praying Daphne didn’t hear, I chuckled. “I doubt that’s gonna happen.”
“A man can dream.”
Shaking my head, I shifted my eyes to discover she’d disappeared. Her and Ally were gone, their plates as well, and the chair was empty. My stomach dropped a little, worried I wouldn’t see her again, but I remembered I had her number and it brightened my spirits.
She seemed like the untamable type. The kind of woman who was strong and independent, not looking for anyone to interfere with her life. I didn’t want to do that, anyway, I wanted to be there for her, support her, and make her stronger. I didn’t even know her name but I knew I wanted her.
The dinner ended and we all prepared to go our separate ways. The ladies took over the house, claiming the bride must get ready at the place of ceremony, and us men were ordered to leave.
Meeting outside, Cade and Cason got in Cason’s Camaro, Cade calling for the rest of us to follow them before they backed out the driveway. The drive was short, as expected, but it still gave me time to reflect.
Daphne was wounded, it was obviously when I saw my reflection in her deep, troubled eyes. She was a fighter, that much was clear, but she hid it. Francesca talked, a lot, and she’d never mentioned Daphne had any issues. Maybe it was my protective nature, or the intense draw to her, but I felt the need to assist her. To help her heal from the inside. She was too gorgeous to hurt as much as her eyes said she did. The cloud of pain was thick, darkening the brightness of her green windows to her soul.
She deserved happiness and love. To not be troubled by whatever demons plagued her, and live a life without pain.
The realization almost had me running off the road. She and Lucy had the same mirror of pain when I looked at them. How could two women be so incredibly similar but not at the same time? I should have pushed for more info, to get her number after our night of passion, but I was ashamed and scared. Pride took over and I let her take control, not knowing the effect she would have on me. Her lips haunted me, I heard her cries of pleasure in my dreams, and I tasted her skin every time I smelled cinnamon.
After almost crashing into Reid’s jeep, I parked in the complex where Cason lived and managed to get out of my vehicle in one piece. Why was I letting not one, bu
t two, women get under my skin? I wasn’t like this. If a lady was important, she made an impression and I wooed her. I didn’t do this pining shit, yet here I was almost crashing into jeeps. What in the hell was wrong with me?
“You ok, man?” Cade called as he jumped out the passenger side.
I nodded. “Yeah, got a text and it distracted me,” I lied. Sounded better than the pussy I was being.
Gathering inside, we scattered and found seats. Drinking was out of the question, since Cade and Reid were recovering alcoholics, so our fun would have to come from elsewhere.
“What’s the plan?” Cade asked, leaning back against the couch.
“Thinking some Call of Duty and darts,” Cason said with a shrug. “I dunno, man. Did you want strippers?”
Cade chuckled, shaking his head. “Nah. I waited this long for Francesca, no one else is gonna do it for me.”
Glancing at Jay, I said, “Told you.”
He shrugged. “A man can dream, Z-man.”
We all chuckled. Cade and Cason settled in for Halo while Reid and I went to play some darts. Jay was an indecisive sort of guy, and he wandered back and forth between the two games until someone won and he could play them. The night wasn’t overly exciting, but we didn’t need it to be. Hanging out and chilling was the point, and we accomplished it. Darts distracted me from thinking of Daphne and the daze she put me in for a while.
By the time I left, I was ready to text her, but I had to have an actual plan first. This lame ass honeymoon idea wasn’t a very good one, and while I did have them a honeymoon trip to anywhere they wanted, I wasn’t sure how to involve her in the reveal. Giving it to them at the reception seemed to be the easiest plan, but since opening my mouth to get her number, I’d have to think of something really creative in order to impress her.
I only hoped she replied and took the bait.
Daphne
Bree and I snuck around and decorated for the party while Kylie distracted Francesca with her sober-ish ramblings. The food helped, thankfully, and Francesca didn’t really seem to know Kylie was inebriated. Zander’s attention was welcomed and terrifying, his words and touches causing me to quiver from the inside out. The only problem was he seemed to recognize me, the Lucy question completely flooring me and making me nervous.
“Daphne?” Bree asked as she unloaded the last of the bags.
“Yeah?” I said, covering a table with a pink cloth with the penis shaped cake and other desserts.
“Are you pregnant?” she asked bluntly.
I dropped the package I was holding and gasped. “What?”
“Are you?” She came closer, placing a hand on my arm. “I notice the signs and it’s ok. I won’t tell anyone, but I’ve been there...”
The tears welled up quicker than I could think and I nodded. “Yeah, I am.”
She embraced me, caressing my hair as she told me it would be ok. “How far along are you?”
“Eleven weeks,” I told her, my hand cradling my stomach. “I haven’t told anyone.”
“No one?”
I shook my head. “Not even family. I don’t know how.”
Her eyes filled with concern and she hugged me again. “Oh, Daphne.” Her words stopped short as Ava ran in hissing that Francesca was coming in. “We’ll talk soon,” she promised before rushing to help get the decorations up.
I finished the tables, covering them with cloths and the cute decorations, grabbing Francesca’s bride crown and meeting her at the door.
She stopped with the screen open, brow raised as she looked from my hand to my eyes. “What’s this?”
“Your bachelorette party,” I grinned. Placing the white feathered crown atop her head, I took the sash verifying she was in fact the bride, and put it over her shoulder. “Beautiful!”
Giggling, she stepped the rest of the way in. Gasping at the penis shaped cake, she shook her head and promised to not eat it. The favors were the best, though. On one table we arranged the edible items: candy garters with penises dangling from them, penis shaped suckers, and gummies shaped like penises. On the other, I placed the buttons for the bride and bridesmaids, garters that matched each of their dresses, and a gift bag with memorabilia for the day.
Each of the girls giggled and yelled as they found the questionable favors and food, the night getting loud before it even truly started. Francesca, the shy and quiet woman that she was, was completely floored at some of the items she saw, completely refusing to even touch the suckers. Every few steps, she turned and shook her head at me, making me burst into a new fit of laughter.
I knew she wouldn’t eat or use any of it, but seeing the look on her face was priceless and exactly why I did it. She was hilarious, her cheeks growing pinker and her voice more timid with each word. Ava saw me snickering, waving her finger in the shame-shame gesture, but soon was joining me. It was just too funny.
“Ok,” I said, clapping a few times to get their attention. “I love you all. And I got penis shaped things in honor of Francesca never having sex with anyone other than Cade. I know some of you dirty girls will grab them up, so do it, and let’s enjoy this night before we need our beauty rest!”
Kylie started gathering things to mix drinks for her, Ava, and supposedly me, while Bree called her mom to check on Ally. It was only a quarter past eight, but I was exhausted. Pregnancy truly was the most tiring thing I’d ever experienced. Going to Kylie’s side, I took the glasses and shook my head. “We need to not be hungover tomorrow, Ky. Let’s not drink tonight. Save it for after the reception.”
Confused, she looked at me. “Oh, no alcohol at the wedding, right?” she asked, disappointed.
Cade had come too far to chance him taking a sip. “Nope.”
Sighing, she shrugged. “Oh, alright.”
Laughing at her dramatic ways, I put away all the glasses and things she’d pulled from the cabinets. Flittering around the room, I made sure everyone was happy and content, enjoying their evening. I didn’t want Francesca to worry about anything for the next few days, and I would make sure everything went as smoothly as possible for her and Cade’s big day. Watching her now, the smile plastered to her face and positively radiant with happiness reminded me of the day she met Cade all those years ago.
“What’s with you?” I’d asked, poking fun of her dopey grin as we settled into the backseat of her mom’s car.
“Nothing,” she’d lied.
It was late in the day, her mom had just arrived home from work and was taking us back to school for a football game. Neither of us even liked football, but it seemed to be the thing to do, the place to be, so we went.
“Tell me,” I prodded.
“That guy, Cade Kelling, talked to me today,” she finally admitted.
“What?” I screeched a little too loudly. Josie, who was eavesdropping in the front seat, turned and smiled mischievously. Their mom glanced at me in the rearview mirror. I should learn to keep my voice down. “What?” I hissed again, softly this time.
“He stopped by the bus stop while I was waiting. He talked. And touched my leg,” she said. The shock was evident as she spoke, but so was the first signs of love. She lit up as she spoke, each word practically sang instead of spoken.
“Ooooh, I wanna be the maid of honor when you get married!” I teased, punching her arm.
Josie, revealing herself, turned and shook her head at me. “I’ll be your maid of honor, right, Franny? I am your sister after all.”
Francesca chuckled, “No one said anything about getting married. I’m fifteen. Gosh.” She rolled her eyes, really playing up the exasperation, but I knew her well enough to see she liked him. The thought of being with him wasn’t as horrible as she let on.
“I still call dibs,” I chuckled. “Bet he brings you flowers or something soon.”
“What? Why are you saying that?” she quizzed.
“Sounds like he likes you,” I shrugged. Pretending it wasn’t a big deal was driving her insane. Francesca analyzed and reanalyze
d everything in her life, so a boy would be no different. Little Josie, who I thought was barely a teenager at the time, kept turning and teasing her sister about her new boyfriend, her new husband, and basically anything else she could come up with.
Shaking my head, I softly laughed at the memory. Walking over to Francesca, I linked our arms and pulled her away from the other ladies. “I was just thinking of Josie in the front seat the day you met Cade,” I told her.
Her eyes softened and sadness, a longing, washed over her features. “Josie.”
“She was so annoying that day,” I chuckled.
She laughed, her eyes moistening with tears. “Oh, yes she was. She was annoying for about thirteen years, actually.”
We laughed together, arms still linked, and got lost in the memory. A few minutes later, I turned, seeing her face streaked with wetness. My own eyes were welled with tears and the stream would release at any moment. “She should be here,” I whispered.
“I know,” she agreed.
Our tears fell together this time as we hugged and held each other. Josie was taken too early, losing her life at such a tender age, and Francesca still had problems dealing with it. I couldn’t blame her, I would be the same if it were my sister. After we grieved the fact she wasn’t here for such a monumental event, we wiped our tears and concluded the rest of our evening.
The party was fun, all the giggling reminding me of the sleepovers we had as teenagers. The exhaustion was the only new part of the equation. After the other girls left and I was settling into Francesca’s spare bed, my phone chimed. I wondered who in the hell could be texting me at midnight when I’d just parted with all my closest friends. Digging and searching through my purse, I finally found it buried underneath everything else.
Unknown Number: Hey, it’s Zander. Sorry to message so late. Still want to help me?
My heart raced and my palms sweated. Zander was texting. Why did he give me butterflies like I was sixteen?
Me: Sure.
Zander: Hope I didn’t wake you.
Anxious Hearts Page 8
