And Lindy had no complaints. Sara had done a beautiful job. The sleeveless dress that Sara had picked out hid Lindy’s first-trimester figure. The chapel at Washington University had magically been free that weekend, and so had the ballroom at the country club. Tina stepped back; Olivia, who now had the bride’s bouquet, handed it to Lindy.
Shane took her arm in his, his warm hand covering hers. “Shall we?”
“Sure,” Lindy said, wishing her voice sounded a little more certain. Her foot wobbled and Shane steadied her before they walked down the white-velvet runner that the florist had spread down the entire length of the long aisle.
“Not so bad now, is it?” Shane’s voice was light, teasing.
Except for the wedding party and the wedding coordinator, no one had been in the church the night before. “Not so bad,” she replied, staring at hundreds of faces she didn’t know.
“Just a few more feet,” Shane said. “Oh, forgot. Smile.” The wedding photographer’s flash popped. Shane patted Lindy’s arm. “Now I think we’re done.”
But instead of ushering them straight to the limousine, the wedding coordinator was gesturing them to stand by a huge floral arrangement. “Receiving line,” she said, and within moments she had efficiently arranged Shane’s parents, the entire wedding party, and even Shane’s grandparents into a neat line by which the guests could all file as they left the church.
In the next forty-five minutes Lindy decided two things: one, Shane’s parents had way too many friends and associates; and two, her husband was a well-bred man. Shane met everyone with a genuine and gracious smile.
“My feet hurt,” Lindy told him during a brief lull between guests. She tried shifting her weight, but her feet had swollen in the low pumps and her action didn’t help.
“How about I rub them for you later,” Shane said. He lifted her hand to his lips for a moment, and she could see wicked promise in his eyes. The brief kiss left her absolutely speechless, and he released her hand and turned to calmly greet another guest. “Hello Mr. Tipton. It’s a pleasure seeing you again.”
“So how are you holding up?” Tina asked hours later, after the first dance, after the cake cutting. The two women were alone in the country club’s posh ladies’ lounge.
“My feet don’t hurt anymore,” Lindy said. “That coordinator thought of everything, even custom slippers to wear after the first dance.”
“That’s great. And everything else?”
“It’s fine,” Lindy said. Tina reached over and reattached a missing bustle hook.
Tina caught Lindy’s gaze in the mirror. “I know you, Lindy. Whenever you say it’s fine, it’s really not. So if it’s not, what else is it? You have a wonderful new house in Ladue, of all places.” Tina digressed for a moment. “I still don’t believe you’re moving to Ladue. How many acres do you have?”
“Three,” Lindy said. “Three acres on a private drive so junior can run.”
Tina smoothed out a fold in the bustle. “I thought you didn’t know what sex the baby is.”
“I don’t,” Lindy said. “I’m having an ultrasound in three weeks. My doctor says I’ll be able to find out then if I want, if we get a good look. So right now I just call the baby junior. It’s more personal than calling it, well, it.”
“So then tell me what’s wrong?” Tina stepped back and gazed at Lindy without the use of the mirror. “It’s not been the sex, has it?”
Lindy blushed, her pink cheeks a direct contrast to the not-quite pure-white dress being reflected in the mirror. “No, it’s not the sex. That is definitely not a problem.”
Far from it. Ever since she and Shane had found themselves in her bed that night at her apartment, making love to him hadn’t been a problem. The problem was keeping their hands off each other, for every time he kissed her she wanted him, and vice versa.
No, they’d taken two weeks off from work to buy a house and plan a wedding. But Sara, her staff and the wedding coordinator had quickly assumed control of everything. Once Shane and Lindy had found a house, the first day out looking, they’d spent the rest of the time, before returning to work, holed up in Shane’s bed at the pool house. After all, she had had some morning sickness, and besides, the Jacobsen estate had been the best place to hide out from the press. The newspaper had been full of wedding gossip and speculation—Had Shane truly reformed? Or was he just marrying Lindy for the baby?
Lindy, though, knew the truth. He was marrying her because of the baby. He still didn’t love her. Sure, they had great sex. Phenomenal, mind-altering sex. But no matter how much she loved him—and her feelings deepened on a daily basis—Lindy knew that he still didn’t feel anything besides sexual longing for her. Well, that and friendship.
It was a situation Lindy wasn’t quite sure how to handle. She’d married for convenience and the baby’s sake. She’d settled for security and a loveless marriage, and she knew it. And, right now, at her wedding reception, she didn’t want to discuss the situation with Tina, even if Tina was her best friend. After all, this was Lindy’s wedding night—supposedly, the happiest night of her life.
“There you are!” Sara walked into the lounge. Because her mother-in-law had diverted the conversation away from the topic of Shane, for once, Lindy was glad to see her. “I was starting to get worried. Are you changing?”
Lindy smiled wryly. Okay, maybe not that glad to see her. “No.”
Sara looked aghast. “You need to change. You don’t wear the wedding dress to the hotel. That’s tacky.” Sara glanced around the lounge. “The suit we bought should be here somewhere. There’s even shoes to match.”
“Sara. Here you are.” Olivia, Shane’s half sister walked into the bathroom. Her baby-blue shoes matched her bridesmaid’s dress, which in turn matched her and her brothers’ eyes. “Sara, I’m glad I found you. Dad is looking for you. Bethany needs to leave and she wants to say a proper goodbye.”
Sara’s expression turned mortified. She put a finger to the brooch at her throat. “Bethany’s a bridesmaid. She can’t leave yet. Not until after the bride and groom.”
Olivia shrugged. “Well, I think they have to get the baby-sitter home or something like that. You might want to go check it out to be sure.”
Sara nodded. “Believe me, I will. Be sure you change into the suit before you come out, Lindy. I know it’s in here somewhere.” With that, Sara bustled out of the lounge.
Olivia turned to Lindy with a smile of amusement on her pretty face. “Are you doing okay? Shane saw his mom come in and sent me in after her.” Olivia sighed. “You have to love Sara despite herself. She’s an overzealous Miss Manners and Emily Post all rolled up into one. You should see her when she’s on my case.”
“Maybe Shane is wise after all,” Tina said dryly.
Olivia grinned, her eyes twinkling. “Well, I do have to admit that Sara’s not too bad. After all, I’ve known her since I was five. You learn how to manage her. You’ll get used to it, Lindy. I promise.” Olivia pushed a wisp of her dark brown hair off her face. “And Shane did get the best of her and Dad.”
Lindy noticed that Tina didn’t comment on that. “I’ll be sure to tell Shane that you were sweet enough to save me,” Lindy said. She’d always liked Olivia. “I’ll tell him later tonight.”
“Speaking of, you’re not nervous about tonight are you?” Olivia suddenly blushed. “I mean, you’re pregnant so your wedding night won’t be the first time.”
Tina peered at Olivia. “You’re not saying what I think you are…you’re kidding me. You’re still a virgin?”
“Tina!” Lindy’s tone admonished as she stared at her best friend. “That’s none of our business.”
Despite Lindy’s reproach, Tina still looked more fascinated than repentant.
“Well,” Olivia said as she blushed again. “You try having a sex in the shadow of my world-famous parents. I’m not allowed the bad boys, and just where are the good ones, anyway? They don’t go out. I mean, either they’re already taken or
they’re on-line and hiding behind a firewall. I turn thirty in two months, and besides my job and cat I have little to show for it.”
“I’m divorced, so trust me, I know it’s hard to find the right guy,” Tina said.
“That’s a gross understatement,” Olivia said.
Tina nodded. “But just always remember there are worse things than being alone. Right, Lindy?”
“Right,” Lindy said. She smiled. “I think.”
Tina laughed. “I don’t know why I asked you. You’re married now so you don’t count. As soon as you met Shane, it was all over for you.”
Neither of the other two girls noticed that when Lindy smiled, it didn’t quite reach her eyes. Without Shane’s love, Lindy was, in essence, still alone.
“Well, I know Shane sure did some living,” Olivia said. “He escaped the parents and lived enough for all of us. I wish I had half his nerve, but I’m too prim and proper to be a bad girl. Not like him. He was a wild man. Oops! Sorry, Lindy.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Lindy said, although in truth, those years of Shane’s past still needled a little, and there were memories Lindy knew she couldn’t compete with. “Trust me, I worked for him for three years so I know all about him. I went into this with my eyes wide open. Believe me, when I tell you that I bought his ex-girlfriends enough trinkets to sink a ship, before sending them on their way.”
“Yes, but despite that, you have to know that he’s different with you,” Olivia said. She paused a moment, as if searching for a convincing argument. “Seriously, Lindy. You’ve got to believe me when I tell you that you’re special. Nick—” Olivia smiled when she mentioned her fraternal twin brother “—even commented on it. We all see a change in Shane. I mean, with you, Shane cares. He’s actually interested in you because of you, not because you’re the current tasty marshmallow fluff. It’s good to see Shane settled.”
Olivia reached forward and gave Lindy a quick hug. “You make him very happy, and I’m glad it’s you, Lindy. I’m looking forward to really being sisters-in-law. So welcome again to the family and don’t let Sara bug you too much.”
Lindy smiled. “I’ll try.”
“Good. Although, knowing Sara, you probably should get changed.” And with that, Lindy and Tina watched Olivia leave, her baby-blue bridesmaid gown swishing around her ankles as she walked.
“She’s sweet,” Tina said.
“She is.”
Tina instantly slipped into gossip mode. “But can you believe it? She’s had no sex life.”
She was going to miss her girl talks with Tina. Even though they’d still have them, after tonight it would be different. “It’s hard to believe,” Lindy said.
“Maybe Shane had it enough for everyone,” Tina said. “Oh God, sorry. It’ll take me a while to get adjusted to this marriage. I’m trying to like him. Honestly, I am.”
“I know.” Lindy sighed. For three years, Shane had always been the evil one in Tina’s eyes. He’d been the reason a star-struck Lindy had never dated anyone. He’d been guilty of ignoring Lindy. In Tina’s eyes, Shane was guilty of just about everything. But lately, for Lindy’s sake, Tina had been trying.
“Although I reserve the right to kill him if he hurts you,” Tina finally said.
Lindy smiled. “Hopefully it won’t come to that. I’d hate for my baby to be fatherless.”
“You’d control his trust fund.” The look in Tina’s eyes was wicked.
The two women hugged each other and broke out into laughter for a few minutes before they finally sobered. “It was a good thought,” Tina teased.
“True,” Lindy acknowledged. She’d held her stomach during her laughing spree, and she released her arms. She hadn’t realized until this moment how much she was going to miss living with Tina. They’d been together for what seemed like forever, and as of tonight, it officially ended.
“You just let me know if you need me,” Tina said. “I’ll help you. Promise me.”
“I promise, but I doubt it will be necessary. Actually, he didn’t sow as many oats as people think. He dated a lot of women, but he didn’t sleep with even a quarter of them.”
“As long as you’re happy with him.”
Lindy took a deep breath. “I hope to be.”
The two women looked at each other in the mirror. Tina placed her hand on Lindy’s shoulder. “I worry about you settling,” Tina said. “I worry about you—you need love, Lindy.”
“I know you do,” Lindy said. “But Shane’s not one to really ever admit deep feelings. I’ve learned to live with that.”
“That’s not good enough, Lindy. You’ve been putting your heart out to Shane for three years and he hasn’t noticed yet. You’re a passionate woman and you deserve it all. Do not settle for no real response from him. If he doesn’t respond, Lindy, you’re just going to have to bring it up.”
Lindy stomped her foot in frustration, the slipper making little noise. “I don’t want to talk about it right now, Tina. Shane and I married for better or worse. I have a beautiful house, enough money that I’ll never have to worry, a great job, and a baby on the way. I’m going to be happy. He just doesn’t love me like I love him. That’s my sacrifice. That’s what I’m going to have to live with. It’s not too much of a price to pay.”
Tina whirled Lindy around so they could face each other. “Yes, it is too much of a price to pay. Believe me, marriage is hard work and I failed at it. I don’t want to see you make the same mistake. You’ll probably have to beat Shane on the head with a frying pan or something because he’s so dense. I know that right now you’re making it seem like there is no real big deal about his not loving you, but honey, we’ve been friends for too long. You know it does affect you. So, don’t let any opportunity pass you by. It might just make things a little different for you. Who knows. I only want you to be happy, and if it’s Shane Jacobsen, then well, he at least better love you.”
“I’m not holding out any hope. Can we please drop this?”
Tina squeezed Lindy’s hands. “Okay. We’ll talk later. You’re right, tonight’s not the time. How about we get you out of that dress and into your suit before your mother-in-law comes in here breathing fire again. It’s in here somewhere, right?”
“Supposedly. And my changing is probably a good idea,” Lindy acknowledged. “Sara mentioned something about how it’s bad form to leave before the bride and groom, and there are people who probably want to leave.”
About five minutes later, Lindy stared at herself in the mirror. She now wore a not-quite-white designer suit that flattered every inch of her figure.
“You still look beautiful,” Tina said. “I love you dearly, you know.”
“I know, and I couldn’t have done any of this without you. Thanks for being my best friend.” Lindy smiled wistfully. “Do you mind? Can you give me a few minutes?”
Tina nodded. “Sure. I’ll go tell Sara that you’re dressed and will be out in a moment.”
“That’ll be great.” Lindy stared at herself in the mirror as Tina left the lounge. She had to admit it to her reflection; she did look pretty. No wonder celebrities always look great, Lindy thought. If I had their entourage, I could look this good every day too. She placed a hand protectively over her abdomen. It was too soon to feel any movements.
“Oh, sorry. I thought it was empty.”
Lindy turned as Wendy Grisman-Hawksley entered the women’s lounge. Lindy had never liked the over-bearing, all-knowing and “social drinker” Wendy much. In fact, Lindy wouldn’t have even invited Wendy to the wedding, but the guest list had been Sara’s doing, not Lindy’s. Wendy Grisman-Hawksley had grown up next door to the Jacobsens’ estate, and stayed with her parents quite frequently when her husband acted up. But her parents donated small fortunes to the ministry, and that made her a valued guest.
“The stalls are free,” Lindy offered. “And I’m leaving. I had to change.”
Wendy blinked as if the light was too bright. She shook her glass and the
ice rattled. “Oh, yes. My mother told me about it. A night at the Ritz and then two weeks in Alaska. How quaint. Tell me, do you really think you’ll be happy with him?”
Wendy had been enjoying too much of the open bar, Lindy decided. “Actually, I do.”
Wendy squinted at Lindy. She covered her mouth with her hand for a moment. “You’re actually serious. Oh, my poor deluded girl. You know he only married you because of the baby.”
“Of course I do,” Lindy replied. “But we’re very happy.”
“Oh, please,” Wendy said. She exhaled to make her point. “He’ll never love anyone at all.” Wendy tottered toward the door that divided the lounge’s stall area from the seating area. “At least tell me he’s not still fixated on that girl from camp. His great ultimate love. What an idiot.”
“How do you—” Lindy began, but she quickly stopped herself. She did not need to share Shane’s secrets.
Wendy paused from putting her hand on the pull bar. “What? Were you saying something? About the girl?”
Lindy took a breath. Then again, why not probe just a little? Knowing Wendy, she probably wouldn’t remember any of the conversation in the morning. “I just wondered how you knew about her?”
Wendy held the handle for support. “I had the worst crush on Shane. I was going into seventh grade and at the end of the summer I snuck over. All he talked about was her.” Wendy pushed the door open, suddenly a bit more coherent. “And he dated a few of my friends over the years. Honey, it was a great wedding, but don’t get disillusioned. Hell, then you’ll end up like me. He’s a heartbreaker, that one.”
And with that, she pushed her way through the doorway.
About Last Night... Page 12
