Nope. Lily knew that comeback wouldn’t do, so she sucked in a breath and forced a smile for her half-drunk, but mostly harmless, uncle. She was just about to say something when out of the corner of her eye she caught him staring at her . . . again.
Okay, this was getting highly uncomfortable if not wholly unwelcome. It wasn’t like he was an unattractive man, he was quite the opposite; she just wasn’t in the mood for flirty games. Well, not much. She looked past Uncle Gene to sweep him with a brief glance. Hell, it wasn’t like Thomas showed, or like they were exclusive, Lily thought as she twisted at her lip. And if he were a plus-one, well, where the hell was his date?
Lily glanced again. Broad shouldered and tall, even by her standards, which meant exceptionally tall since she was five foot ten, Midnight was handsome in that slightly rough way that went against her norm but was just her thing back when they hooked up. With his smooth, tanned skin; full lips; and now that close-cropped hair, he had her instantly thinking of how luxuriously bristly he’d feel beneath her palms. But it was his eyes that really pulled her in. Framed by full brows, they were deep set, dark as pitch, and after all these months still made her feel as if he was seeing way too much. As if he knew what she looked like under her clothes, past her Grecian-styled one-shoulder dress that matched her sisters’ but was a darker shade of rose, highlighting her status or, as some would think, shame, as maid of honor. The dress skimmed her generous curves in a flattering way but was still modest enough to not cause a stir. But with the way Midnight was eyeing her, she may as well have been naked in the middle of the VFW. It was as if his eyes caught it all.
It was then that Uncle Gene snapped his fingers in front of her face. “Earth to Lily. Girl, are you listening to me? That last boyfriend run out on you due to your lack of hearing?”
Lily felt the rage start at her toes and work its way up. Screw niceties. Uncle Gene had gone too far that time. She opened her mouth to let him have it when another voice entered the fray.
“Shut your drunk behind up, Gene, and leave the child alone!”
Lily couldn’t help the smile that quirked at the corner of her lips as Uncle Gene’s face fell with the verbal smackdown from her grandmother, Delilah. Immediately, he flipped from being annoying Uncle Gene to being Gene, set upon son-in-law. “Aww, come on, Mama Dee. I’m just teasing her. I don’t mean any harm.”
Mama Dee leveled him with a hard stare and a wave of her regal hand. “What you need to be doing is stop worrying about everyone else and go get your wife so she stops harassing all the eligible groomsmen on the dance floor.” Mama Dee shook her head as, in unison, the trio turned and looked toward the dance floor to get a glimpse of Aunt Ruby as she turned a two-step into three, confusing her young dance partner as she swiveled around him in her glittery ensemble, each time she passed his backside giving it a swift and hard bump with her hip. Mama Dee shook her head. “When will that child learn? Now, I’m all for a bit of fun, but at least do it on beat and with the proper undergarments. Her hips about straining the life out of that skirt. I thought I taught her better.”
Lily couldn’t hold back and snorted as Uncle Gene shook his head and put his drink down on a passing waiter’s tray as he ran off to rescue the groomsmen from Aunt Ruby. “There,” Mama Dee said, “that takes care of him.” She leaned back a bit and gave Ruby a long stare. “Now, what are we going to do about you?”
Lily frowned, then let out a breath. “I didn’t think I needed doing, Mama Dee.”
Mama Dee released a small huff and shook her head, sending her gray curls bouncing. “Well, you need something. Running from one corner of this hall to the other, doing nothing but giving orders, and if not that then holding up the wall or warming the chairs.”
“But I’m the wedding coordinator,” Lily argued. “It’s my job to do all these things. To make sure everything runs smoothly. If I don’t, who will?”
Mama Dee just shook her head harder. “You can’t run forever, girl. It’s not your job to take care of everyone in this family. I don’t know when you’re going to learn that. It’s your biggest fault.”
Lily pulled back. “My biggest? You mean I have more?”
Mama Dee laughed and rolled her eyes. “Besides being conceited to a fault? No, honey. That will just about do it.”
Lily laughed and gave her grandmother a hug. When she pulled back, Mama Dee was eyeing her once again. “What now, Mama Dee?”
“Nothing dear, it’s just that I thought Thomas would be here with you and I’d at least get to see you have a dance today. You two have been going out how long now, nine months? Or is it a year? Isn’t there a pot he should be getting off right about now?”
Lily once again let out a huff as she looked into her grandmother’s eyes, the ones so very like her own. “Oh, Mama Dee, not you too,” she croaked. “I can take it from anyone else, but I thought for sure you would be on my side. You know I’m not worried about getting married or even settling down. All my sisters may be eagerly tying themselves to a man, but I’m perfectly happy with my life as it is. Can’t a woman be fulfilled just being on her own? Why must marriage always come up at these things? I mean, come on, there has to be a reason they call it settling down and not something like trading up.”
When Mama Dee scrunched up her face and gave Lily a dark look, Lily realized that they were at a wedding and she really didn’t want to get one of Mama Dee’s famous tell offs in front of these people. “Okay, I get it. We’re at a wedding and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get mouthy. But just because we’re here and I’m the planner and once again maid of honor, emphasis on maid, doesn’t mean I’m fair game in the get-Lily-married contest. I have my own apartment that is close enough to Manhattan to be considered the city, good friends, and a career that is just now really taking off. I’m making quite the name for myself. Isn’t that enough?”
Mama Dee rolled her eyes again as she sighed. “Calm it down, child. I swear, your blood pressure must be higher than half the seniors here. You need me to walk around to see if I can score you a nerve pill?”
It was now Lily’s turn to roll her eyes. A person could never outtalk Mama Dee, and she didn’t know why she tried.
“I’m not talking about marriage,” her grandmother continued. “I was just getting on you to have a little fun. You organized this whole thing for your sister and the sister before her and the one before that one. Your life is all about taking care of others, and I don’t see anyone taking care of you. Hell, I did not see you dance more than once at either of those weddings, and that was for the mandatory bridal party dance, and you practically frowned your way through those. You know, that’s not the way I taught you girls. You’re supposed to live. Live and fully breathe in every moment. ” Mama Dee put her hand on top of Lily’s, the cool, powdery feel giving Lily the comfort that it always had since she was a little girl. She looked Lily straight in the eyes before saying, “Now, I’m not going to lie, Nothing would make me happier than seeing you walk down the aisle one day to join up with a man who deserves someone as amazing as you are. But until that day, and even if it don’t come, I’d just be content to see you kick up your heels a bit and sew a few oats.” At that Lily grew slightly warm and her eyes shifted. There he was again. Standing slightly off to the side, over by the door to the kitchen with his dark eyes trained her way. Lily swallowed and forced her gaze back to Mama Dee quick enough, she hoped, for the sharp-eyed women not to have caught her staring.
Mama Dee raised her brow. “Like I said, sow some oats have a little fun, girl. Hell, just because your daddy was a shit, that shouldn’t turn you off the institution. You know your grandfather was the love of my life.”
Lily couldn’t help sighing. “Mama Dee, you were Granddaddy’s second wife and he was your third husband.”
Mama Dee looked at her like she was speaking gibberish. “And so what? That just proves my point. We both didn’t give up and kept at it till we got it right. You take your lessons from your elders, child. I kn
ow what’s right. Live it up while you can. Life is always way shorter than we expect. Shoot, your sisters all have one marriage up on you already.”
At that ridiculous declaration Lily couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re incorrigible, Mama Dee. Hush, or some may think you’re already on to the next marriage for these newlyweds.” She knew her nutty grandmother thought it was awful the way her mother had not remarried after her father left. She was always urging her to sign up with an online dating service and get back out there.
“I’m wishing no such thing. I just love love, and I want it for all my girls. If they can have a fraction of the joy Deacon and I had, that would be enough. I don’t want them settling for anything less.” Mama Dee’s eyes went slightly glassy as they always did when she talked about Lily’s late grandfather, the love of her life. Lily didn’t understand that type of glassy-eyed love. She’d seen it but didn’t get the feeling, and part of her hoped she never did. She had a sense that the loss of a love like that was something she could never recover from. She knew deep down that her mother hadn’t.
Mama Dee reached over and ran a hand over Lily’s cheek affectionately. She smiled, and then looked back at the dance floor, jutted out her chin, and pulled a face. Lily turned to see her Aunt Ruby now shimmying her sequined booty around the confused groomsmen and a finger-popping Uncle Gene had joined in. “Now you need to find you someone and get on out there. You can’t let your old aunt have all the fun. Go on and show her how the young girls do it.”
Lily started to shake her head no when a low voice rolled in from over her shoulder. “That was just what I was about to say.”
Startled by the unexpected sexy, gravelly voice, Lily jumped back, but the sparkle of approval in her grandmother’s sharp eyes let her know there was nothing to fear. Quite the opposite. Lily turned and looked deep into Midnight’s eyes that saw too much and that she knew a little too well.
Despite his slightly intimidating look, he was smiling down at her. Damn, he was tall. Taller than she’d remembered or even guessed while spying him from across the room. So tall she had to crane her neck to get a good look at him, which was annoying and not something she was used to, so Lily took a quick step back, causing her heel to get caught in the chiffon hem of her dress. Oh hell. But he was quicker than her klutzy feet. His arm jutted out swiftly, his large warm hand going for her bare elbow and pulling her against his rock-hard side with a rather indelicate “Oomph!” Lily quickly pushed back against his chest and straightened herself, this time more careful as she stepped back and found a way to look down her nose at him while still looking up. “Excuse you.”
He smiled wider, and it was completely unnerving while being totally disarming. “Excuse me, or is it you? I guess both of us are at fault with that one,” he said. His voice as rough as the look of the hair on his strong chin.
Lily felt her brows draw together. “Do you, now?”
He chuckled, then put out a hand, which she looked at as if he was sticking out his foot for her to shake. Midnight shook his head slightly and then directed his attention to Mama Dee, whom Lily had forgotten was standing there. But one look at Mama Dee let Lily know she was having the time of her life taking in this exchange. “Hello, I’m Vincent—”
“Vin,” Lily interrupted on a surprised breath as he turned to her with a smile that was altogether devastating before turning back to Mama Dee.
“Yes, Vincent Caro,” he said. “But my friends and old acquaintances all me Vin. Just bumping in to ask Lily here for a dance. That is, if you don’t mind my interrupting, ma’am.”
Mama Dee grinned wide and took Vin’s hand when Lily wouldn’t. But then her eyes narrowed. “Have we met? I feel like we have.”
Lily gave Vin an intense up-and-down inspection. He shook his head. “I don’t believe so, ma’am.”
Mama Dee let go of his hand and shrugged. “Well, it’s something about your face.”
His eyes widened. “I don’t know if that’s good or bad.”
Mama Dee winked. “Trust me, baby. In your case, it’s good. If it was bad you’d have already been sent on your way.”
Vin pulled back with a laugh. “I don’t doubt it, ma’am.”
As Lily took in the scene, she was digesting his name, once again letting it fill her memory banks. Vincent Caro. Vin, yeah, that was it. No callback Vin. She should have remembered. She’d thought for sure when they’d exchanged numbers he’d call her. He was Simon’s friend after all, and Simon didn’t seem a no callback kind of guy. And silly as it was, she wasn’t a first callback kind of women. Nor was she a texter. She wasn’t into guys that had her chasing them down for a response. He’d asked for her number first, he’d should have been the one to initiate the call. That was that. Rule number 23 in the Laws of Lily. No amendments necessary. Not that his not calling back was the biggest deal. During that time she’d really thrown herself into her work, and it paid off. She’d gotten her business well established, and though she wasn’t in any sort of committed relationship, much to the chagrin of her family, she was happy. Back then she may have considered herself hurt over him not calling. Not now. And though Lily knew those types of things were not something she could truly avoid, she didn’t see herself encountering that type of hurt in the immediate future.
And truly it wasn’t as if she was surprised by Vin’s brush-off. Sadly, hurt a bit, but not all that surprised. After seeing how her father had moved on from her mother, from all of them, despite all his so-called love of family, Lily wasn’t easily surprised when it came to affairs of the heart and unreliable men. She had been there before, seen the hurt and the pain up close and vowed never to get bent out of shape over a noncommittal, noncommunicative man ever again. Lily finally spoke up. “I’m sure she does mind your interrupting.”
Her emotions were her power, and it was something she’d never give up. Vin. She mentally snorted his name. She should give him a thank-you. In a way he’d freed her by not ever calling her. It was with that thought that her grandmother’s voice brought her back to the scene at hand. “Lily, stop acting like you were raised in a barn and shake the man’s hand.”
Lily let out a low breath and looked at her grandmother. But Mama Dee’s raised brow let Lily know she was out of hand. Completely. She looked back over to Vin. What was she doing? Here was a perfectly handsome—handsome and tall, mind you—man showing interest, again, where Thomas was perfectly MIA and she was acting like she was all of thirteen instead of pushing thirty. So what if they had a sketchy past? The past was called the past for a reason, and he was in front of her looking hot right now. So what, he’d snubbed her after their first encounter. That was then. She was a grown woman and in the driver’s seat of her life. She could see him clearly for what he was, and right now it was time for her to start having a good time. That sealed it. Mama Dee was right. The moment had come for her to have a little fun, and Vin may be just the answer.
Lily uncrossed her arms and smiled as she stretched out her hand. “Nice to see you again, Vincent.”
He raised a brow at the use of his full name, then took her hand in his. Lily couldn’t help but wonder if the immediate sensual pull was something that only she felt as he gave her hand a shake. Probably so. A man like him more than likely weakened knees everywhere he went without a care for the women he left crumbling in his wake.
“So, would you like to dance?”
Lily’s hand went still and she blinked. She blinked again before pulling her hand from his and, as casually as she could, crossing her arms once more. She glanced over at her aunt and uncle getting busy to a nineties dance track. Yeah, dancing didn’t look so fun right now. “No, um, I wouldn’t say that I would. But maybe the next song?”
Suddenly the music changed and a slow ballad came on. “And this song is perfect,” Mama Dee spoke up without missing a beat. “Why, I was just saying the dance floor needs more young blood. You two get on out there and do my old heart some good.”
Lily shot her grandmoth
er a semi-sharp look but knew it would go no further than that. She could never deny Mama Dee anything, just as her grandmother could never deny her. They were like that. Though Lily had four sisters, she and Mama Dee always had a special bond. Her recent health troubles only served to remind Lily just how precious that bond was. She let out a sigh as she looked her grandmother’s way. “You don’t play fair, lady.”
Mama Dee chuckled, the sound of her laugh light and musical, letting Lily know it amused Mama Dee to no end that she’d won the latest round with Lily and her man situation. “Now, when have I ever? Go on out there and have fun. Put on a show they won’t soon forget.”
Chapter 2
Vin took Lily’s hand and led her onto the dance floor. As he did, he tried his best to ignore the immediate and almost visceral pull in his groin. He told himself he could handle this. That it was good to get excited. Lately he’d become bored with seeing women as all the same, just cookie cutter versions of one another, so this unexpected thrill was a welcome sensation. But he was having trouble dealing with the highly annoying twinge that was dangerously much higher up. The one hovering close to the left side of his chest. That feeling, while not new, was one he’d told himself was long buried and better left forgotten. Something he hadn’t expected to feel again and frankly, didn’t know if he wanted to feel. Especially since it was safer not to.
Seeing her again just about knocked the breath out him, but to Vin’s credit, he had to admit he’d played it off pretty well. Why shouldn’t he? He was the king of cool. At least he played the part well enough. He’d half expected to see her at the wedding. Okay, fine, he knew he’d see her at the wedding; she was Sophie’s sister, after all. Honestly, he was surprised he’d never run into her these past few months in and around town. Part of him fully expected to. Maybe even wanted to, though he knew it was way too late for any sort of rekindling. Besides, that’s just the way things went out on the Island. When the season ended, only the locals remained and everyone else went back to their lives commuting to and from the city, where the real money was to be made. He knew that. He also knew that though she was a local girl, she spent most of her time in the city, venturing back home only for family functions, as it were.
To Me I Wed Page 2
