Lamar glanced at the hand on the sleeve of his suit jacket. The enormous golden South Sea pearl surrounded by a triple halo of brilliant diamonds resembled a bird’s nest. Mrs. Abigail Attenborough currently headed her family’s charity, and as an Attenborough her name was on the city’s social calendar for every philanthropic fund-raiser and society wedding. The tiny widow with bright-blue eyes and snow-white, stylishly cut short hair that was an almost match for her alabaster complexion was still recovering from hip surgery. However, it was apparent the Singletons hadn’t informed her about the woman Cameron planned to marry. He debated whether to be truthful or evasive and decided on the latter.
“Not really.”
Lamar’s association with Cameron was personalandbusiness. He’d married a colleague of Cameron’s sister Evangeline, who had been maid of honor at their wedding. Evangeline had taken Valerie’s death hard because they’d made a pact that their daughters would grow up to be fast friends like their mothers. His late wife’s friend had held up her end of their pledge when his daughter was invited to sleepovers with Evangeline’s twin daughters.
Earlier in the year Cameron had contacted his engineering firm to check the viability of converting the warehouse into a personal residence. After inspecting the property, Lamar completed a report with a recommendation that since the building was structurally sound, Cameron should purchase the building.
“It took him long enough to pick a wife,” Mrs. Attenborough whispered. “I’d heard talk that maybe he was using women as a cover because he really liked men.”
Lamar wasn’t about to dignify the wealthy widow’s supposition with a response. In all of the years he had come to know Cameron, there had never been a time when he suspected the man preferred a same-sex liaison.
“But I have to say that he certainly picked a beauty.”
“That she is,” Lamar confirmed. He wanted to tell the chatty woman that he didn’t want to engage in gossip but concentrate on the ceremony as Jasmine’s father placed her hand on Cameron’s extended left.
The minister motioned for everyone to take their seats. A pregnant silence fell over the ballroom as the officiant peered over his half-glasses. “We are gathered here for a simple ceremony. Today we will celebrate the wedding of Jasmine Esperanza to Cameron Averill and we will also celebrate the symbolism of the rings. Some say the ring is a sign of ownership, but I believe it is a symbol of a union that has no beginning and no end.”
Lamar stared straight ahead, his mind drifting to another time and place. He mentally recalled exchanging vows with a woman with whom he’d prayed he would be together long enough to celebrate countless anniversaries. He and Valerie had talked about having children, becoming grandparents, retirement, and the many countries they planned to visit during their lifetime.
He forced his attention back to the exchange of vows and rings. Cameron had placed a band on Jasmine’s hand as he promised to honor and cherish her and be her devoted husband as long as they both shall live. Jasmine repeated her vow and slipped a band on her husband’s finger.
The minister smiled for the first time. “Cameron and Jasmine, with these rings of gold, you have taken a vow to love and cherish each other for the rest of your mortal lives. In the presence of God and these witnesses, this day, I pronounce you husband and wife, legally and lawfully married for as long as you both shall live. Cameron, you may kiss your wife.”
Cameron lowered his head and pressed his mouth to Jasmine’s for a prolonged kiss that elicited a smattering of laughter. “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m honored to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Cameron Averill Singleton.” Whistling and applause followed the announcement as Cameron’s fraternity brothers, all wearing black-and-red-striped ties, broke into their fraternity hymn.
Lamar waited for the wedding party to leave the ballroom and then followed the other wedding guests into an adjoining ballroom for the cocktail hour. The space had been set up nightclub style with low tables positioned in front of loveseats and banquettes. There were also bar tables and stools. The guests were lining up at the open bars, at opposite ends of the ballroom, for liquid refreshment.
He offered Mrs. Attenborough his arm as she leaned heavily on her cane for support. He’d replied to the invitation that he was attending unaccompanied. There was a woman he would have considered bringing as his plus-one but then changed his mind, because their relationship was solely physical and not romantic in nature. As the widowed father of a ten-year-old girl he refused to expose his daughter to those with whom he occasionally slept. And he made certain they lived far enough away from New Orleans so they wouldn’t encounter one another.
“Something smells good,” Mrs. Attenborough said, smiling.
He nodded and smiled. “If Chez Toussaints is catering, then I’m certain everything is going to be delicious.” The waitstaff was busy circulating with trays of hot and cold hors d’oeuvres and flutes of champagne, Bellinis, and kir royale. He assisted Mrs. Attenborough as she folded her body down on a loveseat. “Is there anything you’d like to drink?”
The woman waved her bejeweled hand. “No. Now go and enjoy yourself. I’m just going to sit here and people-watch.”
Lamar accepted a flute of champagne and a mesquite-smoked brisket slider from passing waiters. The chipotle-rubbed melt-in-the-mouth beef topped with coleslaw was one of more than three dozen dishes available to more than one hundred invitees. Red-jacketed servers standing behind long banquet tables were offering small plates of shrimp etouffée, fried catfish, and chicken fingers, with accompanying dipping sauces, okra and corn fritters, red beans and rice, spicy smothered shrimp, and Creole crab dip with pita chips. He ate sparingly, because he wanted to save his appetite for the sit-down dinner that was to follow.
The event planner and her staff ushered everyone into another ballroom where banquet-style tabletops were dressed with white satin showcasing votives and vases filled with orange orchids atop mirrors. Lamar returned to Mrs. Attenborough and assumed his role as her escort.
She leaned against his side. “You should be hanging out with some of these young, single girls and not a woman old enough to be your grandmother.”
Lamar patted the hand tucked into the bend of his elbow with his free one. “I happen to like hanging out with you.” He didn’t tell the octogenarian there was only one hopefully single girl he was interested in who’d promised to dance with him.
Once everyone was seated, the planner nodded to the DJ, who lightly tapped the microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. Cameron Singleton.”
Lamar stood and clapped with the others as Cameron escorted Jasmine across the marble floor to the bridal table set on a raised dais. Nydia followed with the best man. He retook his seat, silently applauding his good luck to be seated opposite the wedding party.
* * *
Nydia knew once Tonya and Gage opened their restaurant at DuPont Inn it would become an instant success. The Toussaints chefs had prepared an exquisite sit-down gourmet dinner beginning with white asparagus soup topped with sturgeon caviar, Meyer lemon-avocado puree, and asparagus tempura, and followed the soup with a bite-size Caesar salad with shards of parmesan, shaved romaine, and creamy Caesar dressing.
Champagne and wine flowed to accompany dishes of wild-caught prawns with watermelon, Serrano ham, and watercress. Those requesting meat and chicken dishes were offered Moroccan rubbed double-chop rack of lamb, cowboy steaks with smoked shallot butter, and honey-glazed game hens.
Each course was more stunning and delicious than the previous one: ravioli of wild salmon carpaccio and avocado topped with caviar and roasted beets, chilled marinated lobster with fresh lychee and green papaya, and the main course of Thai-style lobster with grilled mussels, lime-coconut milk infusion, fried Thai basil, bok choy, and baby carrots.
When Jasmine told Nydia the Singletons were hosting back-to-back soirees at the same venue she had insisted the Toussaints vary the menus. They’d planned to offer their signature Cajun and Creole dishes for the cocktail hour and Asian and international cuisine for the sit-down dinner. She had convinced Cameron to forego many wedding rituals like champagne toasts with announcements from the best man and maid of honor, their first dance together as husband and wife, father-daughter dance, tossing the garter, bouquet, and the symbolic cake cutting, because she did not want a repeat of the traditions of her first wedding. And in lieu of gifts, they’d urged their guests to donate to their favorite charities.
Nydia raised her water goblet to her mouth and stared at Lamar over the rim. She didn’t know if it had been arranged beforehand, but they had an unobstructed view of each other. She hadn’t thought about the engineer asking her to dance with him at the wedding until she noticed him sitting in the row behind Cameron’s family members. He looked incredibly handsome in a midnight-blue tailored suit, white shirt, and silver silk tie. A hint of a smile parted Nydia’s lips when Lamar raised his own glass in a silent salute and inclined his head, acknowledging their recognition of each other. She lowered her eyes, her smile still in place. It was obvious Lamar was flirting with her, and she liked it.
