“A soft-bristle toothbrush will do.” The priest stared pointedly at the staff member. “Do you think you can handle finding that at least?”
The young man nodded rapidly and hurried away, and I wondered if he would be brave enough to return. The entire exchange was so rude and so unlike any priest or preacher I’d ever seen that I didn’t know what to say.
I could tell that seeing the slight against a worker had emboldened something inside of Lacy, and she was preparing to put the priest in his place. She narrowed her eyes, studying the priest’s shoes. “I would guess Santonis from the looks of them? That’s a pricey brand for someone of your occupation.”
Reverend Todd’s jaw moved mechanically as if he didn’t want to admit to his expensive taste. “I got them at an outlet. On sale.”
As he knelt and meticulously attempted to flick the remaining dirt away, Lacy looked at me over his head. She put up nine fingers before pointing at the shoes and mouthing, “Nine hundred dollars.”
Even a half-off sale meant that the priest was wearing four-hundred-and-fifty-dollar shoes. It seemed strange for a priest to be able to afford such luxury unless… the longer Anton and his mother were out of sight, having their private tête-à-tête, the more I began to wonder if Mrs. Patty Swanson was this priest’s sugar momma. Aunt DeeDee always said that the Lord will provide, but this was a whole new level.
After another minute of swiping at what now seemed to be invisible dirt, the priest stood, looking for the worker, who hadn’t returned. Reverend Todd tugged at his collar as if it was choking him.
“It was rather stressful, traveling with Patty from Texas to… here.” Reverend Todd glanced around as if the Winter Garden were unimpressive. It was true that a few of the plants were dormant and a couple of the pots were currently simple mounds of dirt, but the blooms that were growing were vibrant. “Patty has, let’s say, mixed feelings about this weekend, if you know what I mean.”
I didn’t know what he meant, and I only hoped that it had nothing to do with Bella Rivera, the woman who’d almost kissed Anton. If Patty planned to stop the wedding this weekend by reminding Anton of an old flame, she could shove it. I silently begged Lacy to throw out another one of her sharp quips and put this man in his place, but she remained silent, too dumbstruck by the past half-hour to come up with solid repartee.
“The only feelings that matter this weekend are between Lacy and Anton,” I said, meeting the priest’s eye. “Any other agenda or plans can… well, they can go to hell.”
It was the best I could come up with in the moment, but the words did seem to surprise the priest.
“Actually,” Reverend Todd said, “you’re totally right.”
Even though the words sounded agreeable, I didn’t trust them.
“In fact, Patty mentioned on the flight that it might be good for the four of us—me, Patty, Anton, and you…” Here, he pointed to Lacy as if to clarify I wasn’t invited to this little gathering. “Well, it might be good for us to sit down and talk through what exactly you’re hoping to get out of this… relationship?”
The way he said the last word made it sound like Lacy and Anton had enjoyed a one-night stand rather than a nearly two-year romance.
“What we’re hoping to get?” Lacy asked, her voice rising the teensiest bit.
“Don’t be offended,” the reverend added, though his tone suggested that he very well meant to offend. “Patty and I just want to make sure that both of you have thought everything through. You know, Anton does have certain family responsibilities and obligations. We’d hate for anything or anyone toderail him from his future. To that end, Patty has taken the liberty of drawing up a prenup to ensure?—”
“A prenup?” I nearly shouted. Every person turned toward me, the sound of conversations fading into the background.
My blood was boiling. The suggestion that Lacy would be marrying Anton for his money was grating, but the idea that the two of them couldn’t make decisions for themselves about prenups or future plans made me even more furious. Bella Rivera’s uninvited presence and this priest’s veiled threats sealed my righteous anger. Aunt DeeDee had taught me to respect the Church, but I had a feeling about this guy and would bet that he knew as much about the Bible as I did.
I moved within inches of the priest and lowered my voice. “I realize that you don’t know Lacy, but she is kind and honest and fair. She and Anton have a whole lifetime ahead of them, and the two of them get to call the shots about how they navigate their future. If you think for one second that the best woman in the world is marrying Anton for his family connections, then you can take that thought and shove it up your holy?—”
“Language, my child,” the priest said, eliciting raised brows from the cousins. He glanced around, noticing the attention I was drawing, and gave me a pitying and beatific smile, his forehead furrowing as he patted my arm, like I was a hysterical little lady. “I hate to start the weekend with anything except celebrations, but if you insist on behaving like a?—”
Lacy put a gentle hand on my shoulder and shot the priest a look that made him stop speaking mid-sentence. “That’s enough.” Her tone was even and assertive, and she spoke loudly for everyone to hear. “Feel free to let Anton know your fee for performing the ceremony, but otherwise, we have no other use of your guidance this weekend.”
At that, Lacy spun on her heel, motioning for me to follow her. I was happy to let her lead the way.
SIX
Lacy guided us back through the open doors. As soon as we were out of eyesight, the voices in the Winter Garden rose again, likely gossiping about Lacy and the angry friend who had the nerve to mouth off to a priest. In that moment I didn’t care. I was grateful to step away from the heaters and into the cool night air. I needed to get away from that awful priest, and maybe the frigid weather could bring me back to myself.
We went a hundred yards past the Winter Garden and Lacy turned left. A minute later we found ourselves on the stone portico overlooking the rose hedge maze and the wide back lawn leading to the residential cottage. As we surveyed the mountains backlit by the moon, the sound of Anton’s raised voice caught both of us by surprise.
“I don’t think you’re hearing what I’m say—” Anton practically shouted.
“You’re one to talk,” his mother cut him off. “I told you that this was all too fast, but you wouldn’t listen.”
Lacy’s frame stiffened beside me, and when I turned to her, she was frozen in place, her eyes fixed on some point in the distance.
“I’ve been seeing Lacy for two years, Mother.” I could barelymake out the figures beyond us, but I was fairly certain I saw Anton’s hand lifted in exasperation. “Two years!”
