Holding her breath, she prayed for a miracle. When none occurred, she exhaled slowly and discreetly. She was stuck spending the next hour, at minimum, at a table with Lucas, his brother Rex, and sister-in-law, Monica.
At least she knew Monica a little—they’d met at a planning meeting. Heat flooded her face, and her stomach rolled. Monica knew about Cecily. Well, not everything about her, but she knew Serena had a daughter.
Dear goodness, what if she brought that up?
Her head spun. If she didn’t get out of there, she’d faint. No amount of professionalism could cover the pure fear overwhelming her.
“Excuse me,” she mumbled and ran from the room.
She went straight for the back deck, providentially free of diners. Leaning over the railing, she took deep breaths, held them until her lungs burned. Why now? Why couldn’t life go right for her, just one time.
“So, we meet again.” Lucas’s unmistakable drawl, silky smooth even in his gritty anger, taunted her.
Turning slowly, she blinked away a tear before he could see. She stiffened her back and crossed her arms. “I was told there was no chance of you coming home.”
“Sorry to disappoint.” He crossed his arms and leaned against a pole—so casual, yet the hardness in his eyes frightened her.
“I don’t know what you want from me, but let’s just get through tomorrow and we can go our separate ways again.”
He snorted. “Would you even care what I wanted? As I recall, you never did.”
The cheap shot hit her in the chest. She pressed her hands against the rail behind her for support. “It’s been thirteen years, Lucas.”
“Thirteen years changes nothing.”
“Why’d you come out here?” She turned the tables on him, brought them to the present.
“Lacey is more of a sister than a cousin to me.” He narrowed his eyes, and his jaw twitched. “Whatever issues lie between us, are exactly that. Between us. If you do anything to ruin tomorrow for her, I’ll personally see to it that you never find another client in this state again.”
Seething anger took over fear and gave her courage. “I don’t know who you think you are, but you’re the one who waltzed out here making threats. Lacey will have her day, with or without you. As far as I’m concerned, we have no issues. If you’re still hanging onto it after all this time, then that’s on you.”
“You still don’t think it’s a big deal, do you?”
Hating herself for it, she couldn’t help squirming under the intensity of his glare. “This isn’t the time or place, Lucas.”
“You’re right.”
Weariness took over. She was tired of it all. “I said I’m sorry. What else do you want from me?”
The fight visibly left him, and his shoulders sank. Sadness filled his eyes and he frowned. “The one thing you can’t give me.”
Chapter Four
The ceremony had gone exactly as planned, and one of the most romantic Serena had witnessed. She could only be so lucky to find that type of love one day. First, she’d have to let a man close to her. Ever since the incident with Ray, she’d avoided dating. Cecily took priority in her life, and that was that.
She stood at the back of the outdoor chapel quietly directing from afar when each person was to walk down the aisle.
Tom and Lacey were the first to walk down the aisle. Lacey, nine months pregnant and glowing, beamed at her husband. After five years of marriage, the spark between them hadn’t dimmed at all. True romance was alive and well, and it gave Serena hope for her future.
Then the groomsmen and bridesmaids. First Dustin with Sara, then Rex with Monica. Next came Beau escorting his sister, then Lucas by himself.
No one had a right to look that good in a tuxedo. She’d given up denying he wasn’t attractive, but admitting it meant nothing more than the lie took more energy than she had. Last night had been dreadful. They’d spent the remainder of the meal acting as virtual strangers who knew nothing about each other except they’d grown up in the same town.
They had avoided speaking directly to each other and had let Rex and Monica carry the conversation. As soon as politely possible, she’d excused herself and gone home.
She hadn’t slept though. Tossed and turned, yes, she’d done a lot of that. Rex had let it slip that Lucas was home for a month. Was it possible to avoid him for that long in their small town? What would he think if he saw Cecily?
She wished she had a girlfriend who could give her advice, but being a self-employed, single mom didn’t lend itself to making friends. Pawpaw was the only person she could turn to, but she already knew what he would say. While she valued her grandfather’s advice, there were certain things she wasn’t willing to do.
