I dug Loren a whole lot (though, I’d like to have theopportunity to get to know him better).
And due to his absence, the wedding had been put off for twomonths, so there was more time to do it up right, but also for me to find a wayout, which didn’t seem to be forthcoming.
But in the end, if we stayed, and I got hitched to my hotguy, our marriage would be based on a total lie.
He didn’t even call me by my real name.
Obviously, I realized my mind had wandered from my book as Ifelt Maxine wander from the window.
She sat beside me, not close (we were getting there, but Ifigured the fact we looked alike freaked her).
She shuffled through the pictures, pulled one out and showedit to me.
Her pretty eyes (and our eyes were the same, but hers werestill prettier) came to mine and she said quietly, “I think this one,Sattie.”
Sattie.
She’d never called me that.
Yes, we were getting there.
I smiled at her and didn’t make any sudden movements, justlooked down at the picture.
Brides of this world didn’t carry bouquets, by the by.Theywalked down the aislewiththeir intended, a garland of leaves andflowers wound from his elbow, over both hands, and up her elbow, connectingthem.
It was pretty danged rad.
The one Maxie liked would not have been my choice, althoughit was lovely.It looked made of eucalyptus leaves, cream and pink sweetheartroses with some tiny pompom green things stuck in to give it fullness.
“I love it,” I whispered.
Her lips curved.
“I love the picture you’re painting more,” I told her.
Her gaze drifted to the easel then back to me, andbashfully, she offered, “When I’m done, do you want it?”
“It would be my most prized possession in this world.”
I said that, and I meant it.
Her eye warmed, her cheeks pinked, and seeing both was botha gift of the fates and a curse to hate Edgar Dawes, Seventh Count of Derrymaneven more.
Rushing footsteps came down the hall.
We both looked there and saw Carling sway to a halt rightbefore we heard the front door swing open and Mom call out, “Look what the catdragged in!”
She appeared, looking like the winner from the world’s mostflamboyant beauty pageant, carrying four humongous,individually-wrapped-in-paper bunches of spiky stems of different coloredirises.
“Darling Carling,” she greeted.
Carling blushed.
Mom grinned.
“Can you take these?”She handed off the flowers.“Pleaseput them in water.I’ll be down to stem and arrange them a bit later.”
And there you had it.
