She looked up. “Of course not. I was just noticing the color of your socks. And your shoes.” She gave them another glance. “Stacy Adams?”
He straightened. “Good eye.”
“I’m known to have one.”
Dr. Solomon chuckled. “I think I remember that.”
She looked up with a narrow gaze. Did he? Had their conversation been impactful enough for him to remember? But it hadn’t mattered enough to want to have another. “Don’t you have a car to move?”
He cleared his throat and glanced at his watch. “Yes, I almost forgot.” He stepped away from the wall. “Are you good?”
“Never better.” The words slid through her gritted teeth. Sheaverted her eyes to her mother at the check-in desk and away from the sound of the retreating Stacy Adamses.
Kenya’s stomach tightened as memories of the day flitted across her thoughts. It was a beautiful wedding, if she did say so herself. The Hope Springs Community Church had been decorated to perfection, floral greens and gold-and-cream accents throughout. Although outdoors would have been ideal, she dared not risk the weather stealing the show, so plans had been made to hold the reception at the Davidson Center of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. The centerpieces were simple yet elegant, just like the couple they were designed for. Kenya could still see Adanne’s ivory dress under the glow of the pendant lights and John not being able to take his eyes off her.
Maybe the pain was talking louder than her memories because she swore she saw a flash of that creamy white through the waiting-room windows.
Adanne Stewart—now Pomponio—burst through the entrance of the emergency room, yanking her dress before it caught in the sliding doors. Even the worry on her face couldn’t hinder her regal beauty. She kept her makeup simple, and her braids were styled in an elegant updo. She spotted Kenya and hurried over.
“Kenya, are you okay?”
“Adanne, why ... are you here?” Kenya clenched her teeth, shifting to get a better look at her cousin but reversing course as the pain pounded through her ankle and up her calf.
Before Adanne could answer, in strode Mr. Cousin-In-Law himself, charging the atmosphere with his presence. Hope Springs hadn’t gotten used to a well-known actor consistently in their midst, even if he was now married to one of their locals. Adanne never planned to fall in love when she was hired on as a makeup artist for a movie filming in town, but here she stood, taking John’s real last name, Pomponio, as her own. His stage name, Pope, would remain for the fans.
Kenya had to admit that, celebrity or not, John cut quite thefigure in his wedding suit, his hair combed back in slight waves past his ear and his signature smile on display.
His grin widened on his approach. “It could be worse.”
Kenya rolled her eyes, the pain making her head swim.
“What could be worse than possibly breaking my foot”—exhale—“at your wedding?”
The couple glanced at each other, more passing between them than she wanted to assess. Adanne’s cheeks rose with a blush and smile, her dimples on display.
“Not getting married would probably be up there.”
Adanne grinned as John leaned over to kiss her cheek, lingering longer than seemed appropriate in the ER.
Kenya loved seeing that glow on her older cousin but would have really loved to not be in the hospital right now.
Aboutthat,Lord,can you orchestrate a real-quick ankle healingfor me?You know,since I have a reallyimportant meeting that I need to make up?
Adanne pulled her attention back to Kenya, her worried gaze mingling with obvious love for her new husband. John took his wife’s hand in his, holding it silently to his chest.
“I see more have joined the party.”
Kenya sucked in a breath at the rich tone of his voice. So Dr. Solomon hadn’t left yet. She blinked rapidly against the pain, wishing the fog would cloud up the memories of their disaster of a date.
She wished he would just go home instead of seeing her quivering in this wheelchair from her throbbing foot, her dress ripped from the fall and her makeup probably smudged across her face. She’d looked much different earlier in the evening. Perhaps he’d noticed, but she wondered if that was enough for the doctor, who had walked in like a prince.
Adanne tipped her head, recognition filling her gaze immediately.
“The plot thickens,” she whispered into Kenya’s ear. She mighthave said more, but Mama stepped up at the same moment, clutching her purse and control in a vise grip.
“Adanne? John? What are you two doing here? You should still be on the dance floor!”
“The party ended with a bang.” John shot a sheepish grin her way. “Too soon?”
