The look of horror Jude gives me brings some much needed relief to the tension building inside of me ever since we first set foot in the hotel.
“Don’t worry. If you can manage to last through cocktail hour, you can leave after that. I’ll tell them your leg was starting to bother you.” I pat his arm comfortingly, but Jude just shakes his head.
“I’m good.” He looks over to the bar. “But how about I get our drinks.”
I nod in agreement and reluctantly remove my arm from his. It might have been for show, and a way for him to get out of using a cane, but it felt good to be close to him like that.
Really good.
As Jude joins the line up, my eyes can’t seem to leave him. Somehow, his presence has made this day bearable — far more bearable than I expected it to be. Even the judgmental comments and open stares that make me feel like a ticking time bomb everyone is waiting to witness explode haven’t hit as hard as they normally do.
“I have to admit, Lilian, I’m impressed.”
I flinch at Clay’s snide voice. Apparently, photos didn’t take very long.
I honestly don’t remember him being such a jerk when we were together. Slowly, I turn to see his condescending stare boring into me.
“Marnie and I honestly thought you’d either make a scene or simply not show up. You had her very stressed out if you must know.”
I try not to show how uncomfortable I am around him. For the life of me, I cannot see what I ever was attracted to in Clay. Or maybe, he’s just changed that much since being snared by Marnie.
“I wouldn’t do that, Clay. Contrary to what you might have been told about me, I don’t intentionally set out to upset my family,” I say stiffly. I hate that I feel the need to defend myself to this man.
“I’m not so sure about that.”
My mouth falls open at his caustic reply. “What did I ever do to you, Clay? Why do you feel you have the right to hurt me more than you already have?” I fold my arms around myself, fighting back tears. He’s not worth my tears anymore.
“Oh stop it, Lilian. See? Here you are, starting a scene. Just get over it. Get over me. You were fun, but you were never the girl I was going to end up with.”
After all this time, you’d think those words wouldn’t hurt. But maybe it’s the fact that I’m stuck here at his wedding to my cousin, or maybe it’s the fact that my own family has clearly poisoned him against me, or maybe it’s the fact that he’s echoing a sentiment I’ve felt from many men.
I’m the good-time girl, not the long-term girl.
Chapter eleven
Jude
This has been a shit show from start to finish. How did I never realize Lily’s family were pretentious monsters? I get that there’s an eight-year age gap between us, but still. I’ve watched her brightness slowly dull over the last couple of hours with every snide comment or critical look.
At least now it makes sense that she was always at our house growing up and Kat never seemed to go over to hers. My protective older brother instinct rears up at the thought of Kat being around these people. Interestingly enough, there’s a similar instinct inside of me that is desperate to defend Lily. But it’s definitely not brotherly in nature.
Her own mother didn’t even have a nice thing to say about how beautiful she looks. Instead, after the long drawn out ceremony, she turned to Lily and hissed, legit hissed like a snake, and tugged at the dark purple section of Lily’s hair that was just barely visible underneath the half up hairdo she’d managed to achieve. I thought the subtle pop of colour was unique and perfectly Lily, but apparently, her mom disagrees.
These people who claim to be her family seem determined to crush her spirit. And it’s really starting to piss me off.
It’s not only her family, either. I don’t think I’m imagining the weird curious looks Lily keeps getting thrown her way. She doesn’t seem to notice them, but I sure as hell do.
“I’m just surprised she even came. I don’t think I could’ve done it.”
“Oh, me either. Going to an ex-boyfriend’s wedding would be bad enough, but when your ex is marrying your cousin? Talk about embarrassing.”
Wait. Who the fuck are they talking about?
My head whips around to find the source of those horrifying words. Dread mixes with rage in my stomach. If they’re saying what I think they’re saying, Lily’s a better person than I thought. And has faced more bullshit than I realized.
Someone bumps into me, and I wince as it throws me off-balance, making me put too much weight on my bad leg. Damn it, I should’ve brought the fucking cane.
“Oops, sorry.” The woman, who I recognize as a bridesmaid, giggles. She’s the one who said the ex-boyfriend thing. Her eyes rake up and down my body in a way I’ve come to recognize as a clear indicator that she knows who I am. But there’s not a chance in hell I’m letting her near me.
