Magical Weddings (62 page)

“I have?”

She used what was left of her confidence to say exactly what she was thinking. “You never used to look at me the way that you’re looking at me right now.”

His blue eyes pored over every inch of her body draped by the silk dress. “You finally let your inner beauty shine on the outside.”

“Oh, wow. Smooth line number two. And it’s another new one.” She stopped herself short of a giggle.

“New one?”

She looked down at her toes. “I knew all your pickup lines.”

Davis laughed. “Right, you followed me everywhere.”

With her determination shattered, she felt unbalanced emotionally. She was finally in Davis’ arms again and he was saying the things she’d always wanted to hear him say. Why did she feel so uncomfortable?

Veronica started to pull away, but his arms tightened around her. “What did you have in mind for tonight?”

“Um, maybe I should, ah...” Why did he make her feel so awkward? “I came to wish you well with your marriage.”

“You didn’t come here dressed like a goddess to simply wish me well.” He leaned in close to her ear, speaking softly. “You wanted me to see you like this. All grown up and gorgeous. I think you want to pick up where we left off five years ago.”

“Wha—” She swallowed down her nervousness. “Where exactly did we leave off?” She knew. But what did
he
remember?

“I’d removed your glasses. Remember those?”

Rose-colored glasses. Was there irony in that? “I remember.”

“Then the strap of your dress slipped off your shoulder.” The hand he held on her back slid upward and over her shoulder until the pad of his thumb trailed along her jaw. “I kissed you here.”

She was breathless. “What happened next?”

His other hand let go of hers and pulled her body tighter against his. Tight enough that she could feel how much he was thinking about her now. His hand slid past her hips and his fingers toyed with the hem of her dress. “I’ll show you what we did next, but we’ll have to move this somewhere private.”

On the lower deck, the bride-to-be must have made her grand entrance. The music stopped. The crowd cheered. Toasts were made and glassware clinked.

Elegant. Sophisticated. Powerful.

Veronica was none of these things. She was shy, awkward and far from confident. She was unworthy of him.

“I–I can’t do this, Davis.”

“But this is what you came for.” He still would not let her back away. “You came here to be with me, Roni.”

She shook her head. “It was a dream. I think it’s time for me to wake up now.”

And run away!

She yanked herself out of his embrace. Embarrassed, she turned to run–right into Lucas. As his arms closed around her, she didn’t try to stop the tremors rolling through her body even though she was certain he could feel them through her skin.

Lucas’ deep voice vibrated against her cheek. “Davis, go join your bride.”

Veronica felt the pressure of Davis’ palm recede from her back. The skin, made warm by his touch, cooled quickly from the evening breeze.

“Enjoy the evening, Roni. Save another dance for me.” Davis strolled off.

Lucas said nothing for a long time, and she was thankful for the silence. He just held her gently and swayed as if they were dancing together. It gave her time to regain her composure.

“Is he everything you’d hoped for?”

“Yes.”
Isn’t he?

“Really?” His eyes mirrored the doubt she felt.

She couldn’t think of a thing to say.

“Look around, Veronica. All these people are here to celebrate Davis’ marriage to Piper Preston. A hundred pairs of eyes that could potentially watch you make a fool of yourself.” His touch remained gentle but his tone was harsh. “You had your dance with him.”

Her will to fight vanished. She’d had a purpose in being here tonight. Maybe not a plan, but an impulsive desire to take action when she’d learned about the wedding. Where was her courage now?

Fireworks popped high in the air above them followed by a chorus of cheering from all around the boat.

The burst of colored lights illuminated the hard contours of Lucas’ face. A lock of his dark hair had slipped out of place to hang over his eye. It brought forth a new memory of the day she’d met the brothers.

She was ten when her father had accepted the job as the personal chef to the Crowleys’. The chef and the personal assistant were the only staff that lived on property, and they shared the rooms above the garage. The afternoon that Veronica moved in, the Crowley boys were in the garage.

She’d always remembered her first look at Davis: tall, blond, and looking gorgeous in his black and gold football jersey. He’d been showing off his quarterback moves to an equally attractive girl. His looks had captured Veronica’s attention, but it’d been his sharp mind and confident attitude that earned her loving devotion.

But there was a new memory of that day. One she’d overlooked or shoved aside. Didn’t really matter which; she remembered it now. She’d seen Lucas first. He’d been working on his car and stood up to say hello to her dad. His dark hair hung loosely over his eyes and black grease smudges stained his face.

A horn blasted nearby, yanking her back to the present.

“Come, Veronica. The boat will be taking off soon.”

“But I—”

“I assure you there is no invitation for the wedding cruise that you can steal, and I know exactly all twenty-nine guests and thirty-one crew members who will be remaining on the ship. I’ll walk you to your car.” He claimed her hand and guided her through the crowd, down the marble staircase and toward the gangway.

She thought he’d leave her at the dock, but he kept moving all the way to the parking lot and right up to her car. Lucas never turned away from her, even after tucking her into her car.

The last thing Veronica saw in her rearview mirror was that damned lock of hair swinging in front of his eyes again.

“Is he all that you’d hoped for?” The bartender’s question only produced a groan from Veronica.

It was the same exact question Lucas had asked her–before personally bouncing her right off the boat. She’d run away from the reception, but she couldn’t quite leave the island. Nellie’s blinking bar sign had drawn her in before taking the bridge over to the mainland.

“I’ve loved him all my life.” Veronica tapped the rim of her empty glass.

The bartender ambled over and poured another shot of scotch. “Sounds more like obsession than love.”

“If only there was something...if only I had the courage...” The words in Veronica’s head refused to make it all the way to her mouth.

There were plenty of words tattooed in vivid colors all over the bartender’s arms. “Is he worth it?”

Is he?
She wouldn’t have worked so hard to show up at the wedding if he wasn’t worth it.
Right?
Veronica dismissed the queasiness in her stomach and smiled. The words flowed easily this time. “Nellie, the man is perfect. Handsome. Confident. Powerful.”

“Perfect is an illusion. And I have a lifetime of experience with illusions.” Nellie nodded to the wall behind her. It was covered with grainy old photos of circus sideshow life. A giant man. Conjoined twins. Sword-swallowers. Fire-eaters. Fortune-tellers.

Centered among them was a photograph that seemed to hold a place of honor. It was a picture of a very large woman who looked liked Nellie, but heavier and without all the tattoos. “Was that your mother?” The woman in the picture proudly displayed her ample body with feathered boas and fans in vital positions.

Nellie smiled and poured another drink.

Veronica thought the woman in the picture exuded a sense of happiness. More than that even–she seemed perfectly confident and courageous. “I never knew my mother. She died when I was a baby.”

“I am so sorry for you.”

“Mothers are supposed to give you good advice, right?”

Nellie nodded.

“I don’t want advice.” Veronica tilted her head back and let the mouthful of scotch burn a path down her throat, like thick warm honey. “What I need right now is a fairy godmother to wrinkle her nose—”

“That’s
Bewitched
.”

“Nod her head?”

“
I Dream of Jeannie
.”

“Oh, that’s right. I need the bibbity bobbity boo lady.”

“That’s the one, dear.” Nellie smiled. “And what should she give you? You don’t seem to need a fancy dress, glass slippers or a pumpkin carriage.”

“Nope. Don’t need those things.” Veronica put her head down on the bar, enjoying the cool feel of the tile against her cheek. “I need courage.”

“So you do.”

“Would you be my fairy, tattooed godmother?” Veronica giggled as her breath fogged the shiny black tiles near her mouth.

“I might have a circus trick up my sleeve. My mother was part Seminole. She had a very special recipe for courage.”

“Liquid courage?” Veronica licked her lips.

“Honey, I don’t think getting drunk will help you.”

Veronica sat up and pouted. “I just...maybe just drunk enough to forget all about being a good girl long enough to be a bad girl.”

“Here you are.” Nellie handed Veronica a bright blue drink in a tall beer glass.

“What do you call it?”

“In honor of this weekend, we’ll call it
Something Borrowed, Something Blue
.”

Veronica sipped it. “That’s a weird flavor. Like bitter fruit.” She wrinkled her face from the tartness.

“Be a good girl and drink it all.” Nellie pulled up a stool and sat across from Veronica. “You know it’s from an old English rhyme.”

“The borrowed and blue thing?”

Nellie–and several chins–curved up in a big smile. “They are all good luck charms. Tokens of love. Something borrowed represents borrowed happiness.”

“I’m ready for some of that.” Veronica toasted the air with her glass.

“Something blue represents love and loyalty.”

“I am definitely loyal.” Isn’t that what Lucas had called her? Or was it obsessed? Godmother Nellie seemed to go all wiggly and funky. “Thank you, Nellie.”

I can’t drive like this. Maybe a little nap first.
To stop the world from spinning, Veronica crossed her arms on the counter and tucked her head in between.

Veronica drifted for a while, like an out-of-body experience, while Nellie whistled an old song.

The words were hard to remember, but Veronica mumbled along.

Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me,

Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee.

mmm mmm mmmm...

Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me,

Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me...

Veronica slowly became aware that her mind no longer hummed the old romantic ballad and the tile under her cheek no longer offered cool comfort. Her head pounded, she felt sweaty, and
everything
hurt.

How much did I drink last night?

The screeching of seagulls brought her to full alert status, but she refused to open her eyes to the bright sunlight. Her eyelids throbbed, but she somehow knew she wanted to stay in her dark, miserable cocoon. She didn’t want to see what was on the other side.

“Veronica! What the
hell
are you doing here?” At the harsh sound of Lucas’ voice, she jolted upright and opened her eyes too quickly. Throwing her hands up to protect her eyes from the blinding light, she lost balance and fell off the barstool.

“Me? What are
you
doing here? Shouldn’t you be off cruising the Gulf in your yacht right now?” But several things became awkwardly clear. She
wasn’t
at Nellie’s Bar. She
was
on a boat.
Lucas
was on this boat. If Lucas was on this boat, then she was on the
Beautiful Dreamer
.

How the hell did I get here?

She’d fallen asleep at a bar, but not this one. This one was shiny and neat. No wall of sideshow photographs. Polished glasses swayed with the motion of the tide. She stood up and stared at the wide view of dark blue waters on one side and a secluded island beach on the other.

The truth slammed into her. “I’m on Davis’ wedding cruise.”

Lucas growled and rubbed his hands up and down his face. “Where do you come up with these brilliant ideas, Veronica?”

“This...this wasn’t my idea.” She would never have done this–snuck back onto the boat. Her courageous counterpart might have, but
she
was long gone.
Wasn’t she?

“You live in a dream world. You’re insane. Did you think you could stow away and hide all weekend?”

“Get me off this boat.”

“It’s a bit too late to come to your senses. We left Pearl Key hours ago.”

“Lucas, I swear I have no idea how I got here. The last thing I remember is...is...” What
did
she remember from last night? “Getting drunk.”

“Well, you are one talented drunk. I would swear there is no possible way you could have snuck back on board.” He guided her over to sit in a chair under a large umbrella. “Damn it, Veronica. You are one persistent woman.”

“Call for a helicopter. I know you’ve got one.”

“We sold it.”

“Then drop me off at the next marina.”

The low morning sun made his face glow. But his eyes were far from sunny. “We’re anchored here for the next two days. You’re stuck here and I need a plan.”

“I’m stuck?” She looked around for her purse, but it wasn’t here. It wouldn’t have helped her anyway. The only things in it were lipstick and car keys. Everything else was in her car back in Pearl Key.

“You’re going to join this cruise as my guest so I can keep an eye on you, and I’m going to make sure you watch every moment of Davis’ wedding.”

“What?” The very idea of what she’d be facing this weekend terrified her. She couldn’t watch another woman walk down the aisle and marry Davis. “Now you’re the one who sounds insane.”

“You need to get over this obsession you have with my brother. You need to face the truth that he will never be in love with you.” He leaned in too close, his eyes a bit too cruel. “That he never was.”