Must Be Magic (Spellbound) (9 page)

Bryce’s mood had only improved marginally by the time the wedding rolled around.

At least the weather had cooperated with a gorgeous sunset, which, combined with the beachside arbor draped in a white gauzy material that billowed in the breeze, made the setting feel like something out of a tropical fairy tale. His sister certainly deserved it, even if she was marrying Finn.

The gathered crowd chatted amongst themselves while everyone waited for the couple to arrive and get the ceremony underway. The longer he had to stand there, though, the harder it was not to glance at Darby.

Either fate had conspired against him, or he had the shittiest luck since he ended up only a few feet away from her after people had stopped shuffling around. He hadn’t once felt her attention stray in his direction, and after their argument earlier he wouldn’t have expected otherwise.

So why did he have this urge to apologize to her?

“I’ve got two words for you. Shark bait.” Alex patted Bryce’s shoulder, nodding in Dante’s direction. “Judging by the Bryce-equals-chum look on Dante’s face, I’m guessing the truce between you and Darby isn’t going so well?”

“Since when has he needed an excuse to glare at me?”

“Good point.” Alex winked at the redhead from last night. “So what happened, aside from him finding you at her place last night?”

“You know about that?” He massaged the back of his neck. “Never mind. Stupid question.” He would have been surprised if the Tribunal warlock hadn’t known, considering he possessed the ability to know what every Calder, Lancaster or Hastings was thinking.

Alex rolled his eyes. “Hate to break it to you, but at least half the people here know about that by now.”

Wasn’t that just prefect? “How?”

“Well, I may have mentioned it to a couple people, but only after I heard about it from your sister.”

Bryce cringed. “Bree knows?” It was bad enough his sister had been sending out matchmaking vibes before, now he’d never get her to leave it alone.

“Nope. Angel.”

Shit.
If Angel knew, then so did their mother, seeing as their baby sister didn’t know how to keep a secret of any kind. And if his mother knew…

He chanced a quick look behind him where he’d spotted his father hovering at the edge of the gathering earlier. He wasn’t sure if he should be relieved or worried when his father didn’t seem to notice him.

“Just do me a favor, all right? Stay out of the water.” Alex grinned and took a spot to Bryce’s left, close enough to see or hear anything—like Dante getting in his face—but far enough away he wouldn’t be caught in the crossfire if anything went down.

Clever bastard.

Music drifted on the air and everyone turned around to catch a glimpse of Bree walking down the flower-lined aisle in the sand.

Everyone was dressed casually except Bree. Not one for following the traditional route, she’d surprised everyone by choosing a big, puffy gown that seemed to sparkle as the setting sun caught the gems sewn into the skirt.

Bryce had found himself being dragged from dress shop to dress shop early one Saturday morning a couple months back—again because of his incredible
luck
—and had been there when she’d discovered her dress. He’d been in the middle of sending a text about a case when Angel had dug her elbow into his side, and he looked up to see what she was pointing at.

As great as Bree had looked then, tonight she looked amazing. She seemed oblivious to everyone, though, her gaze locked solely on Finn, and the blissful smile that stole across her face caught Bryce in the chest.

Whatever his issues with the Calders, he knew he should be thanking Finn for making his sister so damn happy it almost hurt to look at her.

Not once did Bree’s attention stray from the man waiting for her beneath the arbor, and when he reached out to take her hand, both their eyes were bright and shiny.

Bryce looked away, his gaze seeking Darby. Standing a little ahead of him, she wiped at a tear that ran down her cheek, her smile almost as brilliant as Bree’s. She’d worn her hair down tonight, the riotous waves falling over her bare shoulders and into the deep V at the back of her pale-yellow sundress.

Everything from her bare feet to the single yellow flower in her hair above her ear was simple and understated, and yet she was easily the most beautiful woman on the beach.

He closed his eyes, wishing like hell that last thought hadn’t shot across his mind, and when he opened them Darby looked back at him.

Their eyes met and held.

Assuming she’d still be angry, he’d avoided her since arriving on the beach, leaving him completely unprepared for the smile that slowly curved her lips.

The smile wasn’t really meant for him—they were just sharing a moment of happiness for their siblings—and only one other time had he ached so much for things to be different that it was a physical pain in his stomach.

Ten years ago he would have moved heaven and earth to make things different, to make up for not telling her who he was. He’d spent so long hearing about the Calder and Lancaster rivalry that he’d just assumed she wouldn’t want to have anything to do with him if she knew from the start.

The first couple of days they’d spent together in Florida, he’d bounced between dreading she’d figure it out and wishing she would so he could stop pretending he didn’t know who and what she was. The harder he fell for her, the more he’d worried about what would happen when she knew the truth.

He’d finally made up his mind to tell her, but his friend ended up outing him on their last day in Florida. She’d assumed the worst—that he’d been playing her—and left before he could figure out how to prove to her that nothing about their time together had been a game.

Instead of returning to college, he’d followed her back home, surprising his father with both a visit and the startling fact that he might be in love with Darby Calder. He’d anticipated his father’s shock and disapproval, but he hadn’t expected Darby to refuse to speak to him or to send her brother to warn him to stay away from her.

Twice.

Cheers rang out, and he was pulled back into the present just in time to see Bree wrap her arms around Finn. The ecstatic groom gave the whole group a show by swinging her into a low dip as he kissed her.

Darby had already rushed forward to congratulate her brother, leaving Bryce staring after her and trying to ignore the awful, gut-wrenching sensation that he might not have fully gotten over her.

“How’s the truce working out?”

Darby looked up from her half-eaten wedding cake just as her father sat next to her.

He absently motioned to her glass, but didn’t voice the question at least half a dozen other people already had—what was she drinking tonight?

She laughed. “It’s water. After last night I’m sticking with fluids that don’t lead to dehydration and needing to be escorted around the resort.”

A playful
whoop
rode on the air, and Darby saw Finn swing Bree around in a wide circle.

“Did you ever worry it wouldn’t work out for them?”

“Not because she’s a Lancaster, if that’s what you’re wondering.” He fiddled with the napkin. “Dante and I already had that conversation a while back, and you two tend to think the same way.”

“Not always.” Last night would have definitely turned out differently if she had been thinking like her brother.

“Not always,” her father agreed. “Every couple has their share of problems that creep up. Finn and Bree won’t be any exception. They’ll just have the added headache of dealing with families that won’t always see eye to eye.”

Across the room Bree’s father approached the newlyweds. “It would probably be easier if he wasn’t so disapproving.”

“The friction between our families isn’t entirely Tom’s fault.” He leaned forward, crossing his arms on the table. “You see that scar on his cheek, next to his ear? I gave him that.”

“You two got in a fight?”

Her father laughed. “No. I was practicing my golf swing with my dad’s club and he got too close.”

She couldn’t imagine the pair of them golfing together, when she’d never seen them exchange more than a civil nod to acknowledge each other. “How old were you?”

“Twelve, I think.”

“I didn’t know you two were ever friends.”

“It was a long time ago.”

“What happened?” And why had she never heard anything about this before?

“Tom’s grandfather. Tom needed stitches from the golf club and when his grandfather found out I was the one who caused the trip to the ER…”

“That doesn’t seem like a reason to hate our entire family. The scar isn’t exactly disfiguring.”

“For as long as I can remember there has always been friction between the Calders and Lancasters, but for us, it was the car accident that changed everything.” Her father stood up without offering any more of an explanation. “Your mother is waving me over. I’d better get over there before she sends Dante to get me.” He dropped a quick kiss on the top of her head.

“Dad,” she began.

“Some things are best left in the past, pumpkin.”

That coming from a man who had built an entire business around uncovering other people’s secrets?

Her father had no sooner walked away than Riley sank into the chair he’d abandoned.

“You are looking way too serious over here. Dad must have been telling you about the couple who washed up on the beach in a life raft.”

“What?”

“Yeah, he and mom were lounging on the beach at the time. Apparently the couple’s boat was taken by modern-day pirates. The guy was shot in the leg before they were set adrift. Dad stayed with them until the police arrived, and he overheard the cops saying there have been half a dozen other incidents in the last month, probably executed by the same crew.”

“He didn’t mention that.”

Riley shrugged. “So what was the topic of conversation that had your heads bent so close together?”

“Do you know anything about a car accident involving the Lancasters?”

“Accident?” Riley sounded like she didn’t have a clue what Darby was talking about, but the frown lines between her eyes told a different story. They were more pronounced, just like they were whenever she tried looking like a question hadn’t caught her off guard.

“Are you really going to play dumb?”

Her sister grinned. “Are you going to tell me what happened between you and Bryce last night that has Dante’s boxers in a bunch?”

Damn it, Dante.
Of course he would have blabbed to Riley about it.

“Nothing happened.”

Riley crossed her arms and Darby knew there would be no information on the car accident forthcoming without offering up something in exchange.

“Fine. I tried to get into his pants, okay?”

Riley blinked, then burst out laughing, drawing at least half the room’s attention. Riley didn’t do small or understated, and her laugh was no exception. Their Aunt Libby was probably the only one in the room who could come close to turning heads with a laugh the way Riley could.

“Sure,” she drawled. “I would have believed you if you told me he tried to cop a feel before you knocked him on his ass. But you as the instigator…” Riley broke off again, laughing. “It looks like Bree is getting ready to throw her bouquet.”

Her sister stood up before Darby could insist she was telling the truth. Maybe it was better if Riley thought it was a lie, but it didn’t get her any more information on the accident or what was really behind Thomas Lancaster’s grudge against their family.

She wasn’t about to approach Dante about it and Finn was preoccupied. That left only one person who might know and after their fight this morning, she wasn’t sure talking to Bryce about anything but the wedding was a good idea.

One shared look—one melt-her-feet-to-the-sand look—wasn’t exactly an olive branch.

Not until she noticed Alex winking at her from across the room did Darby realize she’d unconsciously scanned the room for Bryce. He stood at the bar with Alex, talking to two women. She recognized the redhead from last night, but it was a petite blonde who reached out to curl her hand around Bryce’s forearm.

Darby returned her attention to the glass of water in front of her.

Maybe her father was right and she should leave it alone. What good would it do to figure out why Bryce’s father hated her family even more than the magic-abusing Hastings? It wouldn’t change Thomas Lancaster’s stance on magic or the beliefs he’d passed on to his son.

And none of that really mattered anyway.

Riley waved at her. “You coming?”

Darby pushed her chair back and stood. “You actually want to try and catch the bouquet?”

“Pfft. Try? I’m
going
to catch it.”

She should have known Riley’s competitive streak wouldn’t let her pass up the opportunity to win something. “Just try not to trip or elbow anybody this time, okay?” Like she had at their cousin’s wedding.

Riley rolled her eyes. “I’ve matured since then.”