by Karen Rose
JD sighed. ‘I’m glad she saw Sonny on the way in. After a few hours with her mother, she was whipped. It’ll take a lot of work for the two of them to have the most basic of relationships.’
Kathy Trask had been, by turns, wildly emotional and coldly withdrawn. Lucy had been right – her mother’s physical and mental health was very fragile. Their conversation had been painfully mundane. ‘But Lucy tried,’ JD said. ‘We went back again today, then we’ll go out there on Thanksgiving to take her out for dinner.’ After they had their main dinner at Stevie’s house. ‘When we left today, we went by Ron Trask’s grave.’
‘I’m glad I wasn’t there,’ Thorne said quietly. ‘I might have spit on it.’
‘I wanted to,’ JD said. ‘I think Lucy did too. She just stood there for the longest time, staring at this amazingly expensive headstone her mother had commissioned, then she walked away. I don’t think she’ll be going back anytime soon.’
Thorne pointed. ‘Here she is.’ Lucy had made her way through the guests on the floor and looked up into Thorne’s face, her expression desolate.
‘I want to make Gwyn better, Thorne, but she won’t let me.’ Lucy sighed. ‘And don’t tell me she needs time. I know she needs time.’
Thorne pressed a kiss to her forehead. ‘Then I’ll tell you that you did great out there. I’m so glad you’re back.’
‘I’m glad to be back.’ She looked over at JD. ‘Did you tell him?’
‘No. I thought you’d want to.’
Thorne’s dark brows went way up. ‘Tell me what?’
Shyly, Lucy lifted her hand and Thorne’s face lit up in a smile. In that moment JD was very glad Thorne loved the two women like a brother, because otherwise JD might have become a very jealous man. Thorne gave the ring on her hand a dramatic assessment.
‘It’s a frickin’ rock of Gibraltar, Luce. Why didn’t I see it on your hand from way over there on the stage?’
Lucy blushed. ‘I didn’t have it on when I was playing. I’m not used to the feel of it on my hand yet.’
‘I guess not,’ Thorne teased. ‘Plus you could blind the customers if it reflects the wrong way. When is the day?’
‘In May,’ Lucy said. ‘Second Saturday, hold the date. I want to tell Gwyn. Do you think it’s okay?’
Thorne hesitated. ‘It’s fine,’ he said. ‘Just don’t be hurt if she doesn’t respond the way you want her to. She’ll come around, but she’ll need time.’
Lucy squared her shoulders. ‘Well, I need a maid of honor, so here goes.’
She marched herself to the office and slipped in the door, knocking after she was already in the room. If she’d knocked before, Gwyn might have told her to go away. It had happened.
Gwyn looked up, her brows furrowed. Then she smoothed the frown into a placidly bland expression. ‘You played well, Lucy,’ she said quietly. ‘We haven’t had a full house in weeks. People were waiting for you to come back.’
Lucy sat next to the desk, glancing at the spreadsheets Thorne had always managed. Gwyn had been hiding back in the office for months. Ever since she’d learned she’d been played by a master. ‘I went to my father’s grave today.’
Gwyn’s eyes narrowed. ‘I would have spit on it.’
‘I did,’ Lucy said, then shrugged when Gwyn’s brows shot up. ‘I thought about it,’ she amended. ‘I needed to go for me. For closure, whatever the hell that is.’
Gwyn glanced at Lucy’s hand. ‘You have new bling,’ she said carefully.
Lucy stared down at her finger. ‘JD proposed. I said yes.’ She looked up, met Gwyn’s eyes. ‘I want you to be my maid of honor. I want you to sing at my wedding.’
Gwyn let out a very quiet sigh. ‘I’d be happy to be the maid. But get someone else to sing. Lucy,’ she said between her teeth when Lucy started to protest. ‘Get someone else to sing. I’m not going to. I can’t. Not yet. Please respect that.’
Lucy nodded, relieved and dismayed at once. ‘Are you angry with me?’
Gwyn’s eyes filled. ‘No,’ she whispered. ‘I’m happy for you. I need you to believe that.’
Lucy’s broken leg and ribs had mended, but Gwyn’s heart had not. ‘I believe you.’
Gwyn grabbed Lucy’s hand. ‘We have a lot of planning to do. Leave it all to me. You’ll have the best wedding in the history of forever. You’ll have the reception here, of course.’
Lucy sat back as Gwyn put the club’s books away and began to make a list. Gwyn filled up a page with to-do items, then her pencil stilled and her shoulders sagged. ‘Stop looking at me like that. I’m okay.’ One side of her mouth lifted in a sad parody of her old smile. ‘I will be okay. You’ll see. For now, I have to plan what will be the happiest goddamn day of your entire life.’ She waved her hand at the door. ‘Leave me to make a list. You’re on in five.’
Lucy closed the office door behind her, unsurprised to find JD waiting for her outside.
‘How’d it go?’ he asked and she shrugged.
‘Better than I thought.’
He dipped his head to kiss her gently but thoroughly. ‘Better still?’
‘Yes, much better.’ Once again he’d softened the edge of her worry. She lifted on her toes to kiss him again, still surprised at the instant yearning that welled up inside of her every time he touched her. ‘I love you,’ she whispered against his mouth and felt him smile.
‘I love you too.’ He ran his hands down her back, closing over her rear end. ‘I keep thinking of the last time I kissed you here, in the club.’
Her body grew warm. She hadn’t been cold in six months. ‘If you’re thinking what I think you’re thinking, you can stop thinking it right now. It’s November. It’s too cold for an alley.’
JD grinned, his dimples appearing, making her wish it were twenty degrees warmer. ‘Then I can’t wait for spring.’
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Epilogue