by Fiona Riley
“Well, that’s a little dramatic, Connie,” Samantha replied modestly. “I didn’t save you from dropping those boxes. That was all Nathan.”
“Well, that’s sorta true”—Connie reached her hand out to touch Samantha’s arm affectionately—“but you made everything else fall into place for me to get to know him, so I am very grateful.”
“How has everything been today? Not too much stress, right?”
“Giovanni has been an angel, throwing himself on all the fires before we even notice them. Carol is very pleased, so everything is going pretty well. Have you seen her yet?”
“Not yet, but I’m sure we’ll cross paths eventually. Just as long as you two are having fun. Make sure you send that handsome man over for a dance with me at some point tonight, okay?”
“I will—thanks again, Samantha.” With tears in her eyes, Connie turned back to Lucinda and reached for her hand before asking, “You’ll stay, right? Don’t leave without saying good-bye.”
“You know I would never leave without dancing with my baby sister,” Lucinda replied quietly, and this time Connie let the tears fall as she hugged her sister and waved before heading back to meet up with her groom.
CHAPTER THREE
Lucinda traded gentle barbs and jokes with Samantha at the table until Andrew reappeared in a much more chipper mood. The Frost woman had been dealt with, as he put it. Lucinda actually quite enjoyed his snarky commentary and found herself leaning toward Samantha’s plate so she could hear what he had to say.
“I haven’t seen Alec yet,” he said to Samantha in between bites of his filet mignon, “but I’m sure he’s having his way with some pretty girl on the waitstaff.” His lip curled in disgust.
Samantha turned in her seat to include Lucinda in the conversation. “Alec is the less-than-charming son of that fabulous woman you met earlier, Claudette Frost.”
“So I take it you are in the business of perfect pairings too, Mr. Stanley?” Lucinda asked with a small smile.
“Really, Sam? Really?” Andrew teased. “You used that line on her?”
“That line, as you call it, is part of our marketing slogan,” Samantha countered before reaching for her water. “And I didn’t use it on her, it came up in conversation.”
“It’s true. She’s got no game,” Lucinda said before sipping her champagne and winking at Samantha, who huffed in protest.
Andrew laughed next to her and almost choked on his food. “I love her, Samantha. Can we keep her?”
“I think anything can be negotiated,” Lucinda replied with a wink before returning to her own plate.
“So,” Andrew asked, “although I am already smitten with the idea of employing you, I ought to inquire, what is it you do, Ms. Moss?”
“Lucinda, is fine, by the way.” She smiled back before adding, “I do consultation on marketing and public relations.”
Andrew’s eyes widened momentarily. “You work for Clear View, that’s how I know you.”
Samantha turned to face Lucinda, her expression bleak. “You work for Clear View?” Her tone sounded both accusing and hurt.
Lucinda couldn’t figure out how a perfectly nice evening was suddenly spiraling into such an uncomfortable exchange. “Yes. Yes, I do.” This didn’t seem the time to correct Andrew and add that she was a division head.
Samantha removed her napkin from her lap and folded it on the table before she stood and walked toward the bathrooms without another word.
Lucinda shot a look at Andrew. “What’s that about?”
He sighed and rubbed his forehead before replying quietly, “Why do you suppose she’s upset, Ms. Moss?”
Lucinda didn’t appreciate Andrew’s tone or the use of her surname. She reached for her champagne, swirling the contents while she thought about his redirected question. Then it dawned on her. Samantha Monteiro and Andrew Stanley—the names clicked. “You were clients of Clear View, weren’t you?” She watched for Andrew’s reaction.
“You could say that.”
“When?”
He looked at her with mild surprise. “Earlier this year. You didn’t know?”
Lucinda had a moment of clarity, remembering a case of deep-seated betrayal and an extensive cover-up with confidentiality agreements and payments exchanged. She hadn’t worked the case directly, but heard it was handled with kid gloves. The owner of a major company was caught up in a love triangle that would negatively impact her business. She had everything to lose. It was one of the last cases under her predecessor’s management before she had been promoted. All she knew was that it had been wrapped up in record time; both parties involved agreed to a settlement and confidentiality agreement. The final number had been high, the business owner bending to sacrifice more than was usual for these cases to bury it quickly.
She put down her glass and was quiet for a moment. The details were fuzzy, but she remembered the perpetrator’s name as clearly as the vileness of the betrayal; someone had joked that he was nothing as wholesome as his surname would suggest. “Eric Campbell.” Lucinda sighed. “I didn’t make the connection.”
Before Andrew had a chance to comment any further, Lucinda was up and leaving the table, headed in the direction that Samantha had fled.
*
Samantha washed her hands and fixed her makeup for the third time since retreating to the bathroom. She was still paying off the immense debt that Eric had inflicted upon her business with his little infidelity. She was still licking her wounds when Andrew had forced her to come here tonight. But she knew he had been right. She had to move on and face whatever was around the corner if she planned on saving her business.
Maybe it was the surprise that Lucinda, someone she actually enjoyed talking to, probably knew all along about her dark little secret, or maybe it was too much champagne, but Samantha couldn’t shake the feeling of sadness that swept over her. She hated the tears that threatened to fall. She hated feeling trapped. But mostly, she hated the idea of going back out there.
The door behind her opened and closed quietly as she dug in her purse for her phone. This was as good a time as any to text Andrew and let him know she was going to need a stronger drink than champagne if he expected her to stay. She was typing furiously into the phone when she became aware that there was someone leaning next to her by the sink, watching her silently. The bluest eyes she had ever seen looked back at her, apologetically, in the mirror’s reflection. She stopped typing and put her phone back in her purse, glancing up at Lucinda’s mirrored reflection once more before turning to go.
“Wait, please.”
Samantha pulled her arm away from Lucinda’s soft touch around her wrist, but Lucinda resisted gently.
“Samantha, I didn’t know. I swear. I didn’t know. I’ve just recently been appointed the head of advertising and marketing. Your case fell under the management of my predecessor. I didn’t put two and two together until just now.”
Samantha sighed, wanting to believe the earnest expression in front of her. But every bit of anxiety she had about attending this wedding revolved around keeping her own failed relationship and subsequent hush agreement under wraps. Who would ever employ an unlucky-in-love matchmaker? “Lucinda, I can’t. I can’t let people find out, it would ruin me.”
Lucinda nodded, her thumb gently stroking along Samantha’s wrist. “I didn’t handle the account back then, but now it’s part of my job to keep a lid on the story. You can trust that I’ll make sure your business stays private.”
Lucinda’s tone seemed so genuinely empathetic that Samantha’s typical defensive reaction was alarmingly delayed. Normally, physical contact when she was angry was a trigger for an outburst, but she felt surprisingly soothed by the soft touch on her arm, even stepping closer.
“Sorry, I have no idea what’s wrong with me today.”
Lucinda dipped her head to catch Samantha’s gaze. “Hey, I don’t know you that well or anything about what you’ve been through, but you seem perfectly fine to me.”
“Thanks—congrats on the promotion, by the way.”
“Um, thanks? Kind of not the point, but I’ll take the praise, I suppose.” Lucinda smiled.
“I figure it’s only fair since I sort of stormed away from you at the table. I have better manners than that usually.”
“Okay, so, you’ll come back out there with me? Because that creepy guy is back at our table and he keeps giving me eyes…” Lucinda teased as she gently tugged Samantha’s hand toward the door.
Samantha chuckled and rolled her eyes before nodding and allowing Lucinda to guide her out of the safety of the bathroom and back into the events unfolding at the reception.
*
When they returned to the table, the final dishes had been removed and the bride and groom were about to cut the cake.
“I took the initiative to order more champagne for us—I figured we could use it.” Andrew handed each woman a glass. Lucinda nodded and smiled, a silent agreement passing between her and Andrew to agree to move on.
Lucinda watched as multiple photographers and videographers hung from strategically placed furniture to both blend in with the background or scale it for the perfect shot. Samantha smiled and laughed easily next to her, bumping elbows and clinking champagne flutes conspiratorially making comments about the onlookers as they watched the cake cutting and the circus feats unfold in front of them. Connie and Nathan were perfectly polite and no cake was smeared in anyone’s face, which was both well received and booed by the slightly inebriated wedding crowd. As the cake was cleared and the music began again, the guests began to trickle back to their seats.
“Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask,” Samantha said to Lucinda. “Why aren’t you sitting at the family table with Constance?”
“Why? Are you disappointed in being my tablemate?”
“What? Um, no, I—”
“Relax, I’m just teasing.” Lucinda nudged Samantha and replied a little more seriously, “Connie and I are close, but I’ve never really gotten along with her brothers. We have a complicated relationship.”
Complicated was putting it lightly: Lucinda had been a foster child with the O’Malley family from age eleven to seventeen. When Connie’s mother died unexpectedly from cancer, Lucinda’s placement with the family ended. Connie’s brothers resented her addition to the family even though it was temporary but Connie didn’t see it that way. Connie had always treated her like she was blood, and that’s all that mattered to Lucinda.
“Well, well, Samantha, don’t you look lovely?” A tall dark-haired man with a square jaw leaned down and crooned into her ear.
“Alec. How are you?” The distaste must have been evident in her reply, because Lucinda turned and appraised him with suspicion. Andrew was engaged in conversation with some cute waiter and was oblivious to the exchange.
“Oh, you know me, staying out of trouble.” He winked suggestively, making Samantha recoil reflexively. “And who is this stunning lady in blue? You must introduce me.”
Of course he would want to meet Lucinda—she was just his type. Samantha was surprised by how much this infuriated her. She cast a quick apologetic glance at Lucinda before speaking tersely. “This is Lucinda Moss. Lucinda, this is Alec Frost.”
Lucinda extended her hand to Alec. “I met your mother before. She’s charming.” Samantha turned her face away to hide her grin.
Alec shook Lucinda’s hand and let his gaze drag slowly over her body. “You are positively beautiful in that color. Would you care to dance?”
“We’ll see if you can keep up,” Lucinda challenged before finishing her champagne and handing the glass to Samantha with a wink as she was pulled to the center of the dance floor.
“I sure hope she isn’t swayed by his well rehearsed sweet talk,” Andrew sneered from behind Samantha, startling her from her staring. “It would really taint my opinion of her.”
“Ugh. I know.” She crossed her arms over her chest, turning back to watch the dance floor intently. “Who’s the new boy?”
“His name is Ben, he’s a Virgo, I’m in love.” He laughed and wrapped his arms around his friend’s waist, gently resting his chin on her shoulder. “Thanks for coming tonight, Sam. I know it was hard.”
“You were right,” she murmured quietly before kissing him sweetly on the cheek. “I needed to get out.”
“Whoa, are you seeing this?” Andrew shifted, releasing her waist and standing up straight, eyes locked on the dance floor.
A crowd formed a loose circle around Alec and Lucinda. The band was playing a slow song and they moved together in easy harmony. It was obvious that Alec’s pedigree included ballroom training, but compared to the way Lucinda moved with such effortless fluidity, he looked like a novice.
Samantha watched as Alec twirled Lucinda, his hand lingering a little too long below her hip, undoubtedly an intentional misplacement. She smiled when Lucinda shifted her hip away from his hand, slowing on the next turn to stop one of the wedding attendants walking by. She whispered something with a smile and nudged the attendant toward the stage. Samantha was impressed by how flawlessly Lucinda resumed her position with Alec in one flowing movement, returning her arm to Alec’s back and her hand to his. A curious expression was plastered on Alec’s face as they turned around on the dance floor, giving Lucinda an opportunity to wink at Samantha as she mouthed, “Watch this.”
The song ended and another started immediately, this one fast and upbeat, the tempo starting at a moderate pace and moving to a fever pitch. The singer cheered out into the crowd and raised her arm, encouraging the guests to get up to their feet. The other dancers on the floor slinked back as this was not a typical wedding song, and many couldn’t keep the pace the beat required. Samantha watched as Lucinda flashed a quick smile to Alec and waited for him to initiate the movement. Alec narrowed his eyes, grabbing her more aggressively, and dramatically moved her across the floor. Samantha could tell that his beat was off and that Lucinda was humoring him for a chorus or two before she pushed him away and proceeded to embarrass the hell out of him.
She moved in tight circles around him, shifting away when he reached for her. She turned and dipped to the ferocious tempo of the song, stalking toward him and sliding against him suggestively before slipping away. Samantha marveled at Lucinda’s ability to keep Alec’s eyes focused on her in frustrated concentration while she maintained a teasing smile plastered on her face. Samantha would have laughed if she hadn’t known about Alec’s volatile temper—she watched, half concerned, half entranced by the controlled boldness Lucinda displayed. She was like a current of angry water moving around him with natural grace. As the song wound down and her movements slowed to match the music, Samantha watched Lucinda reach for his hand as she forced him to twirl her to a finish. She stepped away from him as the crowd applauded and headed straight toward Samantha, grabbing her champagne flute from the table and taking a quick swig with Alec in close pursuit behind her.
“What was that?” Alec growled behind a false smile as he grabbed Lucinda’s arm and pulled her tightly to his chest.
“Keep your hands to yourself next time, Mr. Frost.” She shoved off him so quickly and forcefully that he lost his grip on her and stepped back to maintain his balance. She turned and exited the ballroom, heading toward the balcony overlooking the gardens below. Alec stood there for a moment, stunned, before walking in the opposite direction and getting lost in the crowd of onlookers.
Samantha had never seen anyone move like that. She felt her mouth gaping.
“Yeah, that’s the look most people get when Lucy dances.” Connie placed her arm around Samantha’s waist before resting her head on her shoulder.
Samantha reached down and gently squeezed Connie’s hand. She opened her mouth to ask a question, but closed it again, not sure what she had meant to inquire about.
“Lucy was a professional dancer for a while. I’d tell you that that was her best performance, but I’d be lying.” Connie smiled sadly, looking out at the
terrace for her sister. “She’s amazing. She doesn’t dance as much anymore, so you should feel lucky to have seen it.”
“God that was hot. And I am very gay, so good Lord…” Andrew sputtered next to her, interrupting Connie’s trance. Nathan joined them, hugging Samantha and Andrew as Samantha watched Connie slip out onto the balcony after Lucinda. She felt in that moment that she should have followed.
*
Lucinda took a deep breath and leaned against the balcony. This was the picture-perfect location for a wedding: sweeping, flawlessly manicured gardens and acres of gorgeous green lawn with a large, beautiful reception room lit immaculately with the setting sun’s glow through the dozens of French doors on the west side of the building.
Everything about today had been perfect; Catherine O’Malley would have been positively ecstatic that her kind and forgiving daughter was marrying a wonderful man. Lucinda missed Catherine on days like these, days filled with memories and hopes for the future, and her heart hurt because she realized Connie must miss her too.
“Hey, Luce, what’re you thinking about?” Connie’s soft voice brought Lucinda back to the beautiful bride before her, illuminated by the sunset.
“Just you, peanut, thinking about you.” She pulled Connie into a hug. “I was thinking about how proud I am of you and how proud your mom would be too.”
Connie sniffled and pressed her face against Lucinda’s neck, snuggling close and nodding. “Yeah, I miss her.”
“I know, me too.” Lucinda held her close and kissed the top of her head, gently rocking her in her arms.
“I’m so grateful for the day you came to us, Luce,” Connie murmured, letting herself be held by her sister.
Lucinda nodded and took in a deep breath, remembering the day she ended up on the O’Malley doorstep with just four sets of clothes, two pairs of shoes, and a favorite stuffed animal. She had been an undernourished, quiet, fearful, and stoic little girl haunted by nightmares and a heart of pain when she showed up to her fourth foster home in four years. Prior to being fostered by the working class O’Malley family in the South End of Boston, she had been a displaced orphan lost in the system. Keeping a child in the bad economy that plagued Boston at that time was just not something anyone could really do. But what Catherine O’Malley lacked in funds she made up for in love and encouragement; she was the person who initially saw Lucinda’s love of dance and placed her in her first class. That class changed her life forever.