Her mother made no move to hide her face or hide behind any false pretense. She was ready to take her due, and that knowledge rivaled the need in Danica’s head for her mother to be the woman who hadn’t done the wrong thing. The woman who would never have done anything but the right thing. The woman who raised her.
“Can’t you just not tell her at all? Ever? Why hurt her?” Lacy’s swiped at her damp eyes.
Danica couldn’t tell if they were tears of anger or tears of hurt for her mother’s impending pain.
“Because if she finds out later, which she will, it will hurt ten times as much.”
“She’s right,” Danica said, thinking of Kaylie’s reaction to her parents’ divorce. “The one thing that we all learned from Dad’s affair was that covering it up only makes it a whole lot worse when it finally comes out.”
“So now you’re on her side?” Lacy spat.
“No.” She looked into her mother’s eyes. “I hate what she did.” She turned back to Lacy. “But I would hate it more if everyone lied to your mother and pretended that there wasn’t something going on right under her nose.”
“I have been looking all over for you guys.” Kaylie’s voice caught them all by surprise. “What?” Kaylie’s eyes danced from her mother to Lacy and finally to Danica.
“Nothing. We were just shooting the breeze.” Danica stood. “What did you need?”
“Oh, Treat arranged for wedding dresses and bridesmaid gowns! I swear someone is going to be lucky when they marry that man. He holds nothing back.”
Danica thought of Max again and made a mental note to get her alone and make sure Treat hadn’t done anything that upset her while they were out. Although she’d place her money on the fact that if he tried anything at all, the only emotion it would evoke would be pleasure—hot, steamy, toe-curling pleasure.
Chapter Thirty
Treat’s office looked like a bridal gown shop. Exact replicas of Kaylie’s and Danica’s gowns hung from steel dressing rods, along with bridesmaid gowns almost identical to the ones the girls had worn earlier in the day.
“Mr. Braden apologized for the bridesmaid gowns. The supplier didn’t have the exact dress your ladies were wearing in stock. These were the closest match.” Scarlet’s smile was strained until Kaylie said they were perfect. “The men’s tuxedos will be sent to their rooms.”
“I really don’t know how we can ever repay him for everything,” Danica said to Scarlet.
“Mr. Braden doesn’t expect you to. You’re family, and family knows no limits.”
An hour later, Danica’s head was upside down as she dried her hair with the diffuser, thinking of her mother. They hadn’t had any sort of closure on their conversation after Kaylie arrived, and now Danica worried about the timing of her mother’s admission to Madeline. Would it ruin the evening for everyone? Surely she’d have more tact than that.
“I smell burning hair,” Blake said as he entered the bathroom.
“Oh gosh.” Danica turned off the dryer and fluffed her hair.
“Gorgeous,” Blake said, looking at her lasciviously. “Is that what you’re wearing?” He ran his index finger under the lace strap of her thong.
She wiggled out of reach. “Do you mind, Mr. Carter? We’re not even married yet.” Her heartbeat raced from the two-second touch, and beneath her camisole, her nipples became erect.
Blake touched the side of her breast. “They don’t seem to mind if we’re not yet married.” He lifted her camisole and took her breast in his mouth.
“Blake,” she whispered. His tongue sent shivers down her back and heat between her thighs. “Blake,” she said louder.
He lifted his eyes.
She took his chin in her hands and drew his lips away from her chest. “You will have to wait. I have to go get ready, and I really don’t want to take another cold shower.”
He looked down at his erection and feigned a little frown.
Blake looked so cute with his smoldering dark eyes pleading for a quickie that she opened her mouth to give in, but the words that came out were words of reason. “You’re on your own, sweetheart.” She planted a kiss on his cheek before passing by him and putting on her jeans and T-shirt. “See you soon, future husband.” She slipped out the door, wishing she could have stayed and satisfied his every desire. Who was she kidding? Her every desire.
Danica and Kaylie stood before each other, surveying their wedding dresses for the second time that day.
“Are we ready to try again?” Danica asked.
“Whatever happens, happens.”
There they were. Mom’s words. “What?”
Kaylie arched an eyebrow, and Danica knew that Kaylie had no idea what she was referring to. She was obviously parroting her mother’s words from something else altogether.
“Nothing.” Danica sighed.
“What’s up with you? After everything we went through today, are you still nervous?”
Just about when everyone will find out about Mom and Dad.
Kaylie shook her head. “I guess it is your wedding day, so you have a right to be nervous.”
Danica reached for her sister’s hand. “It’s your wedding day, too.”
“Whatever happens, happens,” Kaylie said again as she answered the door.
Danica was about to seal her worry away when Lacy came into the room and flopped onto the bed.
“You mother kissed my father,” she said to Kaylie.
“What?” Kaylie asked.
Lacy looked at Danica, and Danica shook her head. Don’t you dare. “Lacy means before, when they were married. She’s just having a hard time putting it all together.” Danica glared a silent threat at Lacy.
There was another, more urgent knock at the door. Danica opened the door and Max stomped into the room, flopping onto the bed beside Lacy.
“Hey,” Max said.
“Hey,” Lacy said.
“I think I’m losing my mind.” Max covered her face and fell back on the bed.
Kaylie and Danica exchanged a confused look.
Madeline walked into the room. “It was open. Sorry for barging in. Have you seen La— Oh, there you are.” Madeline sat next to Lacy. “I’ve been looking all over for you. Your father had this crazy notion that you thought we might be getting divorced.”
“You’re divorcing?” Max asked. “See? This whole relationship thing is so complicated. And here I thought you two were happy.”
“Are you girls ready?” Their mother swept into the room and stopped in her tracks, taking in Madeline and Lacy on the bed, sitting next to Max, who looked completely bewildered. “Oh, sorry. Did I interrupt something?”
Before things could get any more complicated, Danica said, “I think we’d better go. Shoes? Where are our— Oh my God! We left our shoes at the island.”
“No, you didn’t,” Max said. “The attendants got them, but they’re ruined. Scarlet has others for you. I’ll get them.” She jumped to her feet and ran for the door.
“Wait. We’ll all come with you,” Danica said, dragging Kaylie with her into the hall.
“There you are!” Abby ran up and hugged Kaylie. “We were wondering where you girls were getting ready. Mom has something for you.”
Elise was in another traditional skirt and jacket. She must have gone to the hairdresser in the hotel, because not a hair was out of place. She held a small jewelry box toward Kaylie.
“This is for you. It was my grandmother’s, and each of the Crew women have worn them on their wedding day.”
Kaylie covered her heart with her hand. “Elise? You don’t have to do this.”
Elise handed the open box to Kaylie. “I know. And, in fact, I didn’t, earlier, but then I watched you with Chaz, and with your sister, and your babies. My grandbabies. Kaylie, I’m sorry I ever doubted your intentions toward my son.”
Kaylie hugged her future mother-in-law. “Thank you. They’re gorgeous,” she whispered. She slipped the blue sapphire earrings on and said, “Som
ething blue!”
Camille ran down the hall. “Danica!”
“You’re always running.” Danica laughed.
“Put this on. Something blue. You need it.” She slid a child’s bracelet on her wrist.
“Isn’t that Lexi’s?” Kaylie asked.
“Yeah,” Chelsea said, coming up behind Camille. “Elise said she had earrings for you, but we had nothing for Danica. I hope you don’t mind. Now you both have something borrowed and something blue.”
“Oh, I forgot,” Kaylie said. “We had your bracelets before. I think we left them in the room.”
“We talked about it, and we were afraid if you wore the same ones, you might jinx the wedding.” Camille shrugged. “You never know. Okay, now, go!”
Patrons turned to stare at the two beautiful brides crossing the lobby toward their future husbands, trailed by pretty bridesmaids with bright smiles. Danica had never felt as beautiful as she did at that very moment. The hunger in Blake’s eyes was second only to the pride as she approached him.
“Wow,” Blake said, taking her hand.
“You’re pretty wow yourself,” she said.
Her mother tapped her on the shoulder. “You look beautiful.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Danica didn’t mean for her words to sound as clipped as they did, but she was not yet over her mother’s indiscretion.
“I’m sorry,” her mother said with sincerity.
“Great, Mom.” Danica craned her neck, looking for Max to return with her shoes, wishing for a reason to disengage from her mother.
“Danica, look at me.”
She reluctantly looked at her mother and was surprised by the tug in her heart—the longing for the woman she thought her mother had been. She wanted that woman to return, the woman who would never kiss another woman’s husband. The woman who had finally found her footing after wading through oceans of pain and loneliness.
“I know what I did was wrong, and I’m sorry. I told you I’d sleep in my own mess, and I meant it. I’ll come clean to those who need to know, but there’s no reason for you to be snappy with me.”
Danica pulled her mother away from the crowd. “Really, Mom? You kissed the man who hurt you, who hurt us! How can that not bother me? What do you expect of me?”
“What do I expect of you?” Her mother pulled her shoulders back and stood taller, looking Danica in the eye with a serious gaze. “How about a little respect? This is my life, and I make mistakes just like everyone else does. You can’t blame me for that.”
“Can’t I?” Danica asked, then walked away.
Treat came around the corner and raised his hands. If his height and good looks were not enough to command the attention of everyone in the room, when he spoke, his deep, soothing voice drew the rest of them in. “Shall we try this again?” He led them toward a bank of elevators in the back of the hotel. They rode the elevators to the top floor, where Treat led them down a wide hallway, then up a set of private stairs to the roof. The room on the roof was fully encased by glass and functional windows. Not only did the room boast glorious views of the water, but Danica was surprised to smell the salty sea filtering through the open windows, as if they were on ground level rather than thirteen stories up. Fresh flowers decorated every table, and a beautiful altar had been constructed, much like the one on the beach. Danica couldn’t help but wonder if Treat had multiple altars stored in a basement, ready to go. How else could he have them constructed in the blink of an eye?
Before Danica could thank him, Treat excused himself, ducking back down the stairs. Where is he running off to?
Danica watched her mother like a hawk. Hopefully, she wouldn’t reveal her digression here and now, but she could hardly slow her racing pulse with the thought of it.
“Oh no, where’s Max?” Kaylie asked.
“How should I know?” Danica snapped.
“Geez, Danica. What’s with you?”
Danica shifted her eyes to the elevator. Shit. The thought of Max avoiding Treat sent her nerves over the edge. She didn’t know what was going on with them, but she didn’t want to take any more chances. “I’ll ask Blake to find Max.” Please make this nightmare stop.
With Blake looking for Max and her mother safely talking to Nancy and Blake’s father, Danica took advantage of her two free minutes to catch up with Sally.
“That was an insane day, huh? Rusty and Chase really pulled through for Kaylie.”
“They love Trevor,” Sally said while watching Gage and Rusty.
“How’s everything going?” Danica asked, nodding toward Gage.
Sally sighed. “I should have ridden that ship when I had the chance. I’m afraid that being just friends for two years has thoroughly solidified me into the just friends category.”
Danica had been referring to Rusty and Gage’s friendship, but given how Sally felt about Gage, she wasn’t surprised by her misguided, though honest, answer.
“I hear weddings can be aphrodisiacs for some people,” Danica joked, then cringed as she thought of her mother and father kissing.
“Yeah? Hmm. What do I have to give him to make that happen?”
Just then, Gage turned and caught Sally’s eye. Danica watched the way his lips lifted up at the ends and his eyes warmed and darkened. Just friends, huh? Right.
Blake stepped through the door, and Danica couldn’t take her eyes off of the way his sun-kissed skin shimmered against his white shirt. Butterflies danced in her stomach, and she hoped those feelings would never diminish. She reminded herself that he was about to become her husband and she, his wife. We’ll never grow apart. Even as she thought it, she knew the odds of divorce were high. She knew that no one intended on hurting his or her partner two, three, or five years down the line. And as he took her hand in his and drew her to her feet, she silently hoped that they would be one of the lucky couples who stayed together.
“I found her,” Blake whispered. “She was getting your shoes and she got sidetracked.”
Danica’s eyes grew wide. “I’m barefoot at my own wedding and Max is sidetracked?”
Before Blake could answer, Max entered the room. Moonlight streamed through the glass ceiling and shone on her like a spotlight. Her cheeks were flushed and her face was pinched.
“Is she okay?” Danica asked Blake.
“Fine. I think she and Treat have a bit of a contentious relationship.”
“What does that mean?”
He stepped behind her and whispered, “I think they’re a bit frustrated with each other.”
“Here are your shoes.” Max handed Danica her shoes. “Sorry it took me so long. I had to...I...um. I had to find them.” She turned on her heels and headed for Kaylie.
A minute later, Treat came through the door. He scanned the room, his eyes settling on Max. Again.
Just one more hour. One more nonconfrontational hour is all we need.
Chapter Thirty-One
Danica stood at the back of the room, watching everyone fall into place for their ceremony. Her mother looked gorgeous in her peach and gold dress, with her hair wavy and full, framing her face, and still, even with her beauty on this magical evening, Danica’s stomach revolted against her secret. Why, oh why, did you have to kiss Dad? That’s when it hit her. How could she have forgotten about her mother walking them down the aisle? Every time she looked at her, she felt sick. How could she walk down the aisle with her? And she never gave her father an answer, either. She felt her thin veil of sanity tearing away.
Get a grip before you ruin the wedding for everyone. She looked at Blake, standing beside Chaz at the altar, like two schoolboys ready for their first-grade graduation, their eyes anticipating, their hands fidgeting. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a second. Pull it together. When she opened them, Kaylie was elbowing her and nodding at Chaz and Blake.
“Look at him,” Kaylie said. “Could I have gotten any luckier?” She didn’t take her eyes off of Chaz.
“I’m not sure luck had anything
to do with it,” Danica answered.
“I know you believe in fate and all that higher power spiritual stuff, but for me, I’m pretty sure it was just dumb luck that I was in the bar at exactly the right time to meet him.”
“I guess all that matters is that we’re here now.” Danica took Kaylie’s hand. “Let’s never let each other screw things up with our husbands, okay?” Please?
“Okay, but why do I think that I got the easy end of that bargain? You never screw up anything,” Kaylie teased.
Wanna bet? Kaylie was a handful, but in her heart, Danica knew she’d never cheat on Chaz, or leave him for any of the hundred nonsensical reasons couples split up, like, He doesn’t understand me or I need more space. She looked at her mother, then back at Kaylie. And that sinking feeling settled back into her stomach.
The bridesmaids and groomsmen readied themselves for the walk down the aisle. Blake’s father and Chaz’s mother joined them at some point. They were white noise to Danica’s otherwise occupied mind. She searched the front row for her father. He sat tall and proud next to Madeline. Lacy slouched on Madeline’s other side. Danica looked at the row behind them, where Sally sat next to Rusty, and Danica thought of the husband that Sally lost. If Dave hadn’t passed away, would he be there today? Would she and Blake have found each other? Her eyes moved to Chase, Dave’s other son, the product of a high school romance. That thought brought her back to Lacy. Was it inevitable? Did every marriage carry some sort of heavy drama that forced couples to sink or swim? Were they all doomed to carry heavy burdens? What would their test of strength be? Would she and Blake be able to weather it, or would it strike them down, too?
“Danica?”
Kaylie pulled at her arm.
“What?” she snapped.
“I asked you if you noticed the way Treat was staring at Max.”
“What? No, sorry.” Treat and Max? I’m still on Mom and Dad and that goddamned kiss. It’s looming over me like a villain waiting to pounce. Danica inhaled deeply and blew it out slowly.
“You look green. Are you sure you’re okay?” Kaylie asked.
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