Stop That Wedding

by Melissa Klein

  Andrew took the bucket, setting it on the ground. “We have an hour before my parents arrive.” He wrapped his arms around her. “How about we make the most of it?”

  His kisses tested her resolve. “Some of us have to work.” She broke from his embrace.

  He followed behind her. “Want company?”

  She sped up, leaving him standing by the side of the barn. “I’ve got maid-of-honor duties to attend to, and I’m certain you can find ways of keeping yourself occupied.”

  From heaven’s heights Grandma Dansfield clucked her tongue and scolded. Girl, where are your manners?

  Better rude than a fool. The good Lord above knew another second of him playing with her hair and she’d be dragging him up to the hayloft. “Twenty-four hours. This time tomorrow Mama will be married off, and this whole ordeal will be over.”

  Pride kept Andrew rooted to the ground for several minutes after Diana disappeared into the mansion. Tension coiled in his belly. Fear of losing her completely got his feet moving. At the gate where thick grass met the formal gardens, he paused.

  Find Diana. Explain. Make her understand.

  Doing so required a level of candor he wasn’t yet prepared to offer. More weeks like today, and she need never know how few digits his bank account contained. Uncle Neville could offer his bride a beautiful home. His parents could continue in the style they were accustomed. He could face Diana as one worthy of her. Until then, he had to keep her from giving up on him.

  Taking the crushed-shell path around to Greenbrier’s front, he spent a good hour in one of the large rockers on the mansion’s porch, rehearsing the toast he’d give that evening—as well as the warning he’d offer his parents. Be polite to Diana and Jackie or else.

  With his speeches perfected, Andrew meant to return to his suite to wait for his parents’ arrival. He planted a foot on the curved staircase’s bottom tread. The mahogany protested his weight, echoing the discord between his head and his heart. “A quick word with her.” He reversed course, taking the long hallway to the back of the mansion. “That’s all.”

  At her office door, he paused. “I’ll simply ask her to be patient a little while.” He rapped against the oak. “Please be in there. Alone. And happy to see me again.”

  “What is it now?”

  So much for the receptive mood.

  Andrew cracked the door and stuck his head inside. “It’s me. Can we talk for a moment before my parents arrive?”

  She waved him in. “Might as well. Everyone else has paraded through here.”

  “I’ll be brief. Based on my reception in the barn, I’m guessing the veterinarian has relayed details about Neville’s stag night.”

  She steepled her fingers. “He’s looking out for my family’s welfare.”

  “I respect that.” He closed the door to her office then walked to the edge of her desk where he rested his hip. “I want to allay any fears you might have about my gambling.” He caught her gaze. “I do not have an addiction. It’s simply a diversion.”

  Diana leaned back, crossing her arms. “That’s what I explained to him.”

  Andrew shuttered his eyes. She believes my lie.

  “You’re accustomed to spending your time differently than we do.”

  His stomach knotted. Never had he pursued a woman to this degree. Never had to. Never wanted to. “Speaking of time, I’d very much like to spend some of it with you after the wedding.” He paused, waiting for a reaction. So far, her body language suggested her patience with him was thin.

  She pursed her lips. “Really?”

  He captured her hand. “Could I interest you in escaping to the beach?” A few glorious days where he could finally concentrate solely on her.

  “What would we tell people?”

  “I don’t see why we would have to say anything. Neville and Jackie are headed to Natchez for their riverboat-cruise honeymoon. You can surely leave Jasmine in charge and take a day or two off. And no one here will wonder where I’ve gone.”

  “I was thinking about heading down to Biloxi.” Her expression softened. “Walks on the beach would do me good.”

  “Sounds lovely.”

  “Trust me, it will be.”

  Nothing would give Diana greater pleasure. Except for maybe to have him rub suntan oil on her while they sipped drinks on the beach. “Okay. I’ll trust you.” She snagged her phone from her desk, swiping the screen to reveal the time. “Your parents are ten minutes out, so I need to get cracking.” She opened the staff’s group text and sounded battle-stations. “I’ve got to pry Mama away from the mirror and grab the bouquet from the fridge. Jasmine’s youngest, Starr, is doing the presentation.”

  “Are you giving my parents a formal reception?”

  She shrugged. “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” Slipping her phone into the pocket of her dress, she crossed the room. “I’m channeling Downton Abbey. All the staff and I are going to greet your parents at Greenbrier’s entrance.”

  Andrew followed her into the hall. “That’s perfect. My mother will be thrilled. She loves being the center of attention.”

  “Curtsey, yes or no?”

  “You’ll have her eating out of the palm of your hand.”

  “Excellent.” With Andrew in tow, she sidetracked to the family quarters, finding them empty. “I want to make this as easy for Mama and Neville as possible.”

  They walked the length of the mansion to the reception area. “You’re on board with this marriage?”

  “Aren’t you?”

  He shrugged. “When I’m in, I’m in.”

  Diana caught the sound of tires against stone. “It looks like it’s show time either way.” She hastened her steps, opening Greenbrier’s etched-glass doors as Billy parked their newest SUV between the two iron planters flanking the entrance.

  As she’d asked, the staff were lined up and ready to impress in Greenbrier’s signature dark purple polos and pressed khakis. She slipped in line next to Jasmine, instead of joining Andrew, Neville, and Jackie on the porch. Today was Mama’s day to play hostess. Her day to shine.

  Jackie’s hands flapped at her side as Lord and Lady Somerset alighted from the car. From across the way, Diana willed calm to her mama.

  Steady. Like we practiced.

  The staff bobbed and bowed. Starr, dressed in her Easter finery, presented her ladyship with a bouquet of flowers freshly cut from the garden. The high-born guests smiled their appreciation.

  Then Jackie broke rank. Tottering on a brand-new pair of Louboutins she’d gotten on a trip to Atlanta, she caught her future sister-in-law in a fierce hug. “I’m tickled to meet you, Regina. I know we’re going to be best friends.”

  “She’s gone rogue,” Chef muttered—loudly enough for Diana to hear from the other end of the line.

  “I thought she was supposed to wait until—” Jasmine added.

  “She was.” Diana popped an antacid.

  Jackie moved on to her next victim, opening her arms and stepping toward Andrew’s father.

  He thrust out his hand, having had time to prepare for Jackie’s preferred method of greeting. “Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Curtis.”

  Not one to be thwarted, Jackie managed a handshake/cheek kiss combo that turned the mans’ face florid. “Cecil, I hope you’ve brought your appetite with you. We’ve been cooking pig meat since the butt-crack of dawn this morning. As soon as we get done with the rehearsal, we’ll be tying on the feed bag.”

  After Jackie’s exuberant welcome, the aristocratic couple stood frozen in place. Like two calves after their first experience with an electric fence. Of the scene’s audience, Andrew recovered first. He pressed a light kiss to his mother’s cheek before extending his hand to his father. “I’d like you to meet Jackie’s daughter.” He motioned for her to join them.

  This wasn’t the plan. At all.

  The pair turned their judgie stares her way.

  She’d hoped to delay facing Andrew’s mama and d
addy if possible. Her knees knocked. A flashback of an ill-fated, pre-teen, pastor-mandated rendition of “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam” hit her hard.

  After Mama’s wild greeting, Diana had a lot of decorum to make up for. Then again, if she didn’t faint, throw up, or sing off key she could hardly do worse. She drew near but stayed an arm’s length from the new arrivals who’d yet to recover from their initial brush with southern hospitality.

  Andrew tugged her closer to his parents. His blue gaze warmed her from the inside out. “Mother, Father, I’d like to introduce Miss Diana Curtis.”

  They braced for impact.

  No, you’re not about to get another hug.

  “Diana, please meet my parents, Lord and Lady Somerset.”

  She kept her hands by her side and a smile plastered on her face. The protocol standoff continued for several heartbeats before she caved. “A pleasure to meet you both.” She gestured toward the front door, eliciting a flinch from both guests. “Let’s get you out of this heat.”

  Diana took two steps then turned to see if anyone was following her. “After you settle in, my staff has prepared our version of afternoon tea for your refreshment.”

  They huddled together like lost children until they reached the porch. There their eyes widened, necks craned, and demeanors changed as they stepped into the wide foyer. The lead glass doors, grand staircase, and oak paneling never failed to impress. Lady Somerset finally found her voice. “You have a lovely home, Jackie.” Her clipped accent’s sharp edges screamed of begrudging appreciation.

  “I have to give credit where it’s due. Diana’s the one responsible for restoring our home to its former glory.” She locked arms with Neville. “And ensuring Dukie Dear and I never have to worry about anything but how long to stay in each other’s country.”

  “Is that so?” Lord Somerset’s eyes might have been the same shade of blue, but they held none of the warmth of his son’s. “You must tell me more.” As they narrowed on her they also reminded her of a turkey buzzard circling roadkill.

  “Certainly, Your Lordship. Over my special spiked lemonade and pimento cheese sandwiches.”

  Following the rehearsal, Andrew rode beside Diana as she drove his parents back from the church. Except for a few whispered remarks, his mother had remained largely silent. She need not voice her opinion since it radiated from her stiff carriage. On the other hand, his father delighted in Jackie’s little jokes, praised Greenbrier’s beauty, and hung on Diana’s every word.

  Cecil leaned forward to ask, “What other enterprises have you undertaken, besides your shop and the B&B?”

  “I purchased two hundred acres recently and plan to turn it into a hunting lodge.”

  “And it seems everything you touch turns to gold, my dear.”

  “After a great deal of hard work,” Andrew added.

  She shot him a smile. “Which I keep telling you isn’t a bad thing.”

  At the mansion’s entrance, Diana stopped the 4x4, everyone exited, and a staff member drove the vehicle off. Once in the foyer Diana motioned them into the empty bar. “Please make yourselves comfortable. I’m going to see if they’re ready for us in the breakfast room.”

  Her magnificent backside had slipped from view when his parents dropped their pretense. Like marionettes with their strings cut, they flopped into a pair of club chairs and let out twin sighs.

  Cecil fanned himself with a magazine he picked up from the cocktail table. “It’s hotter than Cannes in July.”

  Regina cut her eyes at Andrew. “Not that we’ve holidayed there recently.”

  Twenty-four hours and this will all be over.

  Andrew clung to the promise and the prospect of viewing Diana’s bikini clad body. “Jackie says the humidity is good for the complexion.”

  “Spare me any more of that woman’s colloquialisms.”

  “Be nice, Mother. She makes Uncle Neville happy.”

  “I can’t imagine how. She’s thick as a plank.”

  “If you can’t be nice, keep silent. For some reason, the Curtis women believe British aristocracy equates to good manners. I’d like to keep them thinking so.” He also wanted Diana to believe he was a man of character, who deserved her. And he was willing to do whatever it took to make it so.

  His father cleared his throat. “A word.” He nodded toward the far corner of the bar. “In private.”

  “I can’t give you more money this month, Father.” Andrew caught his mother’s gaze, to include her in the conversation. “You’re going to have to learn to economize.”

  “Not if you listen to me I won’t.” Cecil leaned forward and lowered his voice. “I think it’s high time you marry.”

  “I’ve heard this speech before. I understand your expectations. I’m to marry a titled girl whose father can bestow upon her enough money to set Chatham Park right and take care of you and Mother.”

  “Perhaps I’ve been too narrowminded. I think a more modern approach would be better.”

  Andrew’s hackles stood to attention. “No.” He’d seen the calculating looks his parents shared.

  “Hear me out.” Cecil pounded the table. “Diana is perfect. Absolutely everything we could hope for.”

  Diana had intended to wait until Andrew and his parents finished their conversation before announcing dinner was ready. Until she caught her name on Lord Somerset’s lips. Curiosity had her edging as close to the open doorway as she dared.

  “I wouldn’t consider it.” Andrew’s voice rose to match his father’s.

  She stumbled back as she processed the topic of conversation. Her. And Lord Somerset’s view she and Andrew would make a good marriage.

  “Every time I think you couldn’t shock me, Father, you prove me wrong.”

  No one ever hears anything pleasing when they eavesdrop.

  But they often learned the truth.

  In her heart she’d always known, but there was nothing like having it spelled out. She dashed angry tears away. “Stupid fool. How many times has he told me the type of woman he would marry?” One who made Duchess Kate seem common. Her stomach heaved at the imagery her brain conjured up of Andrew’s future bride and her naivete for believing his empty promises.

  Well, Viscount Snobby Pants had another thing coming if he thought she was slinking off to Biloxi with him.

  A conversation for after Mama’s wedding. That’s what mattered now. She’d see to it Jackie and Neville’s wedding went off without a hitch. Then she and Andrew would have their come-to-Jesus meeting.

  Diana dried her eyes, straightened her spine, and plastered on a smile. She tapped on the doorframe. “Lord and Lady Somerset, Andrew, we’re serving dinner.”

  Andrew’s parents swanned off down the hall, and as she moved to follow, he caught her arm. “We need to talk.”

  He tried to wrap an arm around her, but she managed to wiggle from his grasp. “You bet your boots we do, but now’s not the time for what I need to say to you.” She needed plenty of room for the fur that would fly when she finally got to cut loose on him.

  Andrew pulled them into the library. “Here. Now.” He took her in his arms, holding her tight.

  She fought against him. “Damn you, Andrew Montgomery. Let me go or I’ll make that slap I gave you look like a love tap.”

  “You overheard my father and me, didn’t you?”

  She kicked up her chin. “My ears were certainly burning.”

  He took her hands in his. “Let me explain.”

  “I think I understand well enough. I know what I heard.”

  Jackie burst into the room. “What are you two doing out here? Soup’s getting cold.”

  Diana turned her frustrations on her mama. “It’s vichyssoise. It’s already cold.”

  Mama snapped her fingers. “Get in here.” Her words came out as a hiss. “Lady Somerset is fit to be tied.”

  “Fine.” She turned to Andrew. “After Mama and Neville’s wedding, I’ll give you exactly five minutes to explain why I shou
ldn’t run you out of town on a rail.”

  Mama’s wedding day arrived to the wail of the weather siren. Outside the family quarters, strong winds upturned the patio umbrellas. Fat raindrops pummeled every blossom in the garden. Lightning scrapped plans for a carriage ride to the church.

  “We have a short window between storms coming up. You good to go yet, Mama?”

  Jackie hummed “Here Comes the Bride” as the hairdresser from Patsy’s Hair Castle pinned a short veil to her dark tresses. In deference to her second-go-around bride status, she’d selected a tea-length dress with an ivory lace overlay and a scooped neckline. Later she’d carry a nosegay of pale pink roses, saved from the storm in the nick of time.

  “Ta-da.” Patsy hit the bride with a final flourish of hairspray. “Isn’t she pretty?”

  Diana smiled. “Don’t think I’ve ever seen a lovelier bride.”

  The living room’s other occupants, Jasmine, Starr, and Wes Jr., voiced their agreement.

  Jackie beamed. “Y’all are precious to say so. I think we all make a magazine-worthy bridal party.” She straightened the bow on her flower girl’s dress, offered the ring bearer two thumbs up, and lasered her focus on Diana. “Let’s see what we can do about those dark circles. Why haven’t you been using the eye cream you borrowed? You look like something the cat killed then drug through hedgerow backwards.”

  No amount of eye cream could repair what an all-night crying jag had done. She’d replayed Andrew’s words with his father over and over, analyzed every nuance of their conversation, without drawing any conclusion other than the one she drawn in the library. Andrew only saw her as a woman-of-the-moment until her could find the lady-for-life.

  She waved away her mama’s concern. “No one’s going to be looking at me today. Not with you around.”

  “I don’t know.” Jackie puffed the capped sleeve on Diana’s drop-waist dress. “This complements your fair skin wonderfully.”

  “Thanks for choosing the jade-colored one.” With the vacant spot on the color spectrum filled, she could add a line of resale bridesmaid dresses to Sweet Tea and Lavender’s products.