On Friday, Laura drove through the pass, navigating the roads without difficulty, although it was easy to see the scars of the slip on the hillside. This time, she’d checked her spare tire and made sure her jack and an emergency kit were present in her trunk. She charged her cell phone, but none of her precautions were necessary.
She pulled up outside her parents’ home on the outskirts of Clare a little after five. Knowing she wouldn’t have time or privacy to ring Dallas, she made a quick call from her car.
“Hey, I thought I’d ring to let you know I made it safely to Clare.”
“No, I can’t make it tonight. I have to work,” Dallas said.
“One of your brothers is there, huh?”
“Yes.”
“So now isn’t the time to tell you I’m naked and about to jump into the shower, or that I packed my waterproof rubber ducky?”
Growling rippled from her phone.
“Oh dear. A little testy? That’s what happens when a man is celibate for too long.”
“The rubber ducky stays in your bag.” He lowered his voice. “No manual stimulation either. If I go without, so do you. And you have a spanking in your future.”
“Oh.” A rush of heat speared right to her lower belly.
“Not so chirpy now.”
“Dallas!” A cranky male voice sounded in the background.
“I miss you.” Laughter threaded through her voice.
“I know. Look I can’t talk now. Can I ring you later tonight?”
“What time?” she asked.
“It will be late, after closing.”
“Send me a text, and I’ll ring you back if I can.” A sharp rap sounded on her car window. “Got to go. Talk to you later.” Laura shoved her phone in her pocket. Her heart thumped in a crazy boom-boom-boom, but she maintained her mother’s gaze without a falter and even added a small smile as she opened her door and stepped from the car. “I promised to ring my friend when I arrived. After last weekend they were worried.”
“Yes, well. I don’t know why you insist on working in Napier. If you hurry, you’ll have time to freshen up before James arrives for pre-dinner drinks.” Her mother was dressed in a smart navy dress that contrasted with her steel-gray hair. A pale blue shawl draped her shoulders to keep out the early evening chill.
“How nice. I’m looking forward to seeing him again.” Not. But it was an opportunity to tell James where she stood on the subject of marriage.
“Why are you wearing jeans? I hope you brought something suitable to change into for dinner.”
“I have clothes in my bedroom.” Laura retrieved her bag and linked arms with her mother for the walk to the front door. Colors—purple, yellow, white, and deep blue drew her eye and the riot of flowery scents brought memories of the carefree days of childhood. “The gardens look beautiful. I love the contrast of the bed of purple flowers and the white of the house.”
“They should look good,” her mother said, not sparing a glance at the showcase gardens. “That’s what we pay for. Your father is in his study, finishing a business call. Aaron is showering. Rochelle and Katherine aren’t coming tonight. Oh, you’d better try on your bridesmaid dress. You’ve put on weight.”
One. Two. Three. Laura counted under her breath, fisted her hands at her sides. “I’m sure the dress will fit fine. How are the wedding plans going? Did the rehearsal dinner go well last night?”
“Everything was fine, although if I were Elaine, I’d have put a bomb under the wedding planner. One hopes the woman holds things together better during the actual ceremony.”
“I’m sure everything will be wonderful. That’s what rehearsal dinners are for—to iron out potential problems.”
“Yes, well.” Her mother flapped her hands in a shoo motion. “Go and change before James arrives. You don’t want to give a bad impression. He’s such a lovely man.”
Laura didn’t waste breath arguing. “I won’t be long.”
She dressed to impress in one of her favorite little black dresses. It skimmed her curves and the deep neckline drew attention to her breasts. A diamond and sapphire pendant and matching earrings completed her outfit. She twisted her hair into a messy up-do, redid her makeup to emphasize her eyes and finished her look with a spritz of a new ginger and sandalwood perfume.
The distant peal of the doorbell told her she’d aced her timing for her arrival downstairs. Neither parent would offer a lecture in the presence of guests. She walked into the lounge on the heels of James, greeted Aaron and his girlfriend. Laura kissed her father’s cheek and left him to bustle about getting drinks for everyone.
“Hello, James. How are you?” Time to confront her problem instead of skulking on the opposite side of the room—instead of hiding out in Napier. If James agreed with her mother, it was time to disabuse him of the idea.
“I’ve been better.” His face was pale and drawn, his eyes puffy with lack of sleep. Like her, James was blond, but his eyes were a bright blue. Tonight they were the hue of a polluted sea. Something was amiss in James Land.
“We need to talk. In private.”
“Yes, we do.”
He’d better not be thinking about marriage. She’d bop him on the head if he produced a ring. “Is Father getting you a drink?”
“Yes.”
“We’ll talk after dinner,” Laura said. “When everyone is more relaxed and not inclined to interrupt.”
“Sounds fine.”
Laura could see why he was no match for her mother. Luckily for him, she was, although her mother hadn’t realized it yet.
During dinner talk turned to the wedding.
“At least the weather has cleared. The bride and groom are arriving at the church via horse and carriage,” her mother said. “Personally, I think a summer wedding is a better proposition, although a late spring wedding can be very pleasant. Laura, what do you think?”
“I haven’t considered the matter,” Laura said.
“What about you, James?” her mother asked.
“I prefer warm weather.”
Her mother’s expression turned smug. “Do have more dessert, James. You’re so trim you can afford to have a second helping.”
“This pavlova is delicious,” Laura said, accepting another slice and ignoring her mother’s unvoiced disapproval. “The combination of chocolate and raspberry is irresistible.”
Her mother sniffed, in a feminine manner, of course. Laura hid her smile. The meringue confection was beyond excellent. She’d have to compliment the housekeeper.
They rose to take their coffee and after-dinner liqueurs in the lounge. Very civilized. Her father dispensed alcoholic drinks while her mother took care of coffee.
Her brother sidled over to sit on the arm of Laura’s chair. “How are things in the city?”
“Why?” Was her guilty secret emblazoned on her face? She shot him a sharp glance. Aaron possessed an impassive expression.
“Just wondered. You seem to enjoy city life. Mother was bitching about you not returning home every weekend.”
“You have a life. Why can’t she let me have one too?”
“She wants more grandchildren,” Aaron said, his brown eyes—so like her own—glinted with amusement.
“You get working on that.”
“Not gonna happen.” He grinned at his girlfriend of three months, who stood chatting with their mother. “Cassie knows the score. She knows I’m not interested in anything permanent. I told her upfront.”
As if Cassie knew they were talking about her, she wandered over with her coffee. “We missed you at the hen’s night. We had a ball, despite the rotten weather.”
“If your hangover was any indication,” Aaron said, sotto voce.
Cassie flapped her hand as if that were of little consequence. “What did you do for the weekend? It must have been boring when you knew everyone was here having fun.”
“I…ah…caught up on my reading, watched some television.” Had some very hot sex.
“You’re lucky you were able to get back to Napier with the rain we had,” Cassie said. “I heard Dianna Malcolm is pregnant.” She scanned the room and leaned closer. “Rumor says one of the O’Grady brothers is the father.”
Aaron made a scoffing sound deep in his throat. “I wouldn’t say that too loud around Mother and Father. Besides, there are always rumors about the O’Grady family. Which brother is leading in the betting pool?”
“Dallas is the odds-on favorite,” Cassie said. “But Dianna has been seen with each brother during the last six months. No one is certain, so my guess is as good as anyone’s.”
“They’ve got reputations.” Aaron sounded as if he admired them. “And they have a different woman on their arms every time I see them. Mason said Dallas had a woman up at his cabin for the weekend.”
“Who?” Cassie’s face held nosy interest, the scent of the rumor flaring her nostrils.
Laura shuddered, noticed her hand holding the delicate white cup and saucer trembled. She set her coffee on a side table. “See, this is why I enjoy escaping Clare. The town is rife with gossip, with scandal. Everyone thrives on it, and it’s become worse since the reality show.”
“All the best people live right here in Clare.” Cassie patted Aaron’s knee, the move familiar and intimate.
“Eww,” Laura said. “Don’t do sex things in front of me. I’m young and innocent.” She took a quick breath, hoping to regulate her rapid pulse. “A girl doesn’t like to think about her brother and sex in the same sentence.”
Aaron chuckled, ribald and knowing, and Laura let her breath ease out. Crisis averted.
“Maybe I should work my wiles on Mason and wriggle the woman’s name out of him,” Cassie said.
Laura’s stress levels bolted to record levels in seconds flat. Her mouth opened to say…what? There was nothing she could say to divert Cassie, not with nosy interest shining like a glittering prize. “Why would you want to? Doesn’t he have a right to privacy?”
“I can’t believe you’re sticking up for him,” Cassie said.
Laura rose. “No more gossip for me.” She turned away, searched for James and located him chatting with her father.
“Wow, who put a bug up her ass?” Cassie said, the words drifting after Laura.
Laura crossed the room on shaky legs. Mason had better keep his mouth shut. As for the other gossip, she didn’t believe Dallas was the father of Dianna’s child. She knew that with every part of her gut. Dallas wouldn’t shun his responsibilities.
“James,” she said with a smile.
His greeting was guarded. “Laura.”
“I’ll leave you two youngsters alone,” her father said in a jolly voice.
Laura rolled her eyes. “What have you been telling my parents? They seem to think a marriage between us is a done deal.”
He sent her a searching look. “Isn’t it?”
“No. I’m too young to get married, and I think you’re shortchanging your boyfriend if you decide to marry a woman. You’re consigning him, me and yourself to purgatory.”
James’s mouth tightened to a firm line. He grasped her arm and propelled her to a quiet corner. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I’ve done my research. I saw you with him,” she said, not intending to back down. “I don’t have a problem with you or him, but I’m not inserting myself into the mix.”
“My parents expect me to marry.” He sounded miserable now.
“My parents expect me to marry you,” she countered. “But that doesn’t mean I intend to follow their wishes. You need to get a backbone.” Another reason she refused to marry him. No one wanted a man they could walk over without breaking a sweat. “Look, I have a temporary solution. We attend social functions together as friends.” She leaned closer and whispered, “I’m interested in someone else too.”
“Someone your parents don’t approve of?”
“Yes.” Best to keep things simple. “What does your boyfriend say?”
“If I marry a woman, he’ll walk away.”
“Do you love him?”
“Yes, we’ve been together for three years. I can’t imagine ever wanting anyone else.”
“James, you’re an idiot,” Laura said. “You’re willing to risk the love of your life because of tradition, because you want to please your parents.”
“They’ll disinherit me.”
“I want to meet your boyfriend when we’re both back in Napier. If he’s agreeable, we’ll go to functions with each other, but we will not marry. Is that clear?”
“Why do you want to help me?”
“Because I’m dating someone who is totally unsuitable and would send my parents into hysterics. The difference is I’m not willing to follow along like a little lamb because I know a marriage would make us both unhappy.”
“Who?” His despair transformed to lawyer slice and dice. “Someone I might know?”
“I doubt it.”
James swallowed the last of his brandy. “You have a deal. We’ll have dinner this week and discuss the details.”
Laura nodded, pleased with her work. She might have a bit more talking to do, but she was sure James’s boyfriend would stand squarely on her side.
The wedding took place with military precision. Laura walked up the aisle of the flower bedecked church, wearing the hideous apricot gown with ruffles that widened her body by several inches.
Along with everyone else, Laura turned to watch her cousin sashay into the church on her uncle’s arm. The cream of her gown suited her sleek darkness to perfection, and like most brides, she glowed with happiness and in her cousin’s case, a little of the smug.
As Laura listened to the minister’s words, she could practically feel her mother’s gaze boring through her back. Laura wished her mother and her aunts didn’t take their rivalry to such heights. Marriage wasn’t a competition, especially if it ended in divorce. Blue bloodlines and plump bank accounts did not a successful marriage make.
With the ceremony completed, Laura walked down the aisle, her arm linked with James’s.
“I spoke to my…friend last night. He wants to meet you.”
“Oh?”
James’s lips twisted into a grimace before smoothing his expression for the photographer. “A woman who can knock sense into my thick head—his words—is someone he wants to cultivate as a friend.”
“Maybe between the two of us, we can make you see sense. How are you at dancing?”
“Fair.”
“Do you enjoy dancing?”
“I do,” he said.
“Good, so do I. At least we can have fun at the reception. If we dance together, our parents will back off.”