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Giggling, Melony glances at her husband, then as soon as I sit, she faces me. “Cade, what do you do for a living? You look as if you might be a professional weightlifter.”
“Hardly.” I force a smile. “I’m a financial adviser.”
Melony raises her eyebrows and gives Leona a knowing grin.
I suppose esthetically, Melony is pretty. She has blond hair with the tips dyed dark brown and her face is heart-shaped. However, her blue eyes shine with deception.
When I look at her, my gut tightens, inspiring caution.
The rest of dinner is filled with small talk. Even between family members, there is no substance to the conversation.
“It’s unusual to stay after the marriage. Are you two going anywhere besides the Catskills for your honeymoon?” I wave off the waiter filling wine glasses. I’ve already had two glasses, and I don’t want to assume Leona will invite me to her room tonight.
The way Melony’s mouth pulls into a tight line and her eyes narrow before she plasters a smile on her face shows her annoyance. “We wanted some time with our family.” She exaggerates the last word. “We’ll go somewhere when Derek’s work is less busy.”
He wraps his arm around her and kisses her cheek. “I promise in a couple of months, things will wrap up on this project and I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”
Leona’s shoulders stiffen, and she too waves off the waiter serving wine, as well as the one coming around with chocolate mousse. “I need to get some air. I’m not used to two glasses of wine with dinner.”
Derek stands as I do. “Are you alright?”
Tugging his jacket, Melony frowns. “She’s fine.”
“You’ll be at the show, won’t you?” Patty asks, but her attention is locked on the newlyweds.
“Yes. Just a short walk in the fresh mountain air and I’ll be fine.” Leona walks away, and practically runs out of the dining room.
I scan the table and only Derek is looking at anything other than his dessert. However, he’s not watching Leona leave. He’s staring at me. His jaw ticks and his eyes narrow.
If he still wanted Leona, why had he dumped her and married her sister? Maybe I’ve got that wrong. I push my chair under the table. “It was nice to meet you all. Thank you. I’m going to check on Leona.”
Without waiting for anyone to respond, I head toward the front of the resort.
As I cross the lobby, Brian clears his throat to get my attention, then points toward the back of the main building where the pool and gardens are.
Changing direction, I make my way outside. Since dinner is still being served, there are only a few people in the pool.
I see her red dress at the other end of the pool, heading for the rose garden. Following, I hope she isn’t running from me.
“You probably think I’m a flake,” she says as I enter the garden where a rose-lined path circles an English garden. She strolls past the roses.
“No.” The moon plus strings of twinkle lights make it easy to see and follow. “If I’m honest, I’m not crazy about your family. But I suppose I should apologize for that.”
“Don’t. They’re horrible. Mom only cares about money and prestige. Dad keeps his mouth shut, so there’s no telling what he thinks. Melony, well, you met her. She’s insufferable.” Leona sighs and leans forward to smell a pink rose.
“Are you still in love with him?” The question is out of my mouth before I can stop it.
Still edging toward the rose, she turns her head to meet my gaze. “I don’t think I ever loved him. Not the way I should have if I was going to marry him. Mom loved him. He’s an up-and-comer. He and I had fun for a while and then it just became comfortable and what my parents wanted for me.” She faces me and her stare is strong and sure. “He proposed at a big corporate party, and I said yes so I wouldn’t embarrass him. When he ended our engagement, he told his colleagues that I’d had an affair. That’s when I knew I was saved from a lifetime of misery.”
The urge to go back inside and beat Derek to a pulp is almost too much. I close my eyes and my fists ache. The beast inside me growls for release.
Leona presses her palm to the side of my face. “What’s wrong?”
She should run when she sees me so close to losing control. She, of all people, knows what I am. Instead, she comes closer and touches me.
Turning into her hand, I kiss the soft flesh, then graze her skin with my descending canines.
She gasps and her pupils dilate. “That feels…”
