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I looked around the room and saw that she was right.
Rome’s girl, Izzy, was sitting on the couch with their young daughter in her arms, fast asleep. She was getting makeup applied to her face by Landry, who had obviously already been to makeup and hair.
Conleigh was talking to Pru, and they were both staring at Turner as if they wanted to come over here and wrap her up in their arms.
Then there was Phoebe, who had Bayou’s daughter in her lap playing a puzzle, who was staring at us so intently, with her eyes narrowed, that I knew she already had to suspect something was going on.
“I give it twenty minutes and they will know,” I said. “Pru’s talking to Conleigh right now. Conleigh will go talk to Landry because they’re best friends, and then the rest of them will know in about two seconds. Not because they’re gossips, but because they worry about their own. And you’re one of their own.”
She shook her head. “To be one of their own, I’d have to have a man that belonged to this club, and I don’t. As for them knowing, yeah, I can see that. You can stay and talk, I suppose. It’s not like they’re going to figure it out based on you talking to me with a small smile on your face.”
I snorted.
“Did your brother get a hold of you yet?” I asked, reaching up and absently tucking a strand of curly hair behind her ear. It wasn’t a natural curl, either. It was one of those hair spray curls that felt hard and stiff. I didn’t like it.
I liked her hair when it was soft like it was last night when she’d been in my lap and I’d been holding her tight.
“No.” She deflated slightly. “I just hope he doesn’t call during the ceremony. I don’t want to miss his call.”
I looked at my watch. “The ceremony starts in twenty minutes, correct?”
She nodded.
“Give me your phone. If he calls, I’ll answer and explain,” I offered.
She handed me her phone without a second thought.
“My dad’s called four times, too,” she said. “I think he’s lost and doesn’t know what to do with himself.”
I felt my belly clench.
“You should go see him after this,” I suggested.
She grimaced. “We’re going to the funeral home and getting the funeral figured out. Once I’m done here, I’ll go pick him up, and we’ll head there. I’ll just have to try to skip out of the reception without Jubilee seeing.”
“I’ll help,” I suggested. “But you do know that she’s going to figure it out, correct? Maybe not today, but tomorrow. From what Zee has told me, she already told him that she wasn’t going to be leaving her business behind for weeks while they celebrated their honeymoon.”
She rolled her eyes. “I hadn’t planned on giving her a choice in that matter. I planned on not answering the phone and telling the other staff to screen her calls.”
The curl that I’d tucked behind her ear once again came free, and yet again, I couldn’t help myself. I tucked it back behind her ear, then pressed one fingertip lightly against her ear.
“Are you already finished with makeup and hair?” I asked.
She nodded and pointed to her feet. “All done but my shoes and slipping on my dress.”
It was a light purple sheath dress that would hug her every curve like a glove.
Oh, God.
That was going to be bad, seeing her in that.
“Do you need help?” I teased.
She slapped the back of her hand against my belly and scoffed.
“I think I can manage.” She paused, her eyes meeting mine. “Thank you, Castiel.”
And her words weren’t because of my offer, I knew, but because of my help over the last night. Because I stayed with her and made sure that she was okay.
“Anytime,” I murmured. “You need me, I’m there.”
Her eyes went soft, and her hands went to my lapel where she smoothed out the shirt that was driving me insane.
“You look good,” she whispered.
Then she walked away, leaving heated imprints of where her hands had once been.
***
I watched her throughout the wedding.
Watched her walk down the aisle with a fake smile on her face. Watched her hold Jubilee’s bouquet and grin like her heart wasn’t broken in two. Watched her take photos with the wedding party.
And watched her face fall into a lost expression each time the camera wasn’t on her.
I would’ve watched her throughout the entire photo process, but her phone rang, making me wish it hadn’t.
“Hello?” I answered quickly, walking away from the loud guests.
“You the man that called the Red Cross looking for me for my sister?” the man asked.
Bud.
Her brother.
“Yes,” I answered. “Castiel Hendrix.”
“She at the wedding?” he asked.
“Yes,” I confirmed. “She’s getting pictures taken with the wedding party right now, and I’m sure she’ll have time to break away for a few minutes in about ten or so. Do you know?”
