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Toast after toast rolled on though, and I tried my best not to roll my eyes. Yes, congrats to the happy couple, may they live happily after ever. Yes, yes. Gag me. Truth be told, Jude Calloway was too good for my mother, and sooner or later, he'd realize it. They'd all realize it once they saw the real Lydia DuBois.
Dominic, the best man, stood up to toast Jude and my mom. I looked him over and wondered if he was single, since Jude was off the market. He was around the same age as Jude with slightly longer jet-black hair and brown eyes. He was darker complected, almost as if he spent a lot of time in the sun, and as far as I could tell, he had a killer body underneath that designer suit he had on.
He caught my eye and winked, giving me a warm and sincere smile. Maybe there were a few good men left in the world.
“Let me tell you about Jude in college,” Dominic said, his smile stretching wide across his boyish face.
Where Jude was all sharp angles and chiseled features, Dominic looked more like the boy next door. Handsome and somewhat wholesome, though in a less conventional way.
Jude chuckled, “Please don't,” he said to uproarious laughter. “No one should have to relive my college days.”
“Oh, but everyone should hear about the time you and – what was her name again? Sally? Cindy?”
“Sandra,” Jude said, clearing his throat.
He shook his head, his blue eyes staring down at his place. I swear there was a hint of color in his cheeks. He looked for all the world like his best friend was about to embarrass him. Yet, he laughed along, taking it in stride.
“Sandra. Oh, right. How could I forget? I mean, she had a tight little –” Dominic covered his mouth, pretending to be shocked at himself for almost saying something wrong. “Anyway. Sandra was completely in love with Jude. Like overly in love with the guy. She was always following him around like a lost little puppy dog...”
I started to wonder if this story was going to be wedding appropriate. My mother cocked an eyebrow as she looked over at Jude, leaning in, likely asking him the same thing that I was thinking. I mean, the last thing you want to hear about on your wedding day are the sexual escapades of your brand-new husband. Jude just patted her arm and nodded, whispering something back to her.
“Anyway, long story short, Jude was not into Sandra. Like, at all. And there was absolutely no way to get her to leave him alone, she was just always there. He just couldn't shake her,” Dominic said and motioned to the to two groomsmen beside him. “Well, being the good friends that we were, Nathanial here, and Zane and I all came up with a plan.”
A devilish grin spread across Dominic's face. Nathanial laughed, running a hand through his reddish-brown hair, shaking his head and muttering to himself. He, like the others, was also pretty easy on the eyes. Zane remained stoic and serious, staring up at Dominic as if he didn't know how the story ended. Zane's eyes turned to me, and they were dark, sparkling – looking like black pearls against a darker face. His gaze washed over me and stole my breath.
How is it possible for a man to have so many hot friends? It should be illegal. Jude's side of the wedding party's table looked like it had been made up of Calvin Klein models. My mother's side, on the other hand, was filled by me and a bunch of cougars, all of them eyeing up the groomsmen like I was. Especially since that side of the table also had more combined wealth than some small European countries.
I missed most of Dominic's speech, but caught the very end. The punchline to it all, I guess.
“And Sandra left him alone from that day forward, assuming he was dating one of us. Not that I could blame her, I mean, we are a handsome bunch, aren't we?”
Dominic winked at me again as he started to wrap up his story, that boyish smile sending a flutter through my heart.
“Anyway,” he said. “The moral of this story, besides embarrassing the groom – which I hope I've done well enough – is that Lydia has nothing to worry about. Had he not loved you, and I mean one hundred percent loved you, he would have found a way to get out of this wedding. Which probably would have included one of us up here having to pretend to date him again. Thankfully, he fell in love with you though.”
Ouch. I knew it was a joke, but that sounded a little harsh. Still, I stifled a laugh, though inside of me, there was a pit of jealousy low in my belly.
“And he would have had his three best friends to help him. No matter what, Jude, we've got your back,” Dominic said. “I'm gonna miss the wild, raucous times though, man. I'm not gonna lie. But, I – and the rest of us – are happy that you're happy.”
The room exploded in applause and cheers as Dominic took a bow. My ears perked up though. Jude wasn't known as the Playboy type. Not too much at least. For the most part, he seemed to keep to himself. There was always a bit of a mystery about him. He didn't date, didn't party, there were no great scandals that rocked the tabloids. The idea that he and his friends had wild, raucous times intrigued me more than it should have.
I glanced over at Jude, and again, he caught me staring. Neither one of us looked away this time though. His gaze burned into me and felt like it set something on fire within me.
He had to know who I was. Even though we hadn't had a chance to talk yet, he had to know I was his new wife's daughter, right? Mom told him about me, hadn't she? I had to think she did because of the way he stared at me. There was a curious spark in his eyes, almost as if he was trying to figure me out. There was something in his eyes though, that was a little more than just curious. Something I couldn't quite put my finger on.
Of course, I was trying to read him too, so perhaps that was all it was.
As soon as the toasts were thankfully and mercifully over, and the traditional dances were out of the way, Talia rushed over to me and grabbed my hand.
“Come on, bestie!” she squealed. “First dance is with me.”
“Ugh, moving in this gown is going to be a pain in my ass,” I groaned, downing another glass of champagne before I hit the dance floor.
“I bet, it's pretty form fitting,” Talia said. “But you look hot, and with the number of gorgeous guys here tonight, I think it'll work in your favor.”
“Yeah, well, who knows if any of them are single,” I laughed.
My aunt, Janice, was already all over Dominic, her hand resting on his chest as she gazed into his eyes seductively. My mom's best friend – and Talia's mother – was talking to Zane, a flirtatious look upon her face.
