Second Chance Girl
Page 62

“Damn you,” he growled. “Do you have to be a jerk?”
“I learned from the best.” He looked at their father. “At least I have that.”
Meaning what? That he wasn’t like the rest of them because Elaine wasn’t his mother? That there was no repairing what had been broken? That they were never going to be close again?
“I’m out,” Mathias said as he walked toward the door. He reached for the handle, then turned back and met Del’s gaze. “I’ll be at the wedding tomorrow. I promise.”
“I never doubted that,” his brother told him. “It’s okay. We’ll be fine.”
Mathias made his escape. As he walked to his car, he wondered if Del and Maya had already counted the hours until they got to escape to their honeymoon. He doubted they would be encouraging a family reunion anytime soon.
When he started his car, he thought about where he should go. Back to Carol’s made the most sense and yet...
He hesitated before heading into town. Work was safe, he told himself. If the glass cut him or burned him, he was at fault, not it. People were different. They couldn’t be trusted. People who were supposed to love you betrayed you. He’d always known that and nothing he’d experienced in the past few weeks had changed his mind.
* * *
CAROL TOLD HERSELF everything was going to be fine. The trick was believing it. Something had happened to Mathias at the family dinner the previous evening. Somewhere around ten he’d texted her and told her he was going to be working through the night and that he would see her at the wedding. All of which should have been fine, but wasn’t. Why hadn’t he come over? She wouldn’t have cared if it was four in the morning. She loved him and she wanted him in her bed.
It wasn’t just sex, she thought as she walked into the wedding venue and made her way to the bride’s room. It was about being close to him and knowing he was okay. Right now she wasn’t sure what was going on, but she knew in her gut something had happened. Something bad. The question was what it was and how it had affected Mathias.
She turned the corner and saw her sister walking toward her. Violet caught sight of her and started to run. Carol did the same and they met in a big hug.
“How are you?” Carol asked, her concern about Mathias pushed aside for a few minutes. “Are you happy? Excited? I hope so because I’m really excited for you. Have you decided when you’re flying to England? Have you told Dad? Have you told Mom? Did Ulrich ask Dad’s permission to marry you? Do I have to call you my lady? Is there a ring?”
Violet laughed, then hugged her again. “That’s a lot of questions.” She drew back and held out her left hand.
Carol gazed at the flower-shaped diamond setting. The style had an elegant, old-fashioned air and totally suited her sister.
“It’s beautiful,” Carol breathed. “Are you happy?”
“Over the moon,” her sister confessed. “I’m so excited. Ulrich is flying home tomorrow and I’ll join him in a couple of weeks. I talked to Mom this morning and she’s flying over to England next month. We’ve been to see Dad and yes, Ulrich asked if he could marry me. It was very sweet and Dad nearly cried. Uncle Ted so lost it.”
Carol grinned. “Did you take pictures?”
“Of our uncle sobbing? No. It seemed tacky.” She hugged Carol a third time. “Leaving you is the worst part. I love us living so close together and hanging out. You have to promise I’ll still be your favorite sister and that we’ll talk all the time and text and Skype and visit.” There was humor in her voice, but also worry.
“I promise. You will always be my favorite sister.” They walked toward the bride’s room. “I’ll help you pack and I have room for you to store your stuff until you can send for it all. What about your place?”
“I’m not ready to sell it. I think I’m going to lease out the shop and the loft above. Thursday night Silver mentioned she was looking for a small office and a new place to live, so we’re going to see if we can work something out. I’d love to rent to a friend.”
“Silver would be a great tenant.” For all her wild ways, she was a responsible business owner.
They knocked on the door to the bride’s room. A voice called out for them to enter. They found Elaine helping Maya with her dress, two older women Carol didn’t recognize and a whining Sophie with her leash tied to a chair. Her brown eyes begged for help as much as her howls of outrage.
“She was getting underfoot,” Elaine explained. “There’s just so much dress. I didn’t want her getting tangled or tearing lace.”
“She’s not taking it well,” Carol said, walking over to the dog. “Don’t worry. I’m happy to be the beagle wrangler. Violet, where’s her dress?”
“Right here.” Violet pulled the beagle outfit from her tote bag and passed it over.
Carol took it, then turned to the older ladies. “Hi. I’m Carol and this is my sister, Violet. We’re friends of the family.” Which wasn’t exactly true. They were more friends of three of the brothers and Carol was sleeping with Mathias, but none of that seemed like a good introduction.
“I’m Eddie and this is Gladys,” the shorter of the two white-haired women said. “We’re with the bride.”
“They’re my flower girls.” Maya smiled. “My best friend is ready to go into labor any second and couldn’t make the wedding, but I’ve known Eddie and Gladys for a long time, too. They’re my family.”
Eddie and Gladys exchanged a look. “I never thought we’d be family again,” Eddie said, her voice thick with emotion. “That’s very sweet, Maya. Now which of your future brothers-in-law are still single?”
“Mathias and Ronan,” Maya said with a laugh. She turned to Carol and Violet. “Watch those two. They are on the wild side and have a thing for younger men.”
Carol wanted to say that Mathias was taken, but the unexplained growing sense of foreboding had her playing along.
“Good luck, then,” she murmured.
Violet shot her a questioning glance. Carol ignored it and set her bag on the vanity, then dropped to her knees by Sophie.
“All right, pretty girl. Let’s get you wedding-ready.”
Violet joined her and together they got the wiggly dog into her bridesmaid dress. Carol had to admit Violet had done her usual stellar job, fitting the garment to the beagle’s muscular shape. The dress hung low enough under her belly to be dress-like but didn’t get in the way of her walking. Sparkly buttons decorated her back.
“You’re beautiful,” Carol told Sophie who thanked her with a quick lick.
Pallas walked into the bride’s room and took in the activity. “Maya, you are the most beautiful bride. Your photographer friend has finished with Del and his brothers, so it’s time for him to immortalize you.” She saw Carol and Violet with Sophie. “I see your canine attendant is ready to go, as well. Excellent. Sophie’s already met the dog sitter, so when the ceremony is over, she’ll go have her own private dog party.” She smiled at Eddie and Gladys. “You two are going to steal all the attention, but Maya swears she’s totally fine with that.”
“Del will only have eyes for his bride,” Gladys said with a sniff. “Maya, you’re lovely.”