CHAPTER NINETEEN
Thanks to a week of eating salad and protein bars, I did wriggle into the red dress. Back when I bought it, I thought it was the prettiest thing I’d ever seen. Even five years later, it didn’t seem dated, mostly because it was a retro design; I still loved the sweetheart neckline, the slim straps so I didn’t have to worry about a special bra and the beaded silver band that cinched in my waist. Made of sexy red satin, the gown suited me, and the cocktail length showed off my cute red shoes with the dainty crisscross around my ankles.
I twirled, checking out my hair and makeup in the mirror on the back of my bedroom door. I’d put my hair up and pinned the curls in place with silver and crystal hairpins, adorned with lacquered red roses. Since this was basically everything I’d worn to the party that night, I hoped that I lived up to Rob’s memory. Certainly I had higher expectations of him than the date whose name I barely knew even then. When he rang the bell, I trotted carefully down the stairs to let him in.
“Wow,” Rob said.
“I’ll take that as a compliment. Let me get my wrap.” One of my casual, puffy jackets wouldn’t suit this outfit at all, so I had a silver pashmina. Fortunately, it was deep enough into spring that the nights weren’t bitter cold.
I couldn’t remember seeing him so dressed up before, but he looked incredible in the stark tones he’d chosen: black suit, white shirt, red tie. “You’re so handsome.”
“Thanks. Ready?”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
He set a hand on the small of my back to guide me to the truck, then he opened the door and lifted me in. For a few seconds, he stared at my mouth. “Am I allowed to kiss you?”
“Absolutely.” I lifted my silver evening bag. “I can redo my lipstick, if the package lied and it smears.”
Smiling, he bent down and kissed me lightly. “I won’t risk it. Where’s your mom?”
“Stuart picked her up earlier. They’re finalizing a few arrangements at the Grove.”
Rob closed the door, went around the truck and got in. “Do you know how many people will be there?”
“People from his work, hers, friends and family. I don’t think the private facilities will hold more than fifty guests, so it can’t be too big a party.”
That was the only thing keeping me calm. I didn’t have to worry about meeting new people; I just had to look happy for my mom—easy enough, even with my issues. Yet since I was facing the occasion sober, it was hard not to be a little nervous. Rob distracted me by speculating what kinds of tiny food would be on the menu, so I didn’t fret as much on the way there. Tonight, there was valet parking at the Grove, so he swapped his keys for a ticket and escorted me inside. A host in formal attire guided us from the front door to the back parlor; the doors were closed and a gilt framed sign proclaimed BARRETT-LEE ENGAGEMENT PARTY.
“Told you,” I whispered to Rob.
The guy opened the door for us, and my mom waved in excitement when she caught sight of me. “So glad you’re here. How does everything look?”
I took in the old-fashioned elegance of the patterned carpet, tables covered in white linen. A heavy crystal chandelier shone overhead, reflecting off the small dance floor. From the white roses to the flutes of champagne, the whole room was gorgeous and romantic. Even Stuart had risen to the occasion in a black tux, and he looked every bit as happy as my mom.
“It’s gorgeous, complete perfection,” I assured her.
“Thank God. There was a small snafu with the florist, but the roses look good, right?”
I nodded. Before I could say more, the other guests started arriving. Like Rob and me, people had certainly glammed up for the occasion, but in my admittedly biased opinion, we were the hottest couple here. For dinner, we sat with Stuart and his family; his dad stared at me until I could practically hear him thinking, Look, it’s bathrobe girl, but Rob took my hand, distracting me from what could’ve been a bad moment.
From then on, I focused on him, letting my mom chat with our soon-to-be relatives for both of us. The menu card in front of me promised green salad with vinaigrette, mushroom soup, roast chicken with rosemary potatoes and crème brûlée for dessert. We ate an hour after arrival, then the speeches started. A woman from my mom’s work was apparently her maid of honor, so she told some funny stories about Mom and Stuart, then his best man took over, warming up the crowd further with more jokes.
Once he finished, he glanced at Stuart’s brother, a guy I’d just met. “Time for the families to weigh in. You’re up, Randall.”
He pushed his chair out and strode to the mic, much more confident in his body language than Stuart. “When I found out my bro was getting married, I said, ‘Seriously?’ Because we’d all given up on the idea that he could find anyone to put up with him.”
Everyone laughed but I didn’t think it was too funny. From Stuart’s expression, he wasn’t superamused, either. His smile was stiff and frozen, and I wondered if he was like Rob—used to seeing himself as a disappointment. From what I recalled, he’d grown up in Illinois, so his family must be visiting for the party. Given how extravagant it was, they must’ve been planning it for months, maybe even before I came home. Pondering that, I stopped listening to Stuart’s brother.
So I was completely flummoxed when Randall said, “Now I’ll turn the floor over to Lauren, Miriam’s lovely daughter.”
Shit. You didn’t tell me I have to talk, Mom. I shot her a daggered look as I pushed back from the table. Rob shot to his feet as I stood, a gesture that prompted an approving smile from Stuart’s mother. I skirted the tables, heart hammering too fast. You can do this for her. You can. You’re the only family she has. Taking the mic, I felt sick to my stomach until I found Rob in the crowd. I’ll talk to him. Everyone else is invisible. My other hand curled into a fist, nails biting into my palms.
“I’m a little unprepared,” I said softly, trying to avoid feedback. “But it’s easy to see why my mom chose Stuart to share her life. She told me she practically fell in love the minute she heard him sing, and I can confirm that he’s really talented. He’s also kind, intelligent and hardworking. He’s such a sweet guy, and I’m glad to welcome him into our family.”
There, that’s long enough, right? Rob gave me a thumbs-up as if he could read my mind. I finally broke eye contact with him and glanced at Stuart, who was smiling much brighter now. “So does this mean I can borrow the car...Dad?”