He’d need the comfort after dancing with his sister’s mother-in-law.
Jamie clutched the front of her dress and tried to function. But her head was like a hunk of Swiss cheese. There were too many holes in her thoughts for any of them to make sense.
“Sorry, Caroline. I’ve been having trouble with the dress and it never occurred to me to get tape.”
“Turn around.” Caroline spun her and unzipped. “So how long have you been sleeping with my brother?”
Just when she thought she couldn’t get any more embarrassed. “Um…what makes you think we are?”
There was a loud ripping sound as Caroline pulled off a length of tape. Jamie glanced back over her shoulder. At least Caro was smiling. “Jams, he had his hand on your breast. I know you. You are not casual about your breasts. Any man touching them has been granted the key to the kingdom, so to speak.”
“Oh.” Good to know her friends understood her. She turned back around. “Well, actually it only happened once, a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to tell you, but wasn’t sure how you’d feel about it, and with the wedding and all, I didn’t want to stress you out.”
The dress was pooled around her waist, and she was feeling a bit ridiculous as Caroline held up the tape against her breast, measuring for width.
“You’re always so busy worrying about everyone else, sometimes I wish you’d worry about yourself.” Caroline tore the backing off the tape.
Jamie winced. “There’s nothing to worry about. I’m fine.”
“So why only once?” With the precision of a surgeon she cut the tape and stuck it to Jamie’s breast.
“Why what?” Jamie tried not to squirm. She knew why it hadn’t occurred to her to put tape on her chest. It was really uncomfortable and weird.
“Why did you only have sex with Jonathon once?” Caroline slapped the other piece on the left breast and grabbed the dress.
As Caroline tugged and adjusted and pressed so the tape would stick, Jamie tried to come up with a coherent response. “Because I’m not his type.”
That sounded ridiculous, even to her.
“Jamie, that’s ridiculous. If you’re not interested, that’s one thing. But if you are, you should go for it. Jonathon is clearly head over heels for you.”
“He said he’s in love with me,” Jamie whispered as she was spun around again for a rezip. She wanted so desperately to believe that, but it seemed too unbelievable, too fragile, too circumstantial. “That he’d get rid of his money for me.”
Caroline paused. “Really? He doesn’t throw words around lightly, you know. Jonathon worked his ass off for years to earn what he has. But if he said it, he means it.”
“What if it’s an impulse?” And why was she even protesting? She already knew what she was going to do.
“What if it’s really love?” Caroline asked, patting her shoulders and turning her back face forward. “You once told me your aunt didn’t close the door of her double-wide trailer on love. Maybe you shouldn’t either.”
It was easy to believe with Caroline standing there in her wedding gown, looking serene and beautiful. “Oh, Caro.” Tears rose in her eyes like the sap that she was. “You don’t mind that I’m involved with your brother? I wouldn’t hurt you for the world.”
Caroline wiped the tear that had slipped down her cheek. “Of course you wouldn’t, silly. And why would I mind two of my favorite people hooking up? I love both of you and I know you won’t hurt him, Jamie.” She squeezed her hands. “You wouldn’t hurt a fly. You’d let it swim in your soup if you thought it was happy there.”
Jamie gave a watery laugh. “Is he a privileged uptown fly or trapped in a cycle of poverty in the ghetto?” She reached out and gave Caroline a hug, watching both their heads so there wasn’t a hair entanglement. “Beckwith told me Jack is the one in my fortune, that he’s my destiny. I really, really want to believe him.”
It made her chest feel tight just thinking about it.
“This has nothing to do with Beckwith and his farfetched predictions. Just do what makes sense to you. Jonathon is a wonderful, intelligent man. You’re a smart, thoughtful woman. Why shouldn’t it work out?” She hooked her arm in Jamie’s and headed for the door. “Now let’s get back to the reception before my mother sends a SWAT team after me.”
“She would, wouldn’t she?”
“In a heartbeat.”
Jamie figured like mother, like daughter. Caroline had just managed to convince her that it was completely in Jamie’s best interest to have a relationship with Jack.
Jamie felt taken down by logic.
So she might as well enjoy it.
Except when Caroline stepped back into the hall, Jamie happened to glance left and nearly fainted. Beckwith was strolling down the hall in a hot-pink taffeta bridesmaid’s dress, floral bouquet and all.
Oh, good Lord. Jamie followed Caroline in half a step, then exclaimed, “Oh, shoot, I think my bracelet fell off. I’ll be right there, Caro.”
Then she ran as fast as she could in Beckwith’s direction, grabbing his hairy wrist and dragging him into the coatroom alcove. “What are you doing? You have got to leave!”
The last person in the world who would appreciate the presence of a cross-dresser was Mrs. Davidson.
“I’m wedding crashing because I had to talk to you. And I thought if I wore this I might blend in.”
Jamie thought maybe that would have been better accomplished by wearing a man’s suit, but clearly that hadn’t occurred to Beckwith.
“I don’t think it’s going to work. The bridesmaids are all wearing ice blue.”
“Well, poo-poo.” He pouted as he sniffed the bouquet of teacup roses.
“Did you need something, sweetie?” Because if he didn’t, he needed to get the hell out.
“I can’t take it, sugar. I’m just plagued with worry for your friend. Are you sure you can’t convince Caroline to throw over her husband?”
“Positive.”
“And you’re sure you can’t work things out with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Touch My Soul?”
Jamie bit her lip. “Well, maybe I can. I want to try. But dang, I’m scared.”
“Well, I don’t give a shit!” Beckwith vowed, flinging his arms and bouquet around. “I can’t live my own life because I’m so bombarded by images of you screwing up your fate. You have got to trust this guy, for my sake, Jams.”