Page 52

Mindy

My dress wasn’t formal enough. When Mom said formal, I was thinking a fancy cocktail dress, not a full-on gown with diamonds. But everyone else got the message loud and clear. It’s like we’re at a grand ball and not a rehearsal dinner.

“What did I get us into?” I lean over and whisper in Maddox’s ear.

“A family dinner, it appears.” He squeezes my hand.

If these two hundred people are just family, what is the actual wedding going to look like? You know what? I don’t want to know.

We’re seated at the head table next to my mom and her fiancé. His two brothers and their kids. Kids seems to be a very liberal term, because all three of them are adults in their thirties. The head of the table wasn’t reserved for the bride and groom. The head of the family sits there. Percival’s father, Filmore. These people really hated their children to give them names like that.

Filmore Linckester scares me, not in a Louisella kind of way, in a way that I want to hide under my bed with my blankie and pretend the world doesn’t exist.

Even his smile feels evil.

My mind must be playing tricks on me. It was all the oxygen deprivation from kissing Maddox for an hour instead of taking a nap or doing my hair like mom would have preferred…maybe.

“How did you like my new little toy, Maddox?” Percival’s son, Joseph, asks.

All the ‘kids’ are stunning men, long, lean, and yet muscular, with chiseled jaws and wicked smiles.

“It was efficient.”

“What?” Joseph sputters. “That is a thing of beauty. The accuracy alone took almost a year to perfect. But who cares about accuracy when you can just spray death? You need one-foot-thick steel to stop those bullets. There isn’t a vest anywhere that stands a chance.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure about that, cousin.” Valen, Percival’s nephew, lifts his wine glass.

All of them are twisted.

Filmore clears his throat, and the entire room goes silent. Not event silent, where you can sort of hear people talk with a microphone. No, this massive room is pin-drop quiet. Even the servers freeze where they are.

“Today, we prepare to welcome a new member to our family. Many years after losing his wife in death, my son Percival finally found a woman who will suit him for the rest of his days. Tomorrow is simply a formality since we’ve already welcomed her into our family and our hearts. She will forever be a Linckester.”

The room explodes in applause.

Weddings are notorious for platitudes that you mean at the moment, yet in reality are but a puff of smoke. This feels different. Final. Do these people not believe in divorce? If they don’t, they’re in for a rude awakening. Mom can’t handle being with the same man for much longer than six months or possibly a year if he’s especially accommodating.

Percival leans close to Mom and kisses her lightly on her lips. The perfect kiss not to ruin her lipstick.

Which was the complete opposite of what Maddox and I did earlier. I really didn’t mind having to reapply it or wiping remnants of it off Maddox’s soft lips.

Stop thinking about kissing him. You’re at a stuffy dinner.

“But not only did Percival bring us a lovely woman. But she brought with her a daughter and soon a son, who is a man of exceptional skills and talent. Not often does a man get to choose his son, as well as his wife. I am thrilled to welcome Maddox Locke into our family.”

What?

No!

Applause shatters my eardrums.

This can’t be.

We just kissed. We were fake dating up until just a little while ago…sort of. Maddox seems to think we’ve been doing it for real for a while now.

This can’t be happening.

Why would Filmore say something like that?

“Is something wrong, my dear? Why are you shaking your head like that?” Filmore asks.

I don’t even look in my mother’s direction. The anger radiating off her is enough. I don’t need to see my imminent demise in her eyes.

“Maddox and I aren’t engaged.”

“What? I heard it was a done deal.” Filmore turns his gaze to Percival, whose mouth opens and closes like a fish struggling for air.

“It is. But I haven’t proposed yet.”

What? My neck almost breaks as it swings so fast to stare at Maddox.

“We didn’t want to take away from this momentous occasion.” Maddox squeezes my hand.

This time, it feels like he’s trying to tell me to play along.

Why?

I plaster a demure smile on my face and blush prettily.

“How thoughtful of you. But you joining our family just enhances the joy. Doesn’t it, Percival?”

“Of course it does, Father.” Percival’s words are hollow.

“May the Linckester Family always grow in power and wealth.” Filmore’s last words make the crowd go wild with applause.

Why wasn’t happiness on that list?

This isn’t good.

***

“Why don’t Mindy and Maddox stand in for the bride and groom so they can see if any adjustments need to be made?” The coordinator directs Maddox to the front of the aisle next to Joseph, Valen, and Arnold.

Filmore moves to my side. “I will be walking you down the aisle.”

Shivers run down my spine. He means my mom. I’m her stand-in. There’s no way this creepy man would ever walk me down the aisle or even attend my wedding.

Not that Maddox and I are getting married.

Whatever this is, it’s not going to end in divorce. That would break my heart too much. We’ll have an amazing affair until his interest ‘peters’ out.

Though watching Maddox stand there at the end of the aisle under a canopy of twinkle lights and stars makes it easy to imagine what can’t be.

“Here, you need a veil and flowers.” The coordinator stuffs a small spray of cream roses in my hand and pokes a comb into my scalp, settling a veil around my face. “Perfect.”

The orchestra starts playing.

“You two will start walking in ten seconds.”

Filmore takes my hand and rests it on his arm. I fight the urge to cringe away. It’s not as bony as I would expect from a man his age.

“Go,” she whispers.

Slowly, we start down the candlelit pathway. My eyes lock with Maddox’s. Weddings, even rehearsals, do things to women’s minds. Because I could swear his eyes are filled with promise, hope, and…love. The world shrinks. Mom and the hundreds of people watching us disappear. In this moment, it’s about the man I love and the future that flowers and stars make me believe could happen. All too soon, but not fast enough. I come to a stop near Maddox. “Hello.”

That was a stupid thing to say.

“Hello, Beautiful.”

“On behalf of the Linckester family, I give this woman to you, forever joining you with our family.” Filmore’s formal words make me jump inside. He lifts the veil and kisses my cheek.

The urge to rub it off and bleach my skin makes no sense.

“Perfect.” The coordinator steps forward. “Now, Mindy, you hand your flowers to your maid of honor.”

The woman standing in for me holds out her hand.

“And Maddox, you take her hands in yours.”

The difference a touch makes. As much as I wanted to escape Filmore’s, I want to melt into Maddox’s even more.

“The ceremony will start. Then you two will read your vows and exchange rings. Getting the kiss right is absolutely essential.”

Mom arranged for us to ‘practice’ kissing. The urge to shout I told you so wars with the urge to blush and run away. I need to kiss Maddox in front of all these people. So that they can judge if it’s good enough.

The word ‘good’ isn’t the word I’d use for Maddox’s kisses.

But that doesn’t mean I want to kiss him in front of these strangers.

“First, let’s try a simple kiss. Maddox, you cup her cheek and place a gentle kiss on her lips.”

“Like this?” Maddox slides his fingers up my neck until he’s cupping my jaw, and then, oh so slowly, leans down until our lips touch.

It’s barely long enough to take a breath, but I lose mine.

“Yes. That’s sweet. But let’s try one with a bit more passion. Maybe lean her over your arm like you're dancing,” the coordinator might be saying the words, but my mother orchestrated them.

Passion. I can’t handle more passion. One second, I’m standing upright. The next, I’m leaning over Maddox’s arm, but somehow there’s no weight on my ribs. Or maybe it’s just that I can’t feel anything when my brain is lost in this man.

Maddox knows exactly what he’s doing to me. His smiling lips come down too slowly, so I reach up and help them.

Perfect.

The next second, I’m teetering on my feet like a drunk person. He looks completely unaffected. I should be irritated, but if one of us wasn’t with it, I would be on the ground.

“Maybe change the angle a bit so the camera can capture the special moment better.”

Not again. I can’t handle another kiss.

Maddox tips me over the other arm, and all the fight in me evaporates.

“Perfect.”

His smiling lips reach mine, and the world is perfect.

I want to rail at him when he sets me on my feet a moment later. But he’s smart enough to wrap an arm around me and pull me into his side for support. “You’re enjoying this way too much,” I whisper so that only he can hear.

“So are you.”

Evil sexy man.

“That will work. Now walk her down the aisle. Stopping at the end to kiss her again.

My mind is too lost at the thought of another kiss to even put up a pathetic protest. Mom won, but somehow it feels like I did too.