Dom turned away and began pacing again. “That’s different. People expect that from me. I trusted you.”
Jake shrugged and threw angry suggestions at his friend. “Maybe it’s time you stop trusting me. Maybe I can’t be responsible for saving your ass anymore. What if I am just as screwed up as you are?”
Anger left Dominic in a whoosh and a ridiculous smile spread across his face. “You love her,” he said with a smirk.
Jake took a step back and denied it. “No, I don’t.”
Dominic advanced, his smile only growing wider as he counted off his observations on his fingers. “She’s crying. You’re miserable. Maddy is right; this is working.” Dominic folded his arms across his chest benevolently. “I forgive you because I know what it’s like to want a woman so badly that you are willing to risk everything.” His expression turned serious and he said, “You know you have to marry her, though.”
Forget about a shotgun wedding, Dominic would probably use an armed military drone. Jake smiled at the thought. That slip earned an angry glare from Dom and a threat.
Dominic said, “Don’t make me tell Marie.”
Dominic straightened with rage. “You told her? What the hell were you thinking? I’m going to hope that it was because you realized the gravity of what you’ve done and wanted her advice on how to do the right thing.” He looked like he wanted to wrap his hands around Jake’s neck, but controlled himself, satisfying himself with a warning. “In case I’m not being clear enough-plan a wedding or plan a funeral. Your choice.”
Abby stuck her head through the door and called to Dominic. “Dom, the Andrades just pulled in. Are you ready?”
With one final glare, Dominic announced, “Yes, I think Jake and I understand each other now.”
And, for once, he agreed with Dominic. He shouldn’t have slept with his best friend’s future sister-in-law, but now that he had-marrying her was the only course that made sense. Lil would agree with him, once he explained it to her. For the sake of her child, she needed permanency and security. He could offer her that. He
As Lil sat at the outrageously long dining room table, she smoothed the material of the conservative green dress she’d chosen. The crisp lines and modest neckline boosted her confidence. Tonight was not about her and Jake, nor was it about the emotional baggage Lil had packed for the trip – it was about her sister and celebrating her finding love. Green was a peaceful color, one that could blend in and stay out of trouble.
Dominic and Abby were seated at one end of the table, happily absorbed in a private conversation. Dominic’s sister, Nicole and her fiance, Stephan, were seated next to Abby. Lil spared a moment to envy how Nicole always looked like she belonged on the cover of Vogue.
Lil was surprised to see that Stephan had brought his parents, his aunt and uncle, and if Lil was correct-even one of his cousins and her French husband. Abby had said that she and Dominic had been spending time with the Andrades lately, but Lil hadn’t realized that they had gotten this close.
Dominic’s personal assistant, Mrs. Duhamel, smiled at Lil from directly across the table. Lil tried to return the smile, gave up and looked down at her plate instead. One of the most powerful women in China, billionairess Zhang Yajun, sat at Lil’s left. Normally, Lil would have bombarded her with questions about what her life was like, but tonight Lil was determined to hold her tongue and quietly blend into this collection of some of the world’s richest people.
If you don’t say anything, you can’t say anything wrong.
Jake took the seat to her right and touched her arm to gain her attention. He kept his voice at an intimate volume. “Lil, we need to talk.”
“No, we don’t,” she hissed back in somewhat of a whisper.
Dominic stood and the table fell silent. “Thank you all for coming tonight.” He took a moment to smile at each person at the table then he reached down, took Abby by the hand, and encouraged her to stand beside him. With one arm around her waist, he said, “If anyone had told me a couple months ago that you would all be gathered to celebrate the formal announcement of our engagement, I would have thought they were crazy. But here we are and I am honored to call you friends.”
Approval was expressed in a variety of voices and languages.
Abby clasped her hands in front of her, the only indication that she wasn’t entirely comfortable speaking before the group. “Helping Nicole go through her father’s things, inspired me to take a second look at old photo albums and what little still remains of my own parents things. I found a poem that my mother wrote when we were children. It seemed appropriate to read in honor of how our family has extended in the most wonderful ways.”
She took out a folded and faded piece of paper and started to read:
Lil’s eyes welled at the wisdom of the mother she still missed, even as rogue thoughts plagued her. How did real love feel toward a little accidental water contamination? That was the question she needed answered.
Dominic hugged Abby to his side and the table was oddly quiet for a moment. Nicole turned and said something softly to her fiance. Stephan smiled down at her and nodded.
Nicole addressed her brother. “Dom, invite her for tomorrow. I’ll be fine.”
There was a wave of happy gasps from those around her.
Dominic asked, “Are you sure, Nicole?”
His sister considered it for a moment then nodded with a teary smile. “I want the fountain.” Stephan hugged her and whispered something into her ear that made her blush.
Abby leaned down and hugged her future sister-in-law, and then said, “I promise to keep this short so we can eat, but when we make the formal announcement of our engagement tomorrow the house will be full. I wanted to ask something in the privacy of the ones we’re closest to.” She looked around the table and said, “Nicole, Maddy, Zhang, – I’d like for you to be my bridesmaids. You don’t have to answer now, I just wanted to tell you that nothing would mean more to me than having you up there when I marry Dominic. It’s happening in three weeks, so you’d be committing to a bit of a whirlwind wedding, but Dominic assures me it can be done.”
Nicole and Maddy left their seats to hug Abby.
Lil noticed that Zhang’s expression remained carefully polite. She neither accepted nor declined the request.
Abby walked over to where Lil was sitting and asked, “Lil, will you be my maid of honor?”
The room spun behind her and Lil suddenly felt sick. She didn’t know anything about high-class weddings and assuming that type of responsibility sounded like a recipe for disaster. Lil shook her head with uncertainty. “I don’t know.”
Abby’s hurt expression tore at Lil, especially when her sister pleaded, “You’re my sister, Lil. I love you. Say you’ll stand beside me that day.”
