“I’m sorry.”
“Thanks.”
“Is Judith cool?”
“Yeah—no, she’s the worst. Which means I don’t see my dad much. Judith is the boss level of stepmoms, a real—cow.” I usually use a different c-word, but I don’t know him well enough to pull that bad boy out. “Josh never sees them either. It’s shitty actually.”
“Does she have kids of her own?”
“Oh yes.” I pause. “I have a stepsister who is the apple of her mother’s eye and can do no wrong. And Josh and I can do no right.” It’s too far and I’m ashamed I said it aloud.
“You’d think being a stepmom you would try to be the best, ya know? Not to encourage the stereotype Disney has promoted.” He says it nonchalantly and I burst out laughing, losing one accidental tear down the side of my cheek he can’t see. For the second time, he has surprised me with his wit, and I’m grateful for the save.
“Exactly.” I finish laughing and focus back on the starry night.
“And your brother is in LA?”
“Yeah, the famous Josh Snowdon.”
“The lead singer of Twin Peeks?” He turns his head again and stares at me.
“That’s him.”
“Jesus, any Nobel Prize winners to go with the famous Canadian-musician son and gold-medal-winning daughter?”
“Well, there’s one—” I laugh and he groans. “What about your family?” I ask, wanting desperately to change the subject since no one else is coming and I’ve laid myself out naked emotionally.
“You mean beyond what’s all over the internet and news?” He runs his hand through his hair. “My mom is a spoiled princess, daughter of a billionaire—”
“So like Sami?” I say before I remember Bev said he’s in love with Sami.
He flinches and nods painfully as if making that comparison in his head for the first time. “Yeah.” He swallows a lump in his throat and I couldn’t be a bigger ass.
“And your dad?”
“He’s not so bad. He was a regular guy when he met Mom. I want to think they loved each other when they met, but seeing them together now I’m curious if her family money motivated his affections.” He cringes. “That sounds terrible, doesn’t it? So, about that Nobel Prize winner in your family—?”
“That bad, huh?”
“I shouldn’t say that.” He wrinkles his nose. “They’re not all bad. My grandpa is a cantankerous old bastard, but I love him. Him and my cat, Simon.”
“Simon?” I try not to say it meanly. “That’s a weird name.”
“Yup.” He stares back at the stars but doesn’t explain so I turn to watch the twinkling night.
“Any brothers or sisters?”
“I do.” Again, he doesn’t include details so I don’t pry. “But my family doesn’t believe in divorce, regardless, so they’ve spared me the wicked stepfamily.”
I chuckle halfheartedly and leave it there.
Fortunately, we’re saved by the first shooting star flashing across the sky, bringing a gasp from my lips, as if I haven’t seen hundreds of them on North Vancouver Island. The second comes right after it, and before long we’re sitting under a streaming sky, a sight I’ve never experienced. “Oh my God, there are so many.”
“This is amazing.”
I turn my head and see the smile pasted on his face. Even his side profile shows he is lit up. And for half a minute, I forget he’s a gross hockey player who is six years younger than I am, at least, and enjoy the view as much as I’ve enjoyed his company.
He turns and I swear for a second the reflections of the shooting lights linger in his eyes.
He swallows hard.
My stomach knots.
His lips toy with a grin but it doesn’t win.
His eyes lower to my mouth and as much as I realize what’s about to happen, I can’t believe I’m in this moment.
Noise interrupts us and we’re saved by the company he promised.
“Jenny!” Bev rushes out onto the dock, her footsteps sounding like a herd of elephants. She lies on her back next to me on my small blanket, excited by the lights flying across the dark sky. “This is so crazy. I haven’t seen a shower this good since the night Mo Darling’s old nag got caught in the wire fence. You remember that, Eddie?” she asks him as he steps onto the dock, staring upward.
“Yup, never seen a man cry so hard over the death of a tired old horse.” His words are almost whispers that become lost in the noise of more people.
The long dock fills up quickly.
The sky is lit, the crowd is gasping, and the sight is something you see once in your whole life.
But I can’t stop seeing Lawrence Eckelston’s perfect, beautiful face staring back at mine. I wish we had kissed.
And I don’t know what to make of that.
But another night of him being cool and sweet and kind won’t be great for my self-control. Not since I’ve let my guard down, accidentally.
14 The wedding
Saturday, June 17
Lori
The wedding day is exactly as it should be.
Sami’s decorating crew has used enough decorations to make it appear as though we’re in a forest. But not just any forest, this one is filled with trees with high-reaching branches of white flowers and blossoms stretching and arching at the top, creating a path underneath. She had them brought in this morning on a jet. It reminds me of a movie set. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a movie set.
Even the bronze glowing chandeliers match the earthy, natural setting that combines with the long carpet of white petals to create the aisle. It must be from there that the scent of jasmine floats lightly to us.
Brady reaches over and squeezes my ass cheek, making a grin cross my lips but I don’t move. I know how many cameras there are and what’s expected of me. It’s been explained seven thousand times.
The music starts and the bridesmaids begin coming.
First, a cousin of Sami’s I didn’t like.
Then one of Sami’s aunts who squeezed my arm seductively and told me I reminded her of her favorite nephew. I still don’t understand why she’s a
