Page 158 of Calamity Rayne Gets Hitched

“They should build another café.”

“Yeah, that’s just what Oregon needs.”

“This is real silver.” My mom remarked, lifting the cutlery and informally weighing it by balancing it between her fingers.

She was on sensory overload. Every time we passed a chandelier or a plant or a person wearing any sort of fashionable attire, she stopped and asked random strangers questions.

“Oh, where did you get that hat?”

“Do you know if the sconces are original from when the hotel was built?”

“What kind of plant is this? Is it poisonous to cats? Rayne, cut off a small leaf so I can take it home and propagate it.”

When I refused to hack into the hotel greenery she pouted. It was like walking with a toddler through a no-touch museum.

“Do you think this is tap water?”

“Mom, eat.” One more question and my head was going to explode.

“I think I’ll wash my hands.” She excused herself to visit the restroom and I watched her stop a bellman on the way. What on earth could she be asking him?

“You’re cranky,” Tyler commented.

“She acts like she’s never been in public before.”

“Yeah, I know. Her daughter acts the same way sometimes.”

I winced. “You’re right. I don’t know why I’m being so snippy with her.” It was as if my father’s behavior had made me overly self-conscious of my mother’s, which wasn’t fair to my mom.

He squeezed my hand. “It’s probably just jitters. Moms are easy targets.”

When we got back to the penthouse Hale and Elara had arrived. The welcome was awkward and tense, so I took Elara and carried her around like a shield. I also tried my best to get Tyler to stay, but he eventually had to go back to his room to unpack.

Hale watched me suspiciously, but I mirrored him like a flipped magnet, never letting him come within a few feet of me. While I was making emotional progress, I still felt overly fragile. Too much focus could break me in ways I really wanted to avoid.

“Andrew’s setting up Elara’s crib and changing table. Soon as he’s done she can go down for a nap. Then we need to talk.”

I didn’t want to talk. The wedding stuff was starting. Guests were arriving. We spent so much time and money arranging everything and, now, wedding week was finally here. I didn’t want my deadbeat father and his crappy behavior to touch any part of the precious moments Hale and I had spent so much time planning.

I realized then that my sadness had transformed into anger. I was furious with my dad but also irritated with myself for ever trying to involve him. More stuff to work through. But the last thing I wanted to do was talk about the man at the root of my aggravation.

Yesterday was over. It was time to move on. Time for fun, happy wedding stuff.

Pretending I didn’t hear him, I went about changing Elara’s diaper.

“I just did that, Rayne.”

“Well, she smells like she made a tinkie.” She didn’t smell. I was totally avoiding him. “I’m going to take her upstairs and clean her up.”

I didn’t have to see his face to know he watched me. My goal remained. I would avoid any and all confrontations that could wait until after the wedding.

Unfortunately, Hale wasn’t easily sidetracked and he followed us into the master bedroom. “Hard to change a diaper without a diaper bag.”

“I was just going to grab it.”

“Rayne.” He caught my arm as I tried to brush past him. “Are we okay?”

“Of course. We’re fine.”

---