Page 122 of Chasing Lynda

Dodge shakes his head. “She’s definitely high. Have you seen her pupils? They were huge. I guess her last stint in rehab didn’t stick.”

I’m about to ask him for more details but my attention is required again by Patricia. “These are Louise and Ezra Kent.” Carter’s parents engage us in conversation about our wedding plans and it’s impossible to miss the tension in Carter’s shoulders as he keeps his eyes on his father the entire time.

At first I don’t understand why he’s so nervous but then I get it. Ezra Cullen is really touchy-feely; he seems to find every chance to touch me or Patricia when he talks to us while his eyes wander in perusal of every woman in the room.

Carter mentioned before that his father wasn’t a great role model for him, always absent and intent on chasing the woman of the moment.

I wish I could hug him and tell him that I don’t judge him for his family.

God knows my own father is no saint; at least Carter didn’t have to watch his father have sex with several women who had been drugged to make them “compliant,” I think shuddering at the memory of what seems another life.

When the Montgomerys walk away to “mingle” with some friends they haven’t seen in a while, I notice the expression on Zane’s face.

“His parents couldn’t make it,” Dodge informs me. “Zane’s dad is charge of acquisitions for my family company. He’s always away for business. His mom is probably on a ‘retreat’ somewhere. She’s been a yoga fanatic for the last year. Before it was tai-chi, before that capoeira; anything that will keep her away from home. Zane grew up more here than at his own place.”

I hug myself tighter to Dodge. “I’m sorry. None of us seems to have hit the jackpot when it comes to families.”

He nods. “That’s why we’re so tight. We’re our own family.”

I love the way he says “we,” including me in the family he chose. For a second I’m lost in the depths of his gray gaze, then his eyes drop down to my lips and his fingers caress my jaw.

“Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?”

I can’t help the smile; even with the high heels I’m wearing, Dodge towers over me by about nine inches, so I stand on the tips of my toes to offer him my lips to kiss.

“Ah, here are our lovebirds!” Patricia’s voice cuts in right before Dodge’s lips make contact with mine and he smiles with an eye roll at his mother’s enthusiasm. He wraps a strong arm around my waist and whispers into my ear, “You owe me a kiss, beautiful. Let’s humor Mom with her introductions, so she’ll quit cockblocking us.”

She introduces me to an older couple. The blonde woman looks familiar and my hunch is confirmed by Patricia. “Lynda, this is Lesley Southend and her husband George. George is Bridgeport County’s District Attorney. Lesley and George have been close friends of our family for decades and they live a few houses down the road. You’ve met their daughter Chrissie the other day.”

I shake Mrs. Southend’s hand, immediately uncomfortable with her tight smile. “Nice to meet you, Lynda, and congratulations. I hope you know what a great family you’re marrying into. Your parents must be delighted.”

I open my mouth at a loss on what I should say, but George Southend cuts in grudgingly. “Well your parents must be at the very least happy that you didn’t decide to elope with some gold digging, blue collar—” I follow his gaze when he turns to look over his shoulder.

“George! Not the time or place,” his wife scolds him.

Chrissie and Mitch are standing in a cluster with Arya and Skip; Callie is talking to them with her back to us but it’s impossible to miss her tall, statuesque body in the midnight blue dress she’s wearing. Her arms are linked with a tall, dark haired man in a black dinner jacket. That must be her billionaire boyfriend. I can’t see much more than his back from here but I immediately think that he must be nervous to meet the family, at least if I have to judge by his rigid posture.

“So, how did you and Dodge meet?” Chrissie’s mother asks, distracting me from checking out the cluster of people that seem deep in conversation.

I smile. “Dodge intervened to help me out of an uncomfortable situation.” I explain. “Some men on the beach, who wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

Lesley Southend gushes at my story, but her tone is fake and her smile doesn’t reach her eyes. “Aww, how sweet of Dodge! He’s never been able to resist a damsel in distress. Remember when you used to take care of Chrissie when she’d fall off her bike or her skates? I’ve always thought you two would end up together.”

Dodge’s tone is calm as he hugs me closer to his side. “We were just kids, Lesley. I’m always going to be grateful to your daughter for realizing before me that we weren’t meant to be together. Now I wouldn’t be standing here with the most beautiful woman in the world on my arm.”

Chrissie’s mother looks at Dodge through narrowed eyes, her lips twisted in obvious chagrin.

“We’ll talk to you later, Lesley. Now I’d like to dance with my fiancée.”

I dance in Dodge’s arms in the middle of the dance floor and I relax in his arms, letting him lead me around the room.

I sigh with my head on his shoulder. “This reminds me of the first night we ever danced together.”

He squeezes my hand in his. “Yeah, it’s been only six weeks and somehow it seems longer. All I know is that after you had grabbed and kissed me earlier that day on the beach, all I wanted was to kiss you again.”

I smile. “If I recall correctly, we did a lot more than kiss that night.”

Dodge chuckles, his warm breath making excited goosebumps rise on my neck. “I only had to fuck up my shoulder to get you into my room.”

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