Page 67 of Lush Curves

“Crystals and all,” Gabi said, as the makeup woman expertly lined her eyes. “Shine on, girl!”

Sarah shook her head, but accepted the tiara from Elise. She turned back to the mirror, lifted her hands, gently placed the gold and crystal piece of art on to her curls. She’d opted for a sleek, simple hair style to complement her streamlined dress, and she was now fiercely glad that she’d changed her mind about doing anything fussy or fancy. The casual elegance of her curls pulled back at the nape of her neck, then tumbling down her back in a warm auburn wave, was the perfect backdrop for the icy fire of the tiara.

“Sarah,” Naomi said, dumbstruck. “Oh, wow. You look fantastic.”

“Thank you,” Sarah whispered, fighting back the tears.

Elise saw, though, and she swung into save-the-bride mode easily; it was, after all, an unspoken-yet-understood part of her job description as a wedding gown designer, and owner of a wedding boutique.

“No crying!” she barked, and everyone jumped. “No redoing makeup! No do-overs!”

Everyone laughed at that, even Sarah, and the messy, sodden crisis was mercifully averted. The hair stylist stepped forward to fix the tiara in place, and make a few quick adjustments to Sarah’s hair. The other women drifted away, to get some orange juice or Champagne, to check their own makeup, to fiddle with their own hair or bridesmaid dress. Annie stayed with her daughter, though, twisting her matron-of-honor bouquet in her hands.

Sarah glanced over at her Mom. “You OK?”

“Of course I am, darling. You’re getting married in two hours. I can’t think the last time I was this happy.”

“Mmm-hmmm.” Sarah smiled at the stylist who nodded, then went over to Mirrie to fuss over her now. “Are you nervous about seeing him?”

Annie fell silent, not even pretending to not know who Sarah was talking about.

God,yes, of course she was nervous about seeing Sam… she was so nervous, she thought that she’d crawl out of her skin. But that didn’t mean that she wasbadnervous.

They’d been talking every night for the past two weeks, ever since Kathleen had left that note and walked out on her own flesh-and-blood without a damn backward glance. Their calls began after Sam had tucked Cindy into bed and she’d fallen asleep, and ended hours later – sometimes even in the wee hours of the morning.

They’d talked about everything and nothing: the beautiful spring weather; Sarah and Jax’s wedding; their days at the diner and the hospital; the upcoming election; Cindy’s babysitter who helped out when Sam was at work; Sam’s brother who’d stepped up in the biggest way possible, and who had been nothing less than an emotional rock for both Sam and his daughter.

Because they were struggling, both of them, strugglinghard. Sam’s struggles were challenging, but mostly had to do with juggling it all as a single Dad while getting to know this small person, with all her feelings and thoughts and needs. He had help, naturally, but still… at the end of the day, it was Sam who Cindy looked to for comfort, reassurance, safety, stability. For hugs and bedtime stories and gentle pats on her head as she nodded off to sleep.

For love.

That little girl needed her father, and the fact that Sam had been a stranger until a month earlier suddenly meant less than nothing to her.Hewas the one that she was counting on, depending on, leaning on, and Sam was determined to answer the call each and every time she made it. She reached for him often, needing him to hold her close as she cried or asked the same questions over and over –Where is Mommy? When is Mommy coming back? Can we call Mommy?– or sat silent and shaken when the realization hit her, yet again and like a ton of bricks, that she’d been left behind by her own mother. Cindy was terribly confused, and Sam had her in therapy twice a week, which was one more responsibility that he had, because she refused to let anyone but Sam or Vic take her to a session.

They were hurting, then, but they were game and fighting. They were a team now, Sam and Cindy, and Annie had listened as Sam had told her about both the triumphs and the mistakes. She’d encouraged him, she’d laughed with him, she’d cried with him, too.

At the end of every single call, even that very first one when Sam had been almost hysterical after coming back from the Road Devils clubhouse from meeting Jinx, they told each other,I love you.

But they hadn’t seen each other.

Sarah and Jax’s wedding was the first time that they’d lay eyes on each other since that horrible semi-confrontation at Annie’s house. It was time, though, time to touch, hug, talk in person.

To see if there was anything left to salvage and fight for.

“I’m nervous about seeing him,” Annie said to her daughter now. “But I also reallywantto see him, and Cindy too. I want to see how they are.”

“That poor little girl,” Sarah said, cold, hard anger in her voice. “Has Scars or any of his boys been able to track Kathleen down?”

“Yep. It wasn’t difficult. I guess a bunch of ex one-percenter bikers have their methods, right?”

“What?” Dumbfounded, Sarah stared at her mother. “So… Sam knows where she is?”

“He does. Scars’ guy, I think his name is Ice, even gave Sam her address. She left a paper trail a mile wide, is what Sam was told. Ice thinks she’s an idiot, but he said that idiots are way easier to find.”

“Where is she?”

“Back in Miami.”

“Are youkiddingme? She went back to where she just left?”

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