Page 66 of The Wedding Deal
The waiters cleared away their dinner plates, and Charlotte relaxed farther into her seat and observed the Quaids as they continued their lighthearted laughing and talking. As she soaked in the happy buzz of it, she reached over and rubbed Lance’s back. He had a toast to give in a few minutes, and she’d seen him glancing through note cards under the table.
“You’ll do great,” she whispered, and he curled his hand around her knee.
When he’d first confronted her about the reporter, she’d wanted to slam that plate of food over his head. But then he’d apologized and told her he needed her, and while she knew he’d been joking about the desert island, he’d said maybe oncewewin a Super Bowl. He’d included her in that long-term goal, which made her think they were on the same page—that he was falling for her, too, even if it wasn’t quite as fast.
As long as he’s working and trying, it’s okay if it takes him a while to love me.
This trip had gone so differently than she’d imagined.
For one, she never would’ve dared to imagine a guy like Lance could ever fall for a girl like her. Maybe she should pinch herself to make sure it was real, but if it was a dream, it was one she never wanted to wake up from.
“Here goes nothing,” Lance said, and before he stood, he dropped a quick kiss on her lips.
Then he stepped up to the microphone stand that’d been set up to the right of Mitch and Stacy’s table.
Charlotte held her breath while trying not to let show she was nervous for him.
His speech started with memories of playing football with his brother and how Mitch had always been the best at knowing which plays to make. Which risks were worth it.
“Some people might say marriage is the biggest risk of all,” Lance said into the microphone, his words echoing across the space.
Careful. No one wants a best man toast that’s anti-marriage. Especially the woman dating the best man.
“But Mitch has never been scared of taking a risk. And while asking out Stacy might’ve been a risk—because look at her, she’s clearly out of his league…”
Sniggers went around the room.
“—Marrying her, though, was a sure bet. These two scored big when they fell in love, and I’m so happy for my brother, and happy to have Stacy joining our family. We’re loud and opinionated and get all worked up over football, even if it’s a friendly game on the beach, but she fits right in. More than that, you two have shown me the beauty of having someone who balances and calms you and makes your life better.” Lance lifted his champagne flute. “To your life together.”
Everyone raised their glass and drank.
Good job, babe.
Maribelle clasped her hands over her heart. “I’ve never seen him so happy.”
“He does look really happy,” Charlotte said. “Stacy, too. They’re a lovely couple.”
“They are, but I wasn’t talking about Mitch.” Maribelle leaned closer. “I was talking about Lance. That speech wasn’t just fancy words. He meant it, and the reason he meant it is because of you. Trust me”—she reached out and took Charlotte’s hand—“a mother can see it.”
Everyone at the table was beaming at her, from Maribelle to Chuck to Taylor to… Well, Aaron and Austin had saved their table knives and were sword fighting. The Quaids had accepted her so easily, and a deeper yearning went through her as Maribelle squeezed her hand.
“Uh-oh,” Lance said, surveying them as he returned to the table. “This looks like trouble.”
“Don’t worry,” Maribelle said, giving him a big grin. “We were only talking about you.”
Lance settled back into the open chair on Charlotte’s right. “I repeat my ‘uh-oh.’”
“I’ve decided Charlotte is a good luck charm,” Chuck said, busting into the conversation because he clearly didn’t realize there’d been a different one sorta going on. “Now that you two are dating, it’s changed up the bad juju to good juju, and the Mustangs are going to start winning games. Mark my words.”
“Do we need to seal that prediction with a secret handshake or something?” Charlotte asked. “Because I’ll do just about anything.” She leaned over Maribelle to address Chuck. “We should gather up all the candles after the reception and do some kind of cleansing ritual just to be safe.”
“You two.” Maribelletsked. “Charlotte, really, you’re supposed to be on my side. I’ve told him that superstitious stuff is nothing more than mumbo jumbo for years.”
“Now she’s said that, we’re gonnahaveto do a cleansing,” Lance added, and the three of them laughed while Maribelle shook her head and gave them exasperated yet affectionate looks.
“I’m not sure who taught you manners. Lord knows I tried, but clearly they didn’t take very well.”
“Not true,” Charlotte said. “When Lance kept opening my doors for me, even though I insisted he didn’t need to because we were colleagues and he wouldn’t do the same if I was a man, he informed me his Southern mother would skin him alive if he didn’t.”
