Page 35 of My Silver Lining

“I’m happy for you, Lu. You went through your fair amount of drama with the last one, but this is going to be fairly easy,” he said, clasping his hands together and turning to Noemie. “Yes. Yes. Yes.”

“Yes?” she asked.

Lulu shrugged and reached for her champagne flute, so I did the same. We clinked them together, and I watched as she tipped her head back and drank the whole thing. I did the same. When we set our glasses down, they were both staring at us.

“Lulubelle, do you know that when Francois met your father for the first time, he told me that he was my forever? Did I ever tell you that?” Her mother dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief that Francois had just handed her.

“Yes. You’ve told me, and it’s very sweet.” It was clear that Lulu wasn’t fully on board with Francois and his predictions, but she was appeasing her mother.

“He never saw you and Bucket together. He saw flames and disaster and darkness,” Noemie said.

“Yes, Mother. I recall him telling Beckett and me that over a Christmas dinner once,” Lulu chuckled. “That went over like a whore in colonial times.”

Damn, she was cute. Funny and sexy and confident.

“He sees it. He sees it!” Noemie squealed, and Francois shook his head and clapped his hands together as he turned toward us.

“I do see it. Congratulations. I know you two don’t see it,” he said, quirking a brow as if he were in on something. “But you must trust me.”

“Of course, they don’t see years down the road. They’re young and in love, and it’s all new. But this is wonderful news.”

“My work is done.” Francois pushed to his feet. “You can stop worrying, Noemie. She’s in good hands. Rather large hands, if I do say so myself.” The older man winked at me, and I barked out a laugh.

Her mother pushed to her feet, as well.

“I’ll stop bothering you now. Let’s go enjoy the party,” Noemie said, as she hurried around and hugged me. “Welcome to the family, Rafe.”

“Mom, please stop,” Lulu groaned.

Noemie paused in front of her daughter. “I love you, my beautiful girl. We’ve been worried about you for a long time. About your choices. But you’ve figured it out professionally and personally. All I want is for you to be happy.”

Francois reached for my hand and held it between both of his. He pushed up and whispered in my ear. “You’re a lucky man. Don’t mess it up. She’s not as tough as she pretends she is.”

They both left the room, and Lulu pushed the door closed and leaned against it before bursting out in laughter.

“Damn. He hates most men. He told Charlotte she would be married twice,” she said.

“Well, after meeting her first husband, I don’t think that’s the worst news.”

“He announced it at the table at her rehearsal dinner.” Lulu was laughing now. “It was a whole thing. But she’s determined to prove him wrong. He then basically said that Beckett was the devil, and I should stay away from him. And now he embraces the guy who I’m not really dating. This is like a psychic’s worstnightmare. He’s completely wrong, which means, maybe I’m the one who healed the sick in colonial times.”

I barked out a laugh. “Listen, I wouldn’t have been hanging out with you in colonial times. I would have avoided your cousin like the plague.”

“Well, she was busy curing the sick back then.” She reapplied her lipstick. “Shall we go dazzle them?”

“I mean, we already have the dude who can see into our minds and souls on board; I think we’re going to crush it.”

She paused with her hand on the door handle. “Thanks for doing this. I’ll return the favor at the wedding next week.”

“I would have done it either way.” I shrugged, because it was the truth.

Her brows pinched together. “Why?”

“Because I get to stare at your boobs in that dress. Totally worth it.”

Her head tipped back in laughter as she placed her hands over each breast. “I never thought they were that powerful because they aren’t super large. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan. They’re perky, they don’t get in the way if I’m playing sports, and they look good in low-cut blouses, but you’re acting like they’re the best boobs you’ve ever seen.”

Her words went straight to my dick, and I closed my eyes and cleared my throat. “All right. No more talking about your perfect tits, or I’m going to be walking around with a boner all night.” I motioned her toward the door.

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