Page 17 of Kiss Me at Midnight
“Flabbergasters.” Grandma Dotty giggled.
“Cha-cha bingos.” Rachel chortled, nearly spilling her drink. “Before I had breast reduction surgery, I heard them all.” Her expression sobered.
“I always hated the way people judged you by your bra size,” Lily said softly, earning a grateful smile from Rachel, who may have reduced her cha-cha bingos, but still had no trouble filling out a bra.
“All right. All right. Enough.” Jud ordered a whiskey from the bartender. “If I sign on to play Titanium Talon another three seasons, I’ll ask for some costume changes.”
“Ask them to enlarge your cod piece while you’re at it.” Dotty went to sit next to Paulo.
“Idon’t need a larger anything.” Jud glared at them all.
Paulo raised his fist and said something that Lily translated to mean,“Work with God’s gifts, no matter how small.”
“What did he say?” Jud sipped his drink.
“He’s a fan,” Lily lied. She finished her champagne in one big gulp.
A middle-aged woman joined them. She had a pixie-cut, dyed hot pink, wore a brown pantsuit and an air of importance. “I’m Marta, the wedding coordinator.” She proceeded to go over their schedule. “We have wardrobe fittings and hairstyling this afternoon. We hope to dock in Norfolk tonight, which will allow jet skiing in the morning for anyone who wants to explore the bay.”
“Jet skiing. That’s on my bucket list,” Grandma Dotty chimed in, grinning from ear-to-ear. “Who’s gonna race me?”
“Challenge accepted.” Jud walked over and gave her a high five. And then he came to stand next to Lily in the middle of the room.
“She has to ride double with someone,” Lily said, feeling like the trip’s spoilsport.
“You can be my wingman, Lily.” Grandma Dotty didn’t miss a beat.
“Anyway…” Marta gave Lily a sideways look before continuing. “We’ll dock in Charleston tomorrow night and spend the morning taking care of wedding fixes I can’t handle.” She took in Lily’s appearance, reaching out to touch Lily’s hair. “Worst case, we call in a professional stylist when we get to Miami Beach.”
Lily contained an eye-roll. “My hair is long enough for an updo.”
“We’ll see,” Marta said in a dour voice.
“Makeovers. That sounds like fun. Can I be a bridesmaid, too?” Dotty aimed her genial smile at Rachel.
“Of course,” Rachel said with a laugh. “You can never have too many bridesmaids.”
“Hot dog!” Dotty turned that smile toward Lily. “Being a bridesmaid again is on my bucket list.”
“Is there anything not on her bucket list?” Jud murmured in a voice only Lily could hear.
“Nope.” With a wry smile, Lily raised her glass. “Here’s to bucket lists and sacrifices made for the greater good.”
Jud, Rachel, and Paulo raised their glasses.
Marta wasn’t interested in toasts. “We don’t have to be in Miami Beach until Thursday night, which allows us the option of either staying two nights in Charleston or stopping in another Florida port.”
“I prefer a flexible schedule.” Rachel ran a hand over Paulo’s chest, but her gaze was stuck on Jud.
Which upset Lily on too many levels, some of them in opposition to each other:Don’t look at Jud like that!And:Yes, choose Jud over Paulo and cancel the wedding!
A crew member hurried up the stairs carrying a plate with a sandwich. He was the same young man who’d helped with their luggage. “Your egg salad, ma’am.”
“Thank you.” Grandma Dotty accepted the plate and then glanced down at it. “Why is it so brown?”
“Chef made it with curry and fried apple shreds,” the young man explained.
“I’m a woman of simple tastes.” Grandma Dotty handed the plate back. “Tell the chef to try again.”
