Page 25 of Kiss Me at Midnight
“Stay focused.” Lily snapped her fingers multiple times the way Abe had the night before. “You want to know if what they feel for each other is real, don’t you?” She sounded less caring of Rachel’s feelings than she had this morning.
“Yes,” Jud said carefully, studying Lily’s delicately determined features for signs of stress. She’d spent the afternoon with Rachel, after all. That would beat the sympathy out of the most empathetic of souls.
“Good.” She nodded briskly and proceeded upstairs, giving away none of her feelings.
They didn’t talk the rest of the way to the dining room, which had four glass walls and was located behind the control bridge. Like the rest of the yacht, it was elegantly appointed except for those black metal light fixtures. They could see for miles in any direction, including forward if they looked through the glass dividing the dining room from the bridge.
Abe had finally decided to make an appearance, but his mood was as prickly as his spiky black hair. He fixed Jud and Lily with hard looks. “There’s still a wedding, I see.”
“Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Lily laid a hand on Abe’s arm. “Are you sure this is necessary?”
Abe swallowed thickly before answering. “Paulo is her rebound romance. Even I know you don’t marry your rebounder.”
A server uncorked a bottle of white wine. Another set a tray of hors d-oeuvres on a side table.
Dotty peered at her choices on the tray and sniffed. “Still no proper egg salad. Just sushi.”
“Our chef was impeccably trained in everything that matters,” Abe mansplained. “They don’t teach egg salad at culinary school.”
“They should.” Dotty sniffed again. “Food should please people, not chefs.”
Lily stood at the dining room table, a faraway look in her eyes. Jud moved to her side and took her hand. Lily stared down at their linked fingers and then lifted her gaze to his. A smile blossomed slowly on her face, a smile that Jud felt made everything about this trip better.
Just keep smiling at me, honey.
Rachel and Paulo entered, arm in arm, trailed by Marta, who looked like she’d eaten bad egg salad. Her eyes lit up when she saw Lily. He could almost swear she muttered,“Beautiful. I’m not sorry.”
“You can let the chef know we’re ready for dinner to begin,” Rachel said to the bartender, settling into a chair at the head of the table, leaving the rest of them to sort out seating arrangements–Paulo, Lily and Jud on one side; Abe, Dotty and Marta on the other.
The first course was brought in–avocado and asparagus salad with lemon dressing. The contents of Jud’s plate wouldn’t fill the palm of his hand. This was going to be a meal of small bites meant to be marveled over. He heaved a sigh as another porter poured everyone but Dotty a glass of white wine. Jud was in the mood for a beer.
Rachel didn’t waste time reflecting on the artistry of their meal or appreciating their wine choice. “Don’t you think Lily looks lovely tonight, Jud?”
“She does.” Jud gave all the women smiles, although Lily didn’t look pleased with his praise. “All our ladies look lovely.”
Paulo said something and kissed Rachel’s knuckles. For not speaking the language, the guy caught on to the nuances of conversation.
“Thanks are in order to Marta.” Lily gave the wedding planner a kind look across the table. “She’s made my grandmother and I look and feel like spoiled princesses.”
Marta actually blushed, tilting her head coyly as if unused to compliments.
“And now…” Lily raised her wine glass. “A toast to the happy couple.”
Abe scoffed and drained his wine glass, holding it up to request a refill. Rachel looked suspicious.
Lily kept the conversational ball rolling. “Rachel, how did you and Paulo meet?” She glanced up at Paulo and said something in Spanish, perhaps asking him the same question.
The big man glowed and began talking rapidly.
Rachel beamed at her fiancé. “I hope he’s telling you about the time he picked me out of a crowd at a dance club.”
Paulo and Lily grew silent.
Jud bet good money that wasn’t the memory Paulo had shared with Lily.
After a moment, Lily said something softly to Paulo that made him murmur something back and laugh.
Rachel wasn’t amused. Jealousy sparked in her hard blue eyes. “What are you two talking about?”
