Page 109 of Lavender and Lightning

“Mom’s going to want you for pictures,” he whispers in my ear.

“Well, I want a lifetime supply of chocolate cake, but we don’t always get what we want, now do we?” I return, more bite in my voice than I’d intended.

Jason still chuckles before releasing me. He nods at Rhett, and the two pretend to introduce themselves again. It’s part of the act, planned in advance to throw off suspicion. I turn to continue down the line, but Rhett steps around me, shifting his escort to put himself between me and the receiving line.

“Have you seen the gardens, love? I can’t get over the way they’ve landscaped this place. Do you think we should send some pictures back to Lex, so we can try doing something like this at Bright Hills?”

Rhett points at something off to my right, and I look with a confused frown pulling at my mouth. I try to find what he’s talking about, inhaling sharply as he leans down so his mouth is next to my ear.

“Keep looking over there. Don’t look behind us. Good girl,” he purrs.

I can’t help the way my stomach flips, even as I realize what Rhett is doing. My skin goes cold, but I keep up the inane conversation about gardening, following Rhett’s lead as we slowly move forward. His steps falter for a moment, and I feel him shrug his shoulder back, but he doesn’t comment on it.

“Little Lydia!”

“Adam,” I say through a forced smile, turning at last to face him.

His square jaw is clean shaven, and his nose looks crooked, like it’s been broken since the last time I saw him, but otherwise, the only thing that’s changed about him is his muscle mass. I can feel the bulk of his arms as he leans down to hug me, even if it’s a loose embrace. I take in his familiar smokey amber and mint scent, pulling away quickly.

“You look great,” he comments, looking me up and down once before turning to Rhett.

“Thanks. This is my boyfriend, Rhett Cooper,” I say, slipping my hand back into the bend of his elbow.

Rhett and Adam shake hands, but it’s tense, the look in Adam’s eyes reading as confusion. He glances down the line for a moment, but chooses not to comment. We exchange a few shallow pleasantries, but the conversation ends when someone in a venue uniform walks behind him with a tray of drinks. He gives me a terse smile before turning to snag one.

“Charming,” Rhett mutters, and I have to hide my snort of laughter behind my hand.

“Oh em gee! Lydia, it’s really you!”

I turn at the squeal of delight, letting out a little ‘oof’ as I’m dragged into a tight hug. I take in the crisp apple and soft bamboo scent, smiling as I hug Ally back.

“Congrats, girlie! Everything was beautiful,” I gush, finally able to relax from my fake smile and forced cheer.

“Thank you so much! Where have you been? You just up and left, and your poor momma’s been worried sick,” Ally says, her twang deeper than the smooth Louisiana accent I’m used to from my family.

“I moved. But that’s not important. I have to ask about your flowers. I’m a florist, and I cannot believe how amazing the arrangements were.”

Ally goes on for a moment about the design of her bridal bouquet, and I try to keep an ear on the conversation, but a breeze from behind me sends a wave of scents from the crowd to my overly sensitive nose. I feel the sweat running down my back as a trace of tobacco hits me, but it’s gone before I can fully panic.

“But listen to me rattlin’ on. Who’s this handsome man you’ve got dangling off your arm?” Ally asks, looking Rhett up and down.

Sam disengages from the conversation he’d been in a moment before, turning his attention to us. I make the introductions again, still pleasantly surprised at how nice it feels to call Rhett my boyfriend in public.

“Lydia, I know this is a lot, but Mom’s going to kill me if I don’t say anything. We’re going to be getting some family pictures and it would mean a lot if you could—”

“Sam, I know. But I’m not really comfortable getting my picture taken right now,” I say, giving him a significant look.

It’s not lost on me that he knows Darren has seen covert photographs of me, and Sam has the decency to look a little bashful. Ally gives me an innocently confused look, taking my free hand.

“Is everything all right, hun? Sammy said something about you and—”

“Yeah, I’m good. I’m happy to support y’all, and if you want to get some candid photos later, I’d be more than happy. I’m just trying not to cause a fuss on your big day,” I say, lowering my voice and squeezing her hand.

She brings me in for another hug, and I wrap both of my arms around her this time.

“He was trouble from the jump, and I’m glad you’ve got someone at your back. Don’t worry about the pictures,” she whispers in my hair.

I let out a grateful exhale. Ally really is too good to be true, and she’s definitely too kind for someone as block-headed as my brother.

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