Page 17 of One Wild Wedding Weekend

“No.” Suddenly this wedding day sounded a lot less fun.

“Get some sleep,” John said. “You look like hell, and brunch is in a couple of hours.”

With that, John walked off down the hall, leaving Tristan to wonder how he had fumbled this weekend so badly.

Four

Daley had never experienced an alcohol-induced hangover in her life. But sleep deprivation? That was another story. When Tristan left earlier, she had set her alarm and immediately been unconscious. Now, it was nine forty-five. Brunch started at ten thirty. And she was a mess.

With her head pounding and her stomach churning, she downed a couple of painkillers and headed for the shower. Blow-drying her hair took precious minutes, but she wanted to look her best. For Tabby. For Daley’s role as maid of honor. And, if she were honest, for Tristan.

It was going to be a long day, so she had opted for comfort with this morning’s outfit. The crisp white cotton sundress embroidered with tiny yellow sunflowers made her look far perkier than she felt. Yellow flats completed the outfit. She left her hair loose and clipped it behind each ear with two gold clasps. Her new necklace was the final touch.

She made it to the hotel dining room with ten minutes to spare.

The wedding party was trickling in. John spotted her first. He made a beeline in her direction with an odd look on his face.

Daley hugged him. “Happy wedding day.”

“Thanks.” He looked behind him, saw Tabby occupied with the hotel caterer and lowered his voice. “Please don’t tell your sister about last night.”

“Last night?” Daley’s face went hot.

“You and my brother,” he said impatiently.

“He told you?” Daley was horrified.

“No, of course not. We ran into each other this morning in the hallway. I put two and two together.”

“Since when is my private life relevant to your wedding day?” Daley asked, feeling indignant and embarrassed and everything in between.

John gave her a look. “You’re not that clueless. Tabby wants you to be as happy as she is. Flirting with any one of the groomsmen would be fine, but not hooking up with Tristan.”

“And why is that? I thought you loved your brother.”

“I do. But Tabby knows Tristan’s track record with relationships. If she finds out you started something this weekend, I’ll never hear the end of it. She loves Tristan, too, but she’s under no illusions about his desirability as a mate.”

“You know she and I share everything.”

“Then tell her when we get back.”

Fortunately for Daley, someone else demanded John’s attention, and the uncomfortable interlude came to an end.

John had nothing to worry about. This was Tabby’s day. She was the bride. Daley would do everything in her power to make sure nothing went wrong.

The brunch buffet was outstanding. An omelet bar. French toast and blueberry pancakes. Bacon, sausage and ham. More fresh fruit. And a chocolate fountain with pound cake squares and huge strawberries to dip.

Daley chose to sit with the bridesmaids again. This time, Tristan didn’t join her. Had he also received a lecture from John? Possibly. Her lover from last night had barely glanced in her direction since he walked into the room.

Toward the end of the meal, Tabby stood and tapped a spoon to her glass. “I hope you all enjoyed your meal. Please remember we’re meeting the photographer beside the pool at three sharp. All the pictures will be taken this afternoon. John and I want to enjoy dinner and dancing without waiting after the ceremony. You have a couple hours to relax. The pool is open. There are walking trails. Cornhole. Horseshoes. Outdoor hot tub. Or you can hide out in your room and watch TV. Take your pick.”

It was straight-up noon as the group began to disperse. Daley made a beeline for her sister. “Do you need anything, sweetie?”

Tabby smiled. “Nope. Everything is going smoothly. John will meet the florist. Other than that, we’re all set.”

“Are you going to take a nap?”

“I thought about it. But we have a super long flight tomorrow, so I can sleep on the plane.”

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