living covenant 03 - eternal covenant (7 page)

Actually, that sounded like a smart move. “You know best,” I said, smirking as I exchanged a look with Paris. “Other than the food, we’re good on everything else, right?”

“Of course not,” Pemberley replied. “You really screwed the pooch on this wedding, missy. Your mother has most of it sorted out, but there are a few things we have to discuss before the big day.”

“I can’t wait,” I deadpanned.

“Now, Zoe, this is the most important day of our lives,” Aric said, feigning seriousness. “You should put in a little effort.”

“I hate you,” I muttered.

“I have a lot to talk over with you, too, stud,” Pemberley said, winking at Aric. “We’ll have to spend oodles of time together.”

I swallowed my laugh as I mimed bending over at the waist and guffawing when Pemberley wasn’t looking. Aric waited until Pemberley shifted his attention back in my direction to shoot me the finger.

“This wedding will be really classy if this keeps up,” Kelsey said.

Pemberley ignored her. “Tell me about the bridesmaids’ dresses.”

I pointed at Kelsey and Paris. “They picked them out.”

“Oh, yeah, they’re really cool,” Kelsey said. “We went to a store together and picked out two dresses from the same designer in the same colors. We went with black. I hope that’s okay. We wanted something that we could wear again.”

“That sounds fine to me,” I offered.

“That sounds horrible to me,” Pemberley said. “Who wears black to a wedding?”

I pointed at Aric. “His tux is black.”

“He’s the groom,” Pemberley argued. “He’s supposed to wear black. Women don’t wear black at weddings. It’s just not done.”

“But … .”

“No,” Pemberley said, shaking his head. “We’re going to get someone else in here to fit these two with proper dresses. We talked about it yesterday. I thought you would’ve told your friends before I got here.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You can’t boss me around on everything.”

“Take that up with your mother,” Pemberley shot back. “I … huh. No one told me you two had a dog.”

I stilled, frustrated and confused. “What? We don’t have a dog.”

“Where did that animal come from then?” Pemberley asked, pointing toward the far end of the yard.

Aric was instantly on alert, a low growl emanating from his chest as he looked the approaching animal up and down.

“That looks like a wolf,” Pemberley said, his voice going shrill. “It’s probably rabid. Everyone run for your lives!”

Only Pemberley ran, the rest of us remaining rooted to our spots as the lone wolf approached. He was smallish for a wolf, which meant he was bitten and not bred. Born wolves grow to be humongous. Aric was a terrifying sight in his wolf form. The wolf bared his teeth as he stalked up the slight incline of our back yard.

“Aric … .”

“Wait, Zoe,” Aric ordered, frowning at the sound of Pemberley tripping over his own feet as he scampered toward the stairs that led to the deck. “Don’t kill him in front of Pemberley.”

The wolf obviously understood what Aric said because he slowed his approach, his eyes darting left and right as he considered his next option.

“Can’t I just … I don’t know … singe his tail?” I asked.

Aric rolled his neck until it cracked. “Okay,” he said. “This might be a good exercise in control. Try really hard not to fry him, okay? That will be impossible to explain to Pemberley.”

“I’ve got it under control,” I said, knitting my eyebrows as I concentrated. I wasn’t great at controlling my powers, and the new ones I acquired a few months earlier made things more difficult. A hint of power licked at the corners of my mind so I mentally grabbed it and tossed it outward.

Sadly, the power burst didn’t land exactly where I wanted. Instead of setting the wolf’s tail on fire the bolt of orange fire slammed into the animal’s head, causing him to howl and stagger.

“Holy crap,” Kelsey said, breathing hard. “I … wow. That was pretty good.”

“You were aiming for his tail, weren’t you?” Aric asked.

I nodded. “I’m not sure what happened.”

“Try it again,” Aric prodded. “Really concentrate this time. Tune everyone else out.” He was trying to make his voice even and soothing, but it had the opposite effect. He was talking to me as if I was a child.

The wolf must have realized what we were planning because the moment he regained his senses he turned and ran into the woods, making a pathetic yipping noise as he disappeared.

“Man! I didn’t even get a chance to practice,” I complained.

“That was still good,” Aric said. “You didn’t burn anything down and there are no bodies to get rid of. Everything is perfectly fine. We don’t have to explain a thing.”

The relief I felt at Aric’s words lasted exactly thirty seconds until Pemberley appeared at the deck railing with Helen and my mother.

“It was a huge wolf,” Pemberley said. “It walked right up to them like it knew them. I swear I’m not making it up.”

“Well, we might have one thing to explain,” Aric conceded. “Crap.”

“Things could be worse,” I said. “He could’ve jumped into your arms and expected you to carry him away.”

“You’re on my last nerve, Zoe.”

“Consider it a wedding gift.”

7

Seven

^“
Where did the wolf go?” Pemberley was beside himself as he scanned the yard. “Did it bite anyone? Do you feel the need to froth at the mouth?”

“And people say I’m dramatic,” I muttered, earning snickers from Kelsey and Paris.

“You are dramatic,” Aric said. “You’re just not … that dramatic.” He purposely kept his voice low as he risked a glance over his shoulder again. “Everyone needs to go with a stray dog story. Say we scared it away, but leave out the magical part.”

“Oh, wow, I never would’ve figured that out on my own,” Kelsey deadpanned.

Aric flicked the spot between her eyebrows and shot her a warning look. “This is serious,” he said. “Zoe needs to be kept hidden when at all possible. Pemberley looks like the kind of guy who never met a secret he didn’t want to spill.”

“I’ve got it,” Kelsey said, jerking away from him and ruefully rubbing the tender bit of skin above her nose. “I kept Zoe’s secret for a long time – including some of the time when you were gone.”

Aric frowned. He hated being reminded of our year apart. “I know that,” he said. “You should know that I won’t risk her for anything, though. Just … it was a stray dog. Everyone got it?”

“We’re not idiots,” Paris said. “We’ve got it.”

“We’ll see,” Aric muttered, grabbing my hand and dragging me back toward the house. “Don’t worry about it,” he called out. “It was just a dog. I think it belongs to our neighbors down the way. It got scared and took off.”

Helen and Mom didn’t believe Aric for a second, but they wisely kept their worry – and questions – to themselves for the time being.

“I hope the poor thing finds his way home,” Helen said. “I hate it when people don’t take care of their animals.”

“I hate it, too,” Aric said, pushing me up the stairs. “It’s fine, though. No one was bitten.”

Pemberley didn’t look convinced when we joined him on the deck. “That was not a dog,” he huffed. “That was a wolf.”

“It was a dog,” Aric said, keeping his temper in check. “Not all dogs are tiny and can be carried around in purses. This was just a big dog, plain and simple.”

“Are you insinuating that I carry a little dog around in a purse?” Pemberley asked, narrowing his eyes. “That’s very judgmental.”

“I’m sorry,” Aric said, his face slackening. “I … .” Aric doesn’t go out of his way to hurt people’s feelings – that’s my job – so I knew he felt bad about embracing a stereotype.

“My chihuahua happens to be big for her size and she has a leather carrying case, not a purse,” Pemberley said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Princess Diana is not a stereotype.”

I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing as Aric glanced at me for help.

“I’m sorry,” Aric said finally. “That was a horrible thing to say. I guess I’m still … worked up … about the stray dog.”

“I understand that,” Pemberley said, instantly forgiving Aric. I had a feeling Aric’s muscles and chiseled good looks had something to do with that. “Let’s go inside. The food is here and I’m dying to put something in that handsome mouth of yours.”

Aric took an involuntary step back, slamming into me as he looked for the closest exit.

“Don’t even think about it,” I warned, swallowing the gales of hysterical laughter that threatened to escape. “This is our wedding and we have to pick this stuff out together.”

“I think I’m going to find my father and your father and take them golfing,” Aric said, his tone even as his eyes darted in eight different directions. “I trust you to make food decisions.”

“I will place a moratorium on sex if you abandon me,” I threatened.

For a moment Aric looked as if that was something he was willing to accept in order to guarantee his escape.

“Aric,” I hissed. “You can’t leave me here to do this without you.” I locked gazes with Pemberley as he stood next to the sliding glass doors. “I will do something awful to you if you leave me.”

“You heard him,” Aric argued. “He wants to put something in my mouth.”

“I don’t think it’s what you think it is.”

“Really?” Aric cocked a dubious eyebrow. “Are you saying that man does not have a crush on me?”

“Someone is feeling pretty good about himself,” I said, licking my lips. “You have to stay. Your mother is half of the reason everything is getting away from us. If you leave me here … .”

“No sex, I’ve got it,” Aric muttered. “Have you considered maybe we should go on an abstinence kick so the wedding night will be really great?”

I narrowed my eyes. “No. Have you considered that I need you to stay with me?”

Aric shifted from one foot to the other, his eyes serious as they scanned the assembled faces. “Why do you need me? Are you afraid of the wolf coming back?”

“Of course not,” I scoffed. “I can handle a wolf. I can handle ten wolves. I cannot handle two mothers, though. We both know I can’t handle one.”

“Zoe, I don’t want Pemberley to put something in my mouth,” Aric whined. “If you make me do this, I’m going to be really upset.”

“If you don’t do this, I’m going to be really upset,” I countered. “We’re supposed to be doing things as a couple. That’s what marriage is about, right? If you abandon me you’re basically saying you’re not ready for marriage.”

“That is cheap and low,” Aric said, extending a finger and wagging it in my face. “You’ll say anything to get me to stay. Admit it.”

“I will admit it,” I said. “I need you to stay. I need you.”

Aric blew out a frustrated sigh and ran a hand through his hair. “You know exactly where to go to get me to do what you want,” he complained. “It’s beyond annoying.”

“I love you, too.”

“If he tries to stick something in my mouth … .”

I cut him off. “I’ll stick my foot up his ass,” I finished. “Will that make you happy?”

“There’s very little about this afternoon that’s going to make me happy,” Aric said. “Watching you beat Pemberley might do it, though.”

“I’m happy to be of assistance.”

“We’ll see if you’re still saying that tonight when I punish you,” Aric muttered, although he fell into step next to me. “If he touches me, I’m going to punch him and run.”

“That sounds fun, too.”

“OKAY,
this is a wonderful salmon dish,” Pemberley said, dishing the pink meat onto my plate. “This is simple yet classy.”

I wrinkled my nose. “I don’t like fish.”

“Your mothers told me that seafood was to be considered,” Pemberley instructed, waving the plate in my face. “Try it. You might find you like something new if you give it a chance.”

“I don’t like fish,” I repeated. “I love seafood – like crab legs, lobster, scallops and shrimp – but I hate fish. Let’s serve a shrimp dish and crab legs instead.”

Pemberley dropped his shoulders to signify his contempt for my suggestion. “Do you know how messy crab legs are, young lady?”

I mocked his stance. “Do you know how much I don’t care?”

Pemberley decided to change tactic. “Think about all of your guests in their very expensive dresses and tuxedos,” he said. “Now think about the buttery sauce you dip crab legs in and tell me how that’s going to end.”

“I think it’s going to end with people enjoying crab legs,” I said, my mouth watering at the mention of buttery sauce.

“Try the salmon,” Pemberley ordered.

I opened my mouth to tell him exactly where he could shove his salmon, but I didn’t get a chance because Aric picked that moment to grab a chunk of the fish from my plate and pop it in my mouth. I made a face as the flavor hit my tongue.

“Chew that up and swallow it,” Aric ordered, conveniently avoiding his own plate as he watched me chew. He’d stuck close to me since the tasting began, forcing me to remain at his side and using my body as a shield whenever Pemberley moved in our direction. “How does it taste?”

I swallowed the salmon and scorched Aric with the darkest look I could muster. “I want shrimp and crab legs.”

“She wants shrimp and crab legs,” Aric said, tossing his plate into the nearby trash can. “She doesn’t like salmon, and I can’t say I’m a big fan either. We want the crab legs and shrimp. If people don’t like it, they don’t have to eat it.”

“We can put those plastic bibs at every table so people can cover their clothing,” I suggested.

The exasperated look on Pemberley’s face was beyond humorous. “You want to dole out plastic bibs to your guests?”

“Yes.”

“Fine,” Pemberley said, rolling his eyes until they landed on Helen. “Are you okay with this?”

Helen shrugged. “It’s not as though everyone has to eat the crab legs,” she said. “We’ve already picked out one vegetarian entrée, one beef entrée and one chicken entrée. We have twenty different sides. I don’t see why we can’t add the crab legs and shrimp in place of the salmon if that makes Zoe happy.”

I know when I’m being played. Helen hadn’t agreed with me since she showed up. She was up to something.

“I guess we can give Zoe what she wants,” Pemberley said. “She is the bride, after all.”