Playing for Keeps (19 page)

Chloe shook her head. “You look like you belong on the cover of a magazine.”

Devon guided her to the platform and examined her from all angles. “I have to say that dress fits you remarkably well.”

The noise Nell made was a cross between a snort and a choke.

Chloe and I exchanged a bewildered look, but I was the one who spoke. “You okay, Nell?”

“Yeah… Except the fabric itches.” She slid a finger under the neckline and scratched.

“I’m sure it’ll be okay once it’s altered.” I looked at the seamstress for confirmation but she was busying pinning up the hem. “Why don’t I get you a glass of champagne?”

Chloe wordlessly handed me the whole bottle. Smart girl, but I wondered if one bottle would be enough.

Nell frowned at her reflection. “I don’t know. What do you think of the color?”

Was this a trick question? “It’s white.”

“I’m not sure it suits me.”

Chloe batted her lashes innocently. “A lot of women wear white even though they aren’t virgins. Though, you’re right, Nell, it really is a stretch for you.”

I smacked her shoulder and she hit me back. Obviously, she’d never learned that she was supposed to respect her elders.

“It’s not a good white for me,” Nell said, oblivious to Clo and me.

“White is white, Nell.” I poked my little sister one last time. “You’ve always looked good in it. White makes your skin glow and sets off your blonde beauty.”

She turned a little to look at herself from a different angle, unconscious of the glare of the seamstress at her feet. “It’s kind of a frost white though, isn’t it?”

“Frost white?”

“She’s right.” Chloe nodded. “I read about all the different shades of white in Cosmo last month.”

“Nell, you really look lovely,” I said firmly.

“You sure?”

“Of course. I’d never lie to you.”

“Except for the time she told you drinking coffee would stunt your growth.” Chloe tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Actually, she may have been right.”

I glared at the brat and reassured Nell. “You look beautiful.”

“Okay.”

Chloe and I both relaxed.

The next outburst happened five minutes later.

“It feels tight.” She squirmed. “I swear I can’t breathe.
Gracie
.”

The seamstress tucked in the bodice, shooting mental daggers at Nell.

Sighing, I set my glass down (after a quick sip for sustenance) and went to attend to my freak sister. “It doesn’t look tight, Nell.”

“It is. It’s cutting off my circulation. I can’t breathe.”

“You said that already.” I looked at what the seamstress marked. There appeared to be a couple inches of extra fabric. “I’m not sure how it can be tight when there’s so much extra fabric.”

“It’s choking me!”

I frowned, wondering if there was a Web site that gave information on how to deal with a bride who was flipping out.

“I need to take it off. Now.” She hopped down from the platform and ran to the back.

Silence echoed in the store. Everyone looked at me, as if I’d have the answers. I shrugged. “Pre-wedding jitters.”

“Or she’s pregnant,” Chloe offered helpfully.

Pregnant.

I froze. That’d explain the mood swings and the irritability.

Longing swept over me, and I stifled the jealousy that Nell was going to have a baby before me.

It was unfair. She’d always said she didn’t care one way or the other if she had children. I, on the other, really wanted them.

Yes, I’d raised my sisters, Chloe especially. I should have gotten that out of my system. I should have wanted to throw off the ties that bound and live like a Bohemian.

Fact of the matter was that I loved the feeling of nurturing a family. I loved being needed. My sisters, while I loved them unequivocally, weren’t really mine. It had to feel different—more somehow—having a child born from your body.

I was going to be an auntie.

Rushing to the fitting room, I threw open the door. Nell slumped in a chair wearing underwear, scowling, her dress in a pool at her feet.

“Thanks for knocking, Gracie. Come on in.”

I stared at her waist. She didn’t look pregnant. Maybe she only just found out.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” When I didn’t answer, she shook her head and lifted the champagne glass to her lips.

I leapt forward. “
Wait
. You shouldn’t drink that.”

“What?” She took a sip anyway.

“It’s not good for the baby.”

“What baby?”

“Yours.” I pointed at her stomach.

“I’m not having a baby.” She gazed at me suspiciously. “How much have
you
had to drink?”

“I thought you were pregnant.”

“Who told you that?” she asked indignantly.

I shook my head. I should have known better than to listen to Chloe’s notions. “Never mind.”

But it’d made such sense. Oh well. At least we wouldn’t have to worry about her showing before the ceremony, or letting out her wedding dress.

I sat down on the bench across from her. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”

An uncertain look that was so un-Nell-like came over her face. “Am I doing the right thing, Gracie?”

“Of course you are. Riley’s a great guy.” I actually kind of meant it this time.

“Maybe I’m rushing into this.” She looked at me accusingly. “
You
said I was rushing into this.”

“Yeah, but that was four months ago.” Before I started to know Riley.

“Rushing is rushing. What difference does time make?”

I took a deep breath to get rid of my impatience. I didn’t think Nell would take kindly to me telling her to buck up. “Nell, just the other day you were telling me how deliriously in love with Riley you were. Remember? You bought a dress to go on a date with him.”

“Yeah, but…” Her lip quivered.

Uh-oh. It was bad when not even the memory of shopping wiped the unhappiness away.

“Tell me about the moment you fell in love with him.” I was grasping at straws but, hey, I was desperate. And, for all her doubts, she’d never denied being in love with him.

“It was the first time we went out.” She glanced at me sheepishly. “Well, technically it was the second time we went out. The first time we just met for coffee after work because I hadn’t broken up with Pete yet.”

Remembering how upset Pete had been, I felt a wave of anger on his behalf.

Then I mentally slapped my forehead. What was I thinking? If Pete and Nell were still together—no, I couldn’t even go there. It was too horrific a thought.

“So the first actual date we went on, we went to a movie. Riley picked me up and he was so cute in his khaki pants and shirt.” She wrinkled her forehead. “I wore a little skirt and a green sweater set I bought at that little boutique downtown. You know, the one where—”

“Nell, get on with it.”

She scowled. “You’re the one who wanted me to tell you.”

“So tell already.”

She flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Like I was saying, we went to a movie. It was a Jet Li movie. He’d never seen one. Can you believe it? He closed his eyes during some of the more violent scenes. It was so cute.”

I rolled my eyes.

“I held his hand through the whole thing and it felt
so right
. After the movie we walked to this Italian restaurant around the corner and when I wanted to have dessert before dinner, do you know what he did?”

I shook my head.

“He smiled like it was the most charming thing he’d ever heard, signaled the waiter, and asked him to bring one of every dessert.”

I was getting diabetes just thinking about all that sugar.

“And at that moment I knew.” She sighed. “He’s so good to me and I’m such a bitch to him.”

I panicked when I saw her eyes fill with tears. I quickly patted her shoulder. “You aren’t a bitch.”

She gazed at me disbelievingly.

“Okay, maybe you’re a little bitchy, but it’s not too late to make it up to him.” I took her hand. “Nell, if I didn’t think Riley was good for you, I’d be the first one to discourage you from getting married. But he’s perfect for you. Anyone who’d willingly put up with your crap is a keeper.”

“I know.” Her smile trembled. “Thanks for reminding me about that, Gracie. I’d forgotten.”

“Just remember that date whenever you start having doubts.”

The hug she gave me was fierce. “You’re the best sister. Thank you.”

I smiled and squeezed her back. Sometimes having a sister was really nice.

Chapter Fifteen

Head for where they least expect you.

— Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Sometimes having a sister really sucked.

Correction: having a neurotic sister really sucked.

Since we’d gone to the first fitting, Nell was in good spirits. She and Riley were spending a lot of time at the house, which was okay except that it meant we really had to adhere to the strict diet Nell had us on. Nell had never been one to cook, but for the past couple weeks, it wasn’t unusual to find her putting together some weird dinner for us.

I was pretty sick of tofu burgers and grain beverages.

Tonight Pete was rescuing me. It’d been hard arranging time to see each other lately. He was working long hours for his brother; I was juggling work, my family, and wedding details. Besides, Daddy had been home more often and it was difficult coming up with excuses to go out every night.

In short, I
missed
Pete. Especially in the biblical sense. I couldn’t decide what I wanted more: greasy pizza or sex. So Pete decided that we’d meet first for pizza and beer and head to his apartment after.

In a perfect world, I’d be able to eat pizza off of Pete’s body in bed.

Yum.

So I rushed home after work, did a quick workout in our basement, and took a shower. By the time I fixed my hair and gotten dressed, Nell and Riley were puttering around in the kitchen.

On my way out, I paused in the doorway and sniffed, trying not to gag. “What are you cooking?”

“Tempeh.”

“Interesting. Is it supposed to smell like that?”

“I don’t know.” She frowned at the pot she was stirring. “I’m not really even sure what it is.”

“Hmm.” I chose not to comment. What did I care? I was having pizza. I walked over to Riley, who was sitting at the table and frowning at some paperwork. “Hey.”

He looked up and smiled distractedly. “Hi, Gracie.” He absently kissed my cheek before returning his full attention to his documents.

Nell rolled her eyes. “He’s trying to work fewer hours at the office.”

“Looks like it’s working.”

“Where’s Daddy?”

I looked at the clock. “He’s not home yet?”

“No. Chloe isn’t either.”

“Chloe’s a college student. She’s never home.”

The front door slammed followed by the heavy tread of Daddy’s footsteps through the hall into the kitchen. “What the hell is that God awful smell?”

Nell scowled at him. “I’ve been slaving over the stove for hours. The least you can do is be appreciative.”

I chose not to point out that she’d only been here for about half an hour.

“God
damn
it!” Daddy struck the table with his fist. Everything on the table jumped. Even Riley looked up from his work, befuddled. “I want goddamn
real
food. When is this insanity going to end? I can’t believe my daughter has defected to the enemy’s encampment.”

He stood toe-to-toe with Nell while he yelled. Anyone else would have cowered away under the force of his anger. As his daughters, we knew he was all hot air. He was fiercely protective of us. He’d never even swatted us as kids even though Nell and Chloe had definitely deserved it from time to time. I’d been angelic.

Nell poked a finger in his chest and yelled right back. “You’re going to eat right if it kills you. No father of mine is going to walk me down the aisle waddling.”

“
Waddling
? I’ve never waddled in my life. I’m in better shape than I ever was.”

Nell’s eyes narrowed. “Compared to whom? Jack Nicholson?”

His face flushed an unhealthy shade of purple.

“Well, have a good dinner.” I strode toward the door. With any luck I’d be able to escape before anyone said anything.

“Hey!” Nell and Daddy said simultaneously.

No such luck. I glanced over my shoulder, my hand on the door. “What?”

Nell frowned at me. “You aren’t going to eat my dinner?”

“Give my portion to George. I’m going out.”

Daddy frowned at me. “Where are you going dressed like that?”

“Like what?” I looked down. I’d put on a pair of camouflage pants with zippers up the sides and a white tank top, no bra.

He waved his hand at me. “Like that. You look different.”

“Her hair is down,” Nell accused, as though it was a crime.

I glared at her. This was how I was repaid for all the times I distracted our dad so she could go out on a date.

Daddy focused his ire on me. “Who are you going out with?”

“I’m just meeting Pete for a drink.” You’d think I was fifteen instead of almost thirty-three.

Daddy perked up immediately. “I haven’t seen Pete in a long time. I should go along to say hi.” He grabbed my arm and pulled me out the door.

“You can’t come with me.”

“Watch me.”

The resolute firmness of his jaw told me there was no way I’d win this argument. Besides, what could I say? That he was going to cramp my style because Pete and I wanted to have wild monkey sex?

Right.

George pounced on me the second we stepped outside. Were those rose petals hanging from his mouth?

“Sit,” Daddy commanded.

I couldn’t believe it when George instantly complied. “How’d you do that?”

“I’m alpha dog,” he replied as he dragged me to his car.

Of course. Why didn’t I realize that?

I rolled my eyes.

We got to Luigi’s in record time. We didn’t talk much. My dad concentrated on his driving, or the pint of beer he was going to have, and I pouted in my own corner.