Just for Now (Sea Breeze #4)(64)

“I’ll call their social worker, and we’ll go from there.”

Amanda



It was the last family dinner before the wedding. I’d thought Mom was in such a tizzy planning that she’d cancel it, but she didn’t. Instead, she ordered a fancy cake from the bakery in town and lit candles on the table. We were making this last one count, apparently.

Marcus and Willow walked into the kitchen holding hands. Marcus was whispering in her ear, and she was giggling. They made me want to vomit, they were so sweet. Romance just made me angry these days. I hadn’t heard from Daisy or the boys since the day in the park. I’d hoped Daisy would call me, but I knew they were settling in with Preston and dealing with things.

“Whoa, Mom. You went all out,” Marcus said as he took in the fancy cake and candles that decorated the table.

“It is the last family dinner before this family goes from three to four, and I wanted to celebrate the wonderful new changes to come,” she said with a smile.

She had left Dad out of that count. She pretended like he didn’t exist. Marcus respected that. To the point that Dad wasn’t even invited to the wedding. Neither was Willow’s sister, Tawny. Only Larissa was coming. She would be the flower girl.

“You didn’t have to do all this,” Willow told my mother. “You’ve been working on the wedding nonstop for weeks. But thank you. It means so much.”

Willow had a way with people. My mom was a tough nut to crack, and she had adored Willow since she’d first met her at a family dinner. I had been charmed by her immediately too, so I understood her effect on people.

Then again, Willow scored big points just for making Marcus so happy. Anyone who made my brother smile like she did had to be perfect in every way.

“I want everything to be special for the two of you,” Mom replied, waving us toward the table. “Everyone have a seat. I’ll bring the food to the table.”

“I’ll help you, Mom,” Marcus said, pulling Willow’s chair out for her, then turning to follow Mom into the kitchen.

Willow looked across the table at me. “Can you believe I’m going to be Mrs. Marcus Hardy by this time Saturday night?”

Smiling, I nodded. “Yes, I can. I expected it after I saw my brother with you the first time. He was hooked. It was all over his face.”

“I’m the luckiest woman in the world,” she replied.

The pain in my chest was something I was getting used to. Seeing other couples in love and happy hurt because I wanted that. Not with just anyone, either. I wanted it with a guy who didn’t want it with me in return. Seeing the way my brother looked at Willow, I yearned to be looked at that way. By a guy who had never told me he loved me. Who had lied to me and betrayed me. Yet I still wanted him. Would my heart ever stop wanting him?

“Are you okay? You seem down.” The concern in Willow’s voice was obvious.

I knew Marcus hadn’t told her about Preston and me. She didn’t even know we had dated. I couldn’t exactly tell her that my heart was damaged beyond repair and I was dying inside. She thought I was interested in Jason Stone.

“I’m just tired. I’m sorry. I’ll try not to be such a downer.”

She frowned and started to say something else, when Marcus and Mom walked back into the room carrying the trays of food that had been catered. Mom hadn’t had time to cook this week. She’d been too busy worrying over things like what ribbon to tie on what chair.

“This smells amazing,” Marcus said as he set the pan full of fried crab claws and hush puppies down on the table.

“I thought we’d do seafood tonight. Since it’s a beach-themed wedding.”

That made no sense, but my mother was obsessive, so I ignored it.

Marcus reached for some food and started putting it on Willow’s plate. He always did things like that for her. He made her breakfast in the morning and brought her coffee. My brother had been raised to be a southern gentleman. My mom had accomplished that and then some.

“Guess what I found out today,” Marcus said as he started to fix his own plate.

“What?” Mom asked.

Marcus looked over at me. “Looks like Trisha and Rock are gonna adopt Preston’s brothers and sister.”

“What?” I couldn’t act like I didn’t care. Because I did.

Marcus raised his eyebrows and nodded. “Yep. Trisha found out awhile back she can’t get pregnant. They wanted to adopt. Then she met the kids, and she and Rock want them. Preston’s already got the ball rolling. The kids’ social worker doesn’t see that this is going to be a problem. The court will find it a perfect solution. Preston wouldn’t have got to keep those kids. He has his job as a bouncer four nights a week, and then he has school and baseball. He has no time to raise kids.”

Trisha and Rock would be amazing parents. And the kids would still be in town close to Preston. He could get them whenever he wanted. Trisha would love Daisy. She’d be the momma that Daisy deserved.

Wait . . . Preston’s job as a bouncer at a club? Was this something he’d made up to cover the truth, or had he really found himself a new job?

“They’ll make wonderful parents. I’m so happy for them and those kids,” I replied, trying to keep the emotion off my face. My mother was watching me. I could feel her eyes studying my every move. I could not let her see any weakness.