He should have told her. Days ago.
It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Elise with the family secret he carried. He did trust her. More than he ever thought possible. Hell, for that matter he respected her. Far more now that Raven had enlightened him to Elise’s… condition.
A virgin? How could he have not guessed that? Okay, so in hindsight, all the clues had been there. But in his defense—pitiful as it was—he’d always considered the idea of a virgin bride to be an urban myth. Something that only existed in fairy tales.
Fairy tales like the one Elise was preparing herself to live out by marrying him.
“I can’t do this,” Luc muttered to himself.
“You can and you will. Focus on the wedding night and ignore the cold feet. The ceremony will be over soon and then you’re golden.” Ben shifted beside him and motioned to where Luc’s mother was holding court at the entrance to the aisle. “Besides, try and escape this mad house and I guarantee your mother will tackle you before you hit the parking lot.”
Luc couldn’t argue that. But he also couldn’t keep denying his conscience. “But I didn’t tell her.”
“Luc, relax. You did the right thing by not telling your mother the identity of the other two groomsmen or that your father was invited to the wedding.” Ben chuckled. “Even your grandfather enjoyed watching her handle that one. It’s all good. Just relax and go with it.”
“That’s not what I meant.” True, it had been entertaining watching his mother welcome his father to the wedding with an invitation from the bride. Almost as enjoyable as seeing her stunned expression this morning when she’d discovered Luc’s transgression of calling in favors from two former acquaintances—namely two men he knew his eldest two sisters were still hung up on—to fill in as groomsmen. “I didn’t tell Elise.”
“So? I seriously doubt Elise will care that you used her wedding to play matchmaker for Lucy and Cindi. If what Raven said is true, then Elise will most likely heave a hopelessly romantic sigh and proclaim you the noblest of all the lucky bastards in the realm.”
Which is exactly why I should tell her the truth, Luc thought to himself. Because he was the luckiest bastard in all of the realm to have her as his bride. She deserved better and, even more shocking, he wanted to give her the fairy tale she’d saved herself for.
Ah hell. She wanted the fairy tale. She expected him to be a noble bastard who would do anything—anything at all—to spare her a moment of pain. Doomed didn’t begin to describe just how royally screwed he was. He couldn’t disappoint her and drop the truth bomb. Not now. Not ever.
“Ben, I need a favor.”
“Sure thing. I’ll step in and marry Elise for you.”
“Try it and I’ll tackle you before you reach the altar.” Luc pushed off from the wall and turned to his best friend. “Don’t mention anything to Elise about the second part to the deal with Gramps.”
Ben looked shocked. “She doesn’t know,” he stated more than asked.
Luc shook his head.
“And you’re not gonna tell her, are you?”
“Not tonight.” Not ever—if he could manage it.
Ben stared at him long and hard. “But you will tell her.”
“Not unless I have to.” From the corner of his eye, he saw the wedding planner motioning for him to take his place at the altar.
Ben muttered a curse under his breath that should have had him instantly excommunicated.
Luc motioned to the wedding planner that they’d be along in a minute then turned and looked Ben in the eye. “Only three of us know the truth. You, me, and Gramps.”
Ben held up his hands defensively. “My lips are sealed. You couldn’t pay me enough to drop this particular T-bomb. But I doubt the same is true about your grandfather.”
Luc nodded. “I thought of that, but Gramps won’t say anything if he doesn’t have to. And since we’re leaving for Texas tomorrow, Elise and I won’t be around long enough for him to suspect the marriage is anything but real.”
“Anything but…? Oh, no. Please tell me you’re not gonna do what I think you’re not gonna do?”
“I am.” Luc had every intention of going through with the wedding, but everything that came after that…? That would be Elise’s choice and—if Luc had any say in it whatsoever—have nothing at all to do with his grandfather demanding that Elise become the next broodmare in the Masters’ stable.