"I gather weddings are a pain to arrange, but surely the worst of it is out of the way?"Bastien queried, trying to save his brother from the wrath filling his fiancee's face.
A relieved Lucern eagerly grasped at the change of subject. "Well, yes. Most of the arrangements are made and set, but there always seems to be something cropping up that needs doing. Last week, it was making toilet paper flowers. Who knows what it will be next week?»
"Toilet-paper flowers?"Bastien asked in surprise.
"Kleenex flowers,"Kate corrected, sounding irritable. "We made them out of Kleenex facial tissues.»
"Yes,"Lucern said agreeably, then turned to explain to Bastien: "She had me folding and tying all these bloody toilet tissues, then fanning them into flowers to put on the cars for the wedding party. I told her we should have someone else do them, or just buy them, but she insisted that making them was tradition in her family. Bought flowers wouldn't do, so I spent hours and hours last week just folding and tying and fanning out toilet paper.»
"Kleenex,"Kate snapped.
"Some of them are toilet tissues,"Lucern informed her.
"What?"She looked at him with horror.
"Well, I ran out of Kleenex, and you insisted on so many for the cars, I started using toilet tissue. I don't think it will make much difference. Tissue is tissue, right? Besides, you weren't there to ask. You were working late as usual."He turned to Bastien and explained, "She's been working late a lot lately, trying to do Chris's work as well as her own.»
Bastien raised an eyebrow, but Kate just made a face. "I'm not doing C.K.'s work. Chris is editing his own writers, and I'm editing mine. It's just that he's going away to the California writers conference today, and I'll be fielding any emergencies that arise while he's gone. I've been trying to get ahead on my editing so that I don't fall behind if anything crops up, if you see what I mean.»
Bastien nodded in understanding, then returned the conversation to the subject it had started on. "So your maid of honor is coming two weeks early. She should be arriving soon, then. Where is she staying?»
"Ah."Kate looked uncomfortable, then blew out a breath on a sigh. "Actually, that's the favor I wanted to ask,"she admitted. "You see, I considered having her stay with me, but my apartment is really small. A tiny little one-bedroom is the best I can afford in Manhattan on my salary, and with Lucern there it's already quite crowded. I considered putting Terri up in a hotel. Luc even offered to pay for it, but I know she would refuse and insist on paying for herself. And what with all the expense she's already going to as my maid of honor, I didn't want to burden her any more than necessary. She really can't afford this, but she wouldn't say so.»
"Proud?"Bastien guessed.
"Yes. Very. Her mother was a single parent, and Terri has been taking care of herself since Aunt Maggie died when she was nineteen. She's stubborn and has trouble asking for, or accepting, help.»
Bastien nodded. He understood pride. He had a good deal of it himself. Too much, perhaps, at times. "You want me to put her up in the penthouse,"he guessed.
"Yes. If you wouldn't mind,"Kate admitted, looking hopeful.
Bastien smiled indulgently. His brother's fiancee made the request as if it were a huge imposition. Which it wasn't. The penthouse had five bedrooms and was huge. He also wasn't there very much, and would probably never even see the girl. He'd leave Terri in the housekeeper's capable hands; she wouldn't be any bother to him at all.
"That isn't a problem, Kate. She's welcome to one of the rooms in the penthouse. When is she arriving? Sometime this weekend, I should imagine, if she's coming two weeks early.»
"Yes."Kate exchanged another glance with Lucern before admitting, "She arrives today, actually.»
"Today?"Bastien didn't bother hiding his surprise.
"I know. It's very short notice, and I'm sorry. I would have asked sooner if I'd known. Originally, she was supposed to come the day before the wedding like everyone else. But Terri decided to surprise me and took the time off. I only found out an hour ago, because it apparently occurred to her that she'd better be sure I was home and she wouldn't be left sitting on my doorstep for a couple of days or something, so she called me from the plane.»
"Well, it's a good thing she did,"Bastien commented, then noticed another exchange of glances between the pair, and narrowed his eyes. It was obvious there was more to this favor than Kate's maid of honor staying with him. It suddenly struck him: "I suppose she needs a lift from the airport?»
"Well, she was going to take a taxi, but you know how expensive that is, and she really-"
"Can't afford it, but is too proud to say so, and you know she wouldn't take the money from you if you offered it, so you insisted you'd have someone pick her up,"Bastien finished for her.
Katie narrowed her eyes. "Are you reading my mind?»
"No,"he assured her. "Just a lucky guess.»
"Oh."She relaxed. "You guessed right. Would it be too much bother?»
Bastien's gaze slid to his brother, and Kate added, "Lucern can go with you, of course. He offered to do it himself, but he doesn't know the highways as well as you do, or the airports or where to go. I would have gone myself, but I'm so swamped at work right now, I-"
"Luc and I will collect her,"Bastien assured her, smiling at Kate's diplomatic excuse. Lucern didn't need to know the roads; he could have taken one of the family's company cars, with a driver. The truth was, Lucern was still somewhat antisocial. He wasn't as bad as he used to be, but he was still a touch awkward in social situations, and Bastien suspected Kate was afraid that he would greet her cousin and best friend with a grunt of "Follow me,"then remain silent all the way into town. Bastien, on the other hand, dealt with humans all the time and was a little more social. He also-luckily enough for Kate, and for the as yet unseen Terri-happened to have a light afternoon at the office. It wouldn't be a problem taking time off.
"Great,"Lucern said dryly. "Has it occurred to you, Katie my love, that you are sending two men, who haven't a clue what your cousin and best friend in the whole world looks like, to collect her? How will we spot her?»
"You can make up a sign with her name on it,"Kate suggested brightly. "And between the two of you, I know you'll find and deliver her safely.»
Bastien took in his brother's doubtful expression with amusement. There had been a definite warning to Kate's words: Bring her back safe, or else.
"Darn, I have to go. We have a production meeting this afternoon. That's why I couldn't get out of work to pick her up myself,"Kate explained, getting to her feet. She bent to kiss Lucern, started to straighten, then bent to press another kiss to his lips. It ended with a sighed "I love you, Luc.»
"And I love you, Kate,"Lucern replied. His tongue slid out to lick quickly across her lower lip, and in the next moment, the two lovers were kissing again.
Bastien sighed and directed his gaze to the diners around them. He knew from experience that there would now be several more moments of soft sighs and kisses before Kate would tear herself away. The pair was pathetic. He only hoped this honeymoon phase they were enjoying passed soon. He feared not, however. It had been nearly a year since his brother Etienne had married Rachel, and two years since Lissianna and Greg's marriage; yet neither couple appeared to be passing out of this same lusty, loving phase. His whole damned family seemed to be rather slow at moving out of it. They were all equally pathetic. He was the only member of the family, aside from his mother, who didn't spend ridiculous amounts of time making out in public, private, or anywhere they found themselves. But, then, neither he nor his mother had anyone to make out with.
Bastien ignored the twinge of envy that ate at him as he heard another soft sigh from Kate, followed by a faint moan. In the next moment, his head whipped around in surprise when Kate spoke in suddenly businesslike tones.
"This might help."Kate had straightened and was digging a photo out of her purse. "It's a relatively new picture. Terri e-mailed it to me last month. Now, I have to go. Be nice to her."She set the photo onto the table between them, then turned and began easing her way through the tables toward the exit of the tiny, crowded restaurant.
"God, she's wonderful,"Lucern sighed as he watched Kate pause and step to the side to make room for someone entering the small eatery.
Bastien rolled his eyes, not missing the fact that his brother's gaze was fixed firmly on his fiancee's derriere. Suddenly aware that his own gaze had followed Lucern's, he gave his head a shake and turned his attention to the photo on the table. It was a picture of a woman in her late twenties. She had full lips curved in an impish smile; and large, soft eyes.
"A beauty,"he commented, noting that Kate's cousin appeared to be Kate's opposite. She was brunette to Kate's blonde, and buxom and curvy in a way that made him think of ripe fruit, as opposed to Kate's slender figure. But she was stunning in her own way.
"Is she?"Lucern asked with disinterest, his gaze still following his soon-to-be wife.
"If you'd stop ogling Kate and take a look, you could see for yourself,"Bastien pointed out.