Tall Dark and Hungry(46)
"Good."Lucern grinned, then added, "I'm just grateful the ceremony went off without a hitch. After all the calamities that plagued the arranging of this wedding, I thought for sure there would be some crisis. But it's all gone as smooth as silk.»
Terri smiled at the man. She hadn't found him very talkative until tonight. Kate had explained one evening that he always got that way when he was working on a book, but that he could occasionally come out of his shell. It seemed tonight he had. He seemed very happy.
"Yes, it did,"she agreed, then qualified herself with, "Well, except for C.K.'s sneezing.»
They both grinned at the memory. The poor editor had been mortified: standing at the front of the church with the other groomsmen, sneezing every few minutes. The worst part was that he had apparently warned Kate and Lucern that he was allergic to certain flowers when they'd asked him to stand up in the wedding, and they had both assured him that they would see to it that none of those flowers made it into the wedding arrangements. They had been careful when choosing the first arrangements; but both had forgotten all about his allergy when the tragic floral crisis had occurred, and they had unintentionally chosen unfortunate arrangements the second time around. The editor had been having a miserable time of it all day.
Her gaze sought Chris out. The editor couldn't dance with his cast, but he wasn't at the head table where he, as a member of the wedding party, had been seated for the meal. That table was now empty, most of its inhabitants on the dance floor. Abandoned, Chris had chosen to join the table where his coworkers from Roundhouse Publishing were seated. Vincent was standing behind the editor's chair, one hand patting his shoulder soothingly, no doubt sympathizing over his floral misery.
Terri really hoped the editor's luck changed soon. He seemed too nice a guy to suffer so.
An elegantly clad woman approached the table to speak to Chris, and Terri tilted her head to stare. The woman looked terribly familiar, and Terri was sure that Kate had introduced her at some point, but she'd met so many people today that it was hard to put names to faces.
Terri was sure the woman worked in the publishing industry somewhere, though, and judging by the way C.K. straightened in his seat as the woman addressed him, she'd guess that the lady had some influence.
"Lucern?"Terri glanced at her dance partner curiously.
"Hmm?»
"Who is that woman?»
He followed her pointing finger. "Kathryn Falk.»
"Ah."Terri nodded. "Lady Barrow.»
"Yes. She's a nice woman. Smart and savvy. Kathryn was very helpful to me at the first romance conference Kate dragged me to.»
Terri bit her lip to keep from laughing. It was a bit of an understatement. Kate had told her all about Lucern's codpiece getting caught on the tablecloth at the medieval feast, and how Lady Barrow had climbed right under the table with Kate to help her unhook him. She'd apparently held a flashlight or something while Terri's cousin worked to free Lucern. It had sounded like a hilarious tale.
"She did more than help Kate unhook my codpiece,"he announced, and Terri guessed she hadn't hidden her amusement very well. He'd obviously guessed what she was thinking. "She also gave me a ride back from the airport, and some advice, and…»
He shrugged. "She was a good friend to me that day, and we've kept up the friendship since. I've agreed to attend the next Romantic Times conference as a favor to her.»
Terri knew that was saying something. According to Kate, Lucern refused to do any of the conferences as an attendee. Even at the one he'd gone to last week, he hadn't gone as Luke Amirault the author, but Lucern Argeneau, Kate's fiance.
Noting the man's sudden frown, she glanced back toward the table. Vincent was holding Lady Barrow's hand and carrying it to his mouth to kiss. Terri could almost hear his sexy, trademark "Enchantee,"from where she stood. The man was an incorrigible flirt, she thought with vague amusement.
Lucern didn't appear amused. When Vincent led the woman onto the dance floor and buried his face in her neck, Lucern's gaze sliced to where Bastien and Kate danced. Bastien turned, as if his brother had spoken his name. Their eyes met briefly; then Lucern glanced toward Vincent and Bastien's gaze followed. Bastien murmured something to Kate, and she looked to see what Vincent was up to as well. Not one of them seemed too pleased to see Vinnie with Lady Barrow. Terri didn't understand why. He was just dancing with the woman. A little too close, perhaps; but just the same, they were only dancing.
All four of them watched the couple dance. When the music ended and Vincent began to lead the woman off the dance floor, Lucern led Terri to Bastien.
"I'll take care of it,"Bastien said. "You two continue your dances. You have a lot of people to go.»
The newlyweds nodded and thanked him. They moved off to find the next couple from the wedding party to dance with, and Bastien glanced at Terri.
"Go ahead, I'll be fine,"she assured him, though she really didn't know what there was for him to take care of. The family all seemed to be overreacting a bit. "I'll fetch myself a drink and sit, give my feet a rest,"she assured him when Bastien didn't look happy. "Go on. Kate and Lucern will obviously just worry, and they shouldn't have to worry about anything on their wedding day.»
"I agree. You're a special woman, Terri."Bastien caught her by the chin and gave her a quick kiss. "I won't be long.»
He straightened from kissing Terri and swung around to see where his cousin had got to. Unfortunately, the man was no longer in sight. Frowning, Bastien headed in the direction he had last seen Vincent leading Lady Barrow. His eyes scanned the people in front of him worriedly. He understood that Vincent was probably hungry about now; it was around this hour that he usually went out to hunt. But they couldn't have him running around feeding off the guests!
"Brother!»
Bastien slowed his steps and turned as Etienne hurried to join him.
"Lucern and Kate told me what was up, and asked me to help you.»
Bastien nodded, then glanced around. "Vincent was headed in this direction when last I saw him. I thought to search this area first, then make a sweep of the rest of the hall.»
"Good thinking."Etienne fell into step as he started to walk again. After a few minutes, he said, "So, a little birdie tells me Terri is… important to you.»
"A little birdie, huh?"Bastien asked dryly.
"Yeah."When Bastien didn't either agree or disagree, Etienne added, "I was talking to Terri at the party last night. She seems nice. Actually, she is nice,"he said, collecting himself. He explained, "I read her mind.»
"I can't do that, so it's good to know my instincts about her are correct."Bastien said.
"Well, I can read her, and I can tell you that I like her. She's like my Rachel-something special.»
"Yes, she is,"Bastien agreed. "She's sweet and beautiful and smart and-"
"And you can't read her,"Etienne repeated. "And you love her. You've obviously found your life mate. Congratulations, brother! I'm very happy for you.»
"Yes. Well, don't tell Mother that."Bastien shook his head as Etienne clapped a hand on his back. He didn't need any interference.
"Don't tell me what?»
Both brothers turned, groaning as Marguerite Argeneau joined them.
"Mother."Bastien kissed her cheek dutifully. Etienne followed suit.
"I don't know why you boys keep trying to hide things from me. One would think at your age you would know better than to even waste your time trying. I am your mother. I see, hear, and know everything.»
"Is that right?"Bastien asked.
"That's right,"she said firmly. "And perhaps you will realize it in another two hundred years. It only took Lucern until he was six hundred to figure it out. Honestly. Boys are so much harder to raise than girls."Marguerite scowled at her sons for grinning at this oft-heard complaint, then sighed. "So, no doubt you don't want Etienne to tell me that you love Katie's little cousin Terri?»
Etienne burst out laughing at Bastien's grimace.
"Well, you didn't think it had slipped my notice, did you?"their mother asked with amusement. "After four hundred years, one would expect me to know and understood my boy enough to recognize when he is in love."She sighed, then nodded. "I approve, by the way. She's a lovely girl. And it will ease some of Kate's feelings of loss when she has to give up the rest of her family. Not to mention that having Katie in the family will make it easier on Terri as well. Actually, this will all work quite nicely.»
"I hadn't thought of that,"Bastien said with surprise. "I mean; them making it easier for each other.»
"Well, that's why you have a mother."Marguerite patted his shoulder, then glanced around. "Have you tried looking out in the hallway, or the bars on the main floor?"When her two sons exchanged glances, she rolled her eyes. "Well, you didn't expect Vincent to bite her right here, did you? He'll use a nice dark corner. Come along, then. Let's find the boy before he gets himself in trouble.»
"We can take care of this, Mother,"Bastien said quickly. "Why don't you-?»
"Miss all the fun?"she asked. "I don't think so.»
When Bastien and Etienne exchanged wry looks, she added, "Just thank me for deciding not to interfere with you and Terri.»