Knight of Ocean Avenue (14 page)

Billy disentangled an arm and took Mrs. Auchincloss’s offered hand. The woman really was lovely. “I’m glad to meet you. Easy to see how Mitch got to be such a good-looking man.”

Sissy glanced up at him, startled. “Hey, handsome, who knew you were so smooth?”

He grinned. “Must be the clothes.”

Mrs. Auchincloss frowned and smiled at the same time, which came off looking strained. “Sissy, please. Mr. Ballew is just being polite.”

Mitch’s dad stuck out his hand. “Let me rescue the situation. Glad to meet you, Billy. I’m Vance.”

This was where Mitch really got his looks. The tall, slim, blond man barely looked old enough to be Mitch’s father. Seeing the three Auchinclosses together with their radiant blondness definitely smacked of a meeting of Hitler Youth. “So glad to meet you, sir.”

The man’s hand was as smooth and graceful as Mitch’s. “Now, now, if you’re being smooth, you must refrain from making me feel old. Just call me Vance.”

“I can do that, uh, Vance.”
Odd
. If he’d seen Vance Auchincloss in Anthony’s, he wouldn’t have been surprised. The guy would fit right in. Shows how looks were deceiving.

The minister clapped his hands, and they all went over to hear the instructions. They walked down the aisle three times, which took forever, but finally both the minister and the harried wedding planner were satisfied.

Mitch stood on one of the stairs to the altar and raised his voice. “So everyone knows how to get to the club, right? When you walk in, just tell the host that you’re with the Auchincloss party. Thanks so much.”

Sissy stood next to Billy, since they’d been marching together. He smiled down at her. The girl seemed to have almost limitless good humor, which amazed him in all the family drama.

He smiled at her. “Want to leave your car here and ride with me?”

“Can’t. I’ve got three of the bridesmaids in my car. But I’ll see you there.”

Antonia stepped up beside him. “I’d like a ride, if you don’t mind. I came with someone who can’t make it to the dinner.”

Sissy’s eyes narrowed. “Oh? Who’s that?”

“Rex. His child is ill and he has to go home.”

“You can ride with me.”

“You already have three. I don’t want to crowd anyone.” She smiled serenely, but Sissy seemed to be seething.

Billy nodded. “I’m afraid I drive a truck. You’ll never be able to step up into it in that dress.” Her gown seemed tighter than the others.

“Oh, no problem. I’m planning to change before we go. If you wouldn’t mind waiting a moment?”

He stared at the gorgeous woman. This female was putting out the kind of invitation guys like him could not resist. He breathed in. “I’m sorry, Antonia. I have to be there early to help my sister. But I’m sure Sissy will be glad to wait, since I imagine she’ll be changing too. See you at the dinner.” He turned to the widely smiling blonde at his side. “See you in a little while, Sissy.” He kissed her cheek and walked out the door—an action he was sure as hell not going to examine.

H
E
’
D
LIED
,
of course, and he got to the country club early, but he walked straight into the dining room being set up for them and found Rhonda standing with the wedding coordinator, an efficient-looking woman with short dark hair.
Might as well get this shit over with
. “Hey, sis, can I help?”

She looked at him, surprised. “Okay, I can’t believe you’re here early. And I can’t believe you look so good. I didn’t get to tell you at the church. Thank you, dear. I know how hard this was for you, and I appreciate you turning on the sartorial splendor for my wedding. Even Mrs. Auchincloss commented on what a handsome young man you are.”

He shrugged. “It’s okay.”

“Thank you for the offer, but I think Camilla has everything under control for the dinner. Mitch and a few of the groomsmen are hanging out in the bar until we all sit down. Why don’t you join them?”

“Okay.” Better the guys than the women.

He walked out of the private dining room and across the reception area to the bar he’d been in that odd night on his triple date. Another event he’d rather not think about.

A group of rich-looking guys in nice clothes stood by the unlit fireplace with drinks in their hands. Mitch looked up and waved to him. Hey, maybe for once he’d fit in clotheswise.

Billy stepped up beside Mitch, and the man put a hand on his shoulder, reaching up to do it. “This is my soon to be brother-in-law, Billy Ballew, for those of you who didn’t meet him earlier.”

“Hey, Billy. I’m Ollie.” A slightly round guy with equally round glasses stuck out his hand. Billy shook it. The other four all nodded since they’d officially met at the church, but Billy wasn’t sure of the names anymore.

Mitch waggled a finger, and a waiter appeared at Billy’s elbow. Mitch clapped Billy’s shoulder. “What’ll you have, my friend?”

“Beer is fine.”

The waiter walked away. Mitch looked at Billy and gave him a smile but said nothing about the clothes.

All hell broke loose as six bridesmaids piled into the bar. The decibel level went up, and at least four of the men’s eyes got wider at the sight of bouncing boobs. Sissy and Antonia appeared to be racing each other across the bar but trying to look cool doing it. Antonia’s legs were slightly longer and she won, winding up beside Billy and slipping an arm through his. “Hi. We made it.”

“Uh, I see that.”

There was no space for Sissy on Billy’s other side between him and Mitch, so she was stuck out in the cold on the other side of Antonia.

The brown-haired guy next to her gave her a smile. “Hi, Sissy. What can I get you to drink?”

She glanced at him, but she quickly looked back at where Antonia’s arm linked with Billy’s. “Oh, hi, Rog. Would you get me a Manhattan?”

Billy gently extricated his arm from Antonia. “Why don’t I get it and you guys talk?” He moved so fast, Roger didn’t have a chance to stop him, taking off toward the bar.
Whew
. He leaned against the bar and waved at the bartender. “Can I have a Manhattan, please?”

That accented voice purred beside him as a boob got squished against his arm. “You left so fast, I didn’t get to give you my order. I’d like a champagne cocktail, please.”

“Uh, sure.” The bartender heard her, so he took to making the drinks.

Antonia smiled and pressed her breast harder into his bicep. He was against the wall and couldn’t move back without being a total shit. She cocked her head. “Sissy tells me you are in construction.”

“Kind of. I’m a construction worker. You know, like hammers and stuff?”

She slipped her arm through his again which gave her D-cups more access to his arm. “How very interesting. You feel very strong.”

The bartender placed the champagne cocktail in front of them along with Billy’s beer. Antonia raised her glass and held it toward him. “To making new friends.”

He swallowed hard. “Yeah.” He clinked his glass against hers and looked over her head in time to see Shaz’s narrowed green eyes staring directly at him. Shaz clung to Giles’s arm, and the two walked toward Mitch and his group, but Shaz’s eyes never left Billy.

Billy’s heart flipped, his breath quit, and his hands started to shake.

Antonia looked at him. “Are you all right, Billy?”

Was he? He looked down at her, this beautiful woman whom most of the guys in the room wanted. She didn’t make his heart beat fast or his cock get hard. Nothing.

Mitch was hugging Giles, which kind of made sense since they were old friends, but Shaz clearly didn’t like it. His whole posture was rigid. He’d worn a suit, just a suit. Gray, with a white shirt and brilliant pink tie. Okay, so not every guy would choose pink, but still, with the red mane tamed into a tail and maybe only one or two earrings, he could just be another rich guy hanging out at the country club. But he wasn’t. The man had an energy, a vitality that made the others in the group seem languid and boring. Plus he was beautiful. Even beside Mitch the Magnificent, Shaz stood out.

“Do you know those men?”

Antonia’s voice startled him. “Oh yes. Yes, I do.”

“Do you want to say hello, or shall we take our drinks out onto the terrace?”

Billy finally focused on Antonia. “No, I owe Sissy a Manhattan, remember?”

Antonia made a little frown, then laughed. He didn’t much care. He grabbed the drink the bartender had left on the bar and started carrying it toward Sissy. She saw him coming, glanced at Antonia trailing behind him, smiled, and walked forward to meet him and take the glass. “Thanks, handsome.”

“My pleasure.”

He took a deep breath and stepped closer to the group of men. Antonia ended up on the outside of Sissy this time, but it was hard to see anyone besides Shaz.

Giles looked up, but his eyes glanced off Billy and he went right back to talking to Mitch. Shaz gazed at him levelly.

Billy inhaled and let his lips do what they wanted. They turned up at the corners.

Shaz’s beautiful eyes widened, his lips parted, and gradually his teeth began to show as he smiled. The look of amazement on Shaz’s face flowed through Billy like that glass of champagne he’d had with Shaz after they went furniture shopping. The night Billy had confessed his deepest fear for the first time to anyone. To Shaz. Oh God, maybe he hadn’t lost his friend after all.

Suddenly Giles turned his head and asked, “Don’t you think so, Chase?”

Still beaming, Shaz moved to reply, but his eyes seemed to have trouble leaving Billy’s. Finally he looked at Giles. “Sorry, dear, I didn’t hear you.”

“I gathered that.” The glance he cast at Billy was not friendly.

“Time for dinner, everyone.” Rhonda slipped into the group and took Mitch’s hand. “Are you hungry, dear?”

He shrugged. “Maybe a little.”

Rhonda led him toward the dining room, meek as a lamb. Giles watched them go, looking just as unfriendly as he had toward Billy.

Sissy grabbed Billy’s arm. “I’m starved.”

He grinned. “That’s my girl. Come on. Maybe they’ve got tacos.”

The private dining room contained one big, long table and some serving bars along the sides, plus extra round tables at the edges of the room. Apparently Rhonda’s whole wedding scheme involved that purply color—the entire length of the table was covered in it, with a white lace cloth over the top. Big flower arrangements were set up so that people could see each other under them, and the flowers stood as tall as Billy and beyond. Really nice.

Since the Auchinclosses were paying and this was their club, they’d set themselves up at either end of the long family table, with Rhonda and Mitch in the middle on one side and Billy’s parents across from them. Billy and Sissy were seated between Rhonda and Teresa. Sissy got a cute little smile when Antonia was relegated to one of the separate round tables assigned to the bridesmaids, groomsmen, their escorts, and a few close family friends. Oddly, even though he wasn’t family, Giles sat next to Mitch with Shaz opposite him, which put Shaz next to Billy’s mom.
Holy crap
. At least he wasn’t wearing the diamond in his nose.

Shaz turned immediately to the somber Marie Ballew, who was surveying all the decorations and guests like an accountant adding up sins in heaven. Billy sipped some water and tried not to stare, but his ears were tingling from listening so hard.

Shaz said, “Mrs. Ballew, I’m Chase Phillips. I’m delighted to meet you. I’m so fond of Rhonda.” He glanced up, and Billy looked away. “And Billy. You have a great family.”

She shifted in her seat to face him. “You’re the stylist person, aren’t you?”

Billy looked over, and even Shaz seemed to swallow hard. That was one tough mother. “Yes. People call me Shaz. I believe you’re going to be coming to my salon tomorrow to have one of my staff style your hair for the wedding.”

She frowned even more. “I’ve worn my hair the same way since I was married, Mr. Phillips, and I see no need to change.”

Rhonda leaned across the table. “Mo-
ther
. You said you’d humor me and get your hair done.”

Teresa laughed. “Since you devised your hairstyle for your wedding, Mom, it seems fitting you should change it for Rhonda’s.”

His mom swiveled toward Billy’s dad. “Horace, what do you think?”

He screwed up his nose. “I think if I open my mouth I get killed from one side or another. You’re beautiful no matter what your hair does.”

She glowered. “You have to say that.”

Shaz sat back and raised a hand toward her face but didn’t touch her. “But I don’t have to say it, and I’m telling you that you have beautiful bone structure, fantastic eyebrows, a well-shaped chin and mouth. A more appropriate hairstyle will show those off.”

She raised her brows. “Though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair.”

Shaz smiled. “Yes, Jeremiah can be tough. But Corinthians tells us to ‘Glorify God in your body.’”

She gave a little smile. By now, everyone around them was watching. “Women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control.”

Shaz grinned. “I promise I won’t braid your hair or adorn you in gold and pearls and costly attire as Timothy warns.”

“Do not love the world or the things of the world.” She shook her finger in his face but was smiling.

Shaz got a wolfish grin. “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”

She pressed her lips together, but her little snorts revealed the laugh she was suppressing.

He leaned that oh-so-pretty head on his hand. “Matthew 6:1 to 34.”

At which point Billy’s indomitable mother leaned back and laughed. So did everyone else in hearing distance. Finally she took a deep breath. “Am I correct that you are responsible for the changes in my son?”

For one second, Shaz’s face went still at the same time that Billy’s heart stuttered. Shaz took a breath and sat up. “You mean his new wardrobe? Yes, I helped with that.”