Then something soft and unmistakably female brushed his arm. Was that cotton sliding over silk? Hell and damn. His bite of enchilada wedged in his throat as Lauren sat back, holding the plastic tortilla holder, her expression innocent. No one could tell him she hadn't felt that, even if she hadn't done it on purpose.
He wouldn't think about it. He'd talk to his Tia Virginia across the table. Nothing remotely sexual about that.
Lauren ducked in front of him to talk to his little sister Lisette on his other side. Her hair brushed his arm, his lap; he swallowed hard, his body heating. He shoved back from the table, but before he stood, Lauren gave him a very female, very evil look.
She knew just what she was doing.
And what the hell was he going to do about it?
Then, she went perfectly still. “What is my mother doing here?"
He turned to see Valerie Stokes approach the table, very elegant in a flowing dress, her eyes searching the table. Lauren's breath hitched when Valerie spotted the only empty chair, right next to Mitch.
"Have they even spoken since Thanksgiving?” Seth asked.
Lauren made a noncommittal noise, but he turned to see her gaze riveted to the scene. “Why is she here?” she asked again.
Seth scanned the table and found the culprit with a smug look in her eyes as she passed the salsa. “My mother."
"It's going to ruin everything for Crystal.” Seth heard the tension in her voice, wanted to reach into her and take it out.
"Crystal will be fine,” he said, knowing it was true, even if disaster ensued.
Valerie sat beside Mitch, who barely acknowledged her. So unlike Mitch, who was always a gentleman. Valerie's smile at Crystal was wavery, and she had yet to acknowledge her own daughter.
"Look, you want to get out of here?” Seth asked, turning toward Lauren, desperate to shield her from this.
She shook her head, never taking her eyes off her parents. “I want to be here, just in case."
"Just in case what?” But he knew. To step between.
"Lauren, you've always been between your parents,” he said softly so no one else heard. “Let them work this out on their own."
She shot him a look that said she didn't like that, but if he couldn't say it, who could? Still, he softened the blow. “You can't take care of everybody. I'm sure they'll behave like grown ups."
"You've seen him, Seth. He's so hurt. I can't believe she'd come."
Seth shifted, glanced around them, wishing they had more privacy to talk. He'd always known she sided with her father no matter what. The two women didn't see eye to eye. He wondered if Lauren knew Valerie had never loved Mitch one hundred percent.
"I'm sorry.” Mitch's voice carried down the table. “Am I crowding you?"
The sarcasm in his tone as he spoke to Valerie silenced the conversation in the room. Seth turned to see Valerie's face was drawn as she tried to ignore her husband. He also noted the two empty margarita glasses in front of Mitch. Aw, hell. He hadn't taken that into consideration, and he bet his mother hadn't either. Why hadn't he gotten Lauren out of here earlier?
He reached over beneath the table and squeezed her knee. She was as taut as a bowstring. Maybe if no one paid attention to the Stokeses, Lauren wouldn't suffer as much. Problem was, no one was talking. He took a deep breath.
"So, Crystal,” he said to his sister, who sat approximately twenty feet away. “How are the plans for the honeymoon?"
The plans had been set the day after Enrique proposed, but he saw by the relief in her eyes she realized what he was doing. “Oh, I can't wait. We have the hotel right on the beach, and it's a resort, with everything we need. We never have to leave the resort if we don't want to."
Seth rewarded her comment with a whistle and Crystal simpered. He risked a glance at the Stokeses. Valerie was doing her best to look less miserable, trying to smile at Crystal's enthusiasm.
Mitch ordered another margarita. “Doesn't matter if you have a honeymoon or not,” he said, inspecting one of the empty glasses as if looking for a remaining drop of tequila. “Doesn't matter if you're married for thirty years. You can't make someone love you."
"Dad!” Lauren said sharply.
He blinked, set down the glass as Valerie rose. “I shouldn't have come,” she murmured, and Seth hoped he was the only one to see the longing look she gave Oscar.
"Of course you shouldn't have. They're my friends,” Mitch said.
"Mitch, that's enough,” Sandra said in the same tone Lauren had used. “Of course she's welcome. She's still a part of this family, whether you like it or not."
"I'm leaving,” Valerie said, circling the table to embrace Sandra, then Crystal. As always when he witnessed such a display, Seth's stomach clenched. “I wish you every happiness,” she said to Crystal. “I know it's possible."
Mitch waited till she left before he leaned across the table to Crystal, eyes moist. “I'm sorry, sweetheart. I didn't mean to ruin your party."
Crystal merely blinked and nodded, her expression solemn. Mitch looked at her a moment longer, then stood. “I should go, too."
The sound of the chair scraping back beside him startled Seth, as Lauren stood, too. He grabbed her hand again and looked up at her. “You don't need to go."
She inclined her head in her father's direction. “I can't let him drive. I'll see you tomorrow."
He watched, helpless, as she said goodnight and collected her father before going downstairs.
"Why do you let her get the better of you?” Lauren asked unlocking her car for her father.
"Habit,” he muttered. “She always has. That was part of the appeal."
"You've got to be kidding."
He dropped into the passenger seat. “I made an ass of myself, didn't I?"
"In front of the whole Escamilla family.” She shoved the key in the ignition, trying not to think of Seth's valiant attempt to help her family save face. It had been the sweetest gesture, but even the thought of it made her heart ache. What her father said to Crystal—was it really true? Did it really not matter if you loved someone enough?
How could she question that? She'd seen it with her own parents. It had always been a lopsided relationship. No matter what, she would marry a man who loved her more than she loved him. That way, she was guaranteed not to get hurt.
"I'll apologize to Crystal in the morning,” Mitch said, and fell asleep.
Lauren inspected herself once again in the mirror before preceding Crystal into the vestibule. The bronze dress with spaghetti straps didn't look as bad against her pale skin as she expected, though it was still an impractical choice for a December wedding, even in South Texas. The hairdresser had put her blonde hair up in those fancy loops and applied her makeup. She looked pretty darned good. Her mother might even approve, if she showed up, which was doubtful.
Lauren wouldn't think of that today. She picked up her bouquet and walked out with the other bridesmaids, all jittery with anticipation. Seth had been in a tizzy last night; wait till he got a load of her today.
The groomsmen waited in the hallway and turned as one to watch them approach. Seth's eyes met hers and she read the appreciation there. Time stopped. His smile spread and her heart thrummed at the honest emotion she saw in his face.
He lifted her hand to his lips. She just smiled when he whispered, “You're gorgeous."
She reclaimed her hand and tugged playfully at his bow tie, a real one, she discovered. “You clean up pretty nice yourself."
He held onto her hand, his long fingers rough against hers as he looked down at her until she flushed with pleasure. Someone behind them finally prodded them forward. Time to walk down the aisle. She wouldn't let those little words make her too giddy.
Lauren looked straight ahead with a stupid grin as they joined the procession, and when they peeled off to go to their spots, their fingers stayed linked till the last possible second.
As the bridal march began, she turned to see her lifelong friend start down the aisle, everything from the white dress to her smile radiating happiness. This was a day Crystal never thought would come. Lauren swallowed the lump in her throat. Crystal's first love had been a fireman killed in the line of duty. They'd planned a summer wedding. Crystal—everyone, all the Escamillas, all the Stokes—had been destroyed by Guillermo's death. Crystal had overcome so much to find her happiness again, and now...
Lauren turned to look at Enrique as he watched his bride. An accountant, a safe man, who loved Crystal more than his own life. Anyone watching him could see it.
What must it be like to have that emotion directed at you?
A Catholic service offered a lot of time for wandering thoughts, and Lauren's wandered predictably. He had a point about the whole what-are-we-doing thing. She knew him too well. He was not relationship material. He loved her, but she didn't have any better chance with him than anyone else. One day he'd decide he'd had enough, and he would either leave, breaking her heart, or stay and resent her. After watching her parents’ marriage crumble, she knew either outcome would be unbearable.
But, she was in no situation to start a relationship, either. How could she look for love when she saw how love could destroy you? Maybe a fling with Seth was what the doctor ordered. He certainly made her feel more desirable than she'd felt in—ever. And she had no illusions of changing him.
If she could only stop thinking of that kiss, the decision would be easier to make. Because in this state of mind, uh-uh.
Lauren's nerves were on edge and her feet were aching by the time it came to pictures. She sensed Seth all around her. Had it always been this way, or had she just noticed? Right now he stood behind her with the groomsmen, and she felt his restlessness. If it came from the same source remained to be seen.
"Can't we get stand-in mannequins?” Seth asked as the photographer physically positioned them. “Those at least are poseable."
"Aw, come on, Seth, be a sport. He's just trying to find your good side,” Lauren teased.
"Yeah, well, if he touches me like that one more time, he better buy me dinner."
Lauren laughed, glancing back, just as the shutter clicked. The photographer straightened in outrage at the ruined shot and the wedding party groaned.
"Leave it to Lauren and Seth,” Crystal complained, and Lauren grinned. Some reputations were good to have.
Lauren drew attention at the reception. She knew many of the firefighters in attendance and found herself in the center of a group of men who'd always looked at her like a sister. The attention empowered her and she actually flirted back. Seth apparently didn't get the empowerment part and edged in to slide his arm about her waist, leveling a look at his friends that dared them to challenge him.
Mitch was the only one Seth didn't challenge. When he saw Mitch, he snatched his hand away and plastered an innocent look on his face. As if he hadn't just made her knees turn to water.
"You looked beautiful up there,” Mitch said, taking both her hands and kissing her cheek. “Almost made me want to see you standing there in white.” He slid a warning look to Seth. “Almost."
Seth folded his hands behind his back and gave his captain a curt nod. “Yes, sir.” But his eyes twinkled.
"I told you, I'm in no hurry to get married,” she said, searching her father's face for clues of how he held up, finding only sadness. Of course. How could he watch one marriage start when his was over? “Are you doing okay?"
"Great, just great.” He passed a hand over his hair, not quite touching the neat style, his signal he wanted a cigarette. “Work keeps me busy."
"Captain Stokes is working double shifts,” Seth said, concern in his voice. His revelation earned him a sharp look from Mitch.
Then Mitch looked at Lauren and shrugged with a half-hearted smile. “Where else am I going to go?"
She put her hand on his arm, but he pulled away. His withdrawal stabbed her. Was she so like her mother he couldn't stand her touch? “Dad, you know you could stay with me."
"No.” He cut her off. “No, you're not going to get in the middle. I'm perfectly happy at the station. Don't worry about me, okay?” He kissed her cheek. “I'm, ah ... I'm going to go. You two have fun."
Lauren stared as he walked off. Her father had never looked so old, so beaten. No one could tell her he'd seen this split coming. She started after him but Seth caught her hand.
"He wants to be alone."
"He's hurting.” How could her mother have done this? How could she inflict so much pain and just walk away? Maybe she didn't know what she'd done. Maybe she'd thought if it was over for herself, it was over for Mitch, too. Had she been that blind, or that selfish?
"He will be for awhile. You can't stop it.” Seth stepped in front of her. “He's right not to put you between your mom and him. But this is a party and they'd both want you to have fun."
He linked his fingers through hers and guided her to the table where the bridal party sat in their finery, snagging a flute of champagne along the way. Everyone shifted so the two could sit together, but Lauren couldn't join in their lighthearted teasing of the bridal couple. Her thoughts were with her father and his loneliness.
Had he and her mother ever been as happy as Crystal and Enrique, leaning toward each other, touching with their eyes when they were out of reach? Certainly they had, or they never would have gotten married. Was it the newness of the relationship that had Crystal and Enrique so ecstatic? Or was it real?
Was that, the excitement, the change, what was affecting her feelings toward Seth?
She couldn't think at this close range. She needed air. She glanced around, saw everyone was taking their seats. Dinner would be served, toasts would follow. She couldn't wait that long. Quietly, she pushed back her chair and slipped away.
Okay, maybe the air she wanted wasn't quite the fifty degrees she found out on the patio. And the peace she was searching for certainly wasn't in the man smoking a cigarette near the railing. How fast could she duck back inside? Not fast enough. Her heels had already made too much noise on the flagstone. He turned.