Seven

The Wedding

I stayed in my room until Margo texted that they were on their way. I checked my hair in the mirror to make sure Mother would have no reason to complain. I had left the natural curl and pulled it up in a side bun. I touched the sparkly headband I’d added to the look and smiled. I was sure Geneva would bitch about that. She was wearing a tiara instead of a veil, and this was a slight detail I added just to annoy her.

The only order I had obeyed was to wear the black dress she chose. I had no issue with wearing black. However, I made a few alterations to the dress she’d left for me before putting it on. Nothing that I thought she’d notice. With one last adjustment, I added red lipstick to complete my look.

The arrival of guests was in full swing as I descended the staircase. The banisters were also covered in purple passion flowers, and if I’d needed to hold onto it to balance in my heels, I would have been in trouble. Nothing had been cast to keep guests away from the stairs, and although there were several protective spells upstairs to keep others away, I didn’t think letting guests climb these stairs in heels was wise.

Keeping my smile in place, I whispered the incantation to dissuade anyone who may get close to the stairwell from going any further. My mother’s head turned from the guests she was welcoming, and her eyes locked on mine. She’d heard my almost silent whisper.

With a slight nod of her head, she agreed with my action, but for different reasons than I placed it, I was sure. She didn’t care about others’ safety. She just wanted to protect her privacy. Regardless, it was done, and I moved toward the entrance to take my place beside Leanne.

“You’re late,” she whispered, after the newest guest moved past us.

I didn’t respond. I rarely did to her little comments meant to anger me. I gave her a smile and turned my attention toward the older couple now entering the house. My mother charmed them with her stunning smile; the tone of her voice was even alluring to normal people. After they had been welcomed, both Leanne and myself flashed our smiles then Duely appeared to lead them to the backyard. He wasn’t thrilled to be given this job along with three of the groom’s cousins, but appropriate fear of his mother and mine had him doing it anyway.

“I smell weed,” Leanne said, low enough that the guests entering didn’t hear her.

“Of course you do. Duely’s here,” I replied then smiled my greeting at the very classy couple who had arrived. They had to be related to Miles.

“Can he not?” she asked annoyed. As if the scent of her cigarettes was better. I said nothing.

“Leanne, you are as breathtaking as your mother,” Circe Kamlock announced in her deep southern voice. Circe was the only daughter of my grandmother’s sister. She had been married three times yet still held the Kamlock name with pride.

Leanne soaked in the attention and all but glowed from the compliment. Looking like our evil mother had always been a trait Leanne bragged about. I was just happy it hadn’t been me who got those looks.

Circe stopped in front of me. She said nothing, but the expectation in her eyes was clear. Was she waiting for me to do something? “It’s nice to see you Circe,” I finally said.

A slight lifting at the corners of her mouth might have been an attempt at a smile. “Catalina,” she said my name with an odd tone. “It’s always … an experience to see you.”

Had Circe gone mad and no one told me? Most Kamlock women not born to the family of three did go crazy as they aged. Possibly it was already happening to Circe. “So much like your… father,” she continued.

“Duely, please show Circe and her guest to their seats,” my mother ordered, before Circe could say more. I wanted to hear what about me looked like my father. No one in this family ever mentioned him.

Circe then shot me a wicked grin, before taking the arm of the young man by her side. Duely greeted them, and I watched as they walked away. I was going to find her later, after the ceremony, when my mother was otherwise occupied and see if she would elaborate on my father.

“Catalina, your guests have arrived. Please escort them to their seats and then return.” My mother’s words drew my attention back to the door as Heath, Margo, and Rathe walked up the steps toward the entrance.

“Who is he?” Leanne asked, her voice full of interest.

“Better question is why is he here?” I replied annoyed.

Leanne turned her head to look at me. “Do you know him?”

I could save him from my sister, or I could let her draw him in just to use him. “He isn’t wealthy,” I told her, although I wasn’t sure of that. He had paid Heath upfront for his rent. I studied my friends’ faces for an answer to Rathe’s being here. It wasn’t like Heath enjoyed being around him.

“I don’t have to keep him, but I’d like to play,” she drawled.

He shouldn’t have come, but he had, and now he was going to be sucked in by my sister. There wasn’t time to figure out a way to stop it when they walked in the door, and Leanne was stepping forward to completely ignore Heath and Margo to get to Rathe.

“Leanne,” my mother called her back instantly. Her voice said all she needed to say. She had been warned. Leanne, reluctantly, stepped back, but she kept her eyes locked on Rathe and the full magnitude of her appeal had been released. I could feel its power.

“You made it,” I said to both Heath and Margo, before barely glancing at Rathe. I didn’t want to see his reaction to Leanne’s siren call.

“It looks amazing, I mean this house is gorgeous all the time, but the flowers and lights are out of this world,” Margo gushed.

“Yes, my aunt is very talented when it comes to decorations,” I said, taking Margo’s hand and leading her away from the entrance. Heath and Rathe both followed, without a backward glance in my sister’s direction. Rathe seemed unaffected by Leanne. That was odd. Margo was busy gawking at everything.

“She must also be British,” Rathe said with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Pausing, I made eye contact with him this time. “Who?” I asked, already knowing what he meant but needing to make sure I didn’t misunderstand him.

“Your aunt,” he replied, holding my gaze.

“She lived in England for a time, but she’s definitely not British,” I explained, hoping he wasn’t going to add to that comment.

“I didn’t know one could find so many Hollyhocks in the southern part of the US.”

“And I didn’t know you were a Botanist,” I shot back, wishing he’d shut up and stop being smart. Did he need to be both attractive and a walking encyclopedia?

His chuckle gave me a shiver, and it wasn’t the bad kind. I wish he had a terrible personality flaw that I could find. Something awful that would make me hate him. He’d be safer that way. Although, knowing he would soon fall under Leanne’s spell should make me hate him. It would make it easier to fight off my attraction to him but I wouldn’t hate him for it. He was human. It was to be expected.

“The flowers are beautiful. Your aunt did a great job,” Heath said, as if he needed to assure me. He was probably confused by our conversation. I smiled at his natural kindness. I often wondered if the spell I’d cast when we had been eleven to protect Heath from my sisters’ charm actually worked or if he was simply not drawn in by them because he knew how awful they had been to me over the years.

Duely passed us one aisle over as he walked back out to greet another guest. His eyes scanned my friends and Rathe then he winked. Rolling my eyes at him, I continued until we found the row of seats I was instructed my friends were to sit. It was closer to the back on the far left. Margo went in first then Heath and finally Rathe.

“I’ll meet y’all after this fiasco is over,” I said in a whisper, leaning forward and looking around Rathe at Margo then Heath. I didn’t glance at Rathe when I turned to leave, but I heard him. His whisper was so low if I didn’t have impeccable hearing I might have missed it.

“Seems a bit unfair to outshine the bride.”

I paused. Goosebumps covered my arms and I inhaled deeply while trying to decide if I should respond. He’d complimented me. It had been a very long time since a man complimented me or noticed me for longer than a few moments. I didn’t seek or welcome the attention, but I wouldn’t lie to myself: I enjoyed the way his words made me feel. I’d missed feeling noticed.

“You’ve not seen Geneva. I assure you I won’t outshine her,” I said, as quietly as I could, but I didn’t look him in the eyes. I bolted as elegantly as one could flee.