Forever Lucy by Terri Anne Browning
“Last time I asked about the guest list, Nat said it was somewhere around five hundred people.” To me, that number wasn’t a big deal. I didn’t care how many people showed up to the wedding. But for Lucy, who had become more introverted since she’d stopped self-harming, I knew it was going to be tough to handle such a large crowd. “I told Nat to trim the list down. She said she already had, by two hundred.”
“Sounds like you should take the moms in hand. Get them to chill out some for Lucy’s sake,” he advised.
I scrubbed my hands over my face and into my hair. “I’ve asked her if I needed to talk to Nat about anything. Asked her if she was okay with the guest list being so long. She said she was fine. That everything is fine.”
“You believe her?”
“I don’t fucking know. But I need her to tell me when shit is bothering her. I need her to trust me to have her back and support her. Even if it’s something little, she needs to tell me what’s going on.”
“Yeah, I understand that. But Lucy is a strong chick. She’s used to taking on the world by herself.”
“That was before.” Now my girl seemed a little bit fragile, and I didn’t know how to keep her from falling apart if she couldn’t tell me what was wrong.
I would take care of her for the rest of my life, and I had to trust her to trust me.
Chapter 6
Lucy
Marcus pulled up in front of First Bass and handed the keys of my Range Rover to the valet who opened his door. Stepping out, Marcus opened the back door and offered me his hand to assist me out. On the other side of the vehicle, one of the doormen had moved to do the same for Kin.
As soon as my feet touched the ground, I heard a shout from the paps who basically lived on the other side of the street from the club, and I mentally cringed. First Bass was the hottest club in the city, and the VIP list every night was enough to keep every single pap over there fed and clothed for life. Several shouted my name as I walked with Marcus around the back of the Range Rover, but I kept my eyes turned forward and my head held high. Ignoring them wouldn’t make them go away, but I’d be damned if I offered up so much as a smile for those bastards.
“Lucy!”
“Over here, Lucy!”
“Lucy, where did you get your purse?”
“Lucy, is it true your dad is leaving the band?”
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at that last shouted question. I got asked at least once a month if Dad was breaking away from Demon’s Wings. There had never been any reason to ask, because the world knew how strong a relationship Jesse Thornton had with his three other bandbrothers, but those fuckheads loved to stir up trouble any way they could.
Kin was waiting for me on the sidewalk, ignoring the calls as much as I was. Since she was the estranged daughter of a famous director with enough family drama to fill six tell-all books, the kind of cash someone could get for legit weekly news about Kin could have easily sent those paps’ kids to college.
“I’m exhausted,” I grumbled as the doorman let us inside. “I just want to go home and go to bed.”
“You and me both, babe. Hey, Tiny,” she greeted as we reached the stairs that led to the VIP floor. “Our guys upstairs?”
The dark and delicious head of security flashed us a brilliantly white smile. “Yes, ma’am. They went up about half an hour ago.”
“Great. Anyone else come in?” I asked, linking my arm through Kin’s.
“Mr. Sinclair came in earlier, but he isn’t upstairs. Would you like me to have someone ask him to join you?”
Kin made a face, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “No, I think we’ll let Sin have his own fun. Thanks, Tiny.”
He inclined his head as he stepped out of the way. “Anytime, Miss Thornton.”
“Sin is always here on Thursday nights,” Kin muttered as we climbed the stairs. “He’s obsessed.”
“Maybe, maybe not. I’m pretty sure it’s none of our business.” We reached the top of the stairs with Marcus right behind us, and I turned in the direction of the back corner where we normally sat together. As I had expected, Harris was already sitting in one of two chairs, with Jace spread out on the long leather couch across from him.
What was unexpected were the four chicks standing over them, flirting like their rent was due. Dressed in skirts that barely covered their asses and tops that would have been better suited for a hooker, these chicks were obviously new to the VIP floor. How they had gotten upstairs was beyond me, but now that they were, they were probably on the prowl for a rich boyfriend.
Kin spotted them and laughed. “Jace looks bored.”
“Harris too,” I sighed. “Should we save them?”
“I don’t know. I’m still a little pissed that Jace is going golfing and not coming to the bridal shower.”
I rolled my eyes. “No, you’re not. If anything, you want him to make Gray not come too.”
“I can be pissed and relieved all at the same time,” she countered with a wink. “I do it all the time.”
As if he could feel my gaze on him, Harris turned his head, and our gazes locked. The events of the day seemed to melt away at the sight of those aquamarine eyes, and suddenly my exhaustion was gone. Feeling rejuvenated, I practically skipped across the space that separated us and threw myself down onto his lap.
His arms came around me as I cuddled into him. “Hey, sweetness.” He pressed his lips to my temple. “Mmm, fuck, I missed you.”
I snuggled in closer and heard a huff from above. Lifting my eyes, I found the four chicks glowering down at me. “Get lost, skanks,” I growled. “He’s not interested.”
Harris smirked as the four turned and flounced away. “I love it when you get all territorial on me, Lu.”
Laughing at him, I lifted my head as Kin came over with two glasses of ginger ale in hand. I hadn’t even noticed her go off toward the bar once Harris had looked at me. I took one of the glasses she offered as she dropped down beside Jace on the couch. “Did you guys eat dinner yet?”
Jace shrugged. “We ate in Harris’s office. Did you?”
“We stopped for salads with Layla and Aunt Emmie,” she told him as she rested her head on his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head, closing his eyes as if savoring having her beside him.
Harris kissed my neck, pulling my attention completely back to him. “Want to go home?” he murmured close to my ear. “I could really use an early night.”
I could feel exactly what he could really use pressing into my hip. I squirmed against him, making him groan, and grinned up at him wickedly. “Don’t you have a show going on soon? You told me this morning you needed to be here in case something happens.”
“I realized that’s what I have two assistant managers for,” he said, but I could see the resignation in his eyes. “Fine. But as soon as the show’s over, can I take you home?”
Stroking a finger over his chin, I kissed his cheek. “As soon as Roanna sings the last note, I’ll be happy to go home with you.”
Since I was going home with Harris, I told Marcus to take the rest of the night off. I didn’t use him nearly as much as I once had, but there was no way my dad was going to let me get rid of him. Neither was Harris. Marcus was like one of the family now, and I couldn’t even think about a time when he wouldn’t be around.
Downstairs, I could tell the show was getting ready to start. The crowd was getting amped up, and the VIPs were moving closer to the balcony to watch. The four of us stayed where we were, just relaxing as the club filled with the sound of Roanna’s hypnotic voice.
Halfway through the show, Jace’s phone started going off. At first, he ignored it, sending it straight to voice mail. After it went off for the fourth time in a row, he finally got up to take the call. His face was like a thundercloud as he left us sitting there. I moved off of Harris’s lap to sit beside Kin on the couch. “Everything okay with him?” I asked her as she watched after Jace with a frown wrinkling her brow. He had seemed kind of out of it
“He says he’s fine, but he’s been kind of moody lately.” She shrugged. “I thought it was just because of the whole Kassa and Gray thing at first, but he seems okay with that for the most part. I’m not sure what’s going on, but I’ve been worried about him.”
Her phone buzzed, and she lifted it to read the text. “It’s Kassa. She and Gray are coming.” She gave a relieved sigh. “I’ve been so worried about her. Losing the baby has been rough on her and Gray both. I never thought I would feel bad for Gray, but seeing how hard he’d taken what happened, I can’t help feel sympathy for the douchebag.”
“I’m glad she’s getting out of the apartment.” Kassa hadn’t been out often over the last few weeks. The girls and I had been going to her apartment and doing things we thought would cheer her up, like having a mani/pedi night and eating nothing but junk food, but losing her baby was destroying Kassa. Getting out and spending time with her friends was going to be good for both her and Gray.
Jace came back a few minutes later with beers for himself and Harris. Dropping down beside Kin, he took a long swallow, but I could tell something was wrong with him. He was tense, and the way his jaw was working, I couldn’t help wondering what was going on with him.
“Who called?” Kin asked, concerned.
“It was no one,” he bit out and took another drink of his beer.
“You’re practically vibrating right now. I can tell something’s wrong. What happened?”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine,” she argued, getting upset.
“Kin, drop it. It’s not important.”
“Tell me who it was,” she demanded, and I shifted away from her instinctively.
“It was Kassa.”
Kin went completely still beside me, and my mouth dropped open because I could practically smell the lie before it even left his mouth. Now I knew for sure something was going on with Jace. He never lied, and especially not to Kin. Hell, I was surprised Harris had asked me to marry him before Jace had asked Kin. Those two were inseparable, and I’d felt so guilty for asking Kin to stay to help me out over the summer while Jace had been off on tour. She had been lost without him, and he’d been devastated without her by his side during the nine weeks they were apart.
But ever since he’d been back from tour, he had become more and more withdrawn.
Kin lifted her brows as the rest of her face went completely blank, and I shot Harris a questioning look, wondering if he had any idea what was going on. He caught my gaze but shook his head, telling me he was just as clueless as I was. “Oh yeah? What did she say?”
“Nothing much. Just checking in. She’s fine.”
“That’s all?” Kin’s blue eyes narrowed, giving him one last chance to tell her the truth.
“Yup.”
My friend jumped to her feet, the hurt and anger rolling off her in tidal waves. “I’m going home,” she muttered to me. “I’ll call you tomorrow, Lucy.”
“What the fuck, Kin?” Jace called after her. “I thought you were coming home with me tonight.”
“Go fuck yourself, Jace!” She flipped him off as she disappeared into the crowd.
“What the fuck just happened?”
“Kassa texted her,” Harris informed him, watching his friend closely as he let him in on the fact that his girlfriend had caught him in a lie. “She and Gray are on their way here.”
“Fuck,” he groaned. Scrubbing his hands over his face, he jerked to his feet. “I gotta go, man. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Harris gave a nod as Jace disappeared in the direction I’d last seen Kin. Our gazes found each other again and locked. “What the hell was that about?”
His eyes were just as huge as I figured mine were. “No idea, sweetness. Something is definitely wrong with him, though.”
--
Kin still wasn’t talking to or about Jace on Saturday. I couldn’t say I blamed her for being upset. Whatever was going on with Jace, he wasn’t confiding in his girlfriend or anyone else as far as I could tell. Kassa didn’t even know what was up with her brother. The first thing that had entered my head was that maybe he was cheating on Kin, but that was laughable. Jace St. Charles cheat on Kin? That was about as ridiculous as Harris cheating on me.
But Jace wasn’t sharing what was going on with him, and Kin was having some major trust issues with him over it after he’d flat out lied to her a few nights before.
Still, she put on a smile for my family and friends as the day went on. Natalie and Mom were hosting my bridal shower at the country club where Dad and the other rockers were playing golf with Harris and his friends. I hadn’t been sure what to expect with this whole shower thing, but so far I was having fun.
After the craziness of the last few months, it was nice to just relax with all the women I loved and spend the day laughing rather than agonizing over the mile-long, never-ending list of things that still needed my attention before this wedding was finally sorted. We were in the banquet room at the back of the building, and between the moms and Aunt Emmie, the place was overflowing with white and light purple balloons.
The wait staff was walking around with trays of champagne and mimosas for the adults and cups of orange juice for the kids, who had a smaller room just off the side of the banquet room where they could play and enjoy themselves while the adults focused on me. There was a small buffet set up which was full of little finger foods that would satisfy either kid or adult hunger. A table off to the side was piled high with gifts I’d spent two solid weeks adding to several bridal registries that would supposedly help start my marriage off easier.
“Have you and Harris thought about buying a house?” Marissa Niall asked, taking a sip of her mimosa.
My brow puckered at the question as I stared at the beautiful woman before me. It seriously wasn’t fair that she was so gorgeous. But with Marissa, that beauty wasn’t just skin deep. The kindness of her soul seemed to make her physically glow. Or maybe it was all the love her husband drowned her in daily that made her glow. Either way, Marissa was stunning, and I had always been a little enthralled by her.
But a house had been the last thing on my mind lately. On top of wedding planning, I also had school to deal with, and I’d been trying to fit in at least one meeting with my support group each week. “Not really. We’re happy with the apartment for now.” Shit, I didn’t need the stress of house-hunting on top of all the crap that was still piled on my plate right then.
“Well, there’s plenty of time for that later on,” she rushed to assure me, and I figured I’d been unable to hide the panic I felt at just the idea of a house. “I was only wondering if you two had thought about it since there was a house that just went up for sale a block from Liam and Gabriella’s house.”
“Oh, I love that house!” Gabriella Bryant gushed as she came over to us. “The couple who is selling it just moved in a few years ago, but they did so much work to it. And that nursery they redid is a baby’s paradise. Her mom just got sick, though, so they’re moving back to Seattle to be closer to her parents.”
“Maybe you and Harris would like to take a look at it,” Annabelle Brockman murmured as she joined us. “I could get you a viewing anytime.”
“Oh, uh…” I tried to search for a plausible enough excuse, but nothing came instantly to mind. “Um, sure.” I finally gave in when she continued to stare at me expectantly. What was the harm in just looking at a house anyway? “I’ll have to talk to Harris about what time will suit him, though.”
“Sure, no problem. Just let me know, and I’ll set up the viewing.”
“Careful, Lucy,” Mieke said with a laugh. “Mom will have you in a new house within weeks if you’re not careful.”
“It’s just a viewing,” Annabelle assured her with a twist of her lips. “And if you didn’t want that house next door to me and your dad, you shouldn’t have bought it.”
“O
“I plead the fifth,” she muttered, taking a sip of her drink, but she couldn’t hide the guilty color her cheeks were turning.
Mieke shot me an amused look that had us both bursting out laughing. “Okay. Okay. We’ll look, but I’m not promising anything,” I told Annabelle. “We really are happy where we’re at.”
“But what about when you start having babies?”
I suddenly knew what a deer felt like when it got caught in the high beams of an oncoming eighteen-wheeler. “We have plenty of time before we even start thinking about having babies,” I squeaked out.
“I heard the word babies. Lucy, please tell me you’re not pregnant. Your dress isn’t going to allow for that much alteration,” Mom laughed as she broke away from a group. Her gaze found mine, and she saw my wide-eyed expression. “So…you’re not pregnant?” I shook my head emphatically. “Well, that’s a relief.”
“For you and me both,” I muttered half under my breath.
“That’s not saying I’m not looking forward to grandbabies. Because I totally am,” she rushed to assure me. “But let’s get you through this wedding first, okay, baby?”
“I was thinking along the lines of five years down the road,” I informed her. “After college and I’ve sorted out my career.”
“Smart thinking,” Gabriella said with a nod. “You have plenty of time to think about kids later. You’re still a baby yourself.”
Thankfully, the topic was turned to how I was doing this semester at UCLA. Which caught Harper’s attention, and not for the first time, she asked when I was going to come work for her. For over a year, I had been putting her off. But lately, I’d been giving her offer more and more thought. All the wedding planning had made me realize just how much I still relied on my parents. My credit cards were from Dad, but I didn’t want him to pay my way through life. I had a trust fund, but that didn’t come to me until I was twenty-one, which was still over a year away, and I really didn’t want to touch that unless I had to.