Page 6 of Bridles and Bribery

“Good to know.” Dave watched his in-laws move determinedly in his bride’s direction. They looked impatient enough to elbow Bliss out of the way if she took too long.

With her usual level of graciousness, Bliss gave Jillian another quick squeeze hug, then returned to Gil’s side.

Dave’s shoulders tensed as he watched Jillian’s mother sidle closer. Now that he and Jillian were married, he wouldn’t hesitate to dive into their conversation and perform an extraction if things got dicey.

Nell Harris was sporting a simple navy pantsuit over a plain white turtleneck sweater. It wasn’t exactly mother-of-the-bride apparel. Her dyed red hair looked unnatural and garish. So did her heavy makeup. “Well,” she gestured at her younger daughter with two heavily be-ringed hands. “You’re married.”

No congratulations. No well wishes. Just a statement of the obvious, followed by the stiffest hug Dave had ever witnessed. It barely qualified as a hug.

He watched with raised eyebrows as Jillian’s father edged closer. He was wearing a solid black suit that would’ve been ideal for a funeral. Though he didn’t say anything, he enclosed his younger daughter in a tender hug.

She briefly closed her eyes, looking like she was trying to soak in his sparse display of fatherliness. “Thank you for coming,” she whispered.

Thank you for coming?Dave couldn’t believe her parents’ presence at their wedding had ever been in question. It shouldn’t have been. The fact that it had made him sad.

Julie Harris was the last family member to greet hisbride. She gave Jillian an air kiss and murmured, “Guess you finally one-upped me on something.”

Are you kidding me?An incendiary burst of rage left Dave imagining himself tackling her to the ground and throwing her off the roof. Instead, he slid an arm around his wife and tucked her against his side. “Y’all can head on to the restaurant. Jills and I will follow behind you.” Yeah, it was a dismissal. He almost didn’t care if his words offended anyone.

Julie recoiled, looking put out. “Oh, great! Another delay.” She made no attempt to mask her sarcasm.

Instead of answering, Dave pivoted with Jillian, turning their backs on her malcontented family. Enough was enough! He waited until he heard the elevator doors open and close behind them before announcing, “Whoever’s in favor of changing the restaurant, raise your hand.” They weren’t actually heading to a restaurant, but Jillian didn’t know that.

Five hands shot into the air, including Jillian’s and his mother’s.

“You do realize I was kidding?” He waggled his eyebrows at Jillian, hoping to drag a smile out of her. The way her family had left the courtyard had taken the wind out of her sails.

“I wasn’t,” she sighed, lowering her hand.

Her words assured him that her spine was still intact. “Name the place, babe, and I will happily notify your family of our change in plans.” He winked at her. “In an hour or two. Or maybe next year.” How he wished it was that simple! Unfortunately, her family was already on their way to add the finishing touches to a surprise wedding reception for her.

“Same restaurant, please.” Jillian’s smile looked a littleforced. “But let’s order takeout and enjoy it at your place instead.”

“Our place,” Dave corrected quickly. Since they were headed home, anyway, he no longer needed to come up with an excuse to take a detour there. “No prenup, remember?” The darker side of him reveled in the thought of showing off their three-story townhome to her annoying family. With any luck, Julie would feel one-upped all over again. It would serve her right!

Gil pulled the brim of his Stetson lower and made a rally sign as he nudged his wife toward the elevator. “We’ll head on to the restaurant to pick up everyone’s orders. Text whatever you want to Bliss.” Pretending to take their orders was part of the cover story for the big surprise they’d planned for Jillian — not just a wedding reception but also a baby shower. They were wrapping them into one event, since it was unlikely they’d get their families on the same continent again anytime soon.

“No need to text.” Mrs. Phillips briskly followed after Gil and Bliss. “I’m well aware of how my son likes his steak.” She made a pfft sound, slapping the air. “And the fact that he and my new daughter-in-law usually split a platter.”

Though Dave appreciated her playing along with the surprise, her response made it sound like they had a close mother-son relationship, which they most certainly did not. It irked him that she would even pretend that they did.

“That’s a pretty big observation for someone who’s only been in town for a week.” His eyebrows came together as he finished the sentence inside his head.After being gone for the past thirty-something years. He didn’t say it out loud, not wanting to start a verbal duel with her on his wedding day.

His mother made another lighthearted pfft sound. She was in a much better mood than he was accustomed toenduring over their infrequent phone calls and his even less infrequent visits to her in Italy. “Where do you think you got your investigative skills, son?”

From my attorney father, of course!“Where indeed?” He shook his head in amazement at her retreating shoulders as she joined Gil and Bliss in the elevator. It was as if she’d swallowed a happy pill or something.

“Alone at last.” He didn’t hesitate to gather Jillian close as soon as the doors rolled shut. “New idea. Let’s blow this popsicle stand and start our honeymoon right away.”

They had plane tickets to depart for Hawaii in the morning.

Jillian slid her arms around his neck. “What’ll you do if I say yes?”

“Don’t tempt me.” He hovered his mouth over hers. It wouldn’t take much urging to convince him.

She melted into his kiss.

He took what she offered, never dreaming just how badly or how soon he’d be wishing he’d driven them straight to the airport.

---