Page 33 of Kiss Me at Midnight
“Instead of fisticuffs, make him pay for attending our performance.” Grandma Dotty still had her head in the clouds. “I think a few hundred dollars is fair, don’t you?”
Lily put her hands over her ears.
Jud promptly removed them. For some reason, he was smiling. “Rachel has tipped her hand. She’ll expect one of two things. Either you running away with your tail between your legs…”
Lily released another growl.
“…or retaliation. She’d expect us to strike back against her, but…”
Lily had never thought he looked more gorgeous than in that moment. “What devious plan is forming in that handsome head of yours?”
His grin expanded. “There’s a point in every underdog movie where the underdog vows to stay in the fight.”
“I don’t like where this is heading,” Lily said, suspecting he wanted her to act.
“I don’tknowwhere this is heading,” Grandma Dotty said.
Jud brought them in closer, close enough to hear him whisper, “We came here to stop a wedding–”
“And get paid,” Dotty added.
“–and that photo is daring us to stop a wedding.”
“And get paid,” Grandma Dotty added again.
Lily wasn’t ready to play along. “But if they love each other…”
Jud straightened, frowning. “Don’t tell me you still believe love is behind this marriage. Paulo came to our rescue last night. That means he isn’t Rachel’s puppet.”
“And only a puppet would earn her so-called love.” Lily was finally on board. “Okay, what’s your plan?”
There was hope for Hot Meals and Shelter yet.
Chapter Seven
“I’ve always wanted to ride on one of these water motorcycles.” Dotty sat on one of the two jet skis in the rear boat garage of the yacht. “Who’s going with me?” She wore a life preserver and a crash helmet.
Jud didn’t want to speculate where she’d gotten the helmet. He pretended not to hear her and buckled Lily into her life vest.
It had been a gamble to assume that Rachel wouldn’t want to ride the watercraft. They’d dodged her this morning, breakfasting early and then sending a porter to Paulo with an invitation to join them for some water sport.
Interrogation, Dotty called it.
“Paulo!” Dotty patted the seat behind her. “Be my man.”
That was Lily’s cue.
“Paulo.” Lily smiled at the groom and said something in Spanish, supposedly a request to take care of her grandmother.
Paulo grinned and nodded, apparently agreeing to ride with Dotty. He sat behind the old gal, extended his long arms around her shoulders to start the engine. He had no idea what was in store for him, and Jud had no sympathy.
“We race once we’re in the open water, Jud.” Dotty should have been an actress. She dove right into her role of competitive grandma in need of a chaperone. “Don’t keep me waiting.”
“We won’t,” Lily promised.
A crew member unhooked the tie-line and pushed them free. Paulo backed the jet ski into the water, and then shifted gears, disappearing from view.
Jud sat on the other jet ski. Lily got on behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. Having her hold him was an unexpected benefit of their plan. He pressed a hand briefly over hers. She was incredibly brave. There was more to her teenage runaway story and when the time was right, he wanted to hear it. Jud was convinced that whatever had happened in her past was why she wanted a relationship with a man that progressed slowly. Three dates? Fat chance he’d settle for three dates.
