Page 57 of Kiss Me at Midnight
Lily got to her feet and helped her grandmother to hers.
When she found her footing, Grandma Dotty kept hold of Lily’s hands. “You have to ask Jud for me, Lily, even if it’s through his agent. It shows you’re over him. And when Jud performs at my birthday bash, he’ll see that you’re fine without him.”
That wasn’t true. None of it was true. Lily wasn’t over him and she wasn’t fine without him. There was an ache in her chest when she went to bed at night and when she got up in the morning. And then there was the heart-squeezing sadness when she thought of Jud singing or laughing or being kind to Grandma Dotty. He was such a good sport.
And a dirty, rotten rat.
But Grandma Dotty was right. Lily had to show Jud that the hurt he caused wasn’t lasting.
Even if that was a lie.
Chapter Twelve
The day of Grandma Dotty’s birthday party dawned with clear blue skies at the Summer house in the Hamptons.
For many years, Grandma Dotty had headed south in the spring, or at the very latest, the summer. But lately, the family thought it was best that she stay in New York. This year, she was making the most of her birthday celebration. The guest list was bigger than ever.
Lily followed Kitty through the crowd. Lily hated crowds. But Kitty’s short stature in no way prepared one for her take-charge nature. She cut a wide swath and smoothly swept past the bar, obtaining two glasses of prosecco, and then stopped in a far corner of the grand living room, which was large enough to play half-court basketball or to pack in seventy-five people standing up.
“Okay, spill, Lily.” Kitty had big brown eyes that took note of every nuance, which was why she was such a good doctor. “I wasn’t invited to Charleston with the rest of the pack, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love you enough to punish this out-of-line actor.” Despite the cheer in Kitty’s voice, her gaze caught on their youngest sister Maggie in a group with the rest of their sisters, and her expression turned sorrowful.
Kitty had meant well when she’d made Beck and Maggie aware that they didn’t love each other as deeply as they should. She hadn’t set out to fall in love with Maggie’s fiancé later. Didn’t matter. Maggie still blamed Kitty for the hurt and embarrassment she’d suffered from being jilted.
“They should have invited you to Charleston,” Lily pointed out gently. She was working very hard at ignoring the group of performers on the far end of the living room where a small stage and sound system had been set up. But that didn’t mean she hadn’t seen Jud’s dark head of hair in the midst of the group. “Maggie can’t hold a grudge forever.”
Kitty faced Lily, a resigned expression on her face. “She can and she will, and I won’t begrudge her for it.”
“You saved her from a sham of a marriage, Kitty. She’ll realize that someday and be grateful.” Lily sipped her prosecco. It was cool and crisp and reminded her of drinking with Jud on the yacht. She set it down on a small table.
“I hope someday Maggie’s prince will come and she realizes the true depth of love. Maybe then she’ll compare it to her feelings for Beck. Maybe then she’ll accept my apology.” Kitty drank half her glass of prosecco, which was unusual for her. “I can’t seem to get on with my life without repairing this rift between us.”
“Oh, no.” Lily took Kitty by the shoulders. “Beck proposed?”
Kitty cringed, nodding.
“And you didn’t accept.”
Kitty shook her head and then drained her glass. “How can I? It feels like the ultimate betrayal to Maggie.”
Lily picked up her abandoned prosecco and drank a good slug of it. “That makes my personal woes seem meager by comparison.”
The cast ofThe Music Mantook the stage. They’d given Grandma Dotty a coveted spot in the chorus. As Jud took the stage, Kitty took Lily’s hand. They stood side-by-side during the performance, smiling as if they weren’t hurting inside.
I still love him.
“I like your dress,” Lily told Kitty when the performance was over. It was either that or run for the hills before Jud made the rounds and she had to face him. “Pink always looks good on you.”
Kitty wore a pink sundress. She tugged at the shoulder of Lily’s bright blue, geometric sheath. “Blue was always your best color, but it shouldn’t be your mood.”
“I’ve been looking for you, Lily.” Rachel appeared out of the crowd. She wore a deep green dress and dragged her father along behind her.
Kitty immediately inched closer to Lily and signaled to the waiter carrying a tray of fresh prosecco glasses. “Does anyone need a drink?”
Lily did. Despite that, she smiled and thanked Abe profusely for his donation to Hot Meals and Shelter.
“Daddy and I wanted to thank you, Lily.” Rachel turned down the prosecco. “After things fell apart for me a few weeks ago, I took a good, long look at where I was headed. I consulted with Jud and Daddy, and we came up with a plan that benefits everyone.”
Lily was certain that a stab of jealousy created frown lines on her forehead. “Are you going to have a role in Jud’s movie?” It wasn’t fair that Rachel should still be involved with Jud.
