Page 44 of Christmas on Ice
“What?” I looked up, and they were all smiling at me.
It felt like a weight I didn’t know I’d been holding had been lifted.
Later, visions of Trask filled my mind as I drifted off to sleep.
23
Trask
Three times, Brian’s brother had to poke me to pay attention during the wedding ceremony. I stood in line with the groomsmen, angled toward the pastor, but my eyes and thoughts were focused elsewhere. It was difficult to concentrate on anything but Kami in the back row on the bride’s side. She was about as far away from me as she could be, yet I saw her clearly.
I’d never seen her dressed up before, and if I wasn’t half in love with her already, I was now. It seemed shallow to think that—being in love based on her beauty—but that’s not how it was. But seeing her in an elegant gown with part of her hair piled on her head just made me crazier for her. I couldn’t speak when I saw her, and there might have been drool involved because I was sure my mouth hung open for too long.
Instead of picking Kami up, I met her and Ryleigh at the bee farm, since it was just a short walk from her parents’ house. She was going to go over early in case her sisters needed any last-minute help. Her willingness to help her family and make sacrifices for her daughter were qualities that made me even more willing to give this relationship a go.
It was a beautiful December day in the Lowcountry, just over sixty degrees with a light breeze. The daytime nuptials couldn’t have been more picture-perfect. By the time we sat down for dinner, though, it was starting to cool off. When Kami rubbed her bare arms, I was quick to offer her my jacket. I’d just draped it over her shoulders when her sister—Kassidy, I think—came over to our table to whisper in her ear.
Her smile turned to a frown. “I’ll be right back. Can you keep an eye on Ryleigh?”
I nodded, and Marsha gestured to the two little girls, who had commandeered the figurines from the cake topper and were acting out the wedding at their seats.
“I doubt she’ll even realize you’re gone,” Chad joked.
“Thanks.” They walked off hastily, and I turned my body to watch them disappear around the building toward the entrance.
“I wonder what that’s about?” I asked. When she didn’t return after five minutes, I started to get antsy. “Do you think I should check on her?”
“I hope it’s not an emergency.” My mother frowned. “Let me find out. I see Khloe just over there. Khloe, dear!”
Khloe looked up from a few tables away, where she was fixing a lopsided centerpiece of peonies, magnolias, and Spanish moss. Mama waved at her, and she hurried over.
“Your sisters disappeared a few minutes ago, and Trask is wondering if he should check on Kami?”
“Mama, I’m sure she’s fine,” I said. I didn’t want Khloe to think I was troublesome.
“Actually—” Khloe looked right at me. “You might want to.”
What wasn’t she saying? I hoped everything was okay.
“I can do that. Out front?” I stood up.
She nodded. “I’ll take you.”
Khloe picked up her pace as we left the reception area. “Sutton is here,” she said tightly.
My pulse quickened. We rounded the building, and the first thing I saw was Kami, shading her eyes with her hands. Her lips were set in a thin line as Sutton bent toward her, animated and angry.
He heard us approaching and pivoted on his heel. I squared my shoulders as he charged toward me. Khloe skirted around him and went directly to Kami.
“I want my daughter,” he growled. “It’s my right.”
“Better check that paperwork again, Sutton,” Kassidy called.
“I don’t care about paperwork. You can’t keep her from me. It’s Christmas!”
“It’snotChristmas, you big jerk.” Khloe’s heels clicked on the pavement as she came up behind him and poked him in the arm. “It’s a wedding, and you’re not invited. And unless you want to lose your invite to Christmas morning, you’d better leave before I call the cops.”
“Graham’s already on his way.” Kassidy smirked and winked at me behind Sutton’s back. “Dating a deputy has its perks.”
