Page 140 of Mercy (The Sins Trilogy 3)
“Maybe I was just anxious and feeling inferior. I knew your aunt didn’t like me.”
“Aunt?”
“Margot.” Sue Ellen flushes, looking down. “She thought I was beneath you. And her, of course.”
Did she?Well. If Margot didn’t like her, Sue Ellen couldn’t have been that bad. I know it’s a petty, rebellious, teenager-like reaction, but I don’t care and warm up to Sue Ellen.
She glances at Bobbi. “By the way, who is she? She wouldn’t say when I asked.”
Probably because Bobbi knows how much I don’t enjoy telling people I have a bodyguard. “This is Bobbi. She’s a friend.” This is true enough. Although Bobbi came to me as my bodyguard, now she’s more. “She’s in my bridal party for the wedding. I asked her to come with me because we still have a lot of things to finalize.”
Sue Ellen nods. “I heard rumors that you’re marrying Anthony Blackwood. My gosh. Aren’t you lucky! I always knew y’all were right for each other, even back then.” Her eyes sparkling, she places her hands on my arms. “I’m so happy for you! You’ll love being married. I sure do. It’s amazing when you’ve got the right man.”
I start to smile, thrilled there’s somebody other than Edgar and Harry in this town who’s happy for us. Then my gaze falls on the thermos she brought, and I remember my manners.
“Sorry, I forgot to ask, but do you want something to drink? We have coffee or tea.”
Sue Ellen laughs softly. “Come on. You know I don’t drink coffee. And besides, every time we get together, I always brought my mother’s peach lemon iced tea. You used to love it.”
Oh. This is just too embarrassing, because I don’t remember anything, while she remembers everything. But I don’t know how to tell her about my partial amnesia. So I paste on a smile instead. “How is your mother?” I ask to cover up my lack of memory.
“Well, she passed away a few years ago. But she gave me her tea recipe, so I made some for old times’ sake. I’ll go get the glasses.”
“It’s all right. I’ll grab them,” Bobbi says.
I stare at her in surprise. She isn’t usually so eager for domestic tasks. Does she think Sue Ellen’s a threat?
“She’s unfamiliar with the kitchen.” Bobbi gives me a look.
Finally it registers. Is she worried about the knives? For God’s sake, Sue Ellen isn’t a threat. She wasn’t the driver on the highway—Tony already said that was Caleb—and she could’ve brought her own weapon if she wanted to hurt me…
No, I think, noticing how tight her dress is. There’s no place to hide a weapon.
“If you don’t mind, that’d be lovely.” Sue Ellen beams. “Please bring three.”
Bobbi frowns.
I nod at her. I don’t see why she should just stand like a statue and not eat or drink anything. We’re in Edgar’s home, and Tony’s going to be back soon. And it isn’t like Sue Ellen can take Bobbi, who has half a foot and at least fifteen pounds of muscle on her.
Bobbi brings the glasses, and Sue Ellen serves the tea from the thermos, her gestures dainty and elegant. “So tell me all about the wedding plans. I’m dying to hear. Are y’all going to get married in Tempérane?” she asks, then takes a few sips of her tea.
Do people in the town think that us being here means we’re going to marry at the mansion even though Tony’s been disowned? “No. Los Angeles. We lucked out and found the most beautiful place for the ceremony.” I take some of the tea. It’s delicious—sweet enough to give me diabetes, but also refreshing.
Bobbi studies her tea for a bit, then has some, her face impassive.
“Does that mean you’re going to have a lot of famous people at y’all’s wedding? Los Angeles seems so full of glamour.” Sue Ellen makes big eyes at Bobbi.
“Well.” I clear my throat with mild embarrassment. She’ll see it soon enough on celeb news sites. “Ryder Reed is coming to the ceremony.”
“Oh my goodness!” Suddenly I have her full attention. “Oh my gosh. Ryder Reed?”
I nod, flushing over her reaction. “One of the groomsmen, along with Tony’s brothers.”
She starts to fan herself. “Is that man as handsome as he looks on screen?”
“Better.”
She leans closer. “Is he a jerk? You know how some men get when they know they’re hot?”
