got back and sank down on the couch beside me. “I’ve blown them off before. It’s no skin off my back.”
My mouth twisted in a crooked smile. “I’d totally take you up on that, but this came, stuck to the inside envelope.” I handed him the sticky note I’d found.
It read: Please, please say you’ll come and not leave me alone to face the wolves. Please! –J
He laughed. “Huh, looks like Mother made poor Julia do the mailings.”
I blinked at him. “Is it that bad? I mean, she seems to fit in well with that lifestyle.”
Lucas turned to me and bit his lip. “Appearances can be deceiving. No one can really know how someone else struggles just by looking on the surface of things. She and my mother have never gotten along.”
I thought about that for a moment, wondering about his sister. The one time I’d met her, she’d appeared to have stepped straight out of the old TV show Gossip Girl. She had it all, complete with costly designer clothes, a trust fund, It-Girl looks, and even an aristocratic European name to complete the picture. I guess it was easy to think someone who had all that was happy with their life.
“Well, I’m sorry I got us into it but I guess this means we’re committed now?” I asked, raising my brows and silently hoping he’d contradict me.
But no, apparently he really didn’t want to leave Julia to the wolves. Sigh.
He shook his head. “We’ll go. If we’re lucky, we might be able to break away early.”
My eyes skimmed the itinerary of planned activities and I could feel my anxiety level rising. Apparently it would be a week-long affair complete with field trips, sightseeing, sports competitions, game tournaments, wine tasting and… some kind of themed ball? Well, crap. I guess this was Karma biting me in the ass for wanting to take some potshots at my new husband. Mea culpa.
At that point, Max jumped up on the couch between us and shoved his nose under my hand, begging for scratches. Before Lucas could demand he get off, I wrapped my arms around the shaggy pup and pulled him to me. “I have an idea. How about you go and wave the family flag and I’ll stay home and doggy-sit Max.”
He sent me serious side-eye. “Whoever smelt it, dealt it. You got us into this. I sure as hell am not showing up without you. Besides, Max gets to go to doggy camp, and he loves it.”
I snickered. “If you let me out of this, I’ll promise not to tell our co-workers that you call it doggy camp.”
He got up from the couch, pulled out his phone and began scrolling through it. “Not a chance, Cranberry. I tried to warn you. You got us into this mess so you’re coming.”
Max shoved his head against me, lifting it for chin scratches and I complied as I stared at my husband’s receding back until he vanished through the kitchen doorway. Then I turned to the dog. “Well, doesn’t he just suck,” I muttered.
“Heard that!” came the distant call from the kitchen.
My mouth twisted in frustration.
Fine. But if I was going to do this shit, I was going to have to do it right. Perhaps I should have been more Zen about it. After all, they were only going to be my in-laws for a short time longer. For some reason, I found myself caring more than I probably should have.
It was at a much less formal affair the following weekend that I was able to gather my posse and bring them in for help in the matter.
Adam and Mia held a Friday night pool party for their closest friends, which meant me and my new hubby, too. Lucas seemed a little nervous about joining the “inner circle.” But hey, it gave him a taste of what I’d soon be experiencing during the festivities with his inner circle.
It was a hot evening in late summer and, quite honestly I was thrilled to see my peeps again. We hardly had time these days. Mia was going hard at medical school. All the Draco people were burning the midnight oil to get the new expansion ready. And my girlfriends, Jenna and April were busy finishing up their schooling.
Jenna was regaling us with stories from her student-teaching experience as she was about to earn her certification. She was months away from being able to teach science in public school. She laughed, pale blue eyes flashing. “Yeah