TALL DARK AND HUNGRY Page 0,103

Mind you, should you mess things up I may change my mind." On that note, she turned to lead the way out of the room.

Terri watched Bastien, Etienne and their mother leave the hall in search of Vincent as she listened idly to her aunt raving about this "perfectly lovely man" that she thought Terri should meet. It was sweet of the woman, really, but Terri wasn't looking for a man. She had one. Well, sort of. Her gaze slid back to the door through which Bastien had exited.

"Terri doesn't need a man, Mom. She already has one," Kate announced as Lucern led her over.

"She does?" Lydia Leever asked avidly. "You didn't say anything, dear. Who is he?"

"Lucern's brother Bastien," Kate answered.

"Oh!" Aunt Lydia was obviously pleased at the news, for she hugged Terri. "Well, that's wonderful. He's such a handsome man, and if he's half as nice as Lucern, the two of you should be very happy."

"I'm glad you think I'm nice, Mrs. Leever," Lucern interjected. "I hope that means you'll consent to dance with your new son-in-law?"

"Call me Mom, Lucern. You're family now," Aunt Lydia said. Lucern led her out onto the dance floor.

Kate smiled at Terri, as John Leever, her father, stood to take his turn on the dance floor with her as well. Terri watched them go, her thoughts drifting back to Bastien now that she was alone and no longer distracted. He had told her in the car on the way to the reception hall that he had something he wanted to discuss with her. Those solemn words had been bothering her ever since. They had immediately brought several things to mind: the vials, the blood bags, the iv stand, and Kate saying there was some¬thing that Bastien needed to tell her. Terri had been worrying over the topic ever since.

What was he going to tell her? How bad was it go¬ing to be? She hoped it wasn't too horrible, but she supposed she'd have to wait and see.

Terri shifted restlessly on her feet, then set her empty glass down on the nearest table and made her way to the ladies' room. Two ladies were leaving as she entered. Terri didn't recognize either woman, so she assumed they were either friends of Kate's from the city or relatives from the Argeneau side. She smiled and nodded politely as they passed, then walked along the stalls to the end.

Terri went in, locked the stall door behind her, pulled her skirt up and her panties down, and released a sigh of relief as she sat down. Her feet were a bit sore from her new shoes and all the standing she had done today--first at the ceremony, then on the church steps in the receiving line, and finally while posing for the endless wedding pictures. The recep¬tion had offered the first real chance she'd had to sit down, but it had been endlessly interrupted by stand¬ing as one guest or another made a toast to the bride and groom. Now the meal was over and the dancing had started. Terri wasn't too sure her feet were up to that. At least, not in these shoes. Her feet felt swollen and chafed in the satin bridesmaid slippers.

She lifted her feet, holding them straight out to examine them. The shoes were pretty enough, but damned uncomfortable. Terri briefly considered whether it would be bad form to take the darn things off and run around in stockinged feet for the rest of the night. She thought she might get away with it--the skirt was long; it might hide her bare feet--but her stockings would no doubt be ruined by night's end.

Stockings or feet? Which should she sacrifice? she pondered, staring at her raised shoes.

"Has Bastien told Terri yet?"

Terri stiffened inside her stall, her feet still straight out in the air.

"Shh, Lissianna." She recognized Kate's voice. "Someone could be in here."

"I checked first. The stalls are empty," Bastien's sis¬ter said reassuringly.

Terri glanced from her raised feet to the floor where they should have been. Having them up as she did, Lissianna had seen only what appeared to be an empty stall. Well, this was embarrassing. What should she do? Lower her feet and cough or something, to let the two women know that they weren't alone? Or should she keep her mouth shut and avoid embarrass¬ing herself or the others? She'd also learn what they were talking about.

"Oh." Kate sighed. "No, Bastien hasn't told her yet, and I wish he would.