She deflated a bit. “Does it look unnatural?” She shook her head. “I knew a spray tan was one treatment too many.”
Half the time they’d dated, Riley had worn nothing but sunscreen and lip gloss. He’d liked her that way. She hadn’t needed anything else to be beautiful. “You got a spray tan for the wedding?” he asked. “I didn’t even get a haircut.”
“And that is one more reason why life isn’t fair. If someone falls in love with you at first sight, I’m going to demand my money back.”
Lucas knew he should return to his office instead of standing there staring at her, but his feet didn’t move. She’d gone to a lot of trouble and expense for what? Or rather, for who?
Was Olivia setting her up with one of the players? Suddenly that seemed very likely.
Riley met his gaze, and for a moment, a look of vulnerability flashed across her face. “Does it look orange?” She took a fortifying breath and some of the snarkiness returned to her tone. “An ex never spares your feelings, so I know you’ll tell me the truth.”
The truth was that she looked good before and she looked good now, just different. Fancier. “You don’t really need to ask. We both know you saw the mirror this morning. You just want to hear me admit that you’re beautiful. Fine. You’re beautiful, Riley. Get back to work.”
Her eyes fluttered wider at his words. She hadn’t been fishing for compliments after all. She’d been asking his opinion as a disinterested bystander because she wanted to look good for…he still didn’t know for who.
He supposed he’d find out tomorrow at the wedding who exactly Riley was trying to impress. He’d have to watch her slow dancing with the lucky recipient.
Lucas stalked off to his office, and for the first time, wasn’t looking forward to tomorrow.
CHAPTER 17
Riley walked into the church for the rehearsal, her mind repeating the words Lucas had told her earlier.My family likes you.
Present tense.
She’d known that they’d liked her while she dated Lucas. Mrs. Clark told her more than once that she had a good head on her shoulders. But Riley assumed that when she’d dumped Lucas, they’d all started hating her in solidarity. Whenever Riley had chanced to see either of his parents around town, she’d avoided them.
Now seeing the family all together, obviously happy and enjoying being with each other, she felt her own loss more forcefully. She wasn’t part of any family, and she wasn’t a part of the Clarks’ inner circle anymore.
The pastor hadn’t shown up yet, and the group was waiting around, talking and laughing.
Elsie, the youngest Clark, broke the ice by speaking to Riley first. In looks, Elsie seemed to be made from a different mold than her brothers. She was the only brunette in the bunch. In terms of personality, she was more solemn and wistful, more of an academic like Jace.
Mrs. Clark spoke to Riley next, nearly as friendly to her as she had been when Riley was Lucas’s girlfriend.
Jace said a short hello. Medical school hadn’t changed him at all. He still looked frustratingly similar to Lucas.
Once, when Riley and Lucas were dating, Riley accidentally walked up behind Jace at a family dinner and wrapped her arms around him. And then—this was the worst part—she’d said, “Let’s ditch your family and find something fun to do. I can think of several options.”
Jace stood there unmoving and patient. “Lucas probably wouldn’t approve of that.”
Riley jerked away from him like he’d burst into flames, but it was still too late. Lucas strolled into the kitchen, grinned at her, and said, “If any of your options involve my brother, I’m vetoing them.”
Lucas, here with his family, lost all his professional managerial manner. With his brothers, he was the jokester again, the one who could make Jace act silly. They moonwalked down the aisle, singingGet Me to the Church on Time.
Even their mother gave up trying to contain their exuberance or stop the practice runs they kept making.
At one point, Lucas took Annie’s hand and waltzed with her down the aisle. Which meant Jace had to do the same with Riley.
Olivia, in an attempt to avoid awkwardness between Lucas and Riley, had assigned the bridesmaids and groomsmen so that Riley walked in with Jace and left Annie to Lucas. Elsie would go down the aisle with Kye, Carson’s best friend.
Jace was supposedly dating Jennifer again, who by all accounts was a pampered intellectual with a high opinion of herself and no filter. Although things must not have been going all that well between them because she wasn’t coming to the wedding. Jennifer had decided to go on a trip to Europe with friends.
A friend trip instead of a once-in-a-lifetime family event.
Mrs. Clark had quite a lot to say about that when Jace wasn’t around.
After one of Mrs. Clark’s thinly veiled commentaries on priorities and putting family first, Olivia leaned in close to Annie and Riley. “One of you should flirt with Jace and convince him to dump Jennifer.”