Read Lush in Lace for Free Online

don’t often share.
Hell, he’d even suspected I had feelings for Rylan. How he’d
figured out that bit of information was a mystery to me, since I’d
never said a word. Thankfully, like a true brother, BJ didn’t
pressure me to share more than I was willing. He simply shrugged,
letting me know he’d always be there for me when I needed to talk,
even if that meant talking about my feelings for his fiancé’s
brother. Jamie was just as supportive as BJ. He was like a second
big brother. They were family, no doubt about it.
    “You’re like family too, Squeaker—in a weird,
dysfunctional kind of way,” I added. “Or at least you will be after
the wedding.”
    “Oh that’s so sweet,” Kate Madden cooed,
squeezing my mom’s hand affectionately.
    “Relax, Mom. He’s not proposing or anything,”
Rylan stated, exasperated at the women’s behavior.
    “Okay, okay, fine. We’re just a little
overemotional about the big day,” Kate replied. “We want you two to
focus on those good things about each other until after the
wedding, and everything will be just fine.”
    It was obvious the moms were more confident
about their plan than Rylan and I. However, we played along,
nodding and exchanging hugs with our moms before the women finally
left to get their nails done for the big day.
     
    ****
     
    - Rylan aka Squeaker -
    Once our meddling moms were on their way,
Scott stood and headed toward the door. “We’d better get moving.
There’s only an hour left before the mall closes,” he warned.
    “No need. I already got the rest of the stuff
for the wedding this morning,” I informed him.
    “You did?”
    “I figured you’d be tired after working all
day. My next project isn’t due for a while, so it was no big deal
to take the morning off and finish up.”
    “Are you sure you got everything?”
    I motioned toward the open hallway.
“Everything that was on the list. It’s all in the kitchen if you
don’t believe me.”
    Scott found the pile of wedding supplies on
the small, round kitchen table where I’d left them. As he rummaged
through the bags and boxes, he reviewed his own copy of the list
from the grooms.
    “Ring bearer pillow?”
    “Got it.”
    “Centerpieces from the florist?”
    “Yup.”
    “Programs from the printers?”
    “Done.”
    “What about the airline tickets?”
    “Two first-class tickets to Amsterdam, right
here,” I offered, picking up the envelope with the tickets and
waving it at Scott.
    He snatched it from me and scrutinized its
contents. “Why on earth would they choose Holland over the
Caribbean?”
    I shrugged. “Haven’t you ever heard the
saying—anything goes in Amsterdam?”
    “Is that where you’d go for your honeymoon
then, Squeaker?”
    I scoffed. “I have no intention of getting
married,” I lied. “But if I did, I guess I’d choose
Disneyland.”
    Scott burst out laughing at my admission.
“Really? Disneyland? That’s so cliché.”
    “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
    “It means if you want to get up close and
personal with Tinkerbell, can’t you just look in a mirror and save
yourself the money?” Scott asked.
    It was less than five minutes into our truce,
and already we were bickering. “Let me guess, you’d take your wife
to the Super Bowl for your honeymoon?” I countered.
    “It’d be a hell of a lot better than
Disneyland. Not that I plan on getting married either, but I’m
definitely going to Ireland on my next vacation.”
    It was my turn to burst out laughing.
    “What the hell’s wrong with Ireland?” Scott
asked defensively.
    “You do know it rains there like every
fucking day, right?” I prompted.
    “So? The rain’s the reason it’s so green and
beautiful.”
    “I’ve seen your hair in the mist and rain,
Lush. You won’t be getting any Irish pussy on your next vacation,
looking like a frizzy, blond poodle.”
    “Fuck you, Squeaker.”
    “Ruff. Ruff,” I teased him.
    “God, I can’t wait ’til this wedding