Jodi Redford - Cat Scratch Fever

Chloe released Lilly and glanced at Dante expectantly. Lilly quickly made the introductions. A sly look entered Chloe’s eyes, and she playfully swatted Lilly’s arm. “You didn’t tell me you have a boyfriend.”

Kinsey cleared her throat as she stepped next to Lilly. “Mom, they’re not dating. You know who Dante is. Lilly’s mentioned him before.”

Dante slid Lilly an ironic look. She returned it with a sheepish grin. “I kept the profanity to a minimum.”

“Oh, you’re Foster’s boy,” Chloe exclaimed with another clap of her hands.

Dante winced, apparently preparing for the deluge of disparaging remarks that’d follow the associated connection to his father. Chloe—being her typical sweet self—instead veered the topic to Dante’s grandmother, who had raised him after his mother died in childbirth. Dante visibly relaxed, his mouth softening into a smile as he and Chloe shared some fond remembrances of Sara Morgan. Lilly attempted to ignore the strange little flutter that erupted in her belly while she watched the animated pleasure that brightened Dante’s face.

So she was attracted to him? What female in her right mind and possessing full vision wouldn’t be? It didn’t mean she was falling in love with him.

Because that would be just plain stupid and pathetic.

Turning her head, she caught Kinsey’s perplexed frown. Her sister’s gaze veered to Dante before shooting back to her. Giving another delicate cough, she grabbed Lilly’s arm. “Mom, Dante? Could you excuse us for a moment?”

Chloe waved her hand. “Go ahead, dear.”

Lilly shot Dante a panicked look as Kinsey dragged her through the archway. He made no move to rush to her rescue, the rat bastard. Kinsey beelined for the hallway that led toward the den. Once they were out of earshot, she slammed to a halt and stared at Lilly. “What in the hell is going on with you and Dante?”

“Nothing,” Lilly responded automatically. She grimaced. Aw cripes. Wrong answer. “Actually, if you want to know the truth, we’re having a torrid love affair and getting married on Sunday.”

Kinsey gaped at her before she burst into hysterical laughter. She wiped her eyes. “Good one.”

“I’m not joking. I love Dante and want to spend the rest of my life with him.” It was scary how easily that slipped from her tongue.

Kinsey’s smile faltered. “Lilly, please. It’s not funny to make up stuff in the hopes of making me feel stupid for falling for it.”

“That’s not what I’m doing, Kin. I really do love him.” God, I need to stop saying that so convincingly.

Kinsey gaped at her. “I figured you were sleeping with Dante, judging from the googly eyes you were giving him in the kitchen. But I had no idea it was this serious.”

Googly eyes? Really? That was disgusting and no way her style. Obviously Kinsey needed to get her vision checked. “What can I say? He’s my hunka burning love. I could stare at him all day.” Okay, that held more than a kernel of truth.

“How in the world did this miraculous feat happen?”

She blinked at Kinsey’s demand. Not because of the question—it’d been expected—but rather because there’d been a significant lack of suspicion on Kinsey’s part.

What had happened to Kinsey’s probing inquiries? The doubts and inevitable accusations?

Damn it, what did it mean that her sister had fallen for the lie so effortlessly?

Nothing. It meant nothing.

Kinsey tapped her foot. “I’m still waiting for some details. Preferably dirty ones.”

“Oh, it was the usual. You know, Dante came to the realization that I was the most awesome woman in the world, and therefore he would be only a mere shell of a man without me.”

Kinsey did her patented Spock eyebrow raise, and Lilly sighed. “I might have embellished a bit. Except for the awesome part, because I totally am.”

“Of course you are. You’re my sister, right?”

Not entirely certain if that hadn’t been some kind of backhanded compliment, Lilly gave Kinsey a narrow-eyed look. Any further discussion was ground to a screaming halt as Chloe called out that dinner was ready. They both turned in the direction of the kitchen. At the end of the hallway, Kinsey offered Lilly a telling look. “To be honest, I’d always sort of suspected you and Dante might be great together.”

It was a damn good thing she hadn’t drank something, because spraying it out in a fit of shock probably would have ruined the lovey-dovey vibe she’d been trying to perfect. “Err, yeah. I can see why you would have thought that.” When exactly had Kinsey begun to lose her mental faculties? As her sister, Lilly should have noticed it sooner.

The instant they stepped into the kitchen, Chloe rushed to Lilly and embraced her in a tight, exuberant hug that squeezed all of the air from Lilly’s lungs. Chloe’s shoulders shook with gentle sobs. “My baby is getting married.”

Lilly glanced across the way and met Dante’s sheepish expression. Hell, he thought she’d be mad about him spilling the news? Not freaking likely. At least this way Chloe had some time for it to sink in. No telling how bone-crushing her initial hug might have been otherwise.

They crossed to the kitchen table, where Chloe had already set out two extra places for Lilly and Dante. After everyone else had taken their seat, Chloe hovered like a frantic bee, seeing to any and all possible last-minute needs. Knowing full well that her mother would spend the whole evening waiting on them and ignoring her own plate, Lilly patted Chloe’s arm gently. “Mom, please sit down.”

“But—”

“We’re all good. Honestly,” Lilly said softly yet firmly.

Finally Chloe took her at her word and sat across from Dante. Her mom waited for him to take the first bite of chicken, the desperate expectation on her face almost painful to witness. Thankfully Dante was too busy lustily devouring his food to notice. He smacked his lips in appreciation. “Absolutely delicious.”

Chloe broke into a huge smile. Now that her worries had been laid to rest, she dug into her meal with a dainty gusto. Lilly sighed. Blotting the corner of his mouth with his napkin, Dante glanced at Chloe. “Any chance I can get the recipe for this before Lilly and I head out?”

“Certainly. But I’m afraid Lilly doesn’t cook. Didn’t she tell you that?” A flash of panic streaked across Chloe’s face as if it’d just occurred to her that perhaps he’d been kept in the dark regarding Lilly’s lack of domestic skills and might now rescind his marriage proposal.

“That she did.” Dante grinned. “Good thing I know my way around a kitchen.”

Chloe lowered her fork, her expression hinting that the concept of a man anywhere near a stove was more unheard of than a cow being able to fly. “Surely you’re not planning to be the cook in the house?”

Dante frowned. “Why not? I like to do it.”

“But then what will Lilly do?”

Dante was visibly confused by the question, but Lilly was all too aware what her mom was getting at. In Chloe’s eyes, if the wife didn’t bring something to the table—literally—her value was diminished and she risked having her place usurped by another. Of course, it didn’t matter that no amount of hard labor on Chloe’s part hadn’t altered her own circumstances. That was just the way things were.

“It’s okay, Mom. Dante and I have an arrangement. He cooks and I clean up.” Much as the idea of getting her fingers anywhere near a sink drain trap tested her gag reflex, she’d do it to put her mom’s fears to rest.

A lengthy silence descended, broken only by the occasional scrape of someone’s utensil. Lilly became aware of the heat of Kinsey’s penetrating gaze drilling into her forehead. Reluctantly, she lifted her focus from her plate and locked stares with Kinsey.