Blaze (Virtues & Lies 3)

“I know that feeling,” I say, watching as he reaches into the box and pulls out the Polaroids I haven’t looked at yet. He puts one on the table and holds the other between his fingers as he fishes his wallet from his pocket. Taking out another Polaroid, he holds both out to me. “Grace never understood why she was so easy to love. She could never believe that someone would care so much that they would turn their back on the world for her.”

I take the photos from him, looking both of them over. They’re almost identical barring that Mum is holding me in the one Lucian took out of his wallet and he’s holding me in the one from the box.

“She was easy to love because she had no expectations. It’s what made her special. She didn’t look at anyone with preconceived notions.”

Mum looks so happy in the photo, looking down at my small hand. The bracelet from the box dangles from my wrist while I hold on to a long finger. It must be his.

“Anyway.” He shakes his head, clearing it. “I wanted to give you this because she never got a chance to on your eighteenth. We never got to.”

He pulls out the chair and nods at it for me to sit. I do so carefully, putting the two photos down in front of me. There’s a beat of silence before he drops a small silver pendant in front of my face.

“Grace used to tell me about all the things you loved and hated. The phases you went through. She also used to say that the best way to make you smile was to give you daisies.”

A teary laugh escapes me when he clasps the necklace around my neck. It’s a small daisy, and as predicted, it makes me smile as I finger it. The petals are brilliantly cut diamonds with a dainty yellow stone in the middle.

“It’s something old and new in one.”

Lucian takes a step back, clearing his throat like he too is feeling all the emotions.

“I don’t know who should walk me down the aisle,” I tell him, turning to look up at him.

“Whoever you want. You don’t need anyone to give you away. You’ve done that all on your own.”

“I would’ve asked Francis, but he’s not here, so I think Christopher would be happy to.” I look at the floor, and before my guilt sets in, he lifts my chin so that I’m looking at him.

“I think Christopher would be honoured to.”

With a smile, he heads for the door. I don’t feel bad that I haven’t chosen him, and he didn’t act like I’d slighted him. A part of me is still trying to find the man that Leo and Cassie have told me about, but the more I know of Lucian, the more I want to know.

Lucian leaves, and he’s not gone two minutes before Cassie walks in with Arabella. All the butterflies in my tummy flutter back to life, and I’m not only excited, I am begging time to fast-forward.

Chapter 42

CASPER

“Nervous?” Christopher shoulders my arm as I take another look around the chapel.

With the sun about to go down, the lights and candles are beginning to make the place look pretty.

“No,” I tell him, fixing the tulle-wrapped lights snaked around the pillar by the altar. The aisle is lined with wreaths of greenery from the grounds, with candles sitting at the end of each of the six pews. “Are you sure it’s okay to have those on the floor?”

Last thing I want is to set Fleur on fire.

“Arabella said to trust her.”

“Trust her?” I echo.

“She knows more about this shit than we do.” He slaps my back a couple of times and then goes to sit in the pew beside Grace.

She’s sitting in her car seat, her eyes wide open, flitting to all the lights. When Christopher picks her up, he sits her on his lap facing me. One of his hands supports her chin up while the other is spread over her chest, thumb hooked under her arm and holding her weight.

“Probably.” I sit beside him, watching as Grace suckles on her fist. “Are you and Bella planning on trying anytime soon?”

I’m not one to pry or ask personal questions. I like to respect others’ privacy as I like mine respected. But the two of them have been cooing over Grace. They’ve spent a lot of time with her over the last few weeks. Spoilt her too.

“I want her to be okay. You know, take her time to grieve and make peace with what happened. If that’s possible.”

I nod, not wanting to pry any further. We’re sitting in silence when Leo walks in looking like he’s been working in a cocaine camp or something.