Dragon in the Dark (Kindred Tales)

If it wasn’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all!

Still, there was nothing to do but get this awkwardness over with.

“Ian,” she said, stepping forward and making herself smile as she accepted the roses and handed them off to her mom—who was trying to hide a knowing grin. “It’s good to see you again,” she told him.

“It’s good to see you, too, babe!” He gave her the white, easy grin she remembered so well from their time together. “I never thought I would again after you accepted that job up on the Monstrum Kindreds’ Mother Ship. But when your mom called and told me you were back in town, I just had to come by.”

“Momma? You called Ian?” Iyanna turned to face her mother, who was quickly fading out of the living room.

“Don’t mind me—just going to find a vase for these beautiful roses,” she called as she disappeared around the corner. “You two take your time and have a nice long talk.”

Iyanna sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. Her mother always had been partial to Ian. She’d even tried to make excuses for him after he broke off the engagement just days before the wedding!

I knew I should have stayed with Granny instead! Iyanna told herself. Her grandmother had never much cared for her ex-fiancé. She certainly wouldn’t have called him up and let him know Iyanna was back in town. But it was too late now—her ex-fiancé was here and there was nothing to do but talk to him.

“So how have you been?” she asked, as they settled on the couch in her mom’s living room.

“Terrible.” Ian ran a hand through his sandy blond hair and looked at her appealingly. “Iyanna, I’m pretty sure I made the biggest mistake of my life when I let you go.”

“You didn’t let me go—you were the one who left me,” Iyanna pointed out.

But she couldn’t help feeling a tingle of pleasure at his words. When you get dumped, you’d like to imagine that the person leaving you will realize they’ve made a huge mistake and can’t live without you. Iyanna found it extremely gratifying to find that in Ian’s case, it was actually true. He couldn’t live without her. So there!

“I know I left you hanging—I left and it was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done,” Ian said earnestly. “I’m so sorry—I left because I was scared, babe. I thought you were too much woman for me to handle.”

Iyanna raised an eyebrow at him.

“And now you’ve decided you can handle me, after all?”

“I’ve decided we can handle each other,” Ian corrected her, earnestly. “And look, I’ll do whatever you want—try whatever you want. Sexually, I mean,” he muttered, lowering his voice, no doubt guessing her mom might be listening in from around the corner.

“Ian…” Iyanna shook her head. “Look, I don’t know what to say.”

“Say you still love me, like I love you.” Leaning forward, he took both her hands in his and looked soulfully into her eyes. “Iyanna, say you’ll forgive me and marry me anyway, even though I was a damn fool.”

Iyanna just stared at him—she had no idea what to say. But just around the corner of the living room, she heard her mother’s whoop of pure joy.

And somehow she knew, the decision had already been made for her.

FIFTY-FOUR

“Are you happy, child? You don’t look happy to me.” Iyanna’s Grandmother gave her a critical look. “You sure you want to be doing this?” she demanded. “This boy already left you once, you know.”

“Yes, Granny, I know. And yes, I’m happy,” Iyanna said firmly, trying to make herself believe it was true.

The past week had been a whirlwind of activity. This second wedding she was planning with Ian had been mostly taken over by her mother. Unlike the huge, fairytale affair he had bailed on the first time, this was going to be a small, intimate ceremony—just a few friends and family in a small, cozy chapel Iyanna’s mother had found for the purpose.

Nothing was going to be fussy this time, her mom had promised. They were getting the wedding cake from Publix—which really did make delicious cakes, even if they weren’t particularly fancy—and the flowers were coming from her grandmother’s garden. The honeymoon was just going to be a weekend on the beach, only an hour’s drive away.

Her dress was the one her mom had worn at her own wedding to Iyanna’s dad, who was giving her away. There were no bridesmaids or groomsmen to deal with and no big reception afterwards—just a nice family dinner at the Crab Shack. Really, it was going to be so low-key and simple and easy, she would barely know she was getting married at all!

Everyone seemed to think it was wonderful that she and Ian were getting back together. Everyone except her grandmother, who had never much liked him in the first place. Now she stood there in her purple pantsuit with her big, wide-brimmed hat covered in equally purple flowers and glared at Iyanna.