Escape With Me (Love With Me 1)

“How are you, Katy?” Cassie asked, reaching for another sip of water.

“Great. This place is amazing,” Katy replied. She was the spitting image of her mother, just thirty years younger. “Nice dress by the way, Aunt Cassie. It looks great on you.”

Cassie beamed. Teenager compliments were the real deal.

The doors to the private dining room opened with a slam that made everyone turn and look.

Lorna had arrived. She sashayed in like she owned the place. At least she'd waited until the speech was over. She hadn't at the last family dinner Cassie shared with Lorna.

“Sorry I'm late everyone,” she announced. She posed for a moment at the entrance, her skin-tight black pleather dress hiding nothing of her perfectly plastic-surgeon sculpted body. Cassie wondered how Lorna could wear pleather in tropic humidity like this. If Cassie were wearing that, she'd not only melt but have the pleather squeaking with her every movement.

Lorna was in her early forties and currently between rich husbands number three and four. Number three had been a plastic surgeon, and she'd utilized his services well. She had curves in all the right places and better than nature could ever provide. Her dyed blonde hair hung in graceful curls down her back, and her makeup was perfect. Her blue eyes looked around the room, judging the women for competition and evaluating the men for their net worth. If Cassie ever needed to describe what a gold-digger looked like, she planned on simply describing Lorna.

Lorna walked over to Cassie's table, passing up several empty seats. “Kyle, dear, where am I supposed to sit?”

“We have you at the table over--”

“I'll just pull up a chair here,” Lorna cut him off. She grabbed a chair and scooted between Cassie and Janessa. “I'm family after all.”

“Everyone here is family,” Janessa muttered under her breath, but luckily Lorna didn't hear her.

“I'm glad you made it, Lorna,” Kyle told her. “I knew you said your flight was coming in late.”

“Oh, the nightmare at the airport. It's why I only fly first class these days. It was simply horrid.” She sighed dramatically. “But, I'm here now. My little cousin is all grown up and getting married. I couldn't miss this.”

You couldn't miss meeting wealthy husband number four at a place like this, Cassie thought to herself. It wasn't a kind thought, but she only felt a little guilty about thinking it.

“Wine, please.” Janessa motioned to a waiter. “I was planning on taking it easy tonight, but now I feel like I need a glass.”

“Can I have one?” Katy asked hopefully.

“No,” answered Janessa, Kyle, Brianna, and Cassie at the same time.

/>

The waiter came over, and Janessa ordered a glass of white. Cassie motioned to him to make it two. He nodded and quickly returned with two glasses of white wine.

“Where's mine?” Lorna asked him, looking up.

“Ma'am?” The waiter frowned.

“Where's my wine?” Lorna smiled, but it wasn't a warm or a kind smile.

“I didn't know you wanted one,” the poor waiter stammered.

“Well, obviously I do.” She shook her head. “I want a red. Not the house red. A good red. Something with body.”

“Of course, ma'am.” The waiter nodded quickly and disappeared to get Lorna her wine.

“You just can't get good help these days,” Lorna said with a shrug, smiling around the crowded table.

Cassie bit her tongue. This was what Lorna did. She was the queen of making things uncomfortable.

“So, Kyle, this resort is beautiful,” Cassie said, trying to change the conversation. “The wedding is on the beach, right?”

Kyle nodded. “We have a private area of the beach booked. It's absolutely stunning. Janessa picked it out.”

“You'll love it,” Janessa gushed. She flushed with excitement, and maybe the fact that she'd downed almost the entire glass of wine. “It's got this crystal clear water, and we're having this little arch thing put up. The reception is going to be outside in the main courtyard where you can see the ocean and--”