“Yes,” Toby said, “I did.”
“Why didn’t you ask me?” Lexie said.
“Because you would have said no.”
“Yes, I would have. That man—”
“Come on, guys,” Alix said. “This is my night. No fighting.”
Reluctantly, Lexie had stopped arguing, but she didn’t smile.
The three of them had ordered drinks, but the place was so loud that they couldn’t talk. The Kingsley-Montgomery man and the people around him were causing too much commotion. Great howls of laughter, both male and female, filled the place.
“He certainly does love to party,” Lexie said. “I got the impression from Jared that the Montgomerys were paragons of virtue.”
“There’s always a black sheep.”
“Uh-oh, he’s spotted us,” Lexie said and looked away.
The man removed the young woman from his lap and sauntered over to their table. He did look like Jared, but he was younger and there was a devil-may-care look in his eyes that Jared had never worn.
“And what are you lovely ladies doing here all alone?”
Lexie started to speak. After all, he was probably a distant relative, but without a word, Toby got up, left the table, and went outside.
“Looks like we’re leaving,” Alix said as she finished her drink in one gulp, got her purse, and left.
“See you tomorrow,” Lexie said and followed the other two outside.
Now they were at the chapel and there he was, dressed in a tux, standing at the door and ushering people in.
“That’s not him,” Toby said.
“Are you kidding?” Lexie said. “That’s the man we saw last night. He’s doing well at covering up his hangover.”
Toby didn’t say anything more as she stepped back inside the tent.
Lexie had never been one to let a challenge go by. “Pssst,” she said to the man. Wh
en he looked, she motioned for him to come to the tent, then held back the flap for him to enter. Toby had stepped away, but was watching them. “How do you feel today?” Lexie asked.
“Well enough,” the man said. “And you?”
“Great. I’m Lexie and this is Toby. I take it that you’re Jilly’s relative who will be walking Toby down the aisle?”
The man looked at Toby in her pretty blue dress, thought how perfectly it matched her eyes, and smiled. “Graydon Montgomery,” he said and bent his head forward in a sort of bow.
Toby didn’t move, nor did she say anything to the man.
Lexie was a bit annoyed at her rudeness, especially since she’d never before seen Toby even be unpleasant to anyone. “I think you and I are cousins of some sort—I’m a Kingsley through my mother.”
“Ah, yes. I got in late yesterday and have yet to meet any of my new family.”
“Not too late,” Lexie said. “You don’t remember seeing us last night?”
“I’m not sure.”
Smiling, Lexie looked at Toby, whose face was immobile. What was wrong with her? “I can see why you don’t remember us—or anyone else. You were really plastered.”