Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Shit.
That was the only thing running through Linc’s head when Lacey shifted her death glare from Britt to him. He didn’t know what was going on or why she was here, but she was pissed.
“And you! I thought better of you Lincoln.” The disappointment in her eyes made him feel two feet tall, and she wasn’t even his mom. Plus, he had no clue what she was disappointed about. “How could you let this happen?”
Let what happen? What the hell is she talking about? The only thing that’s happened is… Nope. There’s no way she knows we had sex.
And even if she did, he’d hate to think this would be her reaction. Britt was a grown woman, and Lacey had never given him any indication that she didn’t like him. If she was somehow clairvoyant, she still wouldn’t be this upset about her daughter having been with him, would she?
“Momma, what are you doing here?”
Okay, Britt was wearing his T-shirt, but that didn’t scream “I just made your daughter come,” did it?
From the look on Britt’s face and the way she glanced down at her clothes, Linc could tell she’d just wondered the same thing.
Lacey flailed something in front of her. “You’re married?”
Fuck.
Britt whipped her head around to look at him, deer in the headlights mode engaged. How the hell did she find out?
He shrugged. No clue.
But good question.
“Momma, I can explain.” Britt probably had no more idea how to explain than he did. Regardless, he followed her when she crossed to her mom. Even though he wasn’t sure how Lacey knew they were married, he wasn’t letting Britt face the fire alone.
“Oh, this I’m dyin’ to hear.” Lacey tossed whatever she’d been holding onto the counter and planted her hands on her hips. “Explain to me why you broke your momma’s heart.”
Linc picked up the papers she’d tossed and nearly fell over when he saw the photograph of him and Britt. At their wedding.
What the hell?
Britt looked stunning in the lavender dress that had taken his breath away the second she’d walked into the casino nightclub.
Purple was his favorite color, which was purely a bonus because the dress hit her mid-thigh, leaving miles of toned legs exposed and little to the imagination with the way it clung to her curves.
Her arm was threaded through his, her pale skin in stark contrast to the black sports coat he was wearing over a white T-shirt and jeans.
Not an outfit he’d choose to get married in, if he hadn’t been drunk.
Both of their eyes were a little glazed over, compliments of a liquor-induced haze, but what struck him the most was the brilliance of Zana’s smile and the goofy, lovestruck grin on his own face as they gazed at each other.
She was holding some sort of makeshift bouquet composed of mismatched flowers stuck in a hurricane glass that had poker chips in the bottom of it.
Playing cards were stuffed in amongst the blooms, and fuzzy dice on a string hung down from where they were wrapped around the stems. It looked ridiculous and had obviously been thrown together in haste with whatever items had been around at the time, yet she held it reverently, like it was a dozen pristine, white roses adorned with silk ribbons and pearls.
A middle-aged man bulging out of a tacky white jumpsuit and wearing a black pompadour wig that looked like a raccoon had slept in it stood next to her.
He was pointing at the camera with a curled lip and cheesy expression in a laughable attempt at impersonating Elvis.
The entire scene was absurd in all the worst and best possible ways.
And despite all that, he’d never seen himself look happier.
“Where did you get this?” he asked.
Lacey directed the answer to Britt. “It was in your post box; I brought it in.”
He shuffled the photo with the paper behind it, which turned out to be an order form with his signature on it. Apparently, drunk him was thinking ahead and had gotten the wedding package that included a photo from their marriage ceremony.
“You opened my mail?” Britt sputtered.
“Don’t you try to turn this on me, young lady,” Lacey warned. “The return address was a wedding chapel. Of course, I opened it! Imagine my surprise when I found out my only daughter got married without telling anyone and broke her momma’s heart.”
God, she was laying it on thick. That was the second time she’d told Britt she was breaking her heart in the span of a minute.
“We didn’t plan to,” Linc explained, trying to draw some of the fire away from Britt. He belatedly realized he’d just tossed fuel onto it instead when Lacey’s eyebrows shot through the roof.
“What?”
Ever hear a pissed off parrot screech to be let out of its cage? That’s what Lacey sounded like.
Britt’s expression couldn’t have screamed “thanks a lot” any louder. “Sorry,” he mouthed back.
Not even two seconds passed before Lacey blanched. “Lord almighty, please tell me you’re not pregnant.”
The thought of Britt being pregnant should throw him into a tailspin, shouldn’t it? He wanted kids someday, just not now. So, why didn’t it freak him out? She’d said she was on the pill, but he almost wished she hadn’t been.
What the actual fuck?
“Momma, for God’s sake, no! I’m not pregnant.”
“Don’t you take the Lord’s name in vain.”
“I’m not!” Britt argued with a frustrated growl.
“And don’t you raise your voice at me.”
“Enough!”
Punching the word had the desired effect because both women stopped shouting and looked at him.
He pushed up his glasses and slowly exhaled a deep breath.
When he felt a little more in control, he took Lacey by the elbow and led her to the family room.
Britt’s house was an open concept, so the family room was just a large, carpeted area off the kitchen.
“Sit.”
“But...”
“No,” he warned. “Lacey, no.”
She looked like she was about to speak. When he raised a brow, she stiffly pursed her lips and gingerly perched on the edge of the chair by the coffee table, ankles crossed.
The epitome of Southern class in a powder blue pencil skirt and matching jacket over a pristine, floral silk shirt, back straight, chin defiantly tipped up.
He had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling.
Britt donned that exact expression whenever she was annoyed with him.
“Zana.” He reached out his hand; she slipped hers into it without hesitation. After escorting her to the couch, he sat down next to her. “Okay, we’re going to talk this through like rational adults.”
Lacey gave an undignified snort. With a harsh look from him, she somehow managed to lift her chin even higher. It wasn’t hard to tell where Britt got her stubborn streak from.
After a painfully awkward silence, Britt was the first to speak. “Momma, I never meant to hurt you.”
“You got married without me. How would that not hurt me?”
Linc sacrificed himself, hoping to deflect the fire. “That’s on me. We should’ve waited, but I didn’t want to.”
“Linc.” Britt squeezed his hand and gave a stiff shake of her head.
She wanted to take the blame. Spare him from Lacey’s wrath, he was sure, but he couldn’t let her fall on her sword.
His personal feelings about marriage aside, if Zana had been willing, he’d have jumped in a heartbeat, even if they’d been sober.
Surprising, but true. Not a doubt in his mind.
That’s why, although he didn’t remember enough to confirm, he had an inkling he’d been the one who'd suggested they get married.
“I’m sorry, Lacey. Truly.”
She narrowed her eyes, assessing him with an expression so icy, he should probably get treated for frostbite. “I am not happy.”
He maintained eye contact. “I know.”
“With either of you.”
He saw Britt nod in his peripheral as he confirmed, “We know.”
“I don’t understand what was so blessedly important you couldn’t wait.”
“Your daughter,” he said simply. Britt’s soft intake of breath proved she wasn’t expecting him to give that answer. Honestly, neither was he, but it was true nonetheless. She was important to him.
Lacey studied him, the frigid glint in her gaze starting to thaw. “I always did like you, Lincoln, but pull something like this again, and I’ll slap you into next week so fast you’ll get a ticket.”
His lips twitched. “Yes, ma’am.”
“And you, young lady…”
Britt squinted and shifted back as Linc sat up straighter. He instinctively leaned forward, like his body could deflect Lacey’s words and keep them from hitting their mark. He was expecting fire and brimstone, so what came out shocked him.
“...thankfully have good taste in men.”
What the…? Did Lacey really just approve of him?
“Momma?”
Yup. Zana sounded as surprised as he felt.
“I trust him to take good care of you.” She looked to him for confirmation.
“Always.” It was the easiest thing he’d ever promised.
“And since you got married without bothering to tell me…”
There it was. Sweet to shaming in two point two seconds.
“...you’ll just have to do it again.”
If they’d practiced for hours, their double take couldn’t have been more synchronized. “What?” they asked in unison.
“You got married without your family present, correct?” How Lacey could innocently raise her brows, yet still make you feel like you were lined up in her sights, Linc had no idea.
He nodded and carefully confirmed, “Correct.” He probably should’ve kept his mouth shut because it felt like he was walking into a trap, but that look of hers was like a truth serum.
She turned to Britt. “And you know how much I’ve looked forward to helping you plan your wedding. Also correct?”
Britt squeezed Linc’s arm, so he covered her hand with his to remind her she wasn’t alone.
“Yes, Momma.”
He knew it too. It’s all Lacey had talked about the one time he’d gone to Louisiana with Britt, as well as any time she’d visited Boise in the past.