29. Jamison #3
Sabine gave him a look. “I did not get attached quickly.”
Mila finally let Henri take her. He settled her expertly against his side. She immediately tucked her face beneath his jaw, all command leaving her body now that she had returned to her father. His hand spread over her back. He kissed her head, murmuring in French, “Mon petit tyran,”
Sabine leaned toward them, and Henri shifted closer, creating shade with his own body and handing her the lemonade he had been holding.
Deeply in love, then.
Embarrassing for everyone forced to witness it.
Still I respected the man. He loved his wife and family. That often said alot about a man’s character. Sienna went with Sabine. Fussing over Nell. I stepped back to lit a cigarette. Before I could bring the lighter to it. Celeste appeared.
She crossed the lawn from the far path with a cluster of other arrivals. Only instead of avoiding me. She walked this way.
“Jamison,” Celeste glanced toward the others, then back at me. “I only wanted to ask if you’ve told Sienna. Because I won’t lie to my cousin.”
I stepped closer.
Her chin lifted.
“If lying is the problem,” I said, “I can remove your tongue and simplify your moral position.”
Celeste recovered faster than I wanted. Bellemeres did that. “Threatening me in front of family is risky.”
“No, threatening you in front of family is restraint. Alone would be risky.”
Her gaze flicked toward Sienna, still with the children. “She’ll find out.”
She stepped closer before I gave her permission to live that boldly and placed her hand on my forearm.
“Fuck off.” I caught Celeste’s wrist.
Her smile broke.
I did not hurt her. Sienna had asked me to behave.
So, I simply removed her hand from my arm and lowered it with enough pressure to explain consequences.
“Sienna is walking back,” I said. “You’re going to smile. You’re going to greet her like a cousin who missed her, and if one syllable of the merger is mentioned. I’ll make sure silence becomes your only future skill.”
Celeste stared at me.
The color had drained from her face.
I released Celeste’s wrist.
Sienna approached cheeks flushed from sun, hair coming loose around her face. She looked between us.
Celeste turned with a bright gasp. “Sienna!”
The performance was excellent.
She crossed the grass and hugged Sienna with both arms, laughing softly against her cheek. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. You’re impossible to find when there are children involved.”
Sienna hugged her back. “Celeste. I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow.”
“Plans changed. Mother decided lake day mattered more than dignity.” Celeste pulled back, hands on Sienna’s arms. “Look at you. You’re so tanned already.“
Sienna turned toward me. “You’ve met.”
“We’ve spoken,” I said.
Celeste’s smile stayed bright. “Briefly. Jamison is very direct.”
“That’s one word for it,” Sienna said softly.
I reached for her. Sliding an arm around her waist and drew her back into my side.
She came with me. A little stiff at first, she settled. Mine. The word moved through my body with the kind of satisfaction men in church probably lied about feeling.
Celeste saw.
Sienna looked up at me. “Are you all right?”
“Yes.”
“Your face looks…”
“Handsome?”
Her mouth pressed together. The almost-smile won. The lake coordinator rang a small brass bell near the boats, saving Celeste from continuing to exist in my immediate range.
“Rowing teams!” he called.
The Bellemeres moved with alarming speed.
A board had been set up near the pavilion with names written on cream cards. Names were drawn from a silver bowl because this family was fucking insane.
Julian reached the board first. Adrian beside him. Cassian, Henri, Victor, several cousins, and the late-arriving in-laws formed a semicircle with the tense anticipation of men awaiting battle.
Sienna drifted closer with me behind her.
“You just agreed to rowing, and the scavenger hunt.” She said entirely too innocent.
I looked down at her. “The what?”
Her smile widened, entirely too pleased. “They set up clues on the far side of the lake. You row over, collect the first envelope, solve the route, find all the tokens, and row back.”
“Why?”
“For points.”
“What do points buy?”
She glanced toward the coordinator. “Winner gets out of the poetry recital at tonight’s dinner.”
The entire lake day changed shape. I looked at the boats. At the people between me and freedom from dinner poetry.
“We’re winning,” I said.
Julian picked up his oar and pointed it at Adrian. “No one is beating me this year.”
Adrian scoffed. “You won last year because Aunt Mirelle fell asleep during clue four and Victor had to carry both baskets.”
“I was resting my eyes.” Aunt Mirelle said, from beneath her hat.
I stepped onto the jetty beside Sienna while the Bellemeres lined up at their boats with oars, and the insane seriousness of a dynasty preparing for war by scavenger hunt.
Sienna adjusted her braid and looked at the boat.
I leaned closer. “You know how to row?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“You don’t?”
“No.”
Her eyes widened.
“Teach me fast, baby. I’m not letting us lose.”