Chapter 14 #2
Well, except for their prey, Damien. He watched with irritated impatience. And suspicion. Like she'd invented a family to throw him off their scent. Violet wished it was all an invention. At least that would mean she didn't have to deal with her family.
As they approached the table, her two worlds clashed, and Violet suddenly felt lightheaded.
She was aware that everyone was comparing her to her family and wondering where she'd come from.
It was a reasonable question. While growing up, she'd often wondered if she'd been adopted.
The mix of Scottish and Chinese genes in their lineage meant the other females in her family all had wavy auburn hair, and exotic facial features that hinted at a shared heritage.
Meanwhile, Violet was a complete throwback to their Chinese ancestors, with her straight black hair and more pronounced Chinese features. If she hadn't been a replica of her grandmother she'd have started searching for her birth parents decades earlier.
To make matters worse, and enhance the differences between Violet and her family, all of her female relatives had been born with the girly gene.
They were makeup obsessed, thought spa visits were a necessity, and drove the men in their family mad with their clothing budgets.
Violet, meanwhile, was a connoisseur of cargo pants.
"Hey guys," she said. "This is my family. My grandmother, Lian Ferguson. My mum and dad, Samuel and Rosey Lee. My sister, Jasmine and her husband Harvey, and their two daughters Poppy and Marigold."
She felt particularly self-conscious because Damien Poole was watching with rapt attention. The last thing Violet ever wanted was for her job to throw the people she loved into the path of a psychopath. Yet here she was. The best laid plans…
Jasmine, of course, had to blow the whole polite greeting thing.
"I'm so excited to be here. I can't believe my little sister is getting married.
" She launched herself at Max, who caught her in an amused hug.
"Welcome to the family, Max. I honestly thought Vi would never get married.
I'm so happy she met you." She turned and beamed at the rest of the family. "Aren't we thrilled?"
"I'd have been a bit more thrilled," her father said, "If I'd had more notice the wedding was happening this weekend." He shot Violet a wry glance. "Do you have any idea how much last-minute flights cost from Glasgow?"
Rosey elbowed her husband's side. "Money isn't important when we're talking about our daughter's wedding." She gave Violet a pointed look. "The most important thing is that we're all together now. As it should be."
Oh, yeah, her mum was never going to let this one go.
"Plus," Harvey said, beaming through his bushy red beard, "don't forget she saved you a fortune by eloping to the Caribbean. In my book, you're ahead on this deal."
"Harvey!" Jasmine reprimanded while their daughters giggled.
Violet felt herself blush. This was beyond disaster. She didn't even have a word for this situation.
"Let me introduce my friends," she said over the laughter. "Rodrigo and Katrina, and this is Max Durant, my fiancé." She was really proud she didn't stumble over the word, but she did check the sky to see if lightning was about to strike her. There wasn't even a threatening cloud.
Max shook hands with her family and didn't seem to be the least bit bothered that they made no secret about sizing him up while he did it.
"What do you do for a living, son?" her father asked, cutting to the chase.
Violet stifled a groan and fought the sudden, and inexplicable, urge to apologize for her father. Samuel Lee lived up to the tactless Scot cliché, proudly telling anyone who listened that his one Chinese grandfather hadn’t stood a chance of introducing polite behavior into the clan.
"I'm a journalist, sir," Max said.
"And how exactly did you two meet?" her mother asked, maneuvering directly in front of Max. "Violet was a little unclear on the details." She gave Violet a pointed look and she could practically hear her mother's voice in her head saying, "any details at all."
Max bugged his eyes at her. A reminder that he'd wanted to work on their back story, and she'd told him it was pointless. Violet just looked skyward and prayed for patience.
"We met while I was in Houston for work," Max said. "It was love at first sight, for me anyway."
Her sister and nieces made oohing noises and fanned themselves.
Violet was going to die. Right there. In front of everyone.
She knew this because she was going to kill herself to end the humiliation.
She glanced around and spotted a steak knife on a nearby table.
That would do. As if reading her mind, Max reached out and curled his hand around hers. She frowned at him.
He beamed back as he spoke to her family. "I'm so glad you could make it. It's not every day a man marries the woman of his dreams."
"In the Caribbean," her mother said pointedly, narrowing her eyes at Violet. "Instead of at home, in Scotland, where we could put on a proper ceremony."
"Don't worry," Max said. "There will be a proper ceremony here. Wedding Island is famous for its romantic weddings. In fact, let me introduce you to the owner. He can put your minds at ease that everything will be done properly."
"Oh!" Her mother's eyes widened, clearly impressed. "You know the owner?"
Max turned to Damien, who was watching them intently. "He's right here. Meet Damien Poole, he owns the resort, and the island."
"Well, then," her mother moved forward to shake a bewildered Damien's hand. "I have to say, you have a lovely place."
"Uh, thank you," he seemed to gather himself, his charming persona falling back into place like oil coating the surface of a pond. "We're delighted to have you on Wedding Island."
He tried to free himself from her hold, but Violet's mum held on tight. "There's just one thing." She lowered her voice. "For such a high-class establishment, I have to tell you that your toilet paper is a little on the substandard side."