I wanted her to shut the hell up so I could think. Wait, not thinking. I wasn’t going to become an EV, end of story. Use the gas card? Why not? It was Westwood’s money paying for it, and he owed me after all the vampires he’d killed.

“Thanks, Simon. As for your courting thing? Forget it. I’ll never, repeat, never be interested in anything you’ve got going out there. Leave me the hell alone. We’re done. Get it? Done.” I snapped the phone shut.

“Dumb ass. He could do you a lot of good.” Alesa jabbed me between the eyes.

“Shut up. I’m going to a wedding. If I want your opinion on anything, I’ll ask for it.” I grabbed my purse out of the back room, locked the door and got into the car. Insurance and a gas card. That bastard. He really knew the way to a woman’s heart.

I headed for Damian’s. What Simon didn’t know was that my heart had been ripped apart this week and only Jerry could put it back together. We’d be standing at the altar on either side of the bride and groom in a little while. I hoped seeing Flo and Richard so in love and the vision of me in my beautiful bridesmaid dress would soften Jerry toward me. It was worth a shot.

Twenty-four

“I ’m so sorry, Glory. I don’t know what happened.” Flo fluttered around me. “I gave the operator your measurements.”

I froze. “How did you know my measurements?” I sure never let her within a foot of me with a tape.

“I guessed.” Flo moved out of range. Wise woman.

“I think you got confused with meters and feet, chickie.” Aggie looked perfect in her purple bridesmaid dress that fit like a dream.

“Feet?” I shrieked, then fought for control. Alesa loved it, though I don’t think she’d be quite so thrilled if she could have seen us. I had on a purple tent. It was supposed to be an elegant off the shoulder gown with a fitted bodice. My bodice didn’t fit anywhere, and a family of five could have hidden under the skirt. I wanted to cry.

“Pins. We need pins. A tuck here and there, and it will be perfect.” CiCi had come into the upstairs bedroom where we were getting dressed. Lacy rushed out in search.

“Give it up, CiCi. The only thing that can fix this nightmare is a stick of dynamite.” I plopped on the bed.

“You’ll wrinkle it.” Flo hadn’t put on her dress yet.

I jumped up even though I wanted nothing more than to let Alesa take over and scream curses. Nope, my best bud was getting married. My demon jabbed and stabbed, but I swallowed my bile.

“Sorry.” There went my dreams of a big reconciliation scene with Jerry. I was an enormous eggplant while the rest of the five bridesmaids were visions of loveliness. He’d take one look at me coming down the aisle and think celibacy beat the hell out of sex with a giant vegetable.

“Let CiCi pin it. I’m so so sorry.” Flo grabbed my hand. “I didn’t want it to be too tight, and I guess I went overboard. I need you to be by my side down there.” Her eyes filled with tears.

“Don’t you dare cry and ruin your makeup.” I hugged her. “I’m sure CiCi will be able to fix it. Go, make yourself more beautiful. Richard will be stunned and realize he’s the luckiest man on the planet.” Especially when he saw her next to the purple monster acting as maid of honor. I patted her shoulder, then shoved her toward the bedroom where I knew her wedding dress waited.

“But this is a disastro!” Flo brushed at the fabric.

“Don’t worry. We’ll figure something out. And my shoes fit. Love them.” Flo had given us each gorgeous designer shoes to match our dresses.

When Flo was out of sight, I turned to CiCi. “Well? Any hope?”

“I’ll cut and pin.” She pulled scissors out of her bag. “But don’t go wild on the dance floor. This is a temporary fix.”

“Fine. I just need to look presentable coming down the aisle.” I sighed when Lacy hurried back in.

“Sorry. Bachelor’s house. The only pins I could find were corsage pins from the florist.” She handed CiCi a box.

“They’ll have to do.” CiCi used my strapless bra as a base. But she was right, the pearl-tipped straight pins were definitely temporary. Sudden moves caused jabs that made even Alesa gasp.

The music started and we assembled at the top of the stairs. Flo stood behind me, Damian at her side to give her away. My best friend glowed with happiness. Her designer gown had cost a mint and looked worth every penny.

Richard waited at the bottom of the stairs, and he had eyes only for his bride. The actual ceremony was to take place outside, and we proceeded out there to the music of a string quartet. Jerry, looking much too handsome in a black tux, white shirt and bow tie, was lined up with the other groomsmen in front of an altar covered in white roses and green leaves. Another ex-priest, a friend of Richard’s, waited to seal the deal though this ceremony was a renewal of vows. My friends had done the real thing in the catacombs under the Vatican.

When we came to a stop, Ray’s voice filled the night with a beautiful song about eternal love. I looked over and saw him at a piano. He didn’t glance at me, only at the happy couple. Eternal love. I studied Jerry, praying he’d feel compelled to look my way and remember what we had. But he stared into the assembled crowd sitting in chairs facing the makeshift altar. Who was he watching?

I searched the onlookers and saw many familiar faces, friends I’d known for years. Then I spotted a woman sitting next to Jerry’s daughter. Oh, no, he didn’t.

“Glory, your heartbeat just doubled, and you’re generating your own heat. Ooo, hate. That beats the hell out of this lovefest. What’s up?” Alesa would have to wait. The ceremony had started.

I took Flo’s bouquet, gripping it so hard I crushed a delicate orchid. Aggie gasped and jerked it out of my hand. Luckily Flo didn’t notice as she said her vows. The endless ceremony droned on until they paused for Ray to sing another sweet love song. Sappy, sentimental tripe.

“Oookay, Glory. Something’s up. You usually like rocker boy’s stuff. What’s the deal? Who you got the hate on for? I get it’s a woman. Cat fight. Oh, yeah. Destroying this wedding would make my night.” Alesa gave me a tiny heat flash to get me to answer. Nothing doing. We all knelt for the final prayer and blessing. A pin popped under my arm. Ventilation. Thank you, God. Alesa growled and heated me some more. She didn’t like prayers or the “G” word.

Time to walk back down the aisle. Aggie handed off the bouquet, and I thrust it at Flo. She didn’t notice that it was a little worse for wear. She just gazed at Richard. I gave Jerry a look that should have blown him right out of his black socks. He smirked and offered his arm. I took it, and we strode down the aisle after the bride and groom. I felt another pin go. Fine. I was burning up, and the breeze under my arms was welcome.

“I can’t believe you brought her to this wedding,” I hissed at Jerry as soon as we left the aisle.

“What makes you think—”

“Save it, Jerry.” I felt my face flush and the room blurred. Oh, no. Hang on to your mad, Glory. For God’s sake, don’t cry. Needless to say, Alesa was horrified at the thought. I blinked rapidly and held on to Jerry’s arm. “Damn it, Jerry, that was so . . . mean.” I rounded on him as we reached the living room.

“I’m a warrior, Gloriana. When I’m hit, I use what weapons I have at hand to hit back.” He glanced at Mara, who’d come to stand in the doorway, and smiled. “Good to know I landed a blow.” He lifted my hand off his arm and strode over to Richard, slapping his back and offering congratulations like he hadn’t a care in the world.

“What’s going on with you two?” Flo grabbed my arm. “Glory?”

“The photographer’s calling for us, Flo.” Aggie, who’d obviously seen and heard the whole thing, gave me a shut-up look. “Picture time? Don’t we have to go get photos made at the altar?”

“Yes, yes, she’s right.” I wasn’t about to unload my drama on the bride, so I helped hustle Flo and Richard back toward the altar. I looked down and saw some pins on the floor behind me. Great. I would be down to my underwear before Flo cut the cake. A waiter came by with pink champagne. I took a flute and sniffed. Wow. Joy juice of the vampire kind, and did I need it. The joy, that is. I downed it and grabbed a refill, then moved to my place in line for the photographer, a shifter who’d been hired for the occasion.

“Just a minute.” Aggie reached over and tucked some of my top into my bra. “You’re coming apart,” she whispered in my ear.

I glanced at Jerry, who was ignoring me. “You are so right.”

Aggie gave me an inquiring look, but we were soon in the middle of a whirlwind as the poses began. By the time we were finally cut loose for the reception, I’d gone from hurt to furious to homicidal to numb. Alesa was doing backflips with glee. Nothing like a meltdown to keep a demon happy.

A band had set up and music started. The leader announced that Mr. and Mrs. Mainwaring were going to have their first dance. Everyone clapped as Flo and Richard took the floor.

“How sweet.”

I turned slowly, knowing exactly who hadn’t waited a minute to rub my nose in the fact that Jerry had brought her here.

“Mara. Did Flo invite you?” I knew my friend certainly hadn’t. Flo would never invite the mother of Jerry’s child here. My friend knew I hated Mara because she’d never made her pursuit of Jerry a secret.

“No, Jeremiah asked me to come as his date and to see our daughter, of course.” Mara smiled at Jerry, who was hurrying toward us. What? Did he think I was going to get violent? He should have thought of that before he’d brought the bitch here.

“How . . . interesting. Did you wonder why the last-minute invitation?” I looked up as Jerry stepped between us.

Jerry threw his arm around Mara. “Mara is an old and dear friend, Gloriana. Naturally I’d want to reconnect with the mother of my child.” He smiled down at Mara, and she leaned into him, clearly willing to do whatever it took to latch on to him permanently.