Alien in the Family
him. Thankfully, he was really good with the poker face.
My parents had finally picked up that they’d lost me. Martini’s parents had picked this up a while earlier. All four of them were standing there, chatting, while waiting for me. I risked a look at the audience. Chuckie and Brian were sitting next to each other, right there in the front. I was worried they were both going to die they were laughing so hard. My grandparents were next to them. Money was changing hands so fast it was almost impossible to keep up with, at least in the quick glance I allowed myself.
The seating was as wide as it was long. I decided I’d had it with the girly run and slowed to a walk. Close enough to see tears of laughter running down Serene’s face. At least the Diplomatic Corps had missed this. Another check in the win column.
I took a deep breath, put my shoes down and back on. Back to mincing. Head held high. Remembered the stupid veil. Flipped it on. Accidentally looked at Reader, saw him wince. Realized the veil was upside down. Well, who the hell could tell? I’d fix it after my next wind sprint.
In all the excitement, the one thing I hadn’t done was try to figure out where Martini was. Looked around and found out. He’d stepped out of line with our parents, and I was erratically weaving in and out of line with them, so he was now right in front of me, though about a hundred feet away. I forgot everything else looking at him because he looked so incredibly, totally, drool-worthingly hot.
He was in a longer, four-button, peaked-lapel tuxedo jacket that hung down to just above his knees. It emphasized his size in a really sexy way. Unlike everyone else, he was in a white, buttoned vest over a white shirt. Long black tie, done four-in-hand, red rose on his lapel. He looked incredibly gorgeous and masculine, and I stopped dead.
Martini was staring at me. He wasn’t laughing, thank God, and he didn’t look horrified, also thank God. He looked as though someone had kicked him in the stomach. I started to worry about how I looked, not to mention how I’d pretty much destroyed whatever beauty this ceremony had.
He shook his head a little bit, and my whole body went tight. I’d blown it, and he was going to turn around and run. My eyes filled with tears, and I tried to swallow but I couldn’t. My breathing got fast and shallow, and I realized I was about ten seconds away from hysterics.
All of a sudden he wasn’t a hundred feet away, he was right in front of me. “Shhh, baby,” he said softly, and I could see he was smiling. “It’s okay. I’m here.”
I took one of those gasping breaths where it’s a tossup whether you’re going to get it under control or burst into tears. Martini took my right hand and wrapped it through his left arm.
“No one leaves the sexiest girl in the galaxy at the altar just because she had a little mishap on her way to catch up to you. Especially when seeing you makes her stop in her tracks, for all the right reasons.” He stroked my hand. “I was trying to tell you not to worry about the ceremonial parade, baby, not that I didn’t want you any more.”
“I’ve embarrassed your family, haven’t I?” Mine, clearly from all the betting going on, were neither shocked nor embarrassed. At least, the winners weren’t embarrassed.
He shrugged. “Doubt it. Don’t care.”
“But I’ve embarrassed you.” I could barely get the words out.
“Is that what you think?” He laughed softly. “Baby, this is why I love you.”
“Because I’m a dork?”
“No. Because nothing you do comes out like you plan it, but it still always works out.” He grinned. “Put the veil back on as a wrap and take your shoes off.” He looked around. “Kids, c’mere.”
Raymond looked confused, but Kimmie grabbed his hand and raced them over. At hyperspeed. “Yes, Uncle Jeff?” Fortunately, it was a short enough distance that Raymond didn’t look as though he was going to be sick.
“Kitty and I have to get around the room one more time. She used to be a track star, and I’m a lot bigger, but she can’t go as fast in her dress. So, it’s fair.”
“What’s fair?” Raymond asked, sounding as confused as I was.
Martini grinned. “We’re going to race. No hyperspeed, though,” he said to Kimmie. “Has to be running Raymond and Kitty can do. Winning couple gets twenty dollars each.”
“I don’t have any money,” Raymond said, sounding uncertain.
“Then you’d better
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