Daniel glanced at him over Holly’s shoulder, smiling slightly. “I’m glad I can help.”
“Tomorrow when we meet with the minister, we can make sure that he knows exactly what you want for the service. That way there won’t be any mix-ups,” James offered.
“Just relax. Little issues will come up, but you have plenty of people to support you,” Daniel comforted her, and glanced around the room. “Where’s Howard?”
“Today is his last day of work before the wedding,” Holly said, grabbing a napkin from the holder in the center of the table to dab her eyes.
Mom had said nothing more through this entire exchange and clearly wasn’t happy. “Is anyone hungry?” She didn’t wait for an answer before getting started with eggs, sausage, and a platter of bacon. Dad joined the rest of them, and once the food was on the table, everyone sat.
The lunch yesterday was a veritable party compared to the strained conversation around the table now. Holly glared at their mom, who pretended not to notice. Dad just ate and said nothing. Margot grabbed her plate and left the table, closing her door more loudly than was necessary. Poor Daniel looked like he had no idea what was going on. “Is this normal?”
James shrugged. There was no normal when it came to his family…and especially his mother. “When we’re done, I’m going to call the florist.”
“What’s wrong with the flowers?” Mom asked a little snappily.
“You didn’t change those, did you?” Holly retorted and pushed her plate away after eating just a few bites.
“It’s fine, Mom. Just a mix-up in an order. I’m going to take care of it. Holly has enough to do.” James hoped to calm the waters. Daniel patted his hand, fingers resting on his skin for longer than was necessary. James turned his hand, sliding his fingers into Daniel’s. It was strange to him. Daniel was dressed as a beautiful woman, and yet James found it hard to see anyone but Daniel. The clothes didn’t matter, and neither did the makeup. The features were Daniel’s, and that was what mattered.
James slowly pulled his hand away, not wanting to draw attention to the movement. He needed to keep his head on straight and remember that Daniella was a character that Daniel was playing, and that they both had roles to play. He was here for Holly’s wedding, and Daniel was someone he had an arrangement with to be his “girlfriend” for the duration of the trip. Anything more would be a bad idea.
He got up from the table, taking a deep breath, needing to handle the florist issues for Holly and taking the opportunity to put a little distance between him and Daniel for a few minutes. It was so damned easy to get carried away, and it needed to stop.
* * *
“What can we expect at this shower?” Daniel asked in his normal voice once they were within the safety of their bedroom, just the two of them. He spoke softly and sat on the edge of the bed, pulling on nylon socks.
“I’m expecting it to be casual—some games, talking, and plenty of wine,” James explained. “Mom apparently wasn’t thrilled about the alcohol, but Holly’s friends planned the party, and thankfully Mom was polite enough to keep quiet for once.”
“Are your parents going to be there?” Daniel asked, lying back on the bed, probably enjoying a few minutes of quiet. James knew he was, and sat next to him, lying back as well.
“I don’t think so. This is supposed to be for Holly and Howard’s friends. There’s going to be enough to keep Mom and Dad busy for the next few days.” He sighed. “Shit…” he swore under his breath. “I don’t have a present to bring.” He had the wedding present covered, but he had completely forgotten about a gift for the shower.
“Don’t worry about it. Holly and Howard probably aren’t expecting anything. They’re happy that you came to the wedding. Showers aren’t usually about presents as much as they’re about a chance to have fun with friends before all the formal wedding activities drive everyone nuts.”
James agreed and slowly rolled onto his side, Daniel meeting his gaze with those intense eyes that James could so easily get lost in if he allowed himself to. “What’s your family like? You’ve met mine and seen the levels of craziness.”
“There isn’t much to tell. I was a late-in-life baby. Mom and Dad had given up on having children. Mom was apparently told that she wasn’t able to have children, and then in her forties, she thought she was going through the change of life…instead—surprise!” He smiled, showing perfect white teeth, small lines reaching to bright eyes. James basked in the warmth of that gaze, forgetting about his earlier reservations, at least for now.