Page 79 of Badd Love
I looked around. "Thank you, Ink. But…why are wehere? What is the concert?"
Rune had seen me with Ink and was valiantly struggling to her feet. I scuttled over to her and knelt beside her. "Don't get up, don’t get up."
Sinking back down with obvious relief, Rune twisted to hug me over the armrest. "Linz! You're here!" She pulled back and fiddled with my hair, sniffling. "Why are you here?"
"Long story," I said. "Short version is fuck LA and I had nowhere else to go. Also, ummm." I gave her a simpering grin. "Is your couch available?"
Duncan heard me, whipped around, stared at me, exchanged a meaningful look with Rune, and then tipped his head to one side. "Couch? No. Spare room with a bed where you can stay as long as you need? Yes. We're about to have this baby any second, though, so I hope you either sleep soundly or have earplugs."
My eyes burned. "I don't want to get in your way or anything. I won’t stay long, I just—"
Duncan interrupted. "Linz, you're my wife's best friend. Regardless of anything with my brother, you’re her family first."
Rune leaned into her husband. "See why I love him?"
My throat was tight. “Yeah, I do. So, um…obviously, Dane doesn't know I'm here either. I sort of just showed up."
The lights dimmed just then, and the orchestra in the pit—which had been warming up with a dissonant racket—quieted.
"Lindsey!" A voice hissed.
I twisted around and saw Ella, one of Dane's cousins, who I'd chatted with a bit during the wedding reception, was waving me to an empty seat next to her in the next row back; I patted Rune's arm. “We’ll talk more after whatever this is."
She nodded and turned forward as college kids filed onto the stage from the wings. The guys were wearing tuxedos, and the girls were wearing plain black dresses—which, honestly, weren't the most flattering. More than one poor girl could have used a tailor to either take in or let out the dresses. One girl was about to bounce out of her dress if she failed to hold her cleavage down, while another could have hosted a Christmas pageant in the bodice of hers; it was so loose.
They all filed onto the risers occupying the stage in a semicircle, and an older woman in a tailored black pantsuit stepped up onto a podium and tapped her wand thingy against the edge of her music stand. The choir—for such it was—rearranged themselves in a single shuffle, some stepping up, some down. Why, I don't know; choir things, I guess.
Silence.
Tap-tap.
The orchestra started a melody—I recognized it but couldn't place it until the choir started singing—it was a classic hymn I don't remember the name of, but it was standard choir fare. They sounded fantastic, but I still wasn't sure why I was here—why the whole Badd clan was here.
I scanned the faces on the risers, looking for a familiar one, but we were in the back and I am sort of nearsighted; I've just never bothered with corrective lenses. It's only in situations like this that I notice it; this and night driving. The hymn ended.Pages were turned. A few people on the risers moved positions, again for reasons that were opaque to me.
Tap-tap.
A broad-shouldered figure stepped down from the back row and made his way to the mic stand at the front of the stage.
Dane.
His tux had tails, and he looked fucking stunning. James Bond who? Hunter who? The man was a god. The way he filled out that jacket? The white bowtie? A lot of dudes look dumb in bowties. Dane? Hot.
"Fuck me," I whispered. "Dane?"
Ella looked at me in shock. "He has asolo?"
"He's in achoir?" I shot back.
"HUSH!" Someone behind us hissed.
Dane was laser-focused on the director, waiting for the cue. The orchestra started “Hallelujah” by David Buckley, as made famous(er) byShrek.
Dane took a deep breath, wiped his hands on the front of his trousers. Poor guy was so visibly nervous, I was nervous for him.
And then the cue came, and he opened his mouth, and…
The man couldsing.
