Which is fine. He grew distant as he got older, but I understood why. Our father isn’t one to encourage close relationships among his children. He probably didn’t want Crew to get soft by spending too much time with me.
Ridiculous and awful, but true. And us Lancasters—especially the males—are expected to do what their fathers say, no questions asked.
“You seem happy, Charlotte,” he says once we pull away from each other. “Is that Perry dude treating you okay?”
“That Perry dude is my husband, and yes, he’s treating me just fine.” I smile, swaying toward my brother and he slings his arm around my shoulders, tucking me close to his side. “The ceremony was beautiful, don’t you think?”
“It was nice. And this is quite the party.” He glances down at me, affection filling his gaze. “I’m really happy for you, but just…be careful, okay?”
I frown. “Be careful of what?”
“Your husband. Your new in-laws. All of it. You don’t know them. Not really,” he reminds me. “And while they might seem like they’re going to welcome you into the family, you need to keep your guard up. Don’t trust them.”
He’s right. I know he is. But that’s the last thing I want to hear on my wedding day. “I’ll be fine.”
“I hope so.” His smile is almost pained. “You lead too much with your heart, when you should be protecting it at all costs. It’s your best and worst quality. Look what happened the last time you surrendered your heart to someone. It got stomped on.”
I blink at him, hating the reminder. Hating worse that it came from the one brother I trust more than the others, though maybe he’s the only one who’ll be completely honest with me. “I’m not in love with him, Crew.”
“Yet you married him.”
“Because I was bartered off to him.” I lower my voice. “I didn’t have a choice.”
“Right, so don’t look at him with stars in your eyes or whatever the fuck.” He scowls, seemingly irritated he would even say such a thing. “Keep your walls up. Don’t let him—them—hurt you.”
I part my lips, automatically ready to defend the Constantines when I’m interrupted.
“Hey, everyone! It’s time for Perry and Charlotte to have their first dance as a married couple!” the DJ suddenly announces.
I pull away from Crew, grateful for the distraction. “I need to go.”
“You’re throwing yourself completely into this wedding bullshit, aren’t you?” The gleam in his eyes tells me he’s not impressed.
He probably thinks I’m an idiot.
Well, what am I supposed to do? At least I’m out from under my father’s control once and for all.
“Yes.” I lift my chin. “I am.”
I turn away from Crew before he can say anything else and pick up my skirts, hurrying toward the dance floor. I spot Perry standing by the DJ booth, his gaze alighting on mine when he spots me, a flickering of irritation in his eyes.
I’m sure he’s over the wedding bullshit as Crew called it, too. Well, too bad.
We have a part to play, and our roles aren’t over yet.
I stop directly in front of Perry, and without a word, he sweeps me into his arms, just as the song begins to play. It’s something slow and old and terribly romantic and I could easily find myself falling into the moment. Believing it with every fiber of my being.
But something holds me back. Crew’s words are on repeat in my brain. Reminding me I shouldn’t trust Perry or the Constantines in general.
The only person I can count on is myself.
We’re quiet as we move about the dance floor and I turn my face when Susan’s flash momentarily blinds me. Perry tightens his grip around my waist, his movements surprisingly smooth. Impressive. The man can dance.
Of course, I don’t know him that well, so everything I discover still feels like a surprise.
“Are you having fun?” he asks when we’re about a third into the song.
“The reception is beautiful, yes,” I tell him, keeping my head bent.