But Payton knew all too well how the woman’s jibes could cut to the bone. And although she was sure Cruz could handle anything her mother threw at him, she would rather save the peace. For now. “It’s fine, really,” she said in reassurance to the concern she saw in his eyes.

“We’ll catch up later,” he said, almost like a promise. He turned to her mother, and nodded briefly. “I hope you enjoy your dinner.”

Casually, he brought his hand to his heart for barely a second as he met her gaze. With a warm smile that left her stomach twisting all over again, he walked over to the table where his family was already seated.

A memory niggled at her. Of Cruz smiling as she nestled into his crook just after making love. Of him taking her hand in his, then laying it over his heart and whispering something in Spanish that she hadn’t understood, but insisted he translate. He’d kissed her hand and returned it to his heart saying—

“Payton? Are you okay?”

Payton jerked her head and tried to smile with nonchalance. “Just thinking how happy I am for my best friend. The ceremony couldn’t have been more perfect. Should we go take out seats?”

Payton slipped into her seat, barely hearing the litany of complaints her mother unleashed about the horrible hotel service. She was thinking about what Cruz had promised. The words playing in her mind like he was right there, whispering them again.

“You have my heart, always and forever.”

Her mother asked her something, but Payton couldn’t remember the question much less give a response, and her mother glared at her in disapproval.

But she didn’t care. Because tonight, like she’d told her mother, she was going to finally do what she had always wanted for herself.

She was going to live on her own terms. Do what made her happy.

And whether or not she and Cruz decided to permanently dissolve their marriage come Monday, tonight she wanted to dance in the arms of the man that she had promised to love and honor all the days of her life. She wasn’t going to worry about what might happen the next day; she was going to trust in this thing that had developed between her and Cruz and see what happened.

And she couldn’t wait to tell him.

Chapter Fourteen

Cruz sat through an interminable conversation between his sisters as they debated the appealing qualities of Henry Cavill, Brandon Routh, and Tom Welling, all men who, in the past decade, had played Superman in various screen adaptations. Daisy seemed to have a soft spot for the brainier, more introspective of the three while Benny’s preference was purely physical—making him fidget for a moment trying to tune out their conversation.

He glanced over to where Payton and her mother sat, looking for any sign of distress on Payton’s part. He’d already decided to rescue her the moment Payton looked the least bit upset, no matter how hard the dragon lady might glare at him. But Payton almost seemed to be in her own world, barely hearing whatever her mother was discussing next to her.

“You are in big trouble,” Daisy’s voice said, breaking into his thoughts. It took him a minute to realize she was talking to him and turned to look at her. She leaned back in her chair, an arm casually thrown over the back of it, and smiled at him with a little too much satisfaction.

He sat up a little straighter. “What do you mean?”

She laughed softly and shook her head. “The way your eyes have been glued on her all night tells me that you’re interested in Payton Vaughn as more than just an…acquaintance.”

He thought about denying it but decided it would be pointless. But he wasn’t about to wax poetic on all the reasons he found the woman intriguing and passionate and like a refreshing breath of fresh air in his life. Especially since that breath of fresh air was about to disappear in a matter of hours. Back to her life. He decided silence was his best defense.

“Fine. Don’t confide in your favorite sister. But from the way her mother is watching her, I’d say you’re going to have your work cut out for you. She’s guarding her like a prisoner. Don’t think she’s going to take well to you shattering her plans for her prodigy.”

Daisy hit the nail on the head with that assessment, but she always was very intuitive. Scarily so.

Kate and Dominic’s wedding party wasn’t overly large but even so it took a couple of attempts for the DJ to get their attention. With the usual introductions and pomp, he introduced the new couple and asked them to go start the evening out on the dance floor as husband and wife.

Kate was flushed with excitement as Dominic brushed her up against him for a soft kiss, taking one hand in his and holding her so close as though he was afraid she was going to slip away. The soft folksy tune of “Crazy Love” began to play and from the look on Kate’s expression, Cruz could see she was shocked and touched by the choice, as some memory must have been triggered.

For a brief moment, the bride glanced across the room at her maid of honor, and Cruz took the opportunity to sneak another long look at Payton. Something passed between the women and she nodded to Kate, a wide smile bursting across her face, tears slipping down.

She was so damn beautiful. Inside and out.

He could watch her all night. The song came to a close and another slow song started. At the DJ’s invitation, his parents and some of his aunts and uncles crowded on the floor.

To hell with Emily Vaughn and whatever certain fit she was going to have. He rose and walked across the patio until he reached Payton. Her eyes were wide with uncertainty.

“Let’s dance.”

“Payton, I don’t think it’s a good idea when you have an early—” her mother started.

But Payton rose to her feet, her eyes still on him. She placed her hand in his. “Love to.”

Whatever else her mother said was lost to him as he slid his arm around her waist, bringing her in closer to him, enough that he could breathe in her sweet familiar scent.

“You know that Emily Vaughn is probably sic’ing a henchman on your ass right now.”

He heard the smile in her voice, though, not disapproval. Not fear.

“Let’s face it. No one can be as terrifying as your mother.”

At this she laughed, the light, melodic sound that reminded him of those carefree moments in the car. Shoving Bueno bars in her mouth with relish as she joked about needing twine and Vaseline now to squeeze into that bridesmaid dress.

“Yeah,” she said finally. She looked up, her green eyes bright. “But somewhere in the past few days I’ve realized that I’m not afraid of her anymore. The power she had over me? That ever-present deep-residing need I’ve always had to try and please her, please my father, to make them somehow…love me?” She shook her head. “I can’t do it anymore. I’ve gone to the right schools, hosted the right parties, dressed the right way…even got engaged to the right guy. But I still didn’t feel good enough. There was always something I should be doing better. So I say the hell with it all. I’m not going to do anything to make anyone else happy first. I’m going to try and decide something new. What makes me happy.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “You came into all of this in the space of one dinner with your mother? What kind of chicken were they serving you?”

She smiled. “Just sitting there tonight, hearing the usual Emily Vaughn complaints where no one was ever good enough when compared to the high standards she’s set for herself, it came to me. She isn’t ever going to be happy, no matter what I do. I started remembering things, happy moments in my life. Moments over the past few days that have made me realize there was more to life than trying to earn my parents’ love and approval. I want to try and feel that way again.”