Tempting Fate by Amalia Dillin

One
    Mia

    Mia bit her lip, watching the cluster of men by the bar. She glanced at her sister, but Abby was still distracted by her in-laws. Brides never had time for anyone at weddings. Well, she’d just have to make her own introductions then. Mia smoothed her dress, gave her hair a pat, and walked toward them.
    “Excuse me,” Mia said, giving the group her best sultry look. Good Lord, but they were gorgeous. All four of them looked as though they could have been on a magazine cover. And Abby was marrying into this genetic lottery? Mia liked her own odds. “I was wondering which one of you is walking me down the aisle? I’m Mia, Abby’s sister.”
    “ Je suis désolé, mademoiselle ,” one of the men said, taking her hand and raising it to his lips. “I wish I could say it was me, but I fear that honor falls to my cousin Luc.” He lifted his head in the direction of the man in question. Luc seemed to be the oldest, but he wasn’t even Garrit’s age, by his looks.
    They were going to be impossible to tell apart, all these DeLeon boys. Tall, with the same dark eyes, impeccably dressed in designer suits. They could have been brothers just as easily as cousins. What had Abby said? Did Garrit have three aunts and uncles, or two? Well, it hardly mattered.
    Luc smiled pleasantly enough, but he glanced over her shoulder instead of at her—and she had chosen this dress purposely to keep attention. A man with a date, no doubt.
    “It’s nice to meet you, Luc,” she said. “I just wanted to be sure I had a face with the name so I didn’t miss you tomorrow.”
    Luc smiled. “Even if you had, mademoiselle , I’m sure there is little chance I would have missed you.”
    True. And she gave him points for making it sound like a compliment. She wondered what Abby had told them about her, if anything. God, Abby could have warned her about all Garrit’s cousins before she got here. What if she hadn’t brought the right dress?
    “We’ve been admiring you all evening,” the first man said. His eyes swept over her body, head to toe and back again with warm appreciation. “Luc was trying to tell me you couldn’t possibly be related to Abby. I’m glad he’s wrong. If you’re her sister, that means we’re certain to see much more of you, non ?”
    “Well, as much of me as she’ll have, anyway.” She frowned just slightly. The fact that this was the first time Abby had invited her to visit hadn’t escaped her. Ever since her sister had gotten involved with Garrit she’d been distant, and it was downright selfish of her not to have shared all these men.
    “I can’t imagine why she wouldn’t have you,” he assured her. “Can I get you something to drink? Judging by the look on Tante Juliette’s face, I don’t think we’re quite ready to start by any means.”
    “Oh, a glass of wine would be lovely!”
    He smiled, offering his arm. One of the other men, she hadn’t caught his name, muttered something in French, and her escort flashed a very smug smile at him with a sharp retort she didn’t need translated. She winked at the man as they passed him, and whatever it was he said in response sounded like an invitation. Well, she had the entire dinner later to get to know Garrit’s other cousins.
    “ Monsieur , a glass of Garrit’s good red for the bride’s sister,” her escort said, then he turned back to her, his lips twitching with his amusement. “My cousins are jealous that I swept you away, but I think if they were not wise enough to speak, then they were not meant for you, n’est ce pas ?”
    She laughed. “Well, I can’t blame them for being shy.”
    “No, but I think you prefer men who are not so afraid of your beauty.” He grinned. “Less boring, don’t you think?”
    “If you’re so sure of yourself, why haven’t you even told me your name?” He did look good, leaning against the counter. And he was right that she preferred more confident men.
    “My name is Jean,” he said. “Would