Faux Vows, True Desires novel Chapter 484

Becky couldn't help but think it was just a coincidence.

Still, she whispered a word of caution to her sister, "The Blue family is a tough crowd, you know. You and Lucy are tight, and she's fiercely loyal to her brothers. I wouldn't put it past her to have designs on you for one of them. Just promise me, if Lucy starts playing matchmaker for you and her brother, you'll give me a heads-up, okay?"

"You're too sweet for your own good, sis. You'd have a hard time turning down Lucy's matchmaking. Leave it to me to do the dirty work."

Keith was a catch, no doubt, but the Blue family was trouble.

Becky could see Keith's charm but not the appeal of the tangled Blue dynasty.

She had only one sister. With their parents gone, it was just the two of them against the world, and she'd be damned if she'd let her sister get caught up in the intricate web of the Blue household.

Just look at the life Mrs. Bright led to see how tough it was to be the matriarch of the Blues.

Darlene couldn't help but chuckle, "Sis, you're thinking way too far ahead."

That was her sister for you. If any guy gave her a second glance, Becky was ready with a whole saga, treating every one of them like the big bad wolf.

Her sister protected her like no other.

"Just inoculating you in advance. Lucy's all over her brothers' love lives. With Ike off the market thanks to me, she won't meddle there, but her own brother's still a bachelor. She's bound to be worried."

Becky wasn't close with Lucinda, but Ike was always singing his sister's praises, and through him, Becky felt like she knew Lucinda inside out.

"We've only had each other for so long. I can't bear the thought of you leaving for some faraway place."

Fearing Becky would go on and on, Darlene quickly interjected. Despite her corporate ice queen façade, Becky was a real chatterbox around her, always fussing over her.

"Sis, chill. If Lucy tries to set me up with Keith, I'll tell you. As much as you hate the thought of me leaving, I'm not keen on moving far away. I like it just fine under your wing."

Yeah, right.

She was keeping a significant secret from her sister.

Her alter ego's antics were a touch on the risky side. Fearing a lecture and wanting to avoid undue worry or intervention from Becky, she chose to keep her clandestine training with her mentor under wraps.

"And let's be real, Keith might not even be into me. It's not like we just met. We've hung out before, and he's never shown any special interest. Lucy tried to get him to walk me home, and he flat-out refused."

Hearing this, Becky breathed a sigh of relief.

Her sister was a stunner, true, but Keith was no stranger to beauty. Yeah, he probably wouldn't go after her sister.

Besides, even if Lucy wanted to play Cupid, it took two to tango.

"Sis, some exec and his wife are coming over to toast you."

Noticing a couple approaching, Darlene nudged Becky, eager to switch topics before her sister's ramblings gave her a headache.

Becky immediately slipped back into her frosty persona.

Ike returned to her side, too.

He'd tactfully given the sisters space, not eavesdropping. He knew Becky would fill him in if need be.

Darlene felt like a third wheel tagging along with her sister and future brother-in-law. She made an excuse and slipped away.

No longer the lightbulb to her sister's romance.

But being the maid of honor and the elusive Ms. Darlene, seldom seen and shrouded in mystery, she attracted attention the moment she stepped out from under Becky's icy shield. A flock of eligible bachelors and curious ladies, aware of her friendship with Lucinda, promptly made their introductions.

When Owen and Cecilia arrived at the reception, Darlene, swamped with social obligations, clutched Cecilia's hand like a life raft, "Cecilia, you're finally here! If you took any longer, I'd be under the table by now."

Good booze has a way with people.

Luckily, the Andersons hosted the reception at their hotel. Inebriated guests could crash in their rooms or be chauffeured home by the family's bodyguards.

Lucinda and her husband had their fair share of drinks, retiring to the penthouse suite.

The Anderson elders and the newlyweds headed back to the manor. Liam, stumbling drunk, was escorted upstairs by two bodyguards.

Tiffany eyed her passed-out groom and sighed. Once the bodyguards left, she closed the door and prepared a basin of water to freshen him up.

But just as she approached, the man on the bed suddenly sat up, stone-cold sober.

Tiffany remained silent, a playful glint in her eyes.

"Bunny, are you really drunk or just faking it?"

With the joy of the occasion, he had been welcoming every toast.

Even with a crew of groomsmen shielding him, he had indulged in quite a few drinks.

Liam's gaze burned with intensity as he looked at her, a smile breaking across his face. "Tonight is our wedding night. How could I afford to miss it in a drunken haze?"

He slid out of bed and walked over to Tiffany, taking the bowl of cold water out of her hands. "From now on, you shouldn't be doing this kind of stuff. You're pregnant. Any hard or heavy work, just call on me. If I'm not home, let the housekeeper or the maids handle it."

"I thought you were out cold, just wanted to help you wash up. Now it's just the two of us in the room, who else is gonna do it? Besides, you're my man. There's no way I'd let anyone else take care of you like this."

Tiffany's possessiveness was unmistakable.

"I'm a bit tipsy for sure, too excited and had a bit too much to drink. But I'm not blackout drunk. It was all an act. If I didn't pretend, they'd keep toasting, and I'd end up truly out of commission."