Faithful by Kim Cash Tate Page A

met,” he said, “but given the resemblance, you must be Stephanie’s sister. You are a family of good-looking women.”
    â€œThank you.” She held out her hand. “I’m Cyd Sanders.”
    â€œCedric London,” he said, “and since we’re about to be family, I think we can forgo the handshake.”
    He pulled Cyd into a hug, and the faintness of his cologne mingled with his handsome looks caused her skin to tingle.
    Stephanie headed their way the moment she saw. “I see you met my sister,” she said. Angling her thumb at Cedric, she continued, “I love him, but you’d better watch out, Cyd. He’s a real ladies’ man.”
    Cyd turned arched eyebrows on him.
    Cedric pleaded with his accuser. “Aww, Steph, I can’t believe you said that.”
    â€œUh, yeah, I did.” Stephanie looked at Cyd. “You know I know the deal, right? He’s forty-two and a big-time bachelor. Just letting you know, ’cause he will try to run some game.” She graced Cedric with a smile. “Gotta look out for my big sister. Not that she’d fall for it anyway. She’s too smart for that.”
    With the mothers seated, the piano struck up the bridal party song and Stephanie took a seat in a middle pew to observe the rest of the procession.
    Cyd and Cedric moved into line formation as the bridesmaids and groomsmen began the slow march up the aisle.
    Cedric leaned over to Cyd and whispered, “So you’re smart, huh? What do you do?”
    Their eyes met briefly. “I’m a professor at Washington University.”
    â€œFor real? Dr . Sanders?”
    Cyd nodded, staring ahead.
    He nodded, too, in approval. “Smart, sexy, and single.” He lowered his head to hers. “You are single, right?” He looked around at the smattering of people in the pews who had accompanied bridal party members to the rehearsal. “No fiancé out there? Boyfriend?”
    She took his arm as they waited for his sister to finish her walk down the aisle. When they got the nod from Cassandra, they started down.
    Cyd spoke under her breath. “I don’t have anyone out there,” she said, “but looks like you do.” She tipped her head toward a woman sitting on the end of an aisle, arms crossed, eyes leveled on the two of them. Amused, Cyd gazed ahead, keeping a steady pace. “Fiancée? Girlfriend?”
    Before he could answer, if he even intended to answer, Cyd moved left and took her position in front of the first bridesmaid. She couldn’t help but look at the woman, who was looking at Cedric . . . who was looking at Cyd. When their eyes connected, her stomach dipped . . . and she bounced her eyes away from him.
    The bridal party practiced the recessional and, with a collective groan, ambled to their original places when Stephanie announced she needed one more run-through to be sure she liked it.
    Cedric stopped and said a few words to Kelli, and Cyd checked on the kids. “How are you two holding up?”
    â€œFine,” Mark and Mackenzie chorused, and got back to the riddle game they’d been playing with one of the bridesmaids. There’d been no shortage of people looking after them, but Cyd hung beside them anyway, for cover. They didn’t flirt. Or give her goose bumps.
    The line inched up and Cedric sidled up to her, causing the two to pair off again. “You don’t go to this church, do you?”
    Cyd glanced at him. “Ever since I was a teenager.”
    â€œReally?” Cedric’s head drew back in surprise. His eyes bored into her more intently. “Why haven’t I seen you? I go to the eleven thirty service.”
    â€œThat’s why. I go to the nine o’clock.”
    â€œHuh.” He nodded to himself. “I may have to get out of bed a little earlier.” His hand brushed hers as he pointed between them. “Being paired up like this . . . kind of crazy,