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Cass watching us with more enthusiasm than she had for her own wedding? Abominable.
Remy watching from across the room with murder in his eyes? A little bit hot, if I was honest.
How drunk he was? Worrisome. Not because I cared how much he drank, but because I didn’t know if he was all right or not. I suspected not.
Never in a hundred million years would I have imagined that Henry’s affection would be so contemptible. But here I was, skin crawling, a false smile on my face, and not nearly enough champagne to get me through the evening unscathed.
Everyone was milling about The Filly with champagne flutes in hand, a table of appetizers set to the back of the room. I kept close to Cass’s side, and Henry kept close to me, never letting me out of his reach. He wouldn’t stop touching me either, as if I were a toy someone might steal if he happened to set me down. When we finally took our seats, I was grateful—there were fewer places he could hold on to me if we were sitting, and fewer places I could wander to, I supposed. Remy didn’t sit with the wedding party. Instead, he took a seat back a ways with his mother. His eyes were a tangible tether—I could feel them on me no matter where I was or where I was looking.
I hated his torture. I’d have given anything to end his suffering and tell Cass the truth. My only hesitation was that the wedding had driven Cassidy Winfield clinically insane. Ship her off to the madhouse. Diagnosis: hysterical wedding jitters.
Last night, I’d laid in bed with Cass spooning me all night, staring at the ceiling while she snored softly in my ear, a common side effect of her drinking enough liquor to down a thoroughbred. And all I could think of was Remy.
Yesterday had been a whirl of drama and admissions. Public indecency. Jail. Learning my mother had nearly run off with her riding instructor. Cass digging in her heels about Remy, and for the sake of his heart even more than mine. Henry pursuing me. Remy’s pain. Had it not been for all that, I knew exactly what I wanted and would have been able to answer him without hesitation when he asked me to stay.
Because I wanted desperately to stay, and for as long as he’d have me.
I no longer gave a damn if people thought we were crazy. Knowing he wanted me to stay was enough. The absolute last thing I wanted to do in the whole entire world was fly home.
I’d have gotten up right then in the middle of the night and texted Remy, but Cass had taken our phones and put them in her bedside table for some “phone detox” she and Davis had come up with. And apparently I had to suffer in solidarity. I tried to sneak off, but she wrapped her arms around me like a chimpanzee and muttered something unintelligible with cinnamon liqueur on her breath. I hadn’t been exaggerating when I’d told Remy I couldn’t even finish a text to him without her barging in on me. I hadn’t had a moment to myself, even in the loo.
And then I was about to tell him at the church, but neither Cass nor Henry could stand for me to be within Remy’s earshot. And now I didn’t know when I’d have a chance to talk to him. But it would all be over soon. The second Cass didn’t need me anymore, I’d find him. Which likely meant after the wedding. It wasn’t the worst plan—we could resolve the whole matter as soon as she was down the aisle and preferably too drunk to land a hit. I could change my flight back and stay for a bit with Remy, call it an extended holiday. Everything would be all right.
In twenty-four hours, all would be well.
We just had to survive this blasted dinner.
Our first course had been delivered when Henry stood at my side, tapping his champagne glass with his knife.
Cass, Davis, and I turned to him, surprised and a little uncertain.
Cass wasn’t the only one to go mad, it seemed. But she did hold the title of maddest.
“Good evening,” Henry started, smiling brilliantly. He really was beautiful. Objectively, academically beautiful. “I hope no one minds if I say a few words. Don’t worry, I’ll save my speech for tomorrow night.”
A little light laughter was all he got.
Unfazed, he looked down at me.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Oh God. What’s this? Please, don’t do anything stupid.
“I have had the pleasure of knowing Jessa and Davis for most of my life. Jessa and I were practically raised together, Davis and I met at Eton as boys. They were both vital to me, but it wasn’t until quite recently that I realized just how much.” He smiled at me. I wanted to melt into the floor and disappear. “Sometimes, the thing you want most has been right in front of you all along. All you have to do is say yes. So thank you, Jessa, for saying yes when I’ve been a fool for so long.” He raised his glass to Davis and Cass. “May you say your yeses before it’s too late, and may those yeses bring you all the happiness. Cheers!”
The crowd echoed, “Hear, hear!” and we took sips of our drinks. Cass and I shared a look that was really a conversation.
That was weird. Her eyebrows said.
Well, he’s been a bit weird lately, hasn’t he? I answered with the flick of my gaze in Henry’s direction.
I don’t know, I thought he really came to his senses recently. Her head cocked.
He’s coming on a little strong though, don’t you think? I asked with the narrowing of my eyes.
I think he’s just enthusiastic, she said with a shrug and a sip of her champagne.
And then Henry interrupted our very important conversation with his very, very stupid lips. They pressed to mine gently, briefly, just enough to set my skin crawling and drop my heart before he took his seat again.
Oh my God. He’s dead. He’s a dead man. Everything will fall apart right here in front of Cass’s entire family because Remy is going to tear Henry’s limbs off and beat him to death with them.
