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“Someone’s calling you,” she said.
“No one important,” I replied as I moved us a little faster.
We managed to find room in one of the limos out front and made our way to the reception with six of the bridesmaids. Thankfully, I didn’t
know any of them, and they didn’t seem to know who I was. The ride to Sophia’s—one of the most ridiculously exclusive clubs in the city—was short and uneventful. As soon as we got there, I hopped out of the vehicle and pulled Tria along with me.
I just needed to get through the fucking dinner, make a toast, and then get the hell out of there.
“Mr. Teague, Miss Lynn,” a tall, skinny woman in all black said as we walked in, “your seats are right this way.”
I took a good look at her but was pretty sure I didn’t know her. I also didn’t want to know how she knew who we were, so I just followed her without a word. I pulled out Tria’s seat at the long table in front of the one where the wedding party was to sit.
“That’s actual silver, isn’t it?” Tria asked as she looked over the name cards at our seats.
“Undoubtedly,” I replied.
She ran her finger over the letters, then startled as a huge ruckus broke out at the far end of the room. Ryan swooped in with a squealing Amanda in his arms. The bridal party followed as Ryan carried his bride all the way over to the table and plopped her down in her seat. He grabbed an already-filled glass of champagne and held it up high.
“Here’s to the most incredible woman in the world!” he cried out, “because she has the tenacity and the perseverance to put up with an idiot like me!”
The crowd laughed as Amanda grabbed him by the arm and hauled him to his seat as everyone else raised a glass in toast. I clinked my glass lightly against Tria’s before draining it.
“This is really delicious!” Tria said as someone stopped beside me and refilled my glass.
“It ought to be,” I replied. “A bottle of it would probably cover our rent.”
“Seriously?”
“Yep.” I drank a good gulp out of the second glass and kept my eyes on the table as Douglass and Julianne Teague were announced.
“Those are your—”
“Yep,” I said again as I drank the rest. The magic champagne refill fairy was right there to fill it up again.
“They’re very attractive.”
I didn’t look.
A formal-clad waitstaff presented dinner with extravagant flair, and I was both surprised and secretly thankful when Tria and I were both offered vegetarian dishes. I glanced up at Ryan, who raised his glass and smiled at me. I held mine up to him as well.
By the time dinner was over, I had consumed at least five glasses of champagne and was feeling pretty good. Ryan and Mandi did their spotlight dance to get everything going, and then lots of people took to the dance floor. As they did, a woman in a shimmering silver dress stood up and started heading for our table.
“I promised you a dance,” I reminded Tria as I stood up and quickly grabbed her hand.
“I can’t walk, much less dance, in these shoes.” Tria huffed through her nose.
“Just follow me, baby,” I said.
I brought her close to me, holding her against me both for her balance and also for my own protection. I felt a little shitty using her as a human shield, but it would be better than actually letting my mother walk up to me. I had the feeling that hearing her voice would be my complete undoing, and I was going to avoid it at all costs.
I was definitely feeling the drink, and all I could figure was that it must have clouded my judgment. When Ryan and Amanda danced close to us, I didn’t even think much about it when he asked to change partners.
“I’m glad you came,” Amanda said with a big smile. “It means so much to Ryan for you to be here. Thank you.”
“I said I would,” I replied nonchalantly. “I’m a man of my word.”
“I know,” she said. “I was counting on there still being some of that Teague man left in you.”
