Page 19 of Wedding Wrecker

I love seeing Kyle squirm every time he looks my way, and I hope he’s thinking back to how I rejected his kiss last night.

“I wish I wasn’t single, so I could make these for my girl,” I say, to give the ladies the right idea about my relationship status. If it makes Kyle jealous, that’s just for the better. But if I am to focus on spiting him, I can’t let myself be distracted by anyone else, no matter how pretty.

There, that is my sacrifice for Madison’s sake.

I barely listen as Leslie explains all the decorative elements piled in bowls in the middle of the big table, but then she asks who wants to demonstrate the proper technique for frosting, and many hands shoot up.

The pretty redhead standing right across from me seems particularly eager, but Madison, the queen of this hive speaks up before Leslie can make her choice. “Maybe my future husband should do it? I must be sure he knows how to make one for my birthday. He makes a mean steak, but a girl can’t live on that alone.”

I swear the hair on Kyle’s head bristles at that comment, but he rubs his forearms and adjusts the pink apron we’ve all been given. When Leslie invites him over with a gesture, he walks toward her without protest.

“Good luck Kyle, make your girl proud,” says one of the older women before looking around to see if anyone was ready to laugh with her at the hilarious idea of a man making cakes for his future wife, not the other way around.

Barely any takers.

Even Holden keeps a straight face as he readies for a photoshoot.

Kayla is already decorating her cupcake next to me. In her flowery vintage dress, she looks as though she was meant for this, but she stops to glance Kyle’s way.

“And he cooks too?” She offers Madison a fake smile. “What a catch. The perfect little househusband. I wish more men leaned into their talents like that.”

“‘Talents’,” the same older lady says, picking out little edible pearls from bowls and placing them on a small plate. “Most of them are only good for grilling and peeling potatoes with those big hands they have.”

I instantly think back to one of my ex-boyfriends, who made miniature doll houses, including all the tiny accessories for them, but it’s not worth bringing up.

“I wouldn’t have them any other way,” another woman says, but Leslie clears her throat and pushes a piping bag into Kyle’s hands.

“All right, class. I know many of you already have some experience with this part, but I’m sure there are some,” she nods my way, “that don’t, so I will use our handsome groom to demonstrate. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you know how to sweeten Madison’s life,” she says and gives his back a little pat.

Kyle is way out of his depth, and it’s more than clear he’s only participating in this workshop at my cousin’s request. But he makes himself smile and picks up the bag before eyeing the little vanilla cupcake in front of him as if it were a dragon egg about to crack and release a monster.

I hear the click of a camera from the other end of the table, and as I glance that way, I see Madison posing with a plain cupcake bottom against her lips.

It makes my attention settle on Holden for a moment, but while he’s admittedly very handsome, any time we’ve interacted, he gave me the straightest vibes. I wouldn’t claim I can always tell, but some people are easier to read than others.

He seems at ease flirting with every woman though, and I wonder if that’s one of the reasons why he photographs weddings. Just like me, he surely knows how amorous people get at those.

“Pay attention, please,” Leslie demands, and Holden finally moves away from Madison, turning his weapon of choice toward Kyle.

The groom remains as stiff as a stand mixer when the instructor makes his hands move in a circular motion to create an even layer of frosting on the cupcake. His tense expression would have been more appropriate on someone disarming a bomb, but I suppose the upcoming disaster at Kyle’s hands is comparable to that in his own mind.

Madison comes up to him and he flinches when she puts her hand on his back. “Kyle has such fantastic taste I’m sure he’ll get good at this in no time,” she coos, even though her groom looks nervous as fuck.

Good. He should be sweating bullets.

Kayla sighs. “You make such an amazing couple, I can already see how cute your babies will be.”

I smirk at the hint of panic on Kyle’s face, and the frosting slides off one side of his cupcake. I’ll have to congratulate Kayla on that one later.

He takes in air, but Leslie is there to save the day and takes the piping bag from him to finish the frosting herself

“No harm done. Everything can be fixed in one way or another.”

I nod. “Yeah, Kyle. One slip up won’t ruin your life.” He knows what I mean and goes paler.

Leslie picks up on that with a smile. “Even professionals make mistakes at times, so I think Kyle here has earned a bit of applause,” she says and claps. Everyone follows her lead, as if Kyle was a little kid who just forgot his lines during an elementary school production of Sleeping Beauty.

Madison’s smile is wide and very steady. I know it from the time when we were little and hung out more. This is a girl who values only perfection, and she is not appreciative of a consolation prize.