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GRACE
Tonight was my engagement party.
I should be thrilled, happy, on cloud nine.
Instead all I could think about was Rhett and our exchange the other day.
I hadn’t seen him at all in the past three weeks and found myself slightly disappointed. Where at first when I was back in town all I wanted to do was stay home, now I found every excuse in the book to leave home, especially alone.
I always told myself that Rhett hated me. That was how I managed to survive without him all of these years. If he wanted to kill me, he had to have hated me. It made being angry and getting over him easier.
As if I ever got over him.
The real truth was that it helped me move on with my life without him. It helped me meet Clark and be open to a first date with him, dating him, and eventually agreeing to marry him.
I loved Clark. I knew that without a doubt. He was probably more of a best friend though than a lover. I wasn’t in love with him.
I was still in love with Rhett.
I couldn’t deny the way he looked at me that day on the street. Every time I closed my eyes at night, I saw his face. I said some very hurtful things to him that day.
None of that mattered though because I was marrying Clark. My father had worked too hard in politics to let his daughter run off with some mob assassin. I was a fool to think otherwise.
“Are you ready, babe?” Clark called out and knocked softly on the bathroom door.
I smoothed my hands on my long black off the shoulder dress and checked myself again in the mirror. My makeup was flawless and I had my hair pinned up on the sides with the rest flowing down my back in simple waves.
“Coming,” I replied and gathered myself, pushing the thoughts of Rhett out of my mind. I opened the bathroom door and Clark let out a low whistle.
“Wow, Grace. You look amazing.” He came to me and put his arms around his waist, pulling me against him. “I am one lucky bastard.” He leaned forward and kissed my cheek. Clark knew all the rules against messing up my fresh makeup. “I’m definitely marrying up.”
I laughed and kissed his cheek, then wiping off the lipstick stain I left there. “I don’t know about that, Clark.”
He nodded and released me, handing me my clutch. “Oh I do. I’m definitely marrying up.” He offered me his arm and I hooked mine around it. “Let’s go so I can show you off. Your dad’s driver is downstairs.”
The engagement part was a big lavish event despite my protests with my father. I hated being the center of attention, but he didn’t, so of course he got his way.
We arrived at the hotel. Clark helped me out of the car and already the bulbs were flashing, the paparazzi taking my picture. I played the part, smiling and laughing, posing with Clark and looking like a happy young couple.
I felt a little bit guilty that the whole time I could only think of Rhett. Clark deserved so much better from me - someone that really loved him completely and wasn’t just settling.
My parents arrived right after us and there were more pictures. Eventually we made our way into the inside and I rolled my eyes at the extravagance. Almost everything I had said no to because it would be too much, had been done anyway. I’m sure at my mother’s command. No one crossed her. Oh well, they were the ones paying for it anyway.
We mingled among the guests, some of our friends from California making the trek to celebrate with us. The majority of the guests were my parents’ friends though and we didn’t really know any of them.
I needed a break from all of the hugs and fake smiles, so I told Clark I was going to the bathroom and headed outside by the pool. I breathed in the fresh air and closed my eyes, reveling in the silence.
I found a bench and sat down, kicking off my shoes. I hated high heels but my mother insisted. Maybe one day I would be my own person and do what I wanted. In the path I’d chosen for my life, the likelihood of that was second to none.
Just as I stood up to make my way back inside before Clark came to find me, there he was.
“You look beautiful tonight, Grace.”
