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“Oh my God, Lauren!”Diana Montgomery, Will and Drew’s mother, is the first to see me the second Vince and I step off the elevator. Chanel Number 5 engulfs me as she steps away from a group of women all dressed in similar attire. As always, Diana is dressed to the nines and channeling Jackie O.
She kisses both of my cheeks and links her arm with mine, pulling me along. I wave a hand towards Vince telling him to follow closely. “I was just beside myself when I heard about you and my son. I truly thought you two were going to make it. A fool he was to let you go.” She runs a hand through my hair and tucks a hair behind my ears. She stops walking and looks at Vince as if she’s just noticing the six-foot man walking behind us. “And who’s this?” She looks at me, and I bite my bottom lip unsure of exactly what to call him.
“Vince Maddox, ma’am,” Vince answers for me. “I’m a friend of Lauren’s from work.” He shakes her hand, pressing his lips to the top, and surprisingly I spot a faint blush painting her cheeks. Though she composes herself quickly.
“A friend, huh?” She raises an eyebrow at me and I try not to look guilty when I shouldn’t. Drew dumpedme. More importantly, Drew dumpedmefor another woman. “You give him hell.” She taps my nose. “This new girl he’s with is just…” she sighs and rubs her forehead, “unpolished to say the least.” I giggle because I know Diana Montgomery pretty well, and a woman that doesn’t understand how to move in social settings is basically a leper in her eyes.
“I mean really, who could follow me?” I joke.
She smiles and gives me a hug. “No one. You’re one of a kind.”
“So is Charlotte, you know. You really haven’t laid off her yet?” It’s a plain truth that Diana favors me over her future daughter-in-law which is how I get away with talking so candidly. “She even gave you a granddaughter. You’re going to have to forgive her for being married when she met your son.” I shoot her a pointed look and she throws her hands up in exasperation.
“She cost him his career!”
“There were two people involved if I recall, and Will is doing great. He’s happy. They’re happy. You keep pushing them and they’re going to limit your time with Ana and the rest of the basketball team you know they’re going to have.”
She frowns. “She’s growing on me.”
“Grow faster.”
She smiles at me and shakes her head before turning to Vince. “Look after this one, alright?” She doesn’t wait for his response before she floats into the room where we’re having the rehearsal dinner.
“Your ex’s mom?”
“Mmmhmmm.”
“She likes you.” I try to gauge his reaction to this piece of information but he gives nothing away.
“I’m likable.”
“So, you think.” He shoots me a sideways look and I slap his shoulder playfully. I let out a deep breath as we make our way into the room where people are casually mingling. There is a cocktail hour happening before dinner, serving as a meet and greet, and I know Will and Charley are both nervous about their extended families mixing for the first time.
I spot Charley in a white backless dress that makes her skin practically glow, and of course, Will right next to her, his hand rubbing her back slowly as he holds their daughter in the other.
I spot J.R., Will and Drew’s father next, as he’s one of those men that knows how to command a room. He’s in the center of the massive space with five other men, all wearing power suits and sipping whiskey, waiting for the moment that they can make their exit to smoke their Cuban cigars and talk some patriarchal bullshit, I’m sure.
I don’t necessarily dislike their father, I’ve just always felt that he’s…well, an asshole. It seems he liked Charley a touch more than Diana, but it hadn’t stopped him from bringing up the idea of her signing a prenuptial agreement.
Will had a fit over that.
“You want a drink?” Vince whispers in my ear and it’s amazing how easily his voice calms my nerves. I turn towards him and cock my hips to one side, putting a hand on one hip.
“A friend from work?”
“Did you want to announce to the entire wedding party that I’m eating your pussy on the regular? I’m confused, she seemed pretty concerned with tact.”
I scowl at his sarcasm, not particularly in the mood for it while I’m this tense and more importantly, this sober. “You could have said boyfriend.”
“Am I your boyfriend? I didn’t even knowyouwere calling me that.”
“Are we really defining the relationshipnow?” I ask as we move towards the bar nestled in the corner of the room. He orders us two Manhattans and I’m grateful for the strength of the drink as it cools my dry mouth.
I haven’t spotted Drew yet, but I know it’s only a matter of time before we have that awkward encounter, and I can only hope that I’ll be somewhat intoxicated.
I move towards the head table where I know we are seated from helping Charley set up earlier and set my clutch down at my seat. “And guest, huh?” He picks up the gold place card and I giggle as I run my hand over the white tablecloth.
“The place cards were finished when we decided you’d be joining me.”
