AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She stops, seeing something behind me. “I’m fine,” she says quickly, swallowing back another sob. “I’ll be fine. Tell Robert I’m at the spa or something.”
Then she dashes out into the rain, racing for cover across the courtyard.
I turn.
Josh is sauntering over, thankfully too far away to have heard anything. He’s looking way too pleased with himself, and my anger flares even hotter.
“No.” I march closer, cutting him off before he has a chance to speak. “Don’t you dare say one fucking word. How could you?” I demand, fury sweeping through me. “I know this is all just one big game to you, but these are people’s lives you’re messing with. Avery’s a real person! How the hell would you feel if your ex-wife showed up to rub your mistakes in your face all over again?” I yell. “Would that be fun? No, it wouldn’t. So what the hell gives you the right?”
Josh’s smile has slipped now, and he opens his mouth, but I don’t give him the chance.
“Love isn’t a game,” I tell him fiercely, stabbing my finger at his chest. “It matters. So before you crack another joke, let me spell it out: this isn’t the sexy kind of mad,” I add, scathing. “This is the kind of mad where if you show up at my room tonight, I’m going to throw something in your face!”
And then I turn on my heel and stalk away.
16
JOSH
I fucked up.
Watching Avery flee that serenade, I knew it in my gut. And when I went after her to check everything was OK, and Hazel read me the riot act, it confirmed my worst fears. Bringing Cash here was a mistake, it went too far. And now I’ve stepped way over the line.
Damn it.
I watch Hazel stalk away. She’s spitting mad, and I can’t really blame her. She’s right. I got so caught up in the idea I needed to save my uncle from making a big mistake with Avery, I didn’t think about how calling off this wedding is going to have consequences.
Whatever happens, someone’s going to get hurt.
I turn back to the banquet hall. I need to run damage control over this, and fast. Luckily, the party is still in full, drunken swing, with Reeve and Ivy up there singing a Taylor Swift song. It’s easy for me to pull Robert aside, away from the others. “Some party, huh?” I say, friendly.
He frowns, glancing past me. “Where’s that Hendricks guy?” he asks, looking around. “Did he leave with Avery?”
“No!” I reply quickly. “Avery went with Hazel. Some girly wedding stuff, I’m sure. She was spitting mad about Cash,” I add.
“It didn’t seem that way to me.” Robert looks annoyed.
“That’s just because she didn’t want to make a scene and spoil everyone’s fun. But that’s why she left so fast, she couldn’t wait to get away from the guy. I’m sorry I invited him,” I add, sincere.
Robert just pats my arm. “It’s not your fault, kid. You weren’t to know it would cause this kind of scene,” he says, and I feel even more guilty.
Because this is exactly what I was hoping would happen.
“Still, I think it would be best if I put Cash on a flight out tonight,” I suggest. “We can tell the others he was feeling under the weather, had to go rest his voice.”
“Good plan.” Robert looks relieved. “I think we’ve had enough surprises for now.”
“I’ll take care of it,” I promise, and go to track down Cash.
I find him, drunk and naked with one of the bridesmaids in a supply closet. I offer one of the hotel busboys an obscene amount of money to get Cash to the airport and see that he makes it back to London in one piece. “Stay a couple days,” I tell the busboy, helping him shove Cash into a cab. “See the sights. Buckingham Palace. Big Ben. It’s on me.”
The cab disappears into the jungle, and I breathe a sigh of relief. One mission, complete. But that’s not the biggest challenge facing me tonight.
Hazel.
I brace myself, and search the main buildings for her brunette hair and furious stare. I have a feeling she’ll be working late, and sure enough, I find her in the empty conference center-slash-wedding HQ. She’s changed into a pair of comfy-looking sweatpants and an oversized sweater, pacing in front of a massive display of colored silk rosettes while she talks on the phone.
“No, I’ll figure something out. Let me check the flight schedules,” she’s saying, looking stressed. Then she sees me, and her frown only deepens. “I’ll call you back in a minute.”
