Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 64966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
“Why don’t you put that one on the station in the back corner and face the chip toward the wall?”
“I’m going to, but it still needs to be fixed. Joy would want that.”
I sat down beside him, and when he turned to look at me, I said, “You’re very conscientious.”
“All of this means a lot to your sister. I don’t want to let her down.”
I brushed his hair back and asked, “Did you eat some lunch?”
“One of the women from reception gave me a granola bar. It filled me up.”
“It looks like we’re about done in here, and the guests are starting to arrive. Want to come and meet a few of my family members?”
He shook his head. “I’m all sweaty and gross. That would make a terrible first impression.”
“Well, then you can meet them tonight at dinner.”
“I don’t think I’m going to be up for it.” He shifted his gaze from me to the vase and ran his thumb over the toothpaste patch. “Today’s been exhausting, so once I’m done here I’m going to go to our room. I plan to stay there all night.”
“I’ll miss you if you don’t come to dinner.”
“It’s better this way. Now you can take your time and visit with your family, without me as a distraction.”
The fact that he wouldn’t look me in the eye was revealing. There was a reason he didn’t want to attend that dinner, and it didn’t have anything to do with being tired. Was he waiting for the actual wedding to show up on my arm in his tuxedo and stick it to Brad? I could see that, actually.
Just to make sure, I said, “Well, there’s always brunch with the family tomorrow. You can meet everyone then.”
Again with the lack of eye contact. “I’m planning to give that a skip, too. One of us needs to take the lead with coordinating all the last-minute wedding stuff, and the only thing you should have to think about tomorrow is your sister and your family.”
“There are people I really want you to meet though, like my brother, and my son Brad.”
He flinched slightly at the name, and I paused to give him an opportunity to confess. Obviously, I could have told him I knew what he was up to, but I still wanted him to come clean willingly. That made a difference to me.
When he didn’t say anything, I continued, “Speaking of Brad, I ran into him a few minutes ago, out in the lobby. He wanted to discuss an investment opportunity with me. I hate the fact that our relationship always comes down to money.”
Daniel growled, “Fucker,” almost under his breath. Then he got up and changed the subject. “I’m going to go look for something I can use to color this patch. If you feel like it, maybe you can check and see how the restaurant makeover is coming along.”
He left the room by a side door, one that was normally used by staff traveling between the banquet rooms and the commercial kitchen. Once he was gone, I leaned back and sighed.
I wasn’t angry, just disappointed. That had been the perfect opportunity to tell me he’d dated Brad, and he’d let it pass us by. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of that.
18
Daniel
As I left the banquet room, I felt mildly nauseous. When Malcolm brought up Brad, that was my big chance to confess. He’d opened the door, and all I had to do was step through it.
But I just couldn’t! This thing between us was so good, so special, and I didn’t want to ruin it. I needed more time, to figure out what to say…and to be with Mal. He’d probably dump me when the truth came out, and who could blame him? I wasn’t ready for that. I’d never be ready for it, so I didn’t know what to do.
As a distraction, I got obsessed with trying to find the perfect thing to fix that chipped vase. Mal was right, I could just stick it in the back and no one would ever see the flaw. But I wanted everything about the wedding to be perfect, down to the last detail.
Maybe it was a form of penance. I knew I was wronging Mal, so maybe part of me thought I could make up for it by doing this for his sister, and in turn, for him. Maybe another part of me wanted him to think I was the perfect boyfriend, so even after I dropped my bombshell, he’d want to keep me around. But I also just wanted Joy’s wedding to be great, because I liked her, and it was what she deserved.
I felt like I understood her, too. She was deeply concerned about people thinking she wasn’t good enough, and wow, could I relate. That was the driving force behind this entire, massive, ridiculously expensive wedding. I really didn’t know how she could think that, though. She was a smart, successful, powerful attorney from a prominent family, for fuck’s sake.