Page 22 of Going Overboard

‘I wouldn’t miss this for all the money in the world, princess,’ he replies with a chuckle.

Oh, I bet.

We reach the fountain area where Todd and Nikki are already waiting. Ryan gently lowers me onto the stone edge so I can sit down and take the weight off my ankle.

Todd turns to Ryan.

‘Look, man, I respect you, but stay out of it,’ Todd tells him. ‘But thanks for helping.’

Ryan holds up his hands.

‘I’m just helping my new best friend,’ he tells Todd. ‘To be her feet in her time of need.’

Todd frowns. Nikki huffs behind him like a tiny angry puff of smoke.

Todd turns back to me.

‘What the hell are you playing at, Jessa?’ he asks, those nostrils of his practically having a mind of their own. ‘You pushed her. I knew you’d be jealous, but I didn’t think you’d get violent.’

Joke’s on him, because if he continues accusing me, I could be tempted.

I glance back toward the marquee. We’ve got an audience now. Even the happy couple is watching. Great. Just what every bride dreams of: a side-plot at her wedding stealing the limelight. I feel awful. It was an accident though.

‘I didn’t push her,’ I say through gritted teeth. ‘I didn’t even want to join in. I fell. It was an honest mistake. I’m very sorry. I hope you’re not hurt, Nikki.’

‘You hurt my couture,’ Nikki snaps, peering out from behind Todd, like the small kid shouting insults from behind the safety of the big bully.

‘Is that a bone or a muscle?’ Ryan asks with a cheeky laugh.

‘Shut up, Brody,’ she snaps back.

Wait – Brody? Neil’s friend Brody? Nikki’s ex Brody? Oh, this just gets weirder and weirder.

‘You’re obviously not over me and it’s embarrassing,’ she tells him.

He shrugs, seemingly unbothered.

‘I would have thought it was more embarrassing to be over someone after two weeks,’ he says. ‘But you do you.’

‘Wait. So let me get this straight,’ I start as I put all the pieces together. I look to Todd first. ‘You left me for her. And Brody, she left him for Todd?’

Nikki rolls her eyes.

‘Glad you’re finally getting it,’ she replies.

‘So we’re supposed to believe there was no overlap?’ I ask.

‘No,’ Todd says firmly.

Brody frowns a little.

‘There had to be emotional cheating, at least,’ I reply. ‘We’re supposed to believe this is all just a big coincidence.’

‘Erm, the only emotional thing around here is you,’ Nikki tells me.

Todd sighs.

‘She’s not emotional, Kiki, she’s drunk,’ he tells her. Kiki? ‘Too much to drink always makes her mean.’

---