Page 21 of The Bet
Chapter 7
“You may now kiss the bride.”
The words snapped him back to attention. In his head he had floated away to a safer place, one in which Tobias wouldn’t skin him alive afterwards.
There hadn’t been too much of a delay, and he had returned within minutes. He doubted anybody noticed. Tobias had, of course. That man never missed a thing, and there would be hell to pay afterwards, but for now, he was safe as long as he mingled with the guests.
As soon as the ceremony was over, he had rushed to congratulate the happy couple before they became surrounded by a sea of well-wishers. “Congratulations, bro.” He shook Tobias’s hand and hugged him.
He was met with Tobias’s clipped tone. “I’ll speak to you later.” Xavier swallowed and turned to Savannah, kissing her and congratulating her.
And then he had escaped and saw Kay. “Hey,” he flashed a smile at her, but she seemed not to notice him and walked past.
“How could you forget the ring?” his father asked.
His mother turned on him with a menacing stare. “One thing, you had to doone thing only.” The crepey wrinkles around her lips furrowed deep. “And you couldn’t even get that right. How could you let him down like that?”
“I didn’t let him down.”
His father tried to reason with him. “It wasn’t much to remember, son.”
“I—” He stopped. What was the point of trying to explain? “I didn’t do it on purpose.”
“But still, Xavier.”
He let out an angry breath. If he had known they were going to guilt trip him to an early grave, he would have super-glued the ring box to his hand. It had been a goddamn accident. “He got married, didn’t he?” he muttered, then stared at his mother in shock. “Aren’t you hot?”
She was wearing what looked like one of her favorite cream and black Chanel numbers.
Jeez.
Even on a tropical island, his mother had dressed as if she was attending a New York society Gala event.
“Where are you going?” his mother called out after him as he stormed away. “I haven’t finished talking to you.”
“To get a drink.” He didn’t need to stand around listening to this.
~ ~ ~
She wasn’t a champagne drinker, ordinarily, but she’d had a sip of the pink champagne when Tobias’s father had proposed a toast to the newly married bride and groom as everyone milled around.
Waiters skirted around with platters of seafood and canapes, and the champagne and cocktails were never-ending.
Jacob seemed especially intrigued by the trays of gargantuan prawns, lobster and crab. He fiddled about with the collar of his shirt. Like Tobias, he had worn casual clothes, beige linen trousers and a casual white shirt. “Can I get changed into my other clothes now?”
“You want to get changed now?”
He nodded.
“You can’t put on your Iron Man swim trunks.”
“I want to wear a t-shirt and shorts.”
She looked around for Savannah. “I need to check with your mom first.” She wasn’t sure if Savannah wanted more photographs taken. “Have you seen her?”
“I think she went inside.”
“Let’s go and ask her.”
