Page 38 of Four Weddings to Fall in Love
A few people chuckle, and I’m not sure why because I wasn’t paying attention, which isn’t like me at all.I should save these thoughts until later.
For the rest of the ceremony, I do—mostly—succeed, and luckily, there are no more power flickers.Isobel and Daisy kiss and the organ music starts again as they exit, the wedding party following behind them.
“Can we eat the cake now?”Nolan asks loudly.
When I arrive at the reception, it’s still dark and gloomy, but it’s no longer raining.I leave my umbrella in the car, as it would be a pain to carry it around during cocktail hour and I’m not sure there will be a place to check it.
Daisy, Isobel, Gladys, Gilbert, and Nolan greet me.
“Aiyah!Did you see the weather?”Gladys acts like the storm was a personal affront.
“Did you see me throw the pedals?”Nolan asks.
As I place my envelope in the box, my aunt gives me a strange look.
Huh.I have no idea what that’s about.
I enter the room where everyone has gathered.I will abstain from cocktails, just have a few sips of champagne, and I will also abstain from canapés, seeing as there will be more than enough to eat later.I plan to be sensible tonight, unlike last time.
“Hey!”Jon comes over with a disturbing smile on his face.
“Hi,” I say warily.“What did you do?”
“Why do you think I did anything?”He slaps me on the back.“Let’s check out the seating arrangements, shall we?”
I have a bad feeling about this.
We go over to the board, and I scan it for my name.I’m at a table with Leo, my parents, and…
“Shit,” I mutter.
Chapter 16
Kim
It’sagoodthingI’m alone when I see the seating chart.Well, there are lots of other people in the room, but nobody’s paying attention to me, and it’s loud enough that I don’t think anyone hears the curse words that escape my mouth.
When I arrive at the table in the dining room a few minutes later, my parents and Max’s parents are already there.Yep, it’s a meet-the-parents situation with my one-night stand.Also present are Freddie and one of Max’s brothers.
This is basically my definition of hell.
“I’m Howie.”Max’s father is introducing himself to my parents.“I believe we met once, many years ago?”
“Good, good, you’re all here!”Gladys appears out of nowhere and claps her hands.“At Mirabel’s wedding, I saw Kim and Max talkingveryclosely outside…”
Max steps up to the table right as she says that.
“…and I thought I’d sit you all at the same table today so you can get to know each other.”She seems far too pleased with herself, smiling as she walks away.
My mom also seems pleased as she looks Max up and down.
“You’re Gladys’s oldest nephew?”she says.“The engineer?”
“Yes,” he replies.
He’s everything she wants in a son-in-law.I will never hear the end of it.And we’ll all be trapped at a table together for the next three hours or so, seeing as this is a ten-course Chinese wedding banquet.
I wish the shark umbrella in my purse would come to life and eat me.
