Page 19 of My Brother's Best Men
“I know. Damn travesty, if you ask me. But, you know men. Stubborn di—I mean, stubborn as a mule, sometimes.” I swish the wine around in my glass, not looking at Elijah, though I can feel his stare penetrating my skin like a damn laser. I glance up to see Benny watching me intently, his thick, tattooed knuckles catching my attention as he brings his glass to his lips.
“Men are such babies,” Matthew says, pulling my attention. I look up to see his lopsided smile, and something about it makes me feel a fraction better, even if it’s just for a sliver of a moment.
“That they are,” Raegan says, her knowing gaze finding mine.
I give her a soft smile back, knowing my secret is at least safe with her. Though I can’t say it will be safe with me much longer if the sudden flush of heat and dizziness from my wine is any indication. I need to change the subject. Fast.
“No clue. Either way, there was no way he was making our…sudden change of flight.”
The words—no, thelies—come far too easily. And maybe there is some truth in them. There was no way he was making our sudden change of flight, because I left without him.
And he didn’t exactly follow me, so I can’t imagine he’s going to show up here out of the blue to act like Prince Hans or whatever. Because if this man’s a Disney prince, he’s fucking Hans.
Asshole.
“I mean, I offered to stay with him, maybe catch another flight, but heinsistedI go without him. He feels terrible he couldn’t make it, but sends his regards, of course.”
Regards my ass, but I digress.
It’s not an ironclad alibi or anything, but at least no one’s going to ask for more details now that I’ve probably made everyone’s stomach turn.
I feel Elijah’s eyes appraising me, still studying me. I bring my wine to my lips and sip it probably longer than I should, but at least it keeps my mouth shut for the moment.
“That poor man, suffering all alone,” my mother says, and I tense. “What kind of fiancée leaves their sick partnerat homelike that, especially if it could be food poisoning.”
“I mean, there was nothing I could do…” I say, panicking that she’s somehow seen through my cover, even though there’s no way she could know the truth.
My mother’s always been like that—able to see through the bullshit—but thankfully I’ve have a lifetime of evading her, so I know how to handle her.
At least, I do when I’msober, and judging from the sudden flush of heat and the slight blurriness in my vision, I can attest that I certainly amnotsober right now.
God, what the hell was in this wine?
“There’s always something you can do, baby,” my mother says as my father grabs her arm gently.
“Carol, come on, I’m sure he’s fine. He’s a big boy, he?—”
“If you’re ever going to be a good wife someday, Sophie, you need to put others before yourself.”
Is she fucking serious right now?
I want to scream. I want to yell from the top of my lungs that Ididput Keaton first—in all things—and hestillchose some other woman. I gave himeverythingand it still wasn’t enough.
“Mom!” Sam says, clearly shocked by her outburst.
She brings her wine to her lips, hiccupping slightly as she says, “Marriage is not for the selfish of heart.”
I huff out a sound of annoyance as I throw my napkin onto the table. “Yeah, well, maybe I’d rather be fucking selfish and spend time with my brother and my family instead.” I get up, and immediately stumble, the wine hitting me at the most inopportune moment.
“Soph…take it easy,” Elijah says. I feel his fingers wrap around my wrist, and it’s too much.
His touch is warm—a little clammy, honestly—and familiar, and it beckons every part of me to give in and just crumble like a damn deck of cards. But I can’t.
Not here, and certainly not now.
So, I do the only thing I can think of. I pull away and grab my purse and head out of the room, toward the outside patio, not bothering to look behind me. Sam calls for me, but I don’t listen. I can’t.
“Just let her cool off,” Raegan says, her voice faint as I turn the corner.
