Page 36

We find the rest of the attendees, including the wedding party and some of the couple’s closest friends, enjoying a round of billiards in a bright, sunny room complete with an open bar. A woman approaches with a tray covered in skinny champagne glasses. “Can I interest you, ma’am?” she asks.

“You might want to have one,” Julianna urges. “Meanwhile, I’m going to need something stronger. Scotch, please.”

“Yes, ma’am.” As soon as I have a glass, the server takes the request for a Scotch to the bartender on duty.

A woman’s sharp and penetrating voice slices through the room before anyone has the chance to introduce themselves to me.

“Julianna? Is that you? Come over here!”

Sighing, my girlfriend silently informs me that the woman is her mother. I can’t see Serena Marcon through the group of people drinking champagne and playing billiards, but her voice alone, like Ted’s, is instantly recognizable.

Unlike her son, she is far from happy.

“Stay here,” Julianna says. “I’ll get you for introductions as soon as I have a quick talk with my mother.” She’s gone before I have the chance to ask any questions.

I’m sensing a pattern here today.

My nerves make me drink the champagne faster than I usually would. A few people give me curious glances, but nobody approaches me or offers introductions. Perhaps that’s how things work at this level of society. After all, I’m a nobody, right? I came here on Julianna’s arm, but apparently, that doesn’t bring any kind of prestige with it. I shouldn’t be surprised. Everything I hear about Julianna Marcon suggests that she unapologetically gets around with any number of women that pleases her. I’m only the latest in a long string of one-time dates. People don’t want to get to know me, because what’s the point? I’ll probably be gone this time next week, and they’ll never see my face again.

I finish my champagne. It’s already going through me.

“Excuse me,” I say to the server with Julianna’s Scotch. “Where’s the ladies’ room?”

Julianna told me to stay here but screw it, she’s busy smoothing things over with some croaking gargoyle on the other side of the room. Nobody will care if I sneak out and use the bathroom, especially since it’s only down the hall.

I take my time. The ladies’ room is cozy and smells nice, so I’m not in a huge hurry to get out even after I finish my business. Since I’m the only one in here, I spend twice as long washing my hands, rubbing the flower-shaped soaps over my palms, and smiling when I smell lavender on my skin.

It reminds me of what I bought for Ted and Jordan. I still don’t have a lot of money, so I couldn’t spring for the kind of stuff one would normally get a rich couple… whatever that is. I figure everyone loves bath stuff, right? So, I bought a couple of things from one of my favorite bath and body stores and hoped they would appreciate it. A hint of the romantic while also appealing to a bride who probably likes to be pampered. Then again, maybe I shouldn’t have brought a gift. Julianna hadn’t said anything about it. Damnit! I’m so stupid.

Can you blame me? I’m stressing out here. Serena probably wishes I was dead (and I haven’t even met her yet) and Julianna acts like her big brother is going to cart me off in front of his bride. What kind of woman is Jordan, anyway? Julianna hasn’t told me anything about her, other than her family’s from California. Would it be too farfetched to think that she and I could be friends? Comrades in this crazy world we’re wrapped up in?

Ah, hell. She’s rich like the rest of them. I’m sure that Californian family is loaded as hell. We don’t have anything in common at all. Sigh.

I finally step back out before Julianna can ring me, demanding to know where I am.

The door swings into the hallway. Naturally, I hit someone.

“Oh, my God! I’m so sorry!” I slam the bathroom door shut. “Are you okay?”

It’s a man I have yet to meet. He’s taken two wild steps back, disoriented and brushing something off his black three-piece suit. “Fine, fine,” he says in a chipper tone. “Thank you for the free nose job, though. You’ll save me a bit of money.”

I’ve smacked this guy with a bathroom door, and I’m laughing!

“You’re not hurt, are you?” Speaking of his nose, he keeps rubbing it, his shaggy hair bouncing with every movement. Ilean my head to see if his nose is bleeding. Leave it to me to debilitate a member of the wedding party or someone’s cousin.

“I’m fine.” A hearty sniff has the young man in front of me recomposing himself. “I don’t believe you and I have met before, miss. And I know everyone here.”

I laugh again. Is it nerves, or is this guy genuinely funny? “Alessa. I’m with Julianna.”

Surprise tickles his face. “That so? You and Julianna? Well, how about that? Good to see she has excellent taste in women. Much better than that brother of hers can say.”

Oh. Well, then.

“Excuse me, I must be getting back to the party.”

“If you’re with Julianna, then I’m sure you’re off to meet Mrs. Marcon. Good luck, hon.”

I don’t think much more of the man as I steal back into the ballroom and find Julianna looking for me. Relief consumes her the moment she approaches and takes my hand. “I hear Jordan’s finally arrived. Let me introduce you to the couple before making you face my mother.”