Page 82 of Demo
Emily insisted I go to the wedding. She sent the invite, then texted and even called until I picked up, and she wouldn’t take no for an answer. She said the entire family wanted me there—even Knox.
Despite the warm spring weather, I was chilled in my flowy purple gown that went to my ankles. It had a halter top and an exposed back. For once, I put my hair up. I sat in the back of the church and seemed to be unnoticed during the ceremony, so I just needed to make it through the reception without … what? Running into Knox?Not gonna happen.
He looked amazing in his tux and bow tie, standing up for his brother. He looked much better than he did the night of the party months prior, and I hoped that meant he cut the drugs. His hair was cropped shorter, and his eyes looked brighter, despite the tears in them as Bram and Emily said their vows. I wondered if he was thinking of the vows he and I were supposed to exchange, and then I felt like shit for ruining that future we once saw for ourselves.
But at least I didn’t string him along. That would have been worse.
Expelling a breath, I opened the doors to the venue and walked in, immediately enveloped by the steamy, crowded air. I recognized some of the guys from Mitchell & Sons but managed to duck by them. I found the seating chart and saw I was sitting with a bunch of names I had never heard of, thankfully.
I spotted the bride and groom in the corner greeting a table of guests. Emily looked stunning in a strapless dress with a ginormous, poofy skirt that billowed all around her and even trailed behind her. I couldn’t imagine her in anything else.
And she was glowing. She and Bram both were. They looked so happy.
I decided to wait to greet them, and instead headed toward the bar. I didn’t really want to drink, but I wanted to keep busy. As I approached, a couple turned away from the bar with their drinks, revealing Knox standing there accepting his glass. As if he could sense me, his shoulders stiffened, and he slowly turned to face me.
Then he smiled. It was a melancholy smile, but it was still a smile.
“Hi,” I said pathetically.
“Hi,” he replied, his eyes trailing me up and down. “You look absolutely beautiful.” He ran a hand through his short hair, chuckling. “Can I say that?”
I nervous laughed, too, looking at my shoes then back up into his eyes. “Yes, Knox. And thank you. I must say, you look a little dashing yourself.”
“Dashing?” he beamed, standing up taller and pretending to straighten his bow tie. “I’ll take that.”
We stood in silence for a beat before he asked, “How have you been, Lizzie?”
“I’ve been …”broken, sad, devastated… “I’ve been OK. How about you?”
“I guess I’ve been … OK, too. How’s the job at the paper? I see your byline all the time.”
“Yeah?” I had assumed he wouldn’t want to see my name or read my stories after everything.
“Of course,” he said, leaving his water on the bar and putting his hands in his pockets. “I’ve always been your biggest fan. You know that.”
Twisting my fingers in front of me, I couldn’t help the word that slipped from my lips. “Still?”
“Always,” he replied without hesitation.
“Hey, how about a dance?” I heard Jenny’s voice as she wrapped a hand around Knox’s bicep and pulled herself into him, before seeing me. “Oh! Hey, Lizzie,” she said, a little awkwardly, and I didn’t know if it was due to our last encounter, or because she was with Knox. But after a minute, she dropped Knox’s arm and threw hers around my neck, swaying me from side to side in a dramatic hug.
“Girl, you just look more beautiful every time I see you! Isn’t that right, Knox?” She looked at him over her shoulder, and he grinned.
“You look fantastic, Jenny. I love this dress,” I tried to act cool, calm and collected, even though my heart was pounding in my chest.
Are they together? Is she his date? That’s good, right? I wanted him to move on. Be happy. Why does it hurt so bad?
“Thanks! I got it from a trunk show,” she replied, smoothing her hands down the short, red number with a scoop neck. Very sexy. Very Jenny. Very not me.
She backed up and the three of us stood in silence for a second before I attempted to make my exit. “I’m just going to go to the ladies’ room before we all sit for dinner.”
“Did you want a drink?” Knox asked, noticing I never got one.
“Oh, um, no that’s OK. I’ll just wait till dinner.”
I spun on my heel and found my way to the ladies’ room. As I was drying my hands, the outer door swung open and Jenny came sauntering in. “You don’t have a hairpin in your clutch, do you?” she asked.
“Um,” I said, shuffling through my purse. “No such luck. Sorry.”
