Page 96 of Mistaken Prejudice

“They make such a beautiful family.” He beamed like his words carried no weight to them while Elliot pulled further into himself, a pained expression on his face that didn’t escape Zemson or me.

“Oh, look who’s here.” Aloïs acted all happy as he waved toward a couple that stood by the bar. “Let’s go say hello, shall we?” He crossed his arm underneath Zemson’s elbow and left us without so much as a goodbye.

I took a sip of my juice. The ice cubes had already melted, and it tasted like flavored water, but it was still better than the bitter taste this encounter left me with. I wanted to say something. I just wasn’t sure what. The silence was painfully awkward, and it felt like anything I could say would only make it worse. So I stayed silent.

“Sometimes I like to imagine Miles got his eyes from Daniel,” Elliot said, and I looked his way. He leaned against the stool with his glass pressed to his lips, and his eyes focused on the dance floor, where Miles had just jumped on Daniel’s back and waved his tie in the air.

“It’s often when I had a little too much to drink.” He chuckled sadly. “But I do.” A small, heartbreaking smile spread on his lips. He paused for so long that I thought he was done sharing, but then he spoke again. “I was so happy that Miles was born with dark hair and blue eyes, just like Daniel. That way, I could tell people he was his, and they would believe me.”

Sadness didn’t suit Elliot, just like it didn’t suit his son. He was one of those bigger-than-life kinds of people. Always happy and cheerful. Making everyone around him feel loved and welcomed. So to see him standing on the sidelines, feeling out of place while watching his family having fun without him, was wrong. It was brutal.

My eyes wandered back to where Daniel was still dancing with his kids, only now it was a slow dance, and Maya’s head was resting on his shoulder.

“I wish I could give that to him,” Elliot said, and it took me a moment to understand what he meant. But the second I saw his eyes narrowed on Daniel and Maya, everything became clear.

“But you did. You gave him Miles,” I said quietly. “I think Daniel couldn’t have asked for more.”

“You think so?” He turned to look at me, the same eyes as Miles testing me to see if I was being honest. So I nodded.

“Yeah.”

“I’m glad he met you. You make him so happy. He is the happiest he has ever been.”

My eyes automatically moved to find Miles dancing with an old lady while spilling his drink all over. He’d had too much of that punch they served at the reception. It was also cool that Elliot and Daniel allowed us to have a bit to drink with them around.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Oui?” Elliot offered me a curious look.

“How did you and Daniel meet?” I’m not sure why I asked, but I did, probably because I wanted Elliot to remember things that would make him feel less insecure.

“Oh, mon Dieu.” He sighed. “That happened so many years ago. I was the same age as Miles, maybe a year or two older? And I came to America for a modeling job. I knew no word in English and was lost in the rain, tu comprends. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” I laughed.

“Daniel was the only one who understood Français.” Enthusiasm flooded his voice, and his usual liveliness returned to him as he carried on with the story. “Mon preux chevalier. My knight in shining armor.” He let out a dreamy sigh before he put down his glass and waved his hand in the air. “But it’s a story for a different day.”

What? No way. I wanted to hear all the details.

“Oh, come on. You can’t stop now. It’s unfair, Elliot,” I whined, and he laughed.

“What got you smiling like that?” We both looked in time to see Daniel approaching us. He’d lost his suit jacket and wore his dress shirt with its sleeves folded and the first few buttons open, showing a glimpse of his sweat-coated chest. Probably from all the dancing and alcohol. He wasted no time before pulling Elliot into his embrace and kissing him in a way that was suitable for the bedroom.

“You,” Elliot murmured as they parted their lips.

“Me?” Daniel’s eyebrows perked up.

“Andrei asked me how we met.” Still wrapped in Daniels’s arms, Elliot turned my way.

“Well, have you told him how you took my breath away?” Daniel’s whole being was lost in his husband’s.

“More like how I was speechless.” He laughed while Daniel reached for Elliot’s abandoned wine glass, which was on the table, and finished the drink in one sip.

“You’re the one keeping us all speechless, my love.” He gave him one more kiss before he finally looked my way.

“Having fun?” he asked.

“Yes. Thank you so much for having me.”