Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 139088 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 695(@200wpm)___ 556(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 139088 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 695(@200wpm)___ 556(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
Jacques barked.
Knox smiled.
And that was that.
TWENTY-SEVEN
PEOPLE
“Ohmigod, holy shit, I’m so late!” I cried as I raced into my apartment.
And I almost ran into Knox, who had Jacques on his leash.
“Shower,” he said, catching me at my hip. “Jacques and I will take a long walk so he’s all good through the festivities. We’ll be back.”
“You’re the best,” I cried, rolling up for a kiss.
He gave me a quick one, I bent to pet Jacques, he was accepting but impatient to go out and play with his buddy.
I let them go and ran down the hall.
I nearly passed out when I saw my alarm clock.
People were arriving at 2:30 for pre-ceremony drinks and hors d’oeuvres. The wedding was starting at 3:30. All Alexis’s bridesmaids were old friends and current ballerina buds. But I was one of the greeters.
And it was 1:45, and just five minutes ago, Tod, Zach and Bill released us from setup duty.
I was sweaty, dirty, had flower pollen all over me and only forty-five minutes to get pretty.
I stripped bare in the bedroom, dashed to the bathroom and got started.
Whether it was Jacob or Mace who gave the order, I didn’t know.
What I did know was that the greeters (the Angels) who were loitering at the gates to invite people in were all accompanied by Hottie Squad members who were not there to welcome and instruct.
Yeah, the Angels’ job was to welcome guests, share about the available refreshments (Jessie’s wedding cocktail, a love potion, along with champagne or beer and non-alcoholic choices), also to help themselves to hors d’oeuvres, and requesting they think about finding their seats for the ceremony by 3:20.
The Hottie Squad were there to keep an eye out for Alexis’s father, and if they saw him, keep him out.
I discovered this when Knox hung with me during my fifteen minute shift, and I knew he wasn’t doing it because he liked my dress (but he did like my dress: a soft peach, floor-length affair with a to-the-midriff plunge V-neck bodice, no sleeves, no back (but there were a couple of string ties to keep it on my body) and a variety of pretty ruffles).
I knew by his alert manner he was there for another reason.
I didn’t deduce what it was.
He told me. “We’re keeping an eye out for Alexis’s dad.”
I was at one with this, so I let him do it and did my gig while enjoying my guy’s company until Willow and Gabe came to take over for their fifteen-minute shift.
Once relieved of duty, I took hold of my man and headed straight to one of the bars to get a love potion.
“Have you eaten?” Knox asked as we stood in line at the bar.
“I had a donut this morning.”
“Other than the donut.”
I thought on this and looked up at him. “Ohmigod, it’s a first. I lost track of eating food.”
He smiled. “You get drinks. I’ll get us hors d’oeuvres.”
“Love potion? Beer? What’s your pleasure?”
This time, he grinned. “Love potion all the way, baby.”
I took in his grin.
He walked away and I kept my eyes on him.
He seemed okay.
He told me he’d mourned his family a long time ago.
But last night was extreme.
He said it was closure.
But, worth a repeat, last night was extreme.
However, it seemed last night, especially with the BBQ tools and the visit from the Hot Bunch, actually was closure.
Joey came up to me, and her eyes were on Knox too.
“He seems to be hanging in there,” she remarked as we sidled closer to the bar when folks took off after getting their drinks.
“He found out last night that his mom left one drug guy for a more promising drug guy, has been living in the lap of luxury in Mexico for the last twenty-some years while her man built his own cartel, and only then did she make moves to bring her kids to her. The sub-context is, her daughter and Knox’s beloved sister knew all about this the whole time and never breathed a word to Knox. And his dad kidnapped me, necessitating an extraction on the eve of one of their own having a big event.”
“Is that your way of saying he’s not hanging in there?” Joey asked.
“He is. That’s my way of saying it’s kinda freaking me.”
Joey hooked her arm through mine and drew us forward. “He’s with his people. It’s a happy day. Look at this place.”
I looked around the place.
There were flowers everywhere. Even hanging at the junctures of bunting on the top railings and floating in the pool. The arch Alexis and Jacob would be married under was insane. There were seating areas with actual couches on actual rugs (Tito was holding court on a couch as we spoke, Tex was holding court on another one). Round tables festooned with gorgeous globes of cream and yellow flowers atop slender, sparkling glass vases were dotted around.