“Your group was squealing, so I wanted to see who was winning,” I claimed.
“Okay, if you say so,” she said with a questioning tone.
We played a few more hours and I hit a winning streak, but I was bored without Chansey and ready to leave. The guys were drunk, broke and ready to crash in their hotel rooms, so I left the table to find Chansey.
“Are you ready to go home?” I asked.
“I had fun, but I am so ready to go home. Tomorrow is going to be a big day and all of them are going to regret this.”
“I’m afraid you’re right.” She looped her arm through mine as we walked to the parking garage. “Thank you for coming with me and for the ride. It was really nice of you to hang out with my friends and family. They do like you, you know?”
“What’s not to like, babe?” I joked.
Only one more precious day remained, with the girl I loved, before I would be forced to resume a life void of her. It was foolish to allow myself to become so deeply involved with her because she represented life and I represented death. In the end, one thing always separated the two. Eternity.
Chapter 15
It was late when we arrived home from the casino and Chansey was so exhausted she went straight to bed. I wanted to be with her and next to her, even if she was asleep and unaware, but it was too risky with guests in the house.
I felt tired myself, which was unusual and I made the decision to go to bed. Apparently, I was very tired because I fell asleep and broke my own record for my most hours of sleep.
I was sickened by the thought of not spending my last day here with Chansey, but I understood she was responsible for helping with the wedding. The day passed slowly while I waited to see Chansey again at Rachel and Christian’s sunset wedding.
Shortly before sunset, I joined the wedding guests at the beach for the ceremony. Chansey began to play Canon in D acoustically, cueing Rachel to begin walking toward the arch. She seem to float down the aisle between the perfectly arranged rows of chairs and met Christian where a pastor and the attendants waited.
The ceremony was short, which I’m certain the guests appreciated due to the heat, and the wedding party returned to the Emerson’s home for photos. The guests were directed to the front porch for cool refreshments during the wait, then joined the wedding party in the garden for the reception.
A huge white gazebo tent covered the majority of the backyard while numerous tables surrounded flooring placed in the center. The tables were covered with white tablecloths and large vases containing lime hydrangeas centered each table.
The reception was less formal and no seating cards were on the tables and I was glad because I had already spied Evan Finley among the guests in the front porch.
Chansey found me immediately after the guests were allowed to enter the garden. She was fanning herself and said, “It’s hot as Hell out here. Are you not burning up?” She reached to touch my arm and looked surprised at the coolness she felt. “You’re so cool.”
“I guess I’m cold blooded because I never get hot,” I attempt to divert her curiosity.
“Reptiles are cold blooded,” she said as she winked at me.
Her hair was swept upward, off of her neck. The heat and humidity caused the loose strands to curl tightly around her face and neckline and she used her fan furiously to cool herself from the heat.
“I don’t know what they were thinking having a May wedding on the beach at sunset. That’s just crazy.”
“They were thinking it was a romantic and it was,” I reminded her.
“I guess you’re right, but I’m sorry, sweat is not romantic,” she complained.
“So, I guess you wouldn’t choose this as your ideal wedding,” I hinted out of curiosity, just to see her response.
“No, I certainly would not,” she replied, as she fanned even harder.
“Then what is?”
“I want to be married here, but not on the beach. I want to exchange vows with my husband at the top of the open arm staircases when it is not this damn hot.”
It sounded like she had described the same wedding I had planned when I was human. I planned to be married between the curved staircases on the porch also. “Sound like you have it all planned out.”
“I’ve really never given it that much thought because it’s like I’ve always known that was what I would do. I haven’t realized that until just now. That’s a little weird.”
“No, I think it sounds perfect.”
Evan Finley abruptly appeared and interrupted our conversation. “What sounds perfect? Me?” and laughed causticly.
“Definitely not,” Chansey said, causing me to inwardly smirk.
“Damn, Chansey, why are you being so cold because you are obviously so smoking hot in that dress?” What a lame come on.
“Stop being crude because you know I hate that,” she scolded.
“Sorry, love, I meant to say that you look lovely this evening. Is that better?” he mocked.
“Yes. Much. I need something cold to drink.” She took notice of the wine glass in Evan’s hand and said, “Curry, would you like me to get you something to drink?”
“No, thank you. I’m fine at the moment.”
Evan’s eyes didn’t leave Chansey’s backside as she walked away. “That is a fine piece right there, my friend. Has she let you tap that?”
Rage boiled under my skin and I wanted to tap him with my fist. Not wanting to appear affected by his words, I said, “Miss Leclaire and I haven’t known one another for long. We are friends, so no, I have not tapped that,” I replied in a slightly more irritated voice than I intended.
“I’m not surprised. I worked on that for two months and she wouldn’t budge. Geez, what a tease.”
He lifted his glass to his mouth for a drink of wine and I hoped he didn’t stay long enough to drink much because I doubted I could tolerate a drunk Evan Finley. I tried, unsuccessfully, to remove the thoughts of him trying to tap her and I was even more furious.
“Hey, since you two are just friends, you won’t mind if I put it on her tonight, right?”
I debated if he was serious or trying to bait me for a reaction and decided both were unacceptable. I stepped closer to him and looked deep into his eyes. “Chansey isn’t receptive to your advances and it would be best if you didn’t cause her any further discomfort.”
“Whoa, back off. I was joking. Don’t be so serious,” he said as he took two steps away from me.
I made no reply to his cessation, but my eyes instructed him I could take it another step further should the need arise. Chansey returned with a glass of champagne and Evan excused himself saying, “I just recognized a friend that I haven’t seen in years. Please excuse me.”
He walked away and I said, “I cannot believe you dated that ass. What were you thinking?”
Chansey laughed and said, “Well, she didn’t act like an ass when he was trying to impress me.”
“I would hope he didn’t act like that, otherwise, you have incredibly low standards.”
“Oh, I assure you my standards are quite high and I have very specific requirements that have yet to be fulfilled.”
“It would suit me just fine to never see that crude ass again.”
“I feel the same way. I was surprised to see him last night, but I did a good job of being courteous. It still surprises me Christian and Rachel are friends with him. I didn’t really think he would come to the wedding because this kind of thing isn’t his kind of gig.”
“He came here to tap you,” I said with a matter of fact tone.
“To what me?” she asked, confused.
“He came with the intentions of getting in your pants and it seems he is rather bitter about the two months he spent trying unsuccessfully.”
A blush came across her face and she asked, “Is that what he said?”
“That was about it in a nutshell.”
“Some things never change.” She turned to find him in the crowd. “Good