“Just Emilia.”
He was an older man, his face hardened, and his hair was a salt and pepper color. He had muscle on him too, he might be a bodyguard as well, but I doubted Sasha would send me a bodyguard just to go to a gala.
He opened the back door to a sleek, black sedan for me. I didn’t know cars, but maybe it was a Mercedes. He shut the door behind me and quickly walked to the other side. I settled into the plush leather seat and buckled myself in.
“The drive isn’t long, but once we get there we may have traffic. Sasha told me to bring you around the back if need be.” He explained to me.
“Thank you.” I wanted to see the front entrance under the moon light, how the flowers would look under the twinkling lights the decorators hung.
In time, I guess. I just had to get in the place first before I got ahead of myself. I was nervous already, my fingers twiddling of their own accord. I pointed the vent fan towards me, so I wouldn’t have any nervous sweats too. I just needed to relax.
He clicked on some smooth jazz music, and I felt like was stepping into a night I could only dream about.
Chapter Seven
Tristan
The four of us were hardly ever together.
I sat next to my sister, and my parents were across from us in the limo. My dad, he was pretty much my twin. Women still hit on him too, I could only hope that I would age like him. I was already entering the perpetual loneliness of divorced life. I had to admit, I wish it were as easy for me as it was for my parents.
They met in college. They were friends first, dated, and then got married. I was already divorced at thirty, considering getting a few cats.
“You need to look like you want to be here.” Natalie whispered to me.
Mom and Dad were off in their own world, their faces close as they held their conversation.
“I can try. Can’t really promise anything.” I adjusted the cuff of my shirt, I hated suits. Even when I went in the office every day, I never wore them.
“And be nice to everyone. I know they can be nosy, but sometimes they mean well.” She meant I should ignore everyone prying into my personal life about Vivian.
It was none of their fucking business, but God forbid you tell them that. They took it as a direct insult.
“Right. I’ll keep that in mind.”
The only reason I was even going to this thing was because Sasha was such a sweet old lady, and it is a good cause after all. If it were anyone else, I probably wouldn’t be going
The drive was pretty long since the ballroom was all the way downtown. And then once we got there, we were up to our fucking necks in traffic.
“Let’s go around the back, please.” Dad said to the driver. We usually always had the same one, but we hadn’t gone to any events in quite a while.
The driver took us around the back. The only thing here were the catering vans. Mom and Dad didn’t usually like to make an entrance. The front walkway would just have a bunch of photographers anyway.
“Whoa, who did this arrangement?” Natalie commented once we got out.
We went in through the back door. Mom blended in with the color scheme in her cream-colored gown.
“I’m not sure.” Mom answered her.
The back went through a long hallway. We came across another door, probably the
back entrance. I let them go ahead of me, so I could mentally prepare myself for all the faking that I had to do. That other door opened up when my family rounded the corner, I did a quick look, but did a double take when I saw her.
It might have been in slow motion. Or maybe I was just dizzy from not really eating all day, but she waltzed in like a cloud of blue silk. Her hair fell in waves of dark curls, framing her angelic face. But that was all I got before she disappeared down the corner. The only reason I stepped into that party was to figure out who the hell that was.
It seemed odd, but in this circle, everyone knew everyone. And I had never seen her before. I found my way in and spotted the family at a table close to the front.
“Where did you go off to?” Natalie handed me a glass of champagne as I sat next to her.