And there, when I raise my head, the hunter is watching me from across the room.
I have something that was his.
Just not anymore.
For tonight, she is mine.
All mine.
Chapter Eleven
Zoey
In wedding formality everyone is asked to take their places while the bridal party make an entrance dancing to Kool and the Gang’s Celebration. With three bridesmaids and three groomsmen, it’s like one big parade as they dance and strut. One pair awkwardly tumbles down the makeshift aisle onto the dance floor. A few minutes is spent dancing some routine, which is quite comical until the music quietens, and they eagerly take their places at the head table.
The lights dim, the announcement asking us to raise our glasses and welcome Mr. and Mrs. Bono. The music restarts, and the wide doors open in unison as Troy and Mia walk into the room amongst the cheers.
The noise dies down slightly until some moron taps their knife against the champagne glass with the room following. With a beaming smile, Troy leans over and kisses Mia lovingly.
Drew’s right. This is going to be one long night.
And I haven’t even seen Jess yet.
The guests are asked to take a seat, and as much as I’m not fond of weddings, there’s plenty of excitement in the air. Straightening the back of my dress, so I’m not bare-assed against the chair, I take a seat beside Drew. The champagne sits ice-cold in buckets in the center of the table teasing me relentlessly. The guests at our table aren’t the most enthusiastic bunch, so I pour Drew and myself a glass to get the party started. Although he’s going to drive tonight, a couple of glasses won’t hurt him.
During my second taste of the expensive champagne, Drew places his hand on my neck and plants another soft kiss on my shoulder. Amongst the soft, classical music that gently plays in the background, my eyes close as the touch of his lips lingering on my heated skin travels at a rapid rate causing my heart to beat erratically.
Why does he do this to me? This unknown feeling that consumes me whole and takes me to a place that craves him to continue.
Except he can’t continue.
The first time he did it before the bridal party made their entrance, I chalked it up to nerves. This time, I have no explanation.
Just remember, this is all part of your elaborate plan to make Jess’s blood boil. Stop confusing yourself because Jess is somewhere in the room, and your aim is to make him suffer, if only for one night. That is if he even still cares about me.
Of course, he must care. Men are built with that jealousy gene which drives them to the brink of insanity. I still remember one of our weekend trips when a bellboy made a snide comment about taking me back to a room. Jess almost cracked his head open. You’d think I would be flattered, but in reality, he’d turned it around so it was my fault—my fault for wearing a short dress and my fault for wearing heels which apparently made me look like a hooker.
Yet, I still loved him anyway, flaws and all.
Why am I doing this? Because you’re a sadistic fool.
The waiters begin circling the tables with entrées, and on cue my stomach growls in anticipation. The idle chit-chat starts, and Drew is busying himself with the young chick beside him. Honestly, he can’t for one second not think with his dick. It’s so annoying. I stare at the plate placed before me with something orange on it that looks like a blob of goo and immediately swap it with Drew’s chicken.
“Zo, I was going to eat that.”
“Too fattening for you. Stick with the orange blob.”
I don’t give him time to respond, shoving the chicken in my mouth. The texture and flavors are questionable but have to be better than the orange blob. As soon as I’m done, his mischievous smile alarms me.
“That was quail,” he states, wiping his mouth with the napkin.
“A whatta?” I ask, confused.
“It was quail. You know… a small bird.”
“Whatever, it was chicken.”
I grab the menu, almost retching when I see that it was indeed quail. Without any hesitation, I pour myself another glass of champagne and down it in one go, then another. I can’t believe I just ate a bird. Turkey is a bird and you eat that.