“This is my oldest brother,” Perry says to me when they stop in front of us. “Winston, this is Charlotte.”
I hate him on sight. This is the man who pushed for this arrangement to happen. “Charmed.”
I somehow make the word sound more like asshole.
Winston bursts out laughing, as does the woman with him. “You’re in for it,” he tells Perry before turning his blue-eyed gaze on me. “Watch it. The ruder you are, the more I might like you.”
“Stop it, Win,” the woman tells him with a laugh before turning her attention on me. Her expression is friendly, which makes me wary. “I’m Ash. It’s so nice to meet you.”
I shake her hand. “Nice to meet you, too.”
“Congratulations.” Ash’s smile is wide as she removes her arm from Winston’s and goes to Perry, giving him a long hug. “I can’t believe you’re getting married.”
Something dark sparks within me, making me sort of hate Ash on sight, too. I don’t like how familiar Perry is with her. Or how familiar she is with my fiancé.
Glancing down, I blink rapidly, my head spinning. Oh God, am I…
Jealous?
No. Impossible. I don’t care about this man. I barely know him.
“I’m going to introduce you to the rest of my family,” Perry says to me once he’s released his hold on Ash. She watches him fondly, and I tamp my jealousy down, telling myself they’re just good friends. She’s like a sister to him.
That’s it.
“Good luck,” Winston drawls as he grabs Ash’s hand and leads her away. She glances over her shoulder, waving at us and I glare at her in return.
I forget all about my jealousy over Ash as Perry introduces me to a long list of Constantines. His other brother, his sisters, a few cousins. They’re all perfectly polite but I get the sense they know what’s really going on.
And I’m sure they don’t approve.
There’s a woman watching us, her hair dark as midnight, her eyes a golden brown. She’s wearing a slinky deep-purple dress that accentuates her curves, and the moment we make eye contact, she approaches us, her smile broad as she greets Perry, pulling him in for a long hug.
I watch, dumbfounded. Who is this woman? And why is she so familiar with my future husband?
“Congratulations on your engagement,” she says as she pulls away from Perry, turning her attention to me. “You finally nabbed him.”
Huh? “Um, yeah. Thanks?”
“Charlotte, this is Lindy. We used to—”
“Date,” Lindy finishes for him, flashing a brilliant smile. “For a brief moment in time. Until he unceremoniously dumped me and I never heard from him again.”
Unease slithers down my spine, icy cold. Her words are achingly familiar.
Perry appears uncomfortable. I suppose I don’t blame him. “It wasn’t as bad as all that. You felt the same way.”
“That’s what you tell yourself.” Lindy laughs, like it’s no big deal, what Perry did to her. “But that was a long time ago, and I found someone else. Someone who actually sticks around.”
Her words fill me with rising alarm. Red flags everywhere, dropping from her lips.
“Congratulations again.” Lindy pulls me in for a hug, whispering, “Good luck.”
Just before she turns and walks away, getting swallowed up by the crowd.
Her words stick with me as we make our way through our guests, the both of us smiling and nodding so much my face is starting to hurt.
Everything Lindy said about Perry reminds me of my own experience in Paris, making me uneasy.