Adjournment (The Fate Series) (31 page)

Escaping the big top, moonlight dinners, and… cake…

Sitting here for what feels like hours but has really only been about ten minutes; I engage in idle chatter while devising a plan to escape this circus.

“Mr. and Mrs. Chandler would like their family to come up and dance with them for the first dance,” a man says. We all look at each other.

“Well, we knew this was bound to happen,” Grams says with a huff.

Molly stands with a cheerful smile and gives a slight wave to Dean who had left to get more drinks. Morgan beaming from the idea that she doesn’t have to dance with Chase gets up grabbing my arm to march to the dance floor.

Clearing my throat I point toward him and Morgan’s smile twists.

“Son of a bitch.” She throws her hands in the air.

“Sons of a bitch,” I correct her, sitting back in my chair. Dean strolls up to Molly, holding his hand out for her and Chase follows the motion with Morgan.

“Sid, you want me to go with you and put these losers to shame?” Jacob says standing up ready to take charge of the floor. Tyler gets up extending his hand toward Grams. “Don’t roll on my feet.” He smiles at her as they head toward the dance floor.

“No. Thanks, though. I’m going to find the cake and avoid all… that.” Standing, I grab my glass to sneak down the side of the tent toward the house. I lift the front of my dress to hurry out before anyone has a chance to spot me leaving. I smile politely at people as they watch me walk past.

What is wrong with me? I should be happy he is off with Mea, even though she is married. I can’t delude myself into thinking there is something happening with us. It would never work, and I have to remember that
he
made that choice a long time ago.

What is it that people tell themselves to feel better about not being with the person they want to be with?

The timing is off?

“Ms. Chandler.” Some guy stops me.

“My father is a friend of yours and I…”

I raise my hand to stop him.

“I’m not dancing.” I swish it to move him out of the way.

“Sidney?”
his
voice yells out.

I look at the guy standing in front of me and weigh my options. 

I need to get out of here.

Stepping around him I’m just about to make it to the opening when Simon snags my elbow and tugs me to stop.

“Come on, Pet, you have to dance like everyone else.”

With a heavy sigh, I turn to see his amused face as he steps to my side. Sliding his hand to my back he begins to guide me over to the dance floor.

“You suck,” I pout. He laughs.

“Pratt’s son caved pretty quickly,” he says.

My head snaps back to where I just saw the guy. Pratt’s son… If he’s here… does that mean
she’s
here too?

“Yeah, I figured he would. The only thing these guys are after is my large… trust fund.” I laugh loudly at my own joke.

“Did you enjoy your liquid dinner?” he eyes me.

“No, I enjoyed your liquids for dinner.” I laugh again.

Ewww. That sounded gross.

“Wait… I meant I
drank
your… oh, screw it.” I exhale, my shoulders dropped.

Laughter erupts from his mouth, and I begin to laugh with him.

When we get to the dance floor he places my glass at the edge of one of the tables before he steps in front of me and with a quick tug, jerks me into him.

“Sidney, jeez, this is a little inappropriate don’t you think?”

But before I can tell him just what I think of him, he spins me out, and I can’t help but laugh when he snaps me back, spinning me into him.

“You’re welcome, Pet.” His voice drops.

Jerking my head back in confusion, I look up at his humored expression and the urge to choke him comes back.

“Oh, this should be good. What on earth am I thanking you for this time?” I relax my hand around the back of his arm.

“See this room?” With a quick glance around he turns his attention back to me and continues. “It’s filled with sons of your parents’ friends, all waiting for the Chandler sisters to have a moment away from us. So, being the good friend I am I thought it would be in your best interest to accompany me.” I turn away to scan over the room of people still sitting. “Also, if I’m not mistaken you promised me the next time there was music you would dance with me the entire time,” he finishes.

Still looking around at the people watching us, I notice someone I haven’t seen in a long time.

“In my best interest?” I look back at him with an expressionless face.

He isn’t serious…

“Hmm, that is something coming from you. Hey, isn’t that your stalker over there? What’s her name? Oh, right, Pricilla?” I turn my attention back to her and give a warm smile.

“Knock it off, Sidney,” he growls into my ear.

I haven’t even done anything… yet.

“Oh, no, Simon. I think this is in your best interest to be here with me. She looks as though she wants to eat you alive.” I look back at her nodding my head.

She still looks like a twat, as Grams would say. I wouldn’t say that because women don’t speak like that. But Grams would.

“I will physically remove you from this tent if you don’t knock it off.” He turns us so I can’t see her anymore.

I would love to see him try.

“Let’s lay our cards on the table shall we? This is in your best interest, you aren’t doing this for any other reason than being the man standing here rubbing it in the other guys’ noses, and avoiding some girl who I know for a fact used to hold a shrine to you in her closet and tell me how she would cast love spells on you… for me
of course
.” The sarcasm drips from my words. “Oh, and also so you don’t have to explain to my mother why I was dancing with other men when I was supposed to be with you, a person for all intents and purposes, is here as a babysitter, and furthermore when I agreed to that I didn’t actually expect it to ever happen. You set me up.” I try to push myself away from him.

“You’re an adult, why would I have to act as a babysitter?” he asks, gliding his hand from my hip up to my shoulder blade to pull me in closer and pressing me firmly against his chest.

A charge of electricity snaps inside of me.

Remind him why you aren’t supposed to be together… stay mad!

“So, I don’t get drunk… and loose according to Grams.” I emphasize the word loose.

Way to remind him… next time I need to think before I speak.

My face begins to turn red after the words leave my mouth.

“I am doing a terrible job then since you’re drunk now.” He laughs.

A crowd of people quietly joins in the last part of the song and as they surround us, his fingers begin to move across my skin, causing it to prickle under his touch.

Don’t even think about it, it will only end badly, I lecture myself.

“Do you remember the night of your party?” He begins to speak in a low tone. An involuntary shiver races through me.

“I remember it was a hot day—I was on a lot of pain medication,” I say, acting as though I have no idea what he is getting at.

“There are two things in my life I’ve regretted.” He lets go of the hand he was holding. His fingers resting under my chin lifts it toward his face so our lips are inches apart.

Breathe calmly…

“And what are those?” I choke out, my voice cracking from the dryness of my throat.

“The first…” his eyes flicker up to my forehead.

“I’m not doing this.” I shake my head.

Laying my hands on his chest, I try to push away again but his grip holds me in place. I close my eyes, trying to put him out of my head.

“Your party was the second. I thought it would be best for both of us,” he whispers. My heart breaks a little at his admittance. “It wasn’t fair to you, I couldn’t let you give up your dreams, and I couldn’t keep you safe.”

Safe?

“And now you feel better prepared to be my knight in shining armor? Well, I’m sorry to inform you that I don’t lead a dangerous life, I don’t need rescuing. So, go find one of those twatty women that you parade around your social events. Also, I’m pretty sure being friends requires you to actually talk to someone and not ignore her for weeks before her graduation party, it also requires you to want to go and not feel obligated to. I’m tired of traveling these dead-ends with you. I told you before I don’t want to relive it or remember it. It’s in the past, so please I beg you. Just leave it there. Nothing good comes from digging it up.” Opening my eyes I almost collapse when I see hurt in his eyes. Actual hurt… I didn’t think the man felt anything besides privileged.

“You were never an obligation,” he says, looking me in the eyes.

“I don’t think I care.” I shrug. “It wasn’t meant to be.” I try to end the subject again.

Pulling me against his chest, we continue to dance as one song ends and another begins.

“Simon, my love. How are you?” My head jerks away from his chest when I hear Pricilla’s voice. She stands facing him without acknowledging me.

Should I save him?

Nah.

“He’s fantastic. He was just talking about you actually.” I grin at her.

Trying to step away his fingers dig into my skin, holding me where I am.

“Right… Sidney, the friend… I thought you were gone.” She turns her perfectly put together face toward me.

“I can be… just say the words, I will disappear.” I try to pull away from the death grip Simon has on me.

“Don’t we all wish?” She shoots me a cold glare. “Save me a dance, darling.” She touches his shoulder before walking away. 

Wearing the same expression we slowly turn our heads back to look at each other.

What a bitch.

I’m so sure she just acted like she didn’t know me!

What. A. Bitch!

“I don’t know why but I just have this strange feeling she doesn’t like me.” I shrug.

“No.” He drags the word out. “Not you, how could any woman not like you?” His voice is filled with sarcasm.

“I know! She makes it seem like I threatened to beat her with a marble rolling pin or something. You would think we would be best of friends since I love all that rich girlie crap they all so stupidly spend money on.” I feel his grip relax a little and my insides drop.

“You don’t need all that girlie crap that they so stupidly spend money on.” He looks down at me. “And you are far too in control to threaten someone with a marble rolling pin.” He winks.

This simple gesture is starting to grow on me.

Clearing my throat, I make it look as though it had no effect on me.

“Please forgive my rudeness, I have yet to tell you how lovely you look today.” His voice sends a shiver though me. “I especially liked how you tried to get a ride off Grams on your way up the aisle earlier,” he teases. His humored laugh vibrates through my chest but there’s a nagging pain that’s stronger. “I do have to ask how you’re managing to stand now since you have drained what I am guessing to be around four Madnesses, at least three Dirty Shirley Temples and have yet to eat anything to really counteract them both.”

How does he know that? I don’t even know how much I’ve drank.

“Well if I can tolerate you I guess I can tolerate anything and I did eat. Also it’s been six drinks.” I try not to sound like a bratty teenager.

“Cocktail hour does not count as eating, and I am pretty sure you are on eight right now.”

It’s somewhere around eight. But I won’t let him know that.

“I ate dinner when it was served,” I mumble, playing with the lapel on his suit jacket.

“No, you pushed it around. Nice try.”

“What? Were you watching me eat?” I snap lifting my head up to look at him.

What the hell was the point of sitting with Mea if he was just going to watch me?

“No, actually I was watching you engage in a lot of boring conversation while stealing my drinks.” The corner of his lip curls up as he stares down at me.

I’m really hoping it’s the effect of all the alcohol that is making me wonder what the heat of his lips would feel like against mine.

“I hate you,” I sigh, resting my head against his chest.

I’m not sure if it’s his heart that just sped up or mine.

“I deserve that.” He kisses the top of my head. “Now let’s get something to eat, I’m starving,” he says against my hair, his arms wrapped around my body.

With a quick step away he grabs my wrist, pulling me off the dance floor behind him like a child that has done something wrong toward a small exit that sits behind the bar on the side of the tent. Racing behind him to keep up, he walks us up the stone path to the house. Once inside he shuts the doors, blocking the party out and stalks over to the kitchen, grabbing cloth napkins he opens the oven and removes two dishes from it.

“Didn’t you eat?” I ask him.

“No, I wanted to wait and eat with you,” he says, opening a drawer for utensils.

I don’t know how much more of this I can take. He is driving me to my breaking point with the back and forth crap.

Or is it me who’s back and forth?

I can’t even tell anymore.

“I can’t have fish.” I sigh, crossing the room to take a seat at the counter. With my elbows on the counter I rest my chin in my fist.

“Thank you for reminding me, as though the image of your father stabbing you with a needle could ever leave my head. You know after that day I made sure there was never fish at a party I knew you would be at. Not that you attend many parties,” he trails off.

I sit here studying him in the moonlit room.

“That’s a lot of food for a small girl like me.” I lean forward to look at it.

“You’re kidding, right? This from the girl who just “helped” me eat breakfast? I am sure you can manage it, Pet.”

My lips press together in a firm line.

Know it all.

With silverware in hand, he grabs the dishes, walks around the island, past me toward the couches. I turn around to see where he’s going.

“My mother will kill us if she finds us eating on the couch.” I try to stop him before he sits down.

“It’s a good thing we aren’t sitting on the couch.” He jerks his chin to the floor.