Torrid Page 22

  Here we are, sitting in an upscale bar in Los Angeles, with nowhere to go from here.

  “Hey dad, look at her,” Evan is watching a blonde woman across the room with a gaggle of bachelorettes.

  The blonde is tall, with a high ponytail.

  She commands the room with her confidence, and all eyes are definitely on the mini dress painted on her body.

  “Her?” I ask, nodding in the general direction.

  “Well her, and the other blonde. Could that be Ava?” Evan asks.

  In a darkened bar, it’s hard to tell if Evan is seeing things.

  But, the woman he’s picked out looks a lot like that woman from Corban’s yacht party.

  “Let’s find out,” I say, as I grab my drink and get to my feet.

  We make our way to the blonde with the ponytail, as the bachelorettes including this mysterious woman are in a private room.

  “I thought ponytails were only for working out?” Evan asks her, a snide comment if anything.

  The blonde laughs.

  “Alright, hotshot. Buy me a drink,” she laughs, again.

  “Are you the bride?” Evan says.

  He smirks as he puts some money down on the table.

  I sneak a glance back at the private room the bachelorettes all disappeared into.

  I can’t see anything.

  “Maid of honor,” she grins at us.

  “Three shots of tequila,” Evan smirks, and I fight the urge to roll my eyes.

  That devilish smirk of his is a mirror of my own and he knows exactly how to use it.

  The little bastard.

  “So where are you gentleman from?” the blonde probes.

  “Manhattan,” I smile at her, taking the shot of tequila.

  “So are we!” she smiles.

  “I’m Victoire,” she says.

  “Evan,” he says, and shakes her hand.

  “This is my dad, Noah,” he introduces me.

  “Your dad?” her eyes widen.

  “Wow, I wouldn’t ever think,” she starts, then laughs to cover her faux pas.

  It’s my turn to smirk at the blonde, while Evan rolls his eyes.

  “What do you do Evan?” she asks, and bats her eyelashes at my son, and I can now see he’s somehow gotten her interested.

  Evan is no slouch.

  He’s good-looking.

  He has my eyes, and he’s always well-dressed, in spite of his penchant for pot.

  Several women in the room have been looking in his direction all night.

  And mine.

  The thought of taking someone back to my hotel does occur to me.

  However, I happen to know Tinsley is probably somewhere in the area nearby.

  We talked about as much before Evan and I left.

  Tinsley and I agreed to keep it platonic.

  At least until her engagement party.

  It’s shocking how much better the sex is.

  We both know it’s wrong, yet nothing stops us from falling together so intimately.

  “You guys should come join us!” Victoire demands.

  “Let’s do it!” Evan nods, and I utterly agree.

  When Victoire brings us back into the private room, to introduce us to the other bridesmaids and the bride, I notice that the blonde we were looking for has disappeared.

  Assuming she’ll be back, I take a seat between two drunk bridesmaids that make room for me to join them.

  Alison and Jenny are just as pretty as any of the other girls, though Victoire still has that way of commanding the room.

  The bride isn’t nearly as enticing as Victoire.

  Evan gives Victoire an appraising glance, and I can tell he is hooked.

  “So where are you from Noah?” comes a pleasant voice. Allison coos in my direction, planting a hand on my chest as Jenny cozies up to me on the other side.

  “Manhattan,” I smile.

  “I run a financial firm,” I say.

  “Oh, very fancy,” Jenny smiles.

  “Oh wait, you’re Noah Stone!” she says, gasping in recognition.

  I laugh.

  “Yes, I am Noah Stone,” I admit.

  “Imagine that,” Allison grins at Jenny and I.

  “We run into the famous Noah Stone all the way out here in Los Angeles,” she gushes.

  “Allison is your biggest fan,” Jenny explains.

  “I’ve followed your meteoric rise to fame,” Alison blushes.

  “I work on Wall Street, and you’re all anyone in my office ever talks about,” she says.

  “Good to know I’m liked,” I smirk at her, and watch her blush, silly with embarrassment.

  This is good, not only are they interested, but I’ve quickly gained their trust by merely being me.

  “Wasn’t there another blonde with you?” I asked, counting the heads.

  “Oh, Bex?” Allison nods.

  “She came to say hi, but she had to leave pretty quickly. I think Victoire said she’s working this weekend. She’s not with us,” she answers.

  “Bex?” I ask.

  “Bexley.” Jenny offers.

  Just like that, Ava may have slipped out of my grasp, yet again.

  Evan and Victoire seem to be pretty cozy.

  I mentally calculate some odds, and figure, at this point, I need him to take her home.

  I need information from this woman, who knows “Bex”.

  It must be Bexley Fabbraro again.

  The name I believe that Ava is using.

  According to Lucius, it’s like Bexley Fabbraro doesn’t even exist.

  She’s never on the guest list for the multitude of events that I attend in the hopes of running into her.

  “So, is it true you’re single?” Jenny asks.

  They’re both looking at me like I’m about to be their dessert.

  “Sorry ladies, my heart belongs to one woman,” I admit, feeling just a twinge of regret.

  Just a twinge…

  “Aww,” they coo in unison.

  They are just adorable.

  And, quite sexy.

  I try to think of them in my bed, but it goes nowhere.

  I glance to my lap, and think “Traitor”.

  “She must be quite the woman if she’s got you,” Jenny smiles.

  “She is,” I confess.

  “You must be so in love,” Allison coos, and thinking this is very sweet. “Are you getting married?”

  “Not yet, I’m afraid,” I avoid the topic of marriage.

  “How did you meet?” she asks.

  “Well… that’s a long, long story. But when I realized she was the one, she simply stole my heart, and I haven’t gotten it back yet,” I explain.

  “Aww,” Jenny looks about near tears. “This is what I don’t like about being single, always hearing everyone else’s damn love stories.”

  “It’ll happen for you,” I tell her simply, both girls listening to me intently, thinking my advice is age and wise.

  “One day when you least expect it, love will sudden smack you right in the face, and then nothing will ever be the same,” I snap my fingers.

  “Are you a god?” Allison stares up at me with wide eyes.

  “No,” I laugh. “Not at all. If I were to die, I get the distinct feeling that I’m probably going to hell for all I’ve done,” I laugh louder.

  One glance across the booth and I see Victoire and Evan kissing.

  He’d better take that woman back to his hotel tonight.

  I probably shouldn’t encourage him to sleep around, but this time, if it brings us closer to Ava, I find it appropriate.

  Evan glances at me, as Victoire nibbles on his neck.

  There’s a very distinct wink as she whispers something in her ear, and Evan nods.

  “Let’s get out of here,” he says to me, motioning to Victoire.

  I’m suddenly glad we got separate hotel rooms.

  “Ladies, that’s my cue,” I say.

  “Too bad,” Jenny eyes me like a
prize, “Adding Noah Stone to my list would’ve been incredible!”

  I wink at her because there’s no harm in it.

  Evan, Victoire and I walk outside, the few blocks to our hotel.

  “Shouldn’t you be with the bride?” I ask her, winking at Evan.

  “She’ll get over it. I have better things to do than watch her snivel and moan about the fact that she’s not marrying the love of her life,” Victoire rolls her eyes.

  “She’s not?” I laugh.

  “It’s stupid. Her parents wanted her to marry this guy, so she said yes, and now she’s miserable. But what’s she going to do? Call it off a week before the wedding? I don’t think so,” Victoire shakes her head.

  Evan and I glance at each other because we both know what we’re thinking.

  Tinsley.

  22

  Tinsley

  March 25, 2017

  “Oh dear, it’s simply marvelous on you!” Athena says.

  Her voice is appreciative, as I stand in front of them in my wedding dress.

  “I can’t imagine that anyone would be able to pull this off but you,” she says, delighted.

  “I love the tulle,” Hazel agrees, though she doesn’t say much else.

  My backless wedding dress compliments every curve down to my knees, tight against my body, until it flares out in mountains of tulle.

  All the intricate beading and details, the neckline that accents my cleavage, all of that is lost on me, because I don’t care.

  This fabulous designer dress that I am trying on in a high-end boutique on Rodeo Drive, just does not affect me.

  “The back, look at the back,” Athena demands, turning me around so that I can see my toned back, against the white beading of the straps.

  “You’ve never looked better! Must be all that running with my brother, the bore,” Athena says.

  One mention of Noah and I feel flushed in a second.

  I carefully watch Athena’s reaction.

  She doesn’t sense anything.

  With the dress on and a veil on my head, all of this suddenly seems too real.

  Until now, I wasn’t convinced I was going to marry Connor.

  Now, this is happening!

  I feel the tears coming at once.

  Athena sees the tears in my eyes and starts tearing up too.

  “You’re going to make the most beautiful bride,” she says, almost sobbing.

  “Connor will love it,” Hazel adds in a slightly bored voice.

  But I don’t analyze anything, because I am crying over the thought that Noah will have to see me walk down the aisle towards another man in this dress.

  The tears subside, as I picture walking down the aisle to Noah in my head; the look on his face.

  “It’s pretty.” Is all I can manage.

  “You’re not impressed?” Hazel yawns.

  “No, I am…” I pause for effect. “Maybe I just expected more, I don’t know.”

  The price tag on this dress close to gave my father another heart attack.

  My sentence doesn’t even make sense.

  “It’s perfect.” Athena purrs before she excuses herself to answer her ringing phone.

  Hazel and I are alone.

  It’s awkward and stilted as things have been lately.

  I thought she got over the whole Noah debacle after Connor and I got engaged, and maybe she did, but that was for a split second.

  I keep wondering why I picked her to be my maid of honor.

  Maybe we’ve just drifted apart.

  “Evan is going to meet me for lunch soon,” Athena announces when she returns. “I don’t know why he’s in LA with my brother, since Noah hates the West Coast, but you girls are welcome to come along.”

  Athena lounges on one of the prim cream couches sipping champagne, as my mouth goes dry.

  I knew that.

  I also have a text message on my phone from Noah, asking if I want to grab dinner or something or other.

  “Pass me that,” I say as I point to the champagne.

  “Here,” Hazel passes me a glass, and I toss it back like a sailor.

  “You want another?” Hazel raises an eyebrow at me, and I nod.

  She hands me the second flute, but this time, I only sip at it, like a proper lady.

  “I can’t believe how gorgeous you look!” Athena fawns, and then pretends as though she is about to faint, laughing lightly.

  “Athena don’t pass out now!” Evan’s shouts from across the room.

  His voice is very much like Noah’s, deep and manly, and his laugh mimics his father’s just as well.

  “Oh, Evan!” Athena turns around, “You’re early!”

  She smiles and gives him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

  “You said one?” Evan says, puzzled.

  “I said I’d call when I was finished,” she glares at him. “Do you not read your text messages?”

  “I’m nursing a hangover here, and hungry,” he complains. “Nice dress.” he smiles at me.

  “She looks beautiful,” Noah’s deeper voice is suddenly in the air.

  When I look in the mirror, he is standing there behind me, the expression on his face is one of wonder, which quickly turns into a more somber look.

  No one notices however as Athena scolds them both for being early again.

  “Excuse me,” Noah shakes his head at Athena, and I am near tears again.

  I saw that look on his face, the way his mouth drooped, his eyes said it all.

  I know that he can’t handle the sight of me in my wedding dress.

  “Hang on,” I step off the platform to slip out of the dress.

  Then I follow him out onto the street.

  I can’t torture him any further than I already have.

  “What’s wrong?” I touch Noah’s shoulder.

  “You really shouldn’t follow me,” he smiles.

  “You can’t imagine how hard it is for me to see you… like that,” he says, and swallows hard.

  “I don’t want this any more than you do,” my whisper comes out.

  “Well, that’s that, isn’t it?” Noah shakes his head.

  “I’ll meet you guys at the restaurant, tell Athena I had to see someone,” Noah says, and tries to brush me off.

  I am having none of that, today.

  “No,” I grab his arm.

  “Noah. Let’s talk about this,” I say.

  “Talk about who you should be marrying, or who you are marrying?” Noah counters.

  There it is, as thick as the tension has been between us for months.

  “You think I wouldn’t rather be marrying you?” I plead with him.

  “No, I know you would rather be marrying me. But that doesn’t change our situation does it?” he shakes his head sadly.

  “You looked breathtaking, and I can’t imagine I can stand there and watch you marry the wrong man,” he confesses.

  “I would’ve said yes, you know,” I tell him honestly.

  Assuming there was a proposal coming.

  “Of course,” he says, not doubting me.

  “And then we would’ve run away to Fiji. No one would’ve had a hand in our relationship, but that’s not the case,” he replies. “Why are you bringing this up now? Why now when it’s too late for us?”

  My heart breaks all over again.

  “Because I want to call this off! Everything else be damned! Who cares about them! It’s my life!” I say.

  "Call it off then!” he pleads.

  His is voice dark.

  “Why haven’t you called it off yet? When you’re standing there in a wedding dress?” he looks over me, and I wonder what he’s thinking.

  I don’t have an answer for him, as to why I haven’t called this charade off.

  “I don’t believe that you will,” he tells me, sadness in his eyes.

  “You bastard!” I yell.

  I shove him with both my hands, but Noah doesn’t move an inch.

  “Hey, can we s
top yelling in the street here?” Evan is standing behind us.

  “Not that I can hear anything the both of you have said, despite listening through the door, but are you two done yet?” he asks, innocently.

  Noah’s eyes are full of rage when he looks at Evan.

  “We’re done here anyway,” I say as I dismiss myself.

  Lunch is tense.

  Tense and boring.

  The only topic I wish to avoid talking about more is the wedding, but with the date looming over my head like the sword of Damocles, that’s all Athena is talking about.

  Hazel seems about as interested as I am, and I can tell we are both bored with the wedding.

  I end up sitting at the corner of the table, between Evan and Noah, to avoid the wedding chatter, but with Athena across from me, and Hazel next to her, this does not happen.

  “I’m sorry,” I whisper to Noah under my breath.

  “It’s alright,” he smiles at me.

  But, there’s something missing in his eyes.

  The look he gets when he’s looking at me.

  The look I saw earlier in the mirror, right before he realized I saw him, is gone.

  Noah squeezes my hand under the table, and my heart flutters.

  What the fuck am I doing?

  “What did you boys get up to?” I ask Evan, as Athena and Hazel begin chattering about their dresses, and shoes, and other things I wish to avoid.

  “I met a cute blonde,” Evan says with a smirk, and I roll my eyes. “She was pretty good in bed actually, so, I might see her again,”

  “I meant did you two find anything.” I lower my voice, leaning towards Noah.

  “Ask Evan.” He retorts.

  “Dad.” Evan whines.

  “What did he do?” I probe.

  “We thought she was here, but Evan, my son the fuck up, was just planting her name all over the place, without a thought for what he was doing,” he says.

  “Oh, dear,” I look at Evan.

  “She’s probably right under our noses in New York. That’s what I told him. Fucking hiding in your basement or something,” Evan quips.

  “Well…” I think about this for a moment. “It’s entirely possible. I mean, Manhattan is so large she could prospectively be hiding right under your nose,” I propose.

  Evan and I look at each other, conspiring together.

  “Yeah dad, did you look in the basement?” Evan says.

  Noah laughs at both of us.