Page 41 of A Win-Win Situation
"What did you do?" his tone is wary, like he’s bracing himself.
"Imighthave invited some people," he admits, wearing a sheepish look as he continues, "stakeholders, investors, and friends for a surprise wedding lunch." As he shares the news, his eyes flicker with a mix of excitement and hesitation.
"Ammo," Lucas warns, his voice dropping an octave. Antoine shrugs nonchalantly. "Well, I thought it would be nice to celebrate you getting married. Plus, it's good for business, no?"
Lucas massages his temples and takes a deep breath, as if trying to contain his frustration. I can tell he's not happy about the surprise, but he also doesn't want to cause a scene in the middle of the hotel lobby.
"Fine, but I hope you kept it low-key. We don't need a big fuss." Lucas finally concedes.
Antoine beams triumphantly. "Of course,mon fils. You’ll love it, you'll see." He turns around and walks away, expecting us to follow.
"I doubt that," Lucas mutters under his breath as he places his warm hand on my upper back, urging me to move forward. The contact leaves a swirl of conflicting emotions. Confusion mingles with intrigue, leaving me momentarily caught off guard before continuing to walk.
SIXTEEN
LEORA
The wedding lunch turned out to be much larger than expected, with Antoine inviting practically half of the French population. Despite feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of guests, I’m thankful that Sophie and Adeline are here, sitting at a nearby table with Antoine. They both look as beautiful as ever, with Sophie in a pink, midi-chiffon dress and Adeline in a green silk dress.
Lucas and I, however, are seated at the sweetheart table, where all attention seems to converge. I can feel curious eyes on us, scrutinizing, wondering who I am, and how I’ve managed to land Lucas. When I walked past one of the women earlier, I caught her whispering, "She must be after his fortune."
If that’s what people think, we’re screwed.
"Can you at least try to look like you want to be here?" Lucas whispers to me through a tight smile, his arm draped casually around my chair. He’s playing his part, thanking everybody for their well-wishes, and his act is almost convincing.Almost. I see right through it though, his smile doesn’t reach his eyes, and there’s a tense edge to him.
He’s really good. The man could be an actor, I’ll give him that.
I catch myself staring at the dimple on his left cheek, a new discovery for me. It makes an appearance every time he graces us with a rare real smile. It’s disarmingly adorable, a tiny feature that adds a dash of boyish charm to his otherwise stoic façade. It's a small detail, yet it gives him an unguarded look that’s inexplicably appealing. It makes my heart beat a tiny bit faster. But I can’t get lost in moments like this, where he seems almost human rather than a walking iceberg. It’s not the time to be distracted by his charming dimple or his attempts at polite conversation. I need to keep up with his act, plaster on a fake smile, and try not to overthink when he’s acting so husbandly.
Suddenly, the sound of a clinking champagne glass fills the room. I lift my gaze to find Adeline tapping her flute, excitement dancing in her eyes. A ripple effect ensues as Sophie mirrors her action before they both stand up.
"Hi everyone, my name is Adeline, and this is Sophie. We have the incredible honor of being the best friends of the stunning bride. When we first met Leora, we never could have imagined that we would be standing here today. But here we are, and we're happier than ever. Leora, you deserve everything the world can offer, and your happiness is all we wish for."
I shoot them both a grateful smile as Adeline continues, her tone warm and sincere. "Together, I hope you can give each other that." She glides her gaze toward Lucas, a silent warning conveyed through a subtle arch of her eyebrow. I chuckle, earning a side-eyed glance from Lucas.
Sophie is the next to speak, and there’s a nostalgic smile painted on her lips. "Back in the day, when the world was a bit simpler, the three of us used to play Powerpuff Girls in Adeline’s backyard. Leora, who is the kindest and sweetest soul I've ever met, played the role of Bubbles. Every day we were saving the world from imaginary villains with our superpowers. As we grew older, we met real-life villains. But Leora learned how to fightthem off too. Whenever any of us needed her, we found her by our side. To help us, and to protect us. Wherever we turned, we knew Leora would be by our side. And now, Leora has found a new partner in crime. Lucas, I hope that you will take on the role of the person who protects Leora. To help her fight off supervillains. Just as we once did in our childhood games, may you stand by her side in the face of any challenges, real or imaginary."
The memories she mentions bring tears to my eyes. I’m transported back to those carefree days when everything was simpler. Even though my life wasn’t ideal, I had the two of them and they made me feel loved. They’re the gift that keeps on giving.
"Let's raise our glasses to the lovely couple," Adeline chimes in, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "May your days be filled with laughter, your nights with shared dreams, and your life with . . . well, let's just say, may it be an adventure worth remembering."
The entire room raises their glasses, and so do Lucas and I. But before the glasses hit the table, someone in the back yells, "Kiss her!"
My eyes widen, and they instinctively dart to Adeline, a momentary lapse that proves to be a mistake. Her mischievous smile widens before she too joins the playful chorus, exclaiming, "Kiss her! Kiss her! Kiss her!" Soon, the entire assembly of guests joins in, creating a lively choir of encouragement.
I feel my cheeks heating up with embarrassment as hundreds of eyes bore into us.
"I'm going to kill you,"I silently mouth at Adeline, but she just blows me a kiss in response.
Just then, Lucas leans in, his warm breath brushing against my ear. "Let’s get this over with," he murmurs.
Move aside Shakespeare, there’s a new romantic in town.
"Yes, just give me another little peck and we’ll be done," I murmur in response, not exactly sure why I had to mention the previous kiss.
I turn my head and find him extremely close to me, and I’m momentarily trapped in the intensity of his dark gaze. His eyes challenge me, as if daring me to break character and it takes all of my willpower not to roll my eyes. But his hand on my back grounds me, while his other hand gently grabs the back of my neck. My breath catches at his closeness, the charged air between us igniting a strange feeling I can't explain. Held captive by his magnetic gaze, the world begins to fade away until it's just us in this moment
Then, his lips are on mine.
