Page 106 of Ballrooms & Blackmail

Pascal stills. Then tilts his head back and sighs heavily up at the ceiling. “The man can’t get out of his own way now, can he?”

My temper spikes. “He’s been through a lot,” I snap. “Too much,” I add.

His head drops back down.

“So cut him some slack,” I grit out.

Pascal’s quiet for a moment. Then his mouth quirks.

I narrow my eyes at him. “What?”

“You’re perfect for him.”

That takes the wind out of my sails, and I exhale. He guides me off the dance floor as the song ends, lightly squeezes my shoulder. “I’ll help you get his head on straight, River. Don’t you worry.”

“I—”

“Time for the bouquet toss!” Rory shouts.

“Don’t worry,” he semi-repeats.

I look back at him then freeze with a frown. Because he’s gone.

Almost like he’s melted into thin air.

Ugh.

Annoying.

And now I know where Thorn got his disappearing skills from.

Sighing, I turn back toward the party, and?—

“Oof!” I grunt as the bouquet flies right for my face, scrambling to not get beaned and also to not let it hit the floor.

“She caught it!” Rory cries.

“Less caught than it hit her in the face,” Marie points out.

“Po-tay-to. Po-tah-to,” Rory says. “Because as soon as Thorn stops being a dumb-dumb then he’ll be putting a ring on that finger and you all know it.”

King grins at his wife’s antics then stares down at his big, hockey-playing feet.

Rome chuckles and kisses the top of Chrissy’s head, Mia clinging to his beard.

Jean-Michel holds Tiff close.

Jace and Marie exchange amused glances.

And Brooks and Briar look most confident of all.

“Right,” I mutter, moving toward them and kissing their cheeks. “I’m off to bed. You two newlyweds enjoy your honeymoon.”

“We’ll see you for the fantasy ball when we get back.”

“You know you could always just extend your honeymoon and not rush back.”

“And miss you in that dress?” Briar grins then stage whispers. “Plus, I can’t wait to see the men in their outfits.”