Page 114 of Falling for the Billionaire Best Man

She giggled and shook her head. “Let’s go. I’m starving. Although I don’t know how much I’m going to be able to eat while in this dress.”

“Just a couple of hours,” I said. “Then you won’t have to wear anything at all.”

She waggled her eyebrows. “I know.”

We walked back to the hall together just as they were serving the meal. I picked at my dinner, my fork pushing the food around my plate more than actually eating it. My stomach was in knots, and every time I glanced up, I could feel Kaisen’s presence like a magnetic force pulling at me. It was so strange to be this close to him but yet feel like we were miles apart.

I kept my eyes fixed on my plate, pretending to be engrossed in the roasted vegetables that were growing colder by the minute. Eliza was chatting animatedly with Cullen next to me. I forced a smile when she glanced my way, not wanting to dampen her mood on her big day.

“Dorie,” Eliza said suddenly, her voice cutting through the haze of my thoughts. “You’ve barely touched your food. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I lied, nodding a little too emphatically. “Just not that hungry.”

She raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced, but before she could press further, Cullen leaned in to whisper something in her ear, and she turned her attention back to him with a grin. I exhaled quietly, relieved for the distraction.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Kaisen leaning back in his chair, his bowtie loosened just enough to give him that effortlessly disheveled look he always seemed to pull off. He was talking to someone at his end of the table.

After dinner was cleared, I decided to check on the cake. It was my masterpiece, after all, and I wanted to make sure everything was perfect. The photographer had already snapped what seemed like a hundred pictures.

As I approached the dessert table, I was greeted by a chorus of compliments. People fawned over the cake, marveling at the intricate details.

“Thank you.” I smiled.

“You’re Eliza’s twin?” a woman asked.

I knew it was hard for people to believe we were twins. We looked nothing alike. “I am.”

“She mentioned her sister was making her cake. Honestly, I was expecting… well certainly not this. Are you in New York? My parents are celebrating their anniversary soon, and I would love to splurge on a cake.”

“I’m here,” I said. “Cape May. Sorry.”

“Bummer. This is truly beautiful.”

I smiled and thanked them, but my heart wasn’t in it. My mind was still stuck on Kaisen’s speech, on the way he’d looked at me, on the words he’d said.

“Dorie, right?” a voice interrupted my thoughts. I turned to see one of Cullen’s coworkers standing beside me, a friendly smile on his face. “I’m Matt. I just wanted to say, this cake is incredible. You’re really talented.”

“Thanks,” I said, forcing a smile. “I’m glad you like it.”

“Like it? I love it,” he said, his grin widening. “So, uh, do you dance?”

I blinked, caught off guard by the question. “Dance?”

“Yeah,” he said, gesturing to the dance floor. “I was wondering if you’d like to dance with me. You know, if you’re not too busy.”

I hesitated, glancing around the room. My eyes landed on Kaisen, who was still sitting at the head table. For a brief moment, I thought about saying no, about finding an excuse to stay where I was. But then I remembered the way he shattered my heart and made it clear he wanted nothing to do with me. Maybe dancing with someone else would help me clear my head.

“Sure,” I said, turning back to Matt. “I’d love to.”

He grinned, offering me his hand. I took it, letting him lead me to the dance floor. The song was a little trite—Beyonce singing about putting a ring on it. I was almost certain this was on Eliza’s Do Not Play List. But whatever. It was upbeat and fun. I was never going to be called a good dancer, but I could muddle through.

And then it switched to a slow song. My thought was to turn and run, but Matt pulled me into his arms. “One more dance,” he said.

I felt a pang of guilt. He was nice, and he was clearly trying to flirt with me, but my heart wasn’t in it. My mind kept drifting back to Kaisen.

“Sure,” I replied.

“So, how long have you been baking?” Matt asked as we swayed to the slow melody.

“Since I was a kid,” I said, forcing a smile. “It started with my grandma. She taught me everything I know.”

“That’s awesome,” he said, nodding. “It’s like having a piece of her with you every time you bake, huh?”

I blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity in his voice. “Yeah,” I murmured. “It is.”

Matt chuckled softly. “You’re really good at it, too. I mean, that cake? It’s like art. You could probably start your own show or something. I can’t wait to taste it, and I can honestly say I have never said that about any cake. I come from a big family. Lots of birthdays and weddings. I kind of hate cake, but I can’t wait to dig in.”

I laughed. “Thanks. I don’t know about a show, though. I think I’d rather just keep it small for now.”

“Fair enough,” he said, his gaze lingering on me. “Sometimes small is better. Less pressure.”

I glanced over Matt’s shoulder, scanning the crowd for Kaisen. I didn’t know what I was hoping for—maybe that he’d step in and ask me to dance. He wasn’t at the table, and I didn’t see him dancing anywhere.

My stomach twisted with disappointment. I forced myself to focus on the present, on the man in front of me. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was in the wrong place with the wrong person. And that sucked because Matt seemed like a really nice guy, and he was very attractive.

I was ruined. Kaisen ruined me.