“Go make you each a plate and then find somewhere to eat it. There is plenty of food left and they’re just going to throw it all away.”
Christian nodded, took Tori’s hand, and headed into the room as his mother and sister watched.
The guests had eaten much more than his mother must have thought because there wasn’t much left at all.
Tyler walked up next to him with a bottle of champagne and two empty flutes. “Here this one is open so you might as well drink it. They’re charging it to them anyway.”
Christian managed the bottle, glasses, and his plate.
“Oh, and one more thing.” Tyler took a card out of his pocket and placed it into the front pocket of Christian’s tux pants. “Room 430. I’m going to head out again and you shouldn’t be driving anywhere tonight so you take my room.”
Tyler rested his hand on Christian’s shoulder as though it were in lieu of a hug, then he turned and left the room.
Christian turned to see Tori walking toward him with a full plate. “You didn’t eat either?”
“Like I said I need a real meal. What’s with the champagne?”
“Left overs I guess. What else do we have to do tonight but to finish getting drunk and eat free food?”
She laughed and they walked toward a dark corner where there was a smaller table. He figured no one would see them there or worry that they were in the way of cleaning up. They only needed enough time to eat their food and drink their champagne before Tori loaded herself into a cab and drove away from him, again.
It surprised Victoria very much that she was enjoying her evening. Those kisses shared with Scott had almost— almost— been erased from her memory.
Christian, though growing drunker with every glass of champagne they toasted with—as she was as well—had become much funnier as they talked and shoved thick slices of ham in their mouths.
“I really suck at this construction stuff,” he said slurring his words and leaning in toward her.
“Nah. I’ll bet you’re great.” She tried to focus on him.
He shook his head. “I don’t understand it. Really. I’m going to have to find something else to do.” He rubbed his hand over his face, which made hers itch. “I’m not good at anything.”
Suddenly she could think of many things he’d been good at. And though she didn’t want to share them with him, nor did she think they’d earn him a living, they did make her body heat rise. She licked her lips trying to restore moisture to her mouth.
Christian picked up the bottle to refill their glasses to only manage a few drops into each of their glasses. “Ooops. I think we drank the whole thing.”
“I see that.” They clinked their glasses together and then she was sure she could hear her cell phone chiming.
The noise caused them to both look up and look around the room. It was empty. His family hadn’t even said goodbye. They’d left them alone to have their little party in the corner. But where had she put her stuff?
They both stood, slowly and wobbly, and followed the sound of her cell phone alerting her that she had a slew of text messages.
By the main door they found a chair with his tux jacket draped over it, her purse, another bottle of champagne, and a fifty dollar bill with a torn piece of paper attached that read Don’t let her drive. Get a cab. Dad.
She watched Chris tuck it into his pocket as she pulled her cell phone from her purse.
She scrolled through the messages.
“Is everything okay?” Christian asked moving closer to her.
“Uh-huh.” She was able to mumble as she looked at the many messages from Scott.
He wanted her to call him, but she didn’t want to. Doing that would alter the moment. It would take her out of this tiny little fantasy she was having and force her back to reality—where Christian wasn’t a willing participant.
She simply texted back WILL CALL TOMORROW. GOOD NIGHT. Then she slid the phone back into her purse.
She’d nearly had a moment of clarity
Christian nodded, took Tori’s hand, and headed into the room as his mother and sister watched.
The guests had eaten much more than his mother must have thought because there wasn’t much left at all.
Tyler walked up next to him with a bottle of champagne and two empty flutes. “Here this one is open so you might as well drink it. They’re charging it to them anyway.”
Christian managed the bottle, glasses, and his plate.
“Oh, and one more thing.” Tyler took a card out of his pocket and placed it into the front pocket of Christian’s tux pants. “Room 430. I’m going to head out again and you shouldn’t be driving anywhere tonight so you take my room.”
Tyler rested his hand on Christian’s shoulder as though it were in lieu of a hug, then he turned and left the room.
Christian turned to see Tori walking toward him with a full plate. “You didn’t eat either?”
“Like I said I need a real meal. What’s with the champagne?”
“Left overs I guess. What else do we have to do tonight but to finish getting drunk and eat free food?”
She laughed and they walked toward a dark corner where there was a smaller table. He figured no one would see them there or worry that they were in the way of cleaning up. They only needed enough time to eat their food and drink their champagne before Tori loaded herself into a cab and drove away from him, again.
It surprised Victoria very much that she was enjoying her evening. Those kisses shared with Scott had almost— almost— been erased from her memory.
Christian, though growing drunker with every glass of champagne they toasted with—as she was as well—had become much funnier as they talked and shoved thick slices of ham in their mouths.
“I really suck at this construction stuff,” he said slurring his words and leaning in toward her.
“Nah. I’ll bet you’re great.” She tried to focus on him.
He shook his head. “I don’t understand it. Really. I’m going to have to find something else to do.” He rubbed his hand over his face, which made hers itch. “I’m not good at anything.”
Suddenly she could think of many things he’d been good at. And though she didn’t want to share them with him, nor did she think they’d earn him a living, they did make her body heat rise. She licked her lips trying to restore moisture to her mouth.
Christian picked up the bottle to refill their glasses to only manage a few drops into each of their glasses. “Ooops. I think we drank the whole thing.”
“I see that.” They clinked their glasses together and then she was sure she could hear her cell phone chiming.
The noise caused them to both look up and look around the room. It was empty. His family hadn’t even said goodbye. They’d left them alone to have their little party in the corner. But where had she put her stuff?
They both stood, slowly and wobbly, and followed the sound of her cell phone alerting her that she had a slew of text messages.
By the main door they found a chair with his tux jacket draped over it, her purse, another bottle of champagne, and a fifty dollar bill with a torn piece of paper attached that read Don’t let her drive. Get a cab. Dad.
She watched Chris tuck it into his pocket as she pulled her cell phone from her purse.
She scrolled through the messages.
“Is everything okay?” Christian asked moving closer to her.
“Uh-huh.” She was able to mumble as she looked at the many messages from Scott.
He wanted her to call him, but she didn’t want to. Doing that would alter the moment. It would take her out of this tiny little fantasy she was having and force her back to reality—where Christian wasn’t a willing participant.
She simply texted back WILL CALL TOMORROW. GOOD NIGHT. Then she slid the phone back into her purse.
She’d nearly had a moment of clarity
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