“Nice to meet you, John…How do you know Matt and Melody?”
“I worked with Melody at The New York Appeal,” he smiled. “We were all pretty bummed when she quit on us… So, you and Matt Sterling are still friends?”
“Something like that. What do you do for a liv—”
“But you cheated on him with that older guy!”
“I—”
“How could you do that to Matt? And how does Melody feel about you?”
“I’m—”
“Do they even know you’re here? Is that why you sat in the back? Are you planning to get revenge on Matt by crashing his wedding? Are you—”
I felt two familiar arms wrapping around my waist. “I don’t think she’s obligated to answer any of your rude and inappropriate questions. I suggest you stay away from her for the rest of the night or I’ll keep you away. Your choice.”
John turned red and scuttled across the room.
I wriggled out of Ethan’s embrace and turned around. “I hope you don’t expect me to say thank you.”
“I would never…Good evening, Selena.”
I didn’t say anything back. I just looked him up and down.
He was still as gorgeous as the first day I met him; still devastatingly sexy and able to make me melt with that ridiculous smile.
I walked away from him and sat in the back of the room. Half of me wanted him to follow me, but the other half wanted him to take pride in saving me from John’s stupid questions and go away. Far away.
He sat beside me and cleared his throat. “How have you been?”
“I’ve been wonderful, and yourself?” I didn’t even try to sound convincing.
“Not great, to be honest… I’ve missed you.”
“I wish I could say the same.”
“So you meant that you never wanted to see me again?”
“Yes. Go away.”
“Why Selena?” he lifted my hand and kissed it.
“Ethan, you lied to me…And you put my mom’s bakery out of business.”
“I’m sorry for lying to you. That was wrong and I’m very sorry…And I’m extremely sorry about Sweet Seasons. I promise it wasn’t personal.”
“It wasn’t personal? Bullshit! Twenty two people lost their jobs, Ethan! You don’t think that qualifies as personal? As soon as you found out it was my mother’s shop you should’ve said something to me!”
“I’m sorry. I—”
“Are you really?” I felt myself getting angry all over again. “Or are you just saying that to get something else you want? Is there another pie recipe your company is after? Give me the address and I’ll mail you the whole book.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, the reception will begin in ten minutes!” a man tapped a spoon to his glass. “Please follow me!”
I snatched my hand away from Ethan and made a dash for the reception.
I didn’t look back.
I walked inside the enormous tent and gasped: Bright white lights were strung all across the top of the black backdrop; they looked like they were twinkling stars. Each table was set with lavish white centerpieces—four foot crystal vases, freshly cut roses, and floating lilies. There were crystallized name plates in front of every seat, and a silver customized menu that was in the shape of an Old Hollywood movie ticket.
I found my name plate on the table and tucked the one in that read “Selena Ross’s guest” into my purse. I saw Ethan walking into the tent, looking around, and I tried my best to hide behind the woman on the other side of me.
“You look stunning tonight,” he ran his fingertips across my bare back before sitting down. “I wanted to sit next to you at the ceremony, but I didn’t want you to get angry and cause a scene…”
How convenient…
He seemed to be saying more words but I was tuning him out.
I focused on the large screens onstage that looped numerous pictures of Matt and Melody enjoying their newfound “couple-dom”: They were lounging aboard a yacht, swimming in the ocean, standing atop the Eiffel Tower, and laughing inside an empty movie theater.
They definitely look like they belong together…
“I haven’t been the same since you left,” Ethan grabbed my hand. “Could you please talk to me? I know you can hear me, Selena. Stop ignoring me.”
I used my other hand to grab a piece of bread from the center basket. I placed it on my plate and rolled it around in butter.
“Selena, I’m tremendously sorry for not telling you as soon as I found out,” he sighed. “I should have told you, and I’m sorry that I didn’t. But even if I had, I’m not sure that would’ve changed Sweet Seasons’ closing.”
I yanked my hand away from him, but he pulled it back. “I honestly didn’t want to lose you. I was scared that if I told you, you wouldn’t want to date me anymore.”