The Hookup

Three

By the time dinner is served I'm surprised I haven't withered away by this point. Note to self: stop at a food stand on the way to dining with the rich. I knew that hot pocket I had this afternoon wouldn't be enough to last me until tonight.

Conversation is flowing as well as wines and liquor. I took a cab here with every intention of drinking my fair share tonight, thank you Jesus for an open bar, and now that I'm on my third glass of wine, I'm finally loosening up a bit.

Myra's been busy entertaining guests all night and I've barely seen her at all. Isla is busy with her own husband and seven year old step daughter. And I'm finding it less hard to engage in conversation with a room filled of mostly strangers thanks to my liquid courage.

'Carraway's' is an upscale Italian restaurant that I personally have never had the pleasure of dining at before. The ambiance is wealthy, for sure, and you dang sure have to be in order to pay for a meal here. Suddenly, Stoffer's lasagna that I enjoy on occasion seems a little less fancy.

There's a large conference style handcrafted wooden table in a room off of the bar area and as we are all ushered in to eat, I notice place cards in front of the plates. Wine glass in hand, I quickly search for my name in dainty cursive writing and find it a few seats down from the head of the table. The table itself is so massive and beautifully decorated in the couples wedding colors with red roses filling their room with their scent and I notice two seats placed at the head of the table reserved for the Mr. and Mrs. to be.

I could almost sigh in relief when I see Isla pull out the chair next to me, leading me to believe Myra has arranged for her small wedding party to sit close to her and Daniel. On the bride's side, it's just Isla and I and her step niece as the flower girl. On the groom's, Daniel's brother Lee and his friend from London apparently that Myra had eluded to earlier.

London. As if everything about this whole occasion didn't scream wealth; Daniel's got a friend from London who he knows well enough to be in his wedding.

"Having fun?" Isla leans into me as everyone around us takes their seats.

"Yeah, you?"

"Don't tell my sister this, but I'm glad Marcus and I eloped," she smirks out of the corner of her eye. Before I can respond, Daniel grabs everyone's attention by clinking the glass in his hand.

"If I could have your attention.." he starts as the noise starts to tone down. "Thank you everyone for being here tonight on the eve of our wedding. I know some of you traveled a long way to get here.."

I follow Daniel's eyes as they move across the table to the man sitting directly in front of me. Although the height and width of the flower arrangements make it hard to see him at first, I feel my eyes nearly bulge out of my sockets when I take in his appearance.

During my high school days back home, my friends would tease me that I had what you call 'whisky glasses' when it came to boys. The ability to think someone was way more attractive than they actually were when I'd had a few. But there's no mistaking this man's appeal. Because he may be one of, if not the best looking man I'd ever seen in my life.

Sorry Chris Hemsworth. You've been demoted.

"I can't tell you how excited My and I are to have everyone together and to tie the knot tomorrow. We appreciate you all so much. With that, we'd like to introduce our wedding party and then dinner will be served." As the clapping begins throughout the room, my attention is pulled away from Mr. London as I see Isla starting to stand out of the corner of my eye.

"Hello, everyone! I'm Isla, maid of honor and sister of the bride," she beams as she begins to take her seat again.

Instantly, my cheeks heat up and I feel my heart drop like a bomb into my stomach. No one told me I was to stand up in a room full of strangers and introduce myself tonight. The thought of standing tall next to Myra on the alter tomorrow was enough to give me a panic attack ever since she asked me to be there in the first place five months ago.

I don't do well with people's eyes on me. Hell, I almost failed public speaking 101 my freshman year and now I'm praying to whoever will listen that I won't stumble over my own name.

Just as I'm working up the nerve to stand, I feel Isla nudge me with her elbow. Giving me the green light to make a fool of myself, I know. Shifting my chair back slightly, I rise up on shaky legs and throw out a small smile as I can literally feel dozens of eyes on me.

"Hi, I'm Josephine." I start, my voice shaky and no doubt giving my nerves away. All I can think to myself in this moment is that the handsome stranger in front of me is watching. It's like I can feel his eyes burning holes in my skin. "I work with Myra and have known her and Daniel for quite some time." I manage to choke out the last part and then resume my seat, my heart nearly beating out of my chest. Instantly, I reach for my glass of wine that's nearly gone and down the last sip in one go in order to calm myself.

"I'm Lee, as most.. of you know," Daniel's brother begins speaking, thankfully taking the attention away from me. "I'm Daniel's younger brother and yes, I have been told I'm the better looking one," he grins and light laughter floats through the room.

And then it's his turn.

With his glass in hand, filled with a dark amber liquid, I watch curiously as Mr. London stands to his feet and seems to tower over the table. He's tall. Like.. Statue of Liberty tall from where I sit. His shoulders are broad and he has such a confidence about him, nearly sucking all the oxygen out of the room.

"I'm Hero."

What the fuck. I'd never heard anyone with his accent speak in person before. I'm having a really hard time breathing here, people. In case anyone was wondering. And his name.. it's like he's utter perfection in the flesh.

"I'm a good friend of Dan's. Cheers mate," he smiles at Myra and Daniel while raising his glass in a toast-like kind of way, making me wonder if there's anything left of myself, feeling like a puddle on the floor.

In agreeance, everyone else in the room raises their glasses to the toast and I can't help but notice Hero's eyes dart across the table and land on me before he takes his seat once again.

Now that I've had a miniature heart attack and my skin resembles that of a steamed lobster, dinner is about to start. This weekend just got a bit more interesting and it's barely begun.

Where's the waiter? I need another drink.