Finding Katie

Chapter 25

Ben

The sun was shining and the vicar was funny, the bride was beautiful and the champagne was excellent. And by the time dessert was served, my cheeks hurt.

I had smiled my way through the ceremony and the photos, the dinner and the speeches, but if I had to keep my smile in place much longer, the pain would settle in my temples and manifest itself as a headache.

I turned my smile to the waiter offering a refill of red wine and put my hand over my glass as I shook my head. Then surreptitiously massaged the lines between my eyebrows.

It didn't much help.

Only resolving the reasons for my inexcusably shitty mood would, but both reasons made me a complete arse, and only one of them could I do something about.

I searched the massive room until my eyes landed on the man sitting three tables over, the man who had started off my shitty mood when I'd seen him in the church.

I should have realised that James Everett would be at the wedding. The private detective was a good friend of Michael's and had been instrumental, albeit unwittingly, in bringing Sarah and Michael together.

I'd tried all day to find a way to get James alone, but as our chat wasn't one I'd be able to smile my way through I couldn't just barge over there and demand we talk. If my conversation took place anywhere but in a secluded corner, at least one pair of too perceptive eyes would take one look at my expression and wonder what was so serious that James and I had to talk about it at Sarah's and Michael's wedding. And demand to be told.

And my mother liked liars just as much as I did.

"What's wrong?"

The words were a whisper from beside me, but I still looked round our table to see if any of the other guests sitting here had heard Katie's question. There were too many members of my family present for my mother to not learn about my mood if anyone but Katie picked up on it.

"It's nothing."

She tugged on my hand. "Ben."

Releasing my breath, I looked at Katie, but that only made my conscience squeeze tighter around my gut. I needed to talk to James.

"Who is that man?" she asked, following my gaze across the room.

I tried for a smile. "A friend of Michael's I've met a few times. I should go say hello."

On the words and before she could ask more, I kissed her cheek and stood, then walked towards the other table.

James saw me coming and rose too, headed for the bar at the back of the massive high-ceilinged ballroom. He'd just ordered a whisky when I reached him.

I halted beside James with my hands in my pockets. My smile had fallen the moment I'd passed the last table, and only James and the bartender could see my expression. The latter placed down a glass with golden liquid and then retreated to the other end of the bar.

Looking straight at the other man, I said what I should have days ago. "I've changed my mind."

James' gaze was troubled when he looked at me, a frown gauged deep into his forehead. Sipping from the glass he then shook his head. "Ben, I–"

"I'm serious, James," I added in a low voice even though the music and chatter was loud enough that no one would be able to hear me. "I want you to stop the assignment."

The other man rubbed his neck with one hand while he stared into his glass. Then looked to his side. "It's almost done. I'm just waiting for a call from a mate in Liverpool who owes me a favour. He's looking into things up there, and then I'll have a full report for you."