Connexion

Part 40

Giselle narrowed her eyes. Something was definitely going on here. Unquestionably chemistry. But Caleb and Jena were too busy ignoring chemistry! Giselle exhaled a long breath in a huff. "Caleb, you will have to explain to me your link to her."

Caleb baited Jena. "As she has already confirmed, she does not meet my standards!" As expected, Jena's eyes fired up, but she banked her anger and pasted a smile on her lips. The man was maddening. Actually, worse, he provoked her with no reason. Vexing idiot, she muttered beneath her breath.

Giselle smacked his arm and shrieked, "Caleb!" What happened to her charming cousin? And why was he deliberately baiting Jena?

Jena maintained her composure, "As I told him, he lacks courtesy." She flicked a look at Caleb and said firmly, "A trait that he would have to exhibit to meet my standards." Jena folded her arms, and wondered why she was still talking to him.

Caleb matched Jena's tone when he said, "And I have reminded Ms Silva, I do not meet her prerequisite."

"What prerequisite?" Giselle mumbled, furrowed her brow.

"Wearing a ring." He retorted bluntly.

Giselle's frown grew. Jena poked her tongue into her cheek to stop her from shouting at him.

Caleb grated, "Don't you think, Ms Silva, your attempt to replace Melanie, falls under poaching. Is poaching in your nature." Jena frowned at that reference. For some reason, goading was apparently the best option here, he thought as he watched her stifling her exasperation. "Poaching is not a quality that I value!"

Nobody moved. Caleb and Jena were too busy tussling, albeit conveyed by their eyes. And Giselle was not sure how to deal with the escalation of the situation. From her point, she thought Caleb was prodding Jena and Jena was needling Caleb. Not sure that either would reach a treaty.

Eventually, Jena huffed. "Enough." No point staying here. She was pretty sure that this argument would escalate if she stayed here. She glared at Caleb, "Excuse me." Her eyes flashed Caleb, a message: Idiot! His eyes flashed a silent message: Coward. Jena ignored that. She turned towards Giselle, at least the smile was genuine when she said, "Nice meeting you Giselle. But I have to go."

"Ditto." Giselle said automatically and glanced around, knowing the bridal couple was due at any moment.

Before she took a step away, moving towards the front of the building, Jena found her manners, and said quietly, "Goodbye, Mr Harland."

Just a shame that Giselle and Caleb tracked her steps, because that was the way to the entrance!

"You do not have to walk with me!" Jena said under her breath.

"You just reminded me." Caleb said as if he was just talking about the weather.

"What?" Jena stopped. He stopped too.

"I think you forgot our conversation in my office. Let me refresh your mind."

She exhaled, "Fine." Jena thought it might be best to deal with it here before they reached the front steps with the bouncers. "Refresh my mind."

"Your disposition." Caleb said pointedly. Giselle blinked.

Jena nearly shrieked. "My disposition?"

"Vanity. Arrogance. Self-importance!" He declared, "You really think we are walking with you?"

"You are!" Jena threw her hands in the air, resumed her walk and she increased her pace.

Caleb and Giselle continued to track her path.

"Stop following me!" Jena wondered if it would be best if she traversed the barriers, and take a position with the crowd on the other side of the barrier. But she would have lost her advantage to see the couple.

"This is the way to the entrance. Giselle and I are here for the reception." Caleb reminded her. "Because we, Giselle and I, are guests."

Giselle, in her high heels, was practically running to match Jena and Caleb's pace. Giselle noting that Caleb's statement had excluded Jena. Short of breath, Giselle all but panted, "Are you attending the wedding, Ms Silva?"

Caleb snorted. "Giselle! You and I both know you are not that naïve!" Caleb nodded at Jena's attire.

Giselle frowned, registering his point. None of women in the various groups, who were loitering at the entrance, were in jeans and shirt, like Jena. No one at the church was in jeans, Giselle narrowed her eyes, but then she all but shrieked with patronage and excitement, "Are you gate-crashing this?" 

"No." Jena shook her head. "Wearing this? If I was going to gate crashing this, I would try to blend in with appropriate attire!" She chuckled.

Caleb demanded, "So why are you heading for the entrance?" He looked over at Jena, and smirked, "In any case, I doubt the security will let you through? Unlike my security at my office!" He reminded Jena

Jena blushed and lied. "I don't need security to let me in."

He chuckled. "If you say so." Derision laced his words. He watched as the suited burly men at the front of the door were checking the invitations. There is no way they would let her in.

She was not going to tell him that she was going to the front to get a decent glimpse of the celebrity guests and the couple. "If you must know, I am heading for my car. Is that ok with you, Mr Harland?" Sarcasm laced her question.

He matched Jena's tone and he reminded her, "Ms Silva, the car park is back there." He jerked a thumb pointing to the road. "Just beyond the corner where you bumped into me." He narrowed his eyes. He wondered how she dodged security at the gate. "How did you get past those manning the gate at the car-park? " Then shook his head, as he again took stock of the security men at the front door, "In any case, I am sure those at the entrance will not let you in?"

"If I wanted," Jena said with confidence, "in." After all, they had let her in, "So yes, they would." Which was probably not accurate at the moment. Given the wedding planner took her to the fire exit at the side, and security at the front might not let her in now! But Jena was not going to tell Caleb that. 

Caleb laughed. "Further proof of your conceit? Or just plain overconfidence." Then he narrowed his eyes. "I forgot! You expect people to follow your orders!"

Giselle's ears registered Caleb's sarcasm and her eyes clocked Jena's reactions.