Connexion

Part 41

Jena was tempted to stomp her feet or smack Caleb, but she reined in her anger. To bank her annoyance, she rifled through her tote and retrieved her lipstick! With the lipstick in her hands, she raised her eyes and said, "If you followed my orders, you would not be here, beside me, spouting rubbish!" He snorted at her reprimand. "Could I suggest that you leave me to my plans?" There were just a few metres from the door manned by burly bouncers in suits. There were journalists and photographers hovering around. And she was starting to feel conspicuous, givenshe was wearing a plain white shirt while those around were in their finery.She had mastered her shyness when she was young, but on some occasions, her reserve resurfaced. She glanced at the crowd, no doubt someone in that crowd was wondering what she was doing here. Her inhibition had her licking her lips in consolation. 

Caleb nearly laughed. This woman has courage and overconfidence, he thought before he questioned,"Plans? You have plans to gate-crashed this wedding?" Again his eyes roved over her, and shook his head, "You think they will let you in, because you are wearing lipstick?" He snorted.

She rolled her eyes, which was a feat, given she was trying to apply lipstick without a mirror. "Not your business." She rolled her lips to seal the colour, and hoped she had coated her lips and not her teeth and then smiled.  She gestured with her lipstick in her hand. "Go ahead, no queue at the front, go in before Alice and Bruce arrives." She looked over her shoulder, pretending she could see their arrival, she muttered, "Mr Harland, it looks like the couple is about to arrive, given the crowd's behaviour." She took a step away, "And while I appreciate you company, I am sure the wedding planner would be pleased if you were at your table, not loitering outside, and certainly not entertaining me out here." Then delved into her tote looking for her mirror compact, just in case she was talking to him, with her face painted like a clown. Again, she rolled the tube lipstick and hoped to put the next coat more accurately. Well, actually just to check she had applied it at the right area.

Caleb chortled, "I am sure the guys at the front will not be swayed by your smile, wiles, lipstick or," he hesitated, again his eyes tracked from her head to her feet and back, before he continued, "attire."

She smirked at him, put her mirror compact and lipstick back into her tote, pleased that she had been accurate when she applied her lipstick without the mirror.  With a free hand, she took his hand and laced her fingers with his! "Aww, I thought I could with you holding my hand." She squeezed his hand. "They would let me in, if you accompany me, Mr Harland." She rapidly blinked her eyes with comedian time.

Caleb lifted his hand with her hand in his, quirked an eyebrow, and declared, "Only if I am stupid enough to allow you to hold onto my hand or if they are blind and fools." He detached the grip and flicked her hand away. "And I am not stupid, and I am sure they are not fools."

Her eyes sparkled with humour, "Gutted! Really gutted." Jena looked at Giselle and again smiled, "He just shattered my dreams.  Absolutely gutted. My plans thwarted so easily, all because of him." She rapidly blinked her eyes and sighed with no sign of sincerity. "Oh dear." She sighed again, with over the top theatrical-dramatics, she smiled again, "I guess this is the end of our relationship." She exhaled and then grinned, "Nice meeting you, Giselle."

"You are not coming in?" Giselle pouted, and was hoping she could buy time to study them. Definitely chemistry. Camouflaged by their sarcasm. "You don't know what you are missing! Bet the reception will be stunning, amazing decorations and great food and well, everything."

Jena smiled. 

Caleb narrowed his eyes and came to a conclusion that she was a worker in the setting crew. From the corner of his eye, Caleb watched a suited-bouncer approached them, "Come on Giselle," he nodded at the man approaching them "that man looks anxious. And definitely not happy!"

But Giselle ignored Caleb's instruction and her eyes narrowed when something in Jena's statement suggested more than a cursory statement. She asked, "Have you been inside, Jena?"

And Jena's response was stifled by the man who approached them. The suited-bouncer was polite, but Jena could read his mind and saw the confusion when he noted her attire. Politely, he announced, "The bridal couple are a couple of minutes away." His eyes tracked over Jena and he banked his concern. " Would appreciate your cooperation." And tacked on a question, "May I see your invitations?"

Caleb showed him the invitation, and the man checked his ipad, which obviously had the guests and table. He smiled and informed Caleb, "Table eight. There will be ushers inside and they will accompany you to your table."

"Thanks." Caleb said automatically, and gestured Giselle forward before saying, "Goodbye Ms Silva."

Jena recognized Caleb's strategy. His signal to the security man that she was not on the invitation and not with him! Jena grinned at Giselle, "Re your question, Giselle, yes! It is lovely inside." And Jena gave her company a plug, when she said, "And trust me, the cake is extraordinary!"

The man ignored Jena's statement to Giselle and asked, "May I see your invitation?" The man knew she was not a guest given her dress code.

"Unfortunately, no invitation." Jena smiled.

"Well, in that case, would you mind leave this vicinity?" It was phrased as a request but his eyes conveyed the fact he would summon help to escort her to the barrier.

"Of course." She smiled. This man was not here when she arrived earlier and therefore he would not know his colleague had allowed her in. His colleague accompanied her and took her to the wedding planner earlier, and at that time, there was no crowd around. "Bye Giselle and Mr Harland." 

Jena walked away. Probably best to join the crowd. Of course she could tell the man, but then the man would have to check with wedding planner, causing a headache, and an unnecessary job for wedding planner. Jena knew the wedding planner had a lot on her plate.

Caleb and Giselle followed the man to the entrance, and Caleb glanced over his shoulder just before he went inside, and saw Jena removing a link on the barrier, re-hooked it and she joined the crowd on the other side. He was surprised to see she remained there.

"Caleb..."

He looked at Giselle, having missed her previous statement.

"You ok?"

"Yes."