PHOEBE clinked a spoon against her glass of champagne, and the chatter of the crowd dulled to silence.
"To the newlyweds," she said. The aged lines of her face were illuminated in the warmth of the lantern lights dangling from the tent ceiling. Her grey hair glowed a deep golden-orange. "Adrien, I've watched you grow into a beautiful, kind, fierce young woman. I love you, my little sugar plum princess."
Beside Muse, Adrien's face was tinged slightly pink. Muse wanted to kiss her cheek, right where it softly blushed, so badly. Wait―fuck it. They were married now.
Muse leaned over and pressed her lips gently to Adrien's smooth skin.
Adrien being called a little sugar plum princess? Pure poetry. "I have to get on that," Muse whispered.
"Shut up."
"My cutie snootie bear."
"I'm going to kill you."
"Widowing yourself so soon?"
Adrien grinned and reached for Muse's hand under the table as Phoebe continued, "And I've only known Muse for a couple months, but she is the sweetest soul I've ever encountered. You two are a beautiful, darling match. I wish you all the happiness in the world, my dears. Congratulations."
She toasted her glass of champagne. Clapping rang out among the crowd, mingled with the sound of silverware clinking against glass.
The reception was being held in an elaborate white tent, set up on the beach. Torches had been lined along the border outside, and chandeliers and lanterns glistened from the ceiling. Tables dipped in white silk had been positioned around the room, with a handful of guests at each one. The centrepieces were woven lavender and violets, encased in glass jars with fireflies.
It was so perfect Muse wanted to cry.
Her and Adrien were seated on a slightly taller platform, at a table with only Ezra, Phoebe, Agnes, and Pegasus. The cat had a higher seat than the rest. His little bowtie glittered in the light. The seven-course dinner had already been served―he had been given his own specialized food: raw strips of salmon centred with a runny egg yolk.
For the rest of the guests, there had been pear-and-brie flatbread, Caesar salad, chicken thighs sizzled with red wine, spinach-and-ricotta stuffed ravioli, maple-glazed lamb, minestrone, and ice cream with honeyed strawberries, cherries, and raspberries. Muse could still taste the honey and cherries on her tongue.
Ezra pushed back from the table and rose. Pegasus purred at him.
Raising his glass, he said, "Adrien, I've known you nearly my whole life."
For some reason, Adrien seemed nervous. The inside of her wrist, overtop Muse's hand, pulsed with her heartbeat―it was racing.
"I've seen you do some pretty stupid things, and make some pretty stupid choices."
A long pause. Somebody coughed. Baby Grey hiccupped.
"But this isn't one of them," he continued. "And I'm so happy you've found a woman who's your equal, with more spine than even you―which I didn't think was possible."
A few guests laughed.
"Cheers to a long"―lingering on the word long―"marriage. May you always be happy, and may Muse always keep you in your place, Adrien."
YOU ARE READING
The Billionaire And The Waitress (gxg)
RomanceAdrien Vitale is one of the most powerful people in the world. Daughter of a business man, she will stop at nothing to inherit her father's corporation. To every woman she has ever slept with, she is ruthless, ambitious and cutthroat, with no intent...
