Sweet As You

(7) Kathie Jane

Kathie Jane

"Slow down with the champagne," Jessica whispers. "You have a low alcohol tolerance, remember?"

I let her take my flute of champagne away and squeezed my eyes close, feeling a little light-headed. "I can take champagne."

Jessica snorted and lay down her equipment on the table. "Really? How many fingers am I holding up?" She waves her hand at my face too fast that all I saw was a blur of ten fingers.

"Are you trying to trick me into thinking that I'm tipsy?"

She laughed. "Okay. But no more drinks for you."

I purse my lips at her. "My boyfriend left me so I'm allowed to drink."

"Do you want to have another tripping incident?" She pointed to the next table. "There's a guy over there you can plant your face on."

I groaned. "I didn't tell you about that so you can keep reminding me."

"You deserve to have a little fun after Owen's dick-move."

At the mention of his name, my eyes darted down to my phone on the table. He's gone completely MIA.

"Can I say something?"

I look up, my smile reappearing. "I'm gorgeous?"

"Puh-lease, that's common knowledge." She rolls her eyes playfully.

I bat my eyelashes. "I'm like sunshine?"

She lets out a small laugh. "You're not even trying."

"What is it?"

Jess looks down her purple painted nails. "You'll be fine without Owen."

My smile wavered a bit. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I have friends to keep me company."

"A ton." She cracks her neck and blew out a breath, the first time she allowed herself to look exhausted. She scans the room and observes her assistants. She let them take over after she covered the important parts of the ceremony.

"Tiring job, isn't it?"

Jessica sighs, smiling softly. "Worth every penny."

We watched couples dancing to a song that required swaying, proximity and a touch of romantic caresses. The husky and gravelly rock voice of Nathan's brother Jett Forester – who insisted to play with his band on his older brother's wedding – engulf the air with a sort of romance that slaps you across the face for being single.

Chassie was dancing with her son. Nathan, on the other hand, is being snapped up non-stop by jealous female guests. He grants them a minute, longer if you're a relative. As of the moment, he's dancing with his oldest sister Starlet.

Pretty name. And fitting too. Starlet Forester is a well-paid actress and their youngest brother is a vocalist more popular with the ladies. While his siblings took the career path with neon lights in it, Nathan the middle child took the road set by their parents. He took over the Forester Realty.

"Kathie."

I turn to Jessica surreptitiously flinging a finger to the furthest table. "Never seen that guy before."

My gaze came to rest at Cade Parkinson, alone in his table. He had his phone over his ear, his expression stoic. "Cade Parkinson."

Her green eyes crinkled with amusement. "Oh. The guy you shoved your boobs at and whose crotch you shamelessly motoboated?"

"Jesus." I winced. "Don't make me regret I told you about that. And I wouldn't use 'motorboat' and 'crotch.'"

A finger traces her jaw. "It's how I imagined it."