My skin heats beneath the glare my uncle shoots at me. I can practically hear his old grinch's voice demanding I don’t cause a problem. Demanding I let this man walk all over me. my own feelings be damned.
“Thank you for keeping my place warm, but I’m here now.” Kaz picks the right friend to address.
“Oh. Yes, of course.” Rosa goes to stand up, but I grab her wrist again.
“Stay put.” Kara demands in a hushed whisper.
Kaz moves his gaze to me. “I believe it’s customary for the groom to sit with the bride.”
“That’s true, however, the groom couldn’t be bothered to join the wedding celebration. So other arrangements have been made.” If my uncle had his way, an arrow would be piercing my chest right now.
“The groom had important things to do.”
“Such as?” I tilt my head to the side.
“Kaz! Oh, good you’re here.” The woman who caught me in my sprint of shame last night hurries up to the table and wraps her arm around Kaz’s waist.
“I was afraid you’d gotten lost. This city is so big and confusing. But you’re here now. Which is good. We ate already; you missed dinner.”
She flicks her gaze to me, gives a soft smile. “Maybe if you ask nicely, your wife—who looks amazing in her dress by the way—will ask you to join her. Maybe a little apology for being so late?”
“Vee.” Another man, a slightly older version of Kaz, joins our little huddle. “Your ice cream is melting.”
“That’s all right, I just wanted to be sure Kaz was okay.” She smiles brightly at him.
“Hmm.” He gives Kaz a disapproving look.
“I’m fine, Vee. Go eat your ice cream, and I’ll sit with my wife and do the same.” Kaz locks eyes with me. “But she’ll need to make room for me.”
Just as he makes his declaration, a server shows up with three dessert ice creams, placing the little silver bowls filled with vanilla ice cream and a cookie crumble on top.
“Kara.” Rosa gets up from her seat. “Let them have their dessert.”
“Fine.” Kara picks up her ice cream. “He can get his own, though.”
Kara drags her chair with her to the end of the platform and leaves it so it’s blocking Kaz’s way. If Rosa wasn’t pulling on her arm to take her away, I’m positive Kara would have plenty to say to him.
“It’s okay, Kara.” I assure her when she glances over her shoulder at me. “It’s okay.”
“Let’s sit back down.” Vee is escorted away from our table, and Kaz is left standing at the bottom of the platform looking up at me.
“Are you going to come up or not?” I pick up the spoon and dig a tiny bit of the ice cream out.
My stomach can’t handle much more tension today, and the sauce on the chicken was so rich I’m not sure I can handle even a small bite of the ice cream.
Kaz moves Kara’s chair onto the floor next to him and steps up onto the platform. I move my chair slightly to the right, giving him more space to sit.
Once he’s seated, conversations start up again in the room. Tension eases in the air.
If only it would ease up in my chest.
He unbuttons his jacket as he sits. His shoulders are so broad I need to move over another inch to keep from touching him.
“So, what did you have to do that was so important you couldn’t ride from the church to the hotel with me?” I ask, sliding another small bit of ice cream from my spoon into my mouth.
His eyes transfix on my lips.
“A meeting that couldn’t be put off.”
