He smiles like that was funny compliment, but he enjoys it all the same before nodding his head.
“That necklace is stunning.”
“Isn’t it?” my mom chimes in. “I asked her where she got it and she won’t tell us!”
I roll my eyes like I’m irritated as I look at my mom.
“I told you. I got it online. Super good deal on used website. I’m pretty sure it’s cubic zirconia,” I say with a shrug.
Nico chokes on his champagne that he’s sipping before he breathes through it.
“Yeah, I don’t think so. They look real to me.”
I look down at the necklace and nod.
“Maybe so. The guy I got it from seemed like a cheapskate, though, so who’s to say?”
Nico pins me with a look that is part amused, part irritated. He shakes his head as he takes another sip of his champagne, keeping his eyes on me like I’ll be punished for that later.
Can’t wait.
In the next moment, Carly struts on stage in a wedding gown. I shit you not, a full blown wedding gown. My god she is just embarrassing.
“Hello everyone! Thank you so much for coming! If you could all clear the dance floor, Nicholas and I would like to share our first dance as an engaged couple.”
“Is that a thing?” I scoff, earning my mom’s elbow to my side as Nico sighs, placing his empty glass onto a circulating tray.
“Guess so, excuse me,” he says as he meets Carly in the middle of the room.
They come together, Carly’s hands on his shoulder and in his hand while he holds her waist with the free one. She smiles up at him like she has never been so in love. You have to pay extra close attention to notice that she is scanning the crowd just as much asshe’s looking at Nico, though. Her head is on a swivel, ensuring all attention is on her. She’s so insufferable.
“She just loves the spotlight, doesn’t she?” a man muses beside me.
I look up to see Jake, Nico’s best friend.
“Hey Jake,” I smile.
He makes a little face that has me tilting my head in curiosity. Shaking his head, he takes a sip of his drink and laughs.
“Sorry, it’s nothing. I just…you’re nothing like her, are you?”
My brows furrow as I look at him.
“What do you mean?”
He smirks. “It took ten introductions with your sister before she remembered my name.”
I roll my eyes. “That doesn’t surprise me. She’s been with Nico for three years and can’t remember that he hates being called Nicholas.”
“Yeah,” Jake says with a softer smile, like he’s understanding something clearly. “Want to ruin her fun and join in?” he says as he offers me his hand to dance.
I grin at that. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Jake lets out a laugh as he escorts me to the dance floor before we begin dancing a few feet away. Carly shoots a venomous look to us before gesturing for us to get off the dance floor. It’s too late, though. Behind us five other couples quickly join in. Then a few more, and a few more until I can’t even see them anymore.
As we sway to the music, Jake keeps an appropriate amount of distance between us before he whispers into my ear.
“How are you holding up?”
