Piers’s face lights up with genuine warmth. “That’s amazing! I’m sure Jasper will be over the moon. First words are a pretty big deal.”
“He’ll probably keep her up all night until she says it again.” I laugh. “But while I have you here, I wanted to say I’m so sorry about your loss and everything that’s happened. How are you holding up with all this wedding chaos on top of... well, you know.”
His expression grows serious, and he takes a long sip of his beer before answering. “It’s been surreal, honestly. One minute we’re planning the happiest day of our lives, the next minute there’s police tape and questions and...” He shakes his head. “Poor Tessa. She didn’t deserve any of this. Charlotte keeps asking if we should postpone,but all those deposits are already paid. Bea can handle the financial hit if we cancel, but we’re almost at the finish line.” He takes another swig of beer. “Besides, it’s not like Tessa was some innocent victim. The woman had a talent for making enemies.”
I gasp a little when he says it. I guess beer really does make the truth flow more freely. Note to self: ply all suspects with liquor.
“Did you notice anything strange about Tessa lately? Anyone she might have been having problems with? I mean, you did say she had a talent for making enemies.”
His gaze shifts to the poolroom for a moment. “Conrad was making things pretty awkward for her. I saw the two of them having what looked like a pretty heated conversation behind the catering tent the night…well, the night it happened. And honestly? I think he was trying to hook up with her. The guy has zero boundaries when it comes to women.”
“You don’t say.” I try to keep my voice casual despite the fact that I’m well aware of Conrad’s playboy ways. I think we all are at this point.
“I hate to speak ill of my best man, but Conrad’s track record with women is problematic at best. He sees a pretty face and suddenly develops selective hearing when it comes to the wordno.”
Thank goodness Charlotte seems immune to his charm,he thinks bitterly.Though that hasn’t stopped the snake from trying. I’ve watched him undress her with his eyes all week. Some best friend. Maybe it’s time Conrad learned what happens when you cross certain lines.He lifts his beer and stares angrily at the wall ahead.Mess around and find out, buddy.
“Anyone else who might have had a falling-out with Tessa?”
Piers winces and glances around to make sure no one is listening. “I hate to say it, but Bea—Charlotte’s mother—had some kind of beef with the poor woman. It was probably nothing, just wedding stress, but it felt so visceral and I couldn’t figure out why. Bea’s usually so composed, you know? But every time Tessa’s name came up, she got this look on her face like she’d tasted something sour.” A dry laugh bounces through his chest. “Between my psycho ex-girlfriend showing up to the wedding and my future mother-in-law acting like she wanted to murder the wedding planner, I didn’t have much control over anything this week. Maybe I should have just eloped in Vegas. It would have saved me a hell of a lot of trouble—at least in the interim.”
“Wedding planning can bring out the worst in people,” I agree sympathetically. “All that pressure to make everything perfect.”
“Exactly. And Tessa was just trying to do her job.”Among other things,he thinks grimly before draining his beer and standing. “I should probably get back to the guys before they start placing bets on pool games I can’t afford to lose.”Not that I can afford much of anything these days, but they don’t need to know that.
My brows furrow at the thought.
“Of course. Thanks for chatting. I’ll go find Jasper and give him the good news about Ella’s vocabulary expansion.”
Piers heads toward the pool hall just as Conrad emerges from the group, clearly making his way toward the restrooms in the back hallway. Talk about perfect timing!
I position myself strategically near the narrow hallway that leads to the restrooms, pretending to check my phone, but then I get a better idea. I snap an abandoned beer off the counter and trot back to my post.
Conrad approaches with that confident swagger of his, and I time myaccidentalstumble perfectly.
“Oh no!” I gasp as my beer splashes across the front of his button-down shirt. “I’m so sorry! How clumsy of me!”
“Hey, no worries.” Conrad laughs, dabbing at his shirt with napkins from a nearby table. “It gives me an excuse to take this off.” He winks as he says it.
Eww. Just eww.
“Can I buy you a drink to make up for it?” I offer. “I feel terrible.”
“I’ll never say no to a beautiful woman trying to liquor me up,” he says with what I assume he thinks is a charming smile.
Double eww with a side of nausea.
“I have to ask,” I say as we head back toward the bar, “how are you dealing with everything that’s happened? This whole situation with Tessa must be so difficult for the wedding party.”
I replace the beer I’m holding where I found it, and three seconds later, a man who’s dressed like a lumberjack takes a seat and scoops it up.
Oops. Apparently, I’ve been carrying around someone’s active beverage this whole time. Note to self: abandoned drinks aren’t always actually abandoned. Nevertheless, it made a darn good sidekick.
Conrad’s expression grows more serious, but that predatory charm of his is still very much present. “It’s been tough on everyone,especially Charlotte. She’s trying to hold it together, but you can see the stress eating at her.”
“Did you know Tessa well?”
“Well enough.” He shrugs. “She seemed competent, but honestly? I think Bea had some serious issues with her. I overheard them having what sounded like a pretty intense argument the day before the rehearsal dinner. Bea was practically spitting fire.”
