11
Carole hadno clue what her mischievous nieces were up to with those ridiculous moves on the dance floor, but the fact that Tom was indulging their whims with cheerful good humour warmed her to the man even more.
Lingering at the side of the room, she watched him twisting around as he followed her nieces’ outlandish instructions, happy to keep the pair of them entertained. It said something about a man that he had no qualms about allowing two little girls to have fun at his expense.
Her recent ex, Greg, would’ve had no time for such foolishness. If he’d been here with her today, she would’ve had to coax him up from his seat to dance with her, never mind with her nieces, and he would’ve looked miserable for the entire duration.
Dancing had never been Greg’s thing. The time she’d spent dancing with Tom so far tonight was a refreshing change after so long in a relationship with a man who, she’d discovered too late, was just a bit too staid and stuck in ways.
If she’d still been with Greg and he’d been here with her today, she wouldn’t have had nearly as much fun as she’d had so far with Tom.
And to think she’d only brought him here as a handy human shield against Steven Weaver.
“Hello, Carole.”
Surprised by the unexpected voice in her ear, she turned in dismay to find the cretin himself standing just behind her, grinning his annoying smug grin and clutching a wine glass in his hand. He looked a little worse for wear, as if he’d had more than his fair share of alcohol. His tie hung loose and his eyes looked glazed.
“I thought we’d never get a chance to catch up tonight,” Steven said. “So, how have you been, Carole?”
Terrific. Just when she most needed Tom, he was off being sweet and wonderful to her little nieces, while she was trapped here with Steven. Glancing across the dance floor, she tried to catch Tom’s eye, but between the other dancers pressing around him and the rhythmic demands made on him by her nieces, his attention was elsewhere.
“I’ve been fine, Steven.”
“Are you enjoying the wedding?”
“Yes, I am.”
Maybe responding with curt answers would get rid of him. Unfortunately, as Steven had clearly had far more to drink than she’d had, he failed to pick up on her cold and standoffish tone.
“So, what’s been going on with you since we last saw each other?” Steven asked with a broad smile.
Was he serious?
“You mean, since fifteen years ago when I caught you in bed with my friend?”
He at least had the good grace to look ashamed.
“I was an idiot back then, Carole,” he said, holding up his hands, the wine in his glass sloshing precariously. “I’m sorry about what happened. I just wanted to, you know, try and be friendly since we’re both here at this wedding.”
Carole had no idea if Steven was sorry or not. They’d never discussed what happened because she never saw him again after that dreadful night. She’d been too humiliated.
And now, well, it didn’t really matter, did it? His betrayal was so long ago, and she had no intention of letting all that drama from the past get in the way of having a great night at the wedding reception. She wasn’t about to stand here and trade barbed blows with a man who simply wasn’t worth the trouble.
“Look, you’re right,” she said. “You were an idiot back then, Steven, and the truth is I don’t really feel like catching up for old time’s sake. Can we just agree to keep out of each other’s way for the rest of the evening?”
His expression shifted from shame to something that looked like… regret?
“I just wanted to find out how you were, that’s all,” he said. “Nothing more, nothing less. I was just curious about what you’ve done with your life and whether you’re happy.”
Carole sighed. Okay, she could do this. She was a smart and mature woman who could certainly exchange a few polite words with someone she didn’t like, to avoid a scene and keep things civil.
“I’m pretty happy, Steven,” she said, her tone even. “I like my job, I just moved house, and things are looking good.”
“Oh, you moved house? That’s always a bit of an ordeal. Did it go all right?”
The way he latched onto this morsel, his expression full of empathy in an effort to connect with her, made her take pity on him. She wanted to kick herself for that, but innate decency had her responding once more.
“It went okay. It wasn’t a huge move, just from London to Hamblehurst, so things were relatively easy to coordinate.”
