Page 6 of Broken Vows

“Anna and I have spoken a little on this, but we haven’t decided yet whether to have the wedding abroad or in the city,” Theo says.

Sydney clears her throat. “Well, we could take a look at the contract, chat about expedited fees and things, but it’ll be a tight squeeze,” she says, masking the panic she must be feeling. “Don’t worry, it’s our job to walk you through your options. Let’s start with the guestlist, which will help narrow down venues and locations…”

Sydney’s voice fades into background noise as she launches into her rehearsed routine. I check my watch, then check it again, irritation prickling beneath my skin as I wait for an opening—any excuse—to leave.

“Lexie, right?” Theo’s voice cuts cleanly through the room. Through me.

Sydney stops mid-sentence. The sudden quiet feels deliberate, as if he’s engineered it.

I straighten slowly, hyper-aware of his attention. My nails dig into the soft flesh of my thigh, grounding myself, keeping my legs from betraying me.

“What would you recommend?” he asks, eyes fixed on mine.

Why the hell is he asking me? I glance at Sydney who’s giving me a tight, unreadable expression. “Oh, um, Dr. Astor—”

“Please. What did I say about calling me by my last name,” he says, pulling that same bullshit disarming chuckle as earlier.

And there it is again. Nothing behind his dark eyes that indicates anything except him clarifying his name. Goddammit. Maybe he doesn’t remember me.

I wasn’t prepared for Theo to actively seek my advice. After spending years trying to forget him, the very last thing I want to do is give him the time of day. I swallow hard and resist the urge to scratch at my neck. “I, ah—”

“As I was saying,” Sydney cuts in smoothly, thank God, “our company is dedicated to finding you the perfect venue. But first, we should establish what matters most to you, so we can identify a location that truly reflects your needs.”

Theo turns his attention to Sydney. “The most important thing to me is that Annabelle’s happy.”

I hate that there’s actual sincerity in his tone.

“And that Bruno Mars is available to perform,” he throws in. “Think you can pull that one off?”

“Not sure he’s in our contacts, but I’ll see what I can do.” Sydney relaxes at his joke.

Theo reaches for a handful of nuts and rolls them in his palm. “Teamwork makes the dream work, right?”

Annabelle groans, saving me the trouble of doing it.

A long moment passes and Theo looks back at me. “So, what do you say?”

I’m momentarily confused before remembering the conversation. “For a performer? I have no idea.” Sydney’s stare burns through me and I quickly follow up with, “So much talent out there, huh?” I reach for my water and pray for the floors to crack open and suck me out of this space.

Theo pins me with a hard, very unamused stare, before his expression softens. “No… what are your thoughts about a destination or city wedding?”

I don’t know his game plan here, but I’ll bet my life that it’s not to hear what I think on whether Annabelle should walk down a sandy beach aisle, or one inside St. Michael’s Cathedral. “Depends on what you like. There are advantages to both.”

I focus all my energy on taking fake notes when the room goes silent. When I peek up, Sydney is unblinking, Annabelle is giving me a sympathetic smile, and Theo leans back in his chair, crossing his arms, clearly not letting this go.

“Would you care to share the pros?” His smile doesn’t camouflage the darkness in his tone and something hot flickers in my gut. “If you don’t mind, of course.”

My eyes narrow before I politely reply with, “Oh, of course. Sure. A wedding in six months’ time limits your options in the city. But if you go abroad, it opens the entire world. Do you want all of your friends and family to attend? Then, logistically, a destination wedding might be a little tricky. How many guests will you have? Outdoor or indoor? There are lots of things to consider.”

I’d like to think I sound direct and professional, but I think I probably sound more like a blubbery fool. I hold my breath and peek at Sydney. When she nods, I exhale.

“All great points,” Sydney says, sliding a binder towards them. “Let me give you this brochure that highlights some of the amazing partnerships we have with resorts abroad that will cater for a wedding like yours.” As Sydney talks them through the options, I discreetly watch Theo and Annabelle, searching for any sign that this is all a farce. Instead, there’s an easy intimacy between them—comfort, affection—which is absurd, because Theodore Astor is the furthest thing from affectionate.

“We really need to think this through, Theo. I mean, with our parents…” Annabelle trails off.

Theo’s lips tug into a grin. “I don’t think anyone in this room wants to hear about the family drama.”

I would. Knowing Theo’s life isn’t as perfect as it looks might actually make this whole situation bearable.