Unwanted Emotions by Bria Mackenzie

Author:Bria Mackenzie [Mackenzie , Bria]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-06-17T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Nine

RYLIE

Tonight was supposed to be all about clinking champagne glasses and joyous laughter, not a theater of high-stakes drama. Sure, the champagne flowed freely beneath the grand, gorgeously adorned tent, and laughter filled the air. But the drama - man, it was an unexpected headliner, and yours truly had been thrust center stage. Then, there were those relentless stares from Marilee's posse, like a thousand laser beams burning into my skin. Wasn't the most pleasant feeling. Thank heavens I'm not a big-shot author yet, or I'd be tomorrow's tabloid headline.

When Sean roped me into this charade, playing the part of his shiny new girlfriend, I figured it might be a laugh or two. He was Sophie's brother, my best friend, and Marilee, his ex? Well, she needed a not-so-subtle reminder that their flame was out. So, I played the game, hoping it would give her something to chew on.

And I'll give us credit – we did a pretty solid job. I was the perfect girlfriend, laughing at Sean's terrible jokes, hanging on his every word, just as someone head-over-heels would.

Then came that kiss, his spontaneous way to ward off Marilee's friends. It caught me off guard; it was swift and intense, leaving me breathless. It set my insides fluttering like a thousand little butterflies on a summer's day. Yet, it was an unplanned detour, not part of our original script. And now I'm left with the uneasy task of navigating the aftermath of that unexpected moment.

"Where's Sean?" Jodie's question pulls me back to reality as we watch the couples twirling on the dance floor to the sweet music filling the tent.

I scan the crowd, but Sean is elusive, appearing and disappearing like a phantom. "I'm not sure where he's off to," I confess.

One would think we'd stick close together, wouldn't they? Isn't that what couples do? We are nearing the final act of our romantic facade, and the script calls for us to finish strong, not with me looking like a damsel deserted mid-party.

Not wanting to jeopardize our well-crafted ruse, I resolve to track him down. A passing waiter mentions seeing Sean heading towards the neighboring mansion, so I follow the lead. The mansion is a mammoth monument of wealth, a maze of gleaming marble floors and opulent rooms. It's overwhelming, almost swallowing me whole. Where could he be?

Another waiter scurries by, his arms laden with trays of appetizers. I intercept him, "Excuse me, did you see a gentleman come in here?"

With a nod of his head indicating the upstairs, I thank him and begin my ascent, my heart pounding in sync with my steps.

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