“Don’t be silly. Throwing him out of here as soon as the meal is done will be a highlight. I’m going to make sure the photographer captures it.”
God, I love my sister.
The reception goes smoothly. The speeches are short and heartfelt, the food is delicious, and there is an angel of a server who freely pours the champagne at the head table.
As soon as the reception ends, the wedding party retires to a small room adjacent to the ballroom with a private bar. June wastes no time appraising Colin and Jessica of the situation. Jessica is speaking into her headset before my sister is done talking, alerting security. I feel myself flush with embarrassment, but Jessica assures us that they will be very discreet. April sulks on the sidelines like I’ve spoiled her fun. Her pout disappears when Jessica leaves and June walks her way.
“What the hell were you thinking?” June spits at her.
“I didn’t think it would be a big deal,” April whines, going on the defense immediately. I’ve heard her “I’m the victim” speech too many times to count. “Magpie said she didn’t care who he saw that day at the flower shop. You were there, Junie, you heard–”
“Bullshit. You knew it would upset her, you knew it would upset me, and you did it anyway. You are a callous little bitch and I wish I’d never let your mother guilt me into having you in my wedding party. I am not spending another second of this day worrying about what you’re going to do next. If you so much as roll your eyes for the remainder of the evening, Jessica will have security escort you out too. Only they won’t be discreet about it, they will drag you out by your hair extensions. Do I make myself clear?” The room is eerily quiet and I reel from my baby sister’s epic takedown of my cousin. “Tell me you understand me.”
“I understand,” April croaks. She’s pale and trembling under June’s glare. I can’t imagine she’s ever been called on her shit before.
“Good.” June turns her back on her before adding, “Please leave the room. I don’t want you here anymore.” April doesn’t need to be told twice. If she had a tail, it would have been between her legs. June turns back to the rest of us. “That felt surprisingly great.”
“Damn, wifey,” Colin says proudly as he puts his arms around her. “Remind me never to piss you off.”
The tension breaks and the mood turns back to jovial. A round of drinks are ordered, and we all cheers our glasses as Jessica reports back. Apparently, Mark left the premises before they could escort him out.
Good, I think breathing a sigh of relief.
“Now that all that’s over,” June grins, throwing an arm around me, “let’s go shake our asses!”
June and Colin have their first dance to “Wonderful Tonight”, then the DJ kicks it into high gear with “Wannabe”. The dance floor immediately floods with people. I dance with my sister, laughing as we try to remember the moves we made up as kids. A few more fast songs are played before another slow one starts. I take the opportunity to go back to the private room to retrieve the bag I’d left there.
The room is deserted, the bartender gone. I quickly spot my purse on the back of a chair where I left it and cross the room to grab it. I dig out my phone and scroll through my missed messages. I’m about to leave when I sense I’m no longer alone.
“Hello, Maggie,” Mark says.
Chapter 36
Maggie
He’s blocking the exit.
I feel my pulse quicken as he slowly looks me over. My fight or flight response is kicking in. I refuse to run any more. I choose to fight.
“You need to leave right now,” I say calmly. I’m done. Done being bullied by April. Done being intimidated by Mark. I’m just done.
Ignoring my request, he points to the phone in my hand. “I see you’ve still got your phone. I thought you may have lost it. You haven’t responded to any of my texts, haven’t answered my calls.”
“I blocked your number a long time ago.”
The corners of his mouth turn down, but he doesn’t seem surprised by the information. “Did you like the flowers?”
“No, I threw them in the trash.”
“You’re being completely unreasonable,” he snarls, momentarily losing his cool demeanor. He runs a hand through his short hair as he regains his composure.
“Leave now, or I will get security.”
“You don’t have a date.”
“Excuse me?”
“April said that you were bringing a date,” he taunts, opening his arms wide and looking around the empty room. “But the only other people at the table were the groomsmen’s wives. What happened to your date?”
