Ember In The Heart

He stood on the edge of the dance floor. A quick glance told me his date was dancing with another man. But his eyes were on me. Another shiver prickled down my nape.

“I’m sorry, sweet lady, but I’m going to have to cut this short for a restroom break.” My dance partner grinned sheepishly.

I laughed and patted his shoulder. “No problem.”

Seconds later I was alone on the dance floor but I could still feel Foster’s eyes on me. I should ignore him. I knew I should. But curiosity compelled me across the room. He seemed to visibly tense as I drew toward him, his shoulders (fitted perfectly inside a tailored dark gray three-piece suit) pulled back and his eyes narrowed. That was probably my cue to veer off course but I reminded myself that this guy was Colt’s best man and we were going to be in each other’s lives. I also remembered Jade telling me Foster had a five-year-old daughter to his ex and while that was young to have a kid, I knew from personal experience that kind of responsibility made you grow up fast. Maybe Foster was a mature twenty-five-year-old.

I stopped before him, tilting my head back to meet his eyes.

God, he was tall.

“Hey.”

He nodded warily at me.

My brows drew together. Why was he acting so strange around me? Determined to break the awkwardness between us I gestured behind me. “Would you like to dance?”

Foster looked out at the dance floor then back at me, his expression unreadable. His answer was not. He just opened his mouth and replied, “Not really.”

For a moment I was shocked and I was pretty sure I stood there gaping at him like I’d never seen another human before.

Then he added insult to injury by marching away without another word.

What. An. Asshole.

* * *

A half hour later, a very drunken Luna was pulled off one of the dining tables by the party planner; Moon and Linzi horrified by the scene had left early, and now Celeste and Luna were leading many of the guests in the can-can and flirting outrageously with all the drunk guests, no matter the gender.

The drunk guests were really getting into it but as my eyes wandered over the remaining guests seated at tables, I saw the exchange of mocking looks, and caught a few people talking about what an embarrassment my sisters were for Jade. It made me angry on top of the indignation Foster incited. What was wrong with getting drunk at a party and having a good time? They weren’t doing any harm.

Needing a breather, I escaped out of the function suite, hurried down the corridor and turned the corner to brace myself against the wall out of sight. Fanning my hot cheeks, I tried to get a hold of myself. The last thing Jade needed was me adding fuel to the fire by losing my shit with some of her stuck-up guests. Plus, I reminded myself, it wasn’t all of them. Just a few.

I wasn’t standing there long when I heard the murmur of deep voices grow louder until I recognized whom they belonged to. They were walking down the corridor toward me.

“Why did you bring her if she’s pissing you off?” I heard Colt say.

“Because my father asked me to,” Foster replied. “Look it’s just easier to agree to the date and then tell him we aren’t compatible.”

“Or you could just tell your dad to go fuck himself.”

“Oh yeah, I’ll get right on that.”

“A parent should want nothing but your happiness. You shouldn’t be at an engagement party with a woman who sets your teeth on edge. There are gorgeous, single women here and you can’t approach any of them because you agreed to take Janet as your date.”

“Who are these gorgeous, single women?” he scoffed and I stiffened at the insult, whether intended or not.

“Hey, watch the tone,” Colt admonished. “Two of them are my soon-to-be sister in-laws.”

“Good luck with that. They’re a handful.”

“They’re a little drunk. And it’s just Luna and Celeste. Celeste is single. She’s cute.”

“Isn’t she twice-divorced?”

“So?”

“Not exactly marriage material for a Darwin.”

“You sound like your father i.e. a total prick.”

“You know what I mean.”

Colt went silent, suggesting he might know what Foster meant. I didn’t. To me he sounded like a judgmental asshole. He’d be lucky to have Celeste. She was adorable, fun, and a total sweetheart.

“There’s Ember. I know you noticed Ember. She’s smart as a whip. Damn funny too.”

I smiled at that, feeling all warm and fuzzy toward my soon-to-be brother-in-law.

“Isn’t she like a thirty-eight-year old spinster living at home with her sister and running some fucking woo-woo occult store?”

Excuse me?

“What has gotten into you tonight?” Colt snapped. “One, Ember is thirty-six, she co-owns a house she inherited from her dead parents, she’s a massage therapist, and she owns a spa and store.”