Lamb didn’t understand why I had to leave her after the first part of my little plan, but mom stepped in and did her part. When I reached the country club where I’d been to so many galas and coming out balls in the past, the place was packed. It was set up as one of mom’s holiday parties, everyone who was anyone was there, I’d set the scene perfectly.
I only needed a few minutes; I hoped that all my bullshit lies had paid off. When I got inside I saw exactly what I wanted to see.
Josie was sitting like queen of the ball, surrounded by her friends and the other debutantes she’d been reigning over for the past two years at least, she was in her element. I was the feather in her cap. The son of the wealthiest family was a huge catch even for someone whose family was somewhat well off.
I’m sure she’d been telling everyone that we were an item and all the other bullshit I’d fed her, she was under the impression that something major was about to happen here tonight. It was, just not what she thought.
“Oh Joshua great you’re here, I was just telling the girls that we’ll be going to your island for the holidays, wouldn’t it be fun if we could invite some of them, I hope you’re not bringing Vanessa with, I still haven’t forgiven her for befriending that Carrie person, I mean as if you would really choose that thing over me.”
Her girlfriends laughed along with her, I wonder if any of them could see the venom in my eyes, I wanted to reach out and choke this bitch, but no, she was actually playing right into my hands rather nicely.
I lifted the corner of my mouth so as not to tip them off; I’m not accustomed to laughing so they shouldn’t be too surprised.
“And another thing, I don’t think you’ve apologized nearly enough so I was thinking you’re going to need to get me something extra special for Xmas.” She looked at the plastic bracelet I’d sent her, stupid ass didn’t even know the difference, she hadn’t even merited a zircon while I’d put a five carat flawless diamond on lambs finger.
By the time the holiday was over my girl would have enough diamonds and other precious gems to make Liz Taylor’s collection look like a pauper’s. I know she loves that shit.
I spent the next twenty minutes with Josie and her friends listening to her lord it over me, the sad sap who was trying to get back into her good graces. When she’d dug her grave deep enough for the biggest impact, I made my excuses on the pretense of going to the men’s room. I thought she would follow me there for a minute but one of her hangers on waylaid her.
In reality Matt had sent me a text letting me know they were ready. I snuck out one of the side doors and met my wife at the car.
“Hi baby you ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.” I kissed her long and hard until my father told us to get a room and stop embarrassing him and mom. The Captain was there with a date along with the rest of my family.
Reentering through the same door I waited until my mother had entered the room to do her part. There was a break in the music as the emcee took to the microphone.
“Ladies and gentlemen tonight I have the great honor of announcing some spectacular news concerning one of our leading families in the community.”
As he was speaking I saw my father approach the head of the Lehman family with the news that Josie was about to be implicated in the kidnapping and near rape and murder of Carissa. I’m sure by this time next week she’d be in a boarding school in Switzerland or some shit, something she’d always told me she dreaded.
I kept my eyes on Josie as she preened for her friends, her eyes scanning the room looking for me no doubt; lamb and I were hidden behind a huge arrangement of poinsettias made into a Xmas tree.
“I love you baby.”
I squeezed her hand as the guy announced, “May I introduce to you Mr. And Mrs. Joshua Steele.”
Chapter 43
Carrie
So crazy guy convinced me to marry him, that’s what we’d done that morning before his little surprise at the country club. We’d exchanged vows in his parents’ backyard with just his family and my dad there, that’s all we’d needed. When he’d first asked I’d been a little scared; not of marrying him because let’s face it after everything we’d been through in the last few months I pretty much knew that there would be no one better for me out there and as young as we were we both knew our minds and our hearts, besides I was pretty sure Joshua would never let me go anyway, not in this lifetime.