On a lighter note, the cake was a big hit. Everyone was coming over and complimenting Ruby. She didn’t correct anyone and tell them I baked it, but I don’t really care because this means that I’ve probably gotten the job. I know a little bit about the food industry and I’m just starting out, so I can’t expect to have all the praise thrown at me just yet. Most jobs are like this. You’ve got to earn your stripes and all that.
While everyone was sit-down eating the band was playing.They hired a legit band – like full of all the instruments. The money it must have taken to put this wedding on. It’s the most over-the-top, ornate reception I’ve ever been to.
Now that everyone is on the dancefloor, though, there’s a DJ. I’ve lost track of my man – I mean, not my man, just the guy I’ve been following with my eyes. You’d think it’d be easy to spot a tall guy like him, but I’m having trouble. At first, I was being discreet, but now that I’ve been looking for a little while, I make my search more obvious. Ruby looks at me, narrowing her eyes. I shrink a little, embarrassed that I was being so obvious.
“Who are you looking for?” I wrap and arm around my body and look at the floor. My cheeks heat up a little as I explain myself.
“I think he’s the brother of the bride. He helped me out earlier and I wanted to thank him…” That’s not really why I’m looking for him, but Ruby doesn’t need to know that. I already thanked him, but maybe the second time around I can use more smart sounding words. Try flirting a little Dear god! What an ugh thought! That’s the only way to describe it is ugh! I look up and Ruby and she has a weird smirk on her face.
“Are you talking about Sam Wood?” Sam. So, that’s his name. I silently say it, letting the syllable roll off my tongue.
“Um, maybe? I don’t know. He’s kind of tall and he has dark hair and dark eyes…” I trail off, realizing how detailed my description is getting. I don’t want Ruby to know just how taken I was by Sam. It’s a little embarrassing that I fell for him so quickly – nothing like love, I’m not totally removed from reality – but I would let Sam do things to me after knowing him for a few hours that I didn’t let my boyfriend do after we dated for like a year. I can tell I’m going to overuse his name now that I know it. Hopefully, the shine will wear off and I can refer to him normally with pronouns and stuff – utilize my knowledge of the English language.
“Yeah, that’s Sam Wood. Darkness abound.” Ruby chuckles at her own joke before continuing. “I don’t know if he’s the best guy to be looking for.” She makes a weird noise – one that’s akin to disgust. That’s an enigmatic warning. I don’t want to let Ruby get in my head. Sam seemed nice, a little domineering, but still nice. But I also know if I don’t hear what she has to say, it’s going to bother me. I don’t know anything about him, outside of her words and the brief interaction Sam and I had – which means practically nothing. Actually, the only piece of information I gleaned was his name because I wasn’t even slick enough to get his name when we first spoke.
I look over at Ruby and consider asking her to elaborate. What is it that she could say that would completely turn me off from Sam? It would have to be something disgusting. I mean, bottom of the barrel, this guy is a monster. I really don’t want to be turned off of him – it would a waste of a beautiful man because I wouldn’t get a chance to use him. Not that I use people, I’m just trying to joke around and make myself feel better in case I can’t comfortably fantasize about him. But back to learning about Sam. I ask Ruby,
“What do you mean?” She gets into full gossip mode, turning her full body towards me and leaning in. This gets me a little worried because I don’t really want to hear about sordid details of his past. I don’t think of myself as an overly judgmental person, but there are some things that have to be judged. I mean, I don’t mind a bit of idle chatter – especially if it has some juicy details. Plus, it’s better to get it out of the way, before I let myself get truly invested. Long story short, I’m trying to make myself feel better just in case this news about Sam makes me feel like shit.
“Well, the Woods are beyond rich. They are billionaires or maybe even more. They don’t like to discuss money, so how much the family is really worth is up for debate.” Billionaires? That’s a… fact. It’s nothing that I hold against him, but I’m not going to give him free points just for having money. However, this is a… development. I will say, insane displays of wealth make me a little uncomfortable. This extravagant wedding for example. I’m sure it’s exactly what Sarah wanted, but it’s just so extra. I can kind of wrap my head around splurging on a big event like a wedding, but how… ornate are the Woods? Sometimes people can be flashy to the point of becoming grotesque. Also, I hope Sam isn’t a fancy boy. I’d find all of this intimidating if it was my every day and men who throw their wealth around are unattractive – even if they have the sexiest body I’ve ever seen… I don’t want him thinking he can buy me… Ruby doesn’t let me stew in my thoughts for too long, moving on to the next juicy piece of information. “But with all that money, Sam’s never had a serious relationship. I’m not going to shame him for being unmarried – some people just are – but this boy is thirty and has always been playing the field. I can understand wanting to have your fun, but he just plows on and on. It’s almost like fun is all he can have and who wants someone like that who can’t be serious if need. You know what I mean?” That’s an unfortunate development. I’m not sure if a serious relationship is something I’m looking for either, but I also don’t want to be another girl in someone’s long line of conquests. One-night stands can be fun and I don’t want to shame anyone for living their life, but it’s not for me. I’d get way too stressed out. And I don’t think I’d sleep with Sam and then never want to see him again. I have this overreaching desire to learn more about him.
Ruby’s waiting for me to say something, probably joining in on her take down of Sam. But I’m not feeling it. His life just seems to be on a different trajectory than mine, so I respond accordingly. “Oh. Okay.” I think Ruby’s finished with her light trashing of Sam’s character, but there’s more.
“And to top it all he’s cold as ice, so he’s definitely not worth your time.” There’s a hint of bitterness behind her words and I wonder if Sam ever did anything to her personally. If he’s a player, it would be no surprise that he’s left a trail of upset woman. But what got me is the description of his personality. She called him cold and that’s not the impression I got earlier. Maybe Ruby doesn’t really have a great read on Sam as a person. If he never lets anyone get close, how can they really know him?
I shrug, responding, “I don’t know. He was nice to me earlier.” Maybe I shouldn’t take what Ruby said so seriously. It’s not like I know her any better than I know Sam, not really. So, why should I fully trust her words? I mean, she’s left me almost all-day to take care of this cake on my own. I’ll just – I’ll form my own opinions of him.
I look over at Ruby and she seems surprised by what I said. I don’t know what to make of that. I’ll keep my mind open for now and see what happens. No use getting worked up over nothing.
Chapter Seven: Sam
The reception went really well and right now everyone’s dancing. The DJ we hired for the second part of the evening was on time which was a godsend in the sea of incompetency that was earlier today. Everyone’s dancing – well almost everyone. I’m definitely not included. Sarah is with her bridesmaids, really enjoying herself. There’s been a genuine smile plastered on her face since the ceremony and it’s heartwarming seeing her so happy. Sadly, it has to be with that bastard Neil.
I see Neil step out into the hallway and decide it’s time to have a talk with him. Most of my complaining has been done in front of my family, but since Neil is technically related to me now – which is just gross on gross – I’ll turn some of my frustrations his way.
I find him texting in the hall and approach. He puts his phone away when he sees me and I bet he’s doing something slimy. Not because his face o
r movements betray his actions, but simply because Neil is a slimy human being and, statically, he’s probably doing something slimy.
“Hey, Wood.” His clipped tone mimics exactly how I’m feeling on the inside. That I very much don’t want to be talking to him, but our current situation dictates that we communicate. “Do you want something.” I cross my arms and begin.
“I wanted to tell you that I still don’t trust you and you better treat Sarah right or you’ll be answering to me.” Neil sneers at me, his hands deep in his pocket. I can tell he’s not taking me seriously. I bet he believes he has Sarah wrapped around his fingers and there’s nothing I can do to change that. But I know more than he thinks.
“Whatever, Wood. I’m married to her now, so you shouldn’t insert yourself into our lives. Worry about yourself.” God, I want to punch that smug look off his face. Problem is, he has a point. I can’t go around dictating the terms of other people’s marriages, but this is my sister and I refuse to let Neil fucking Smith ruin her life.
“Just be nice to her and I won’t have to get involved.” I can tell he wants to say more, but he just shakes his head and walks away. I rub my forehead with the bottom of my palm, the frustration getting to me. I know I’m going to have a headache tonight. I can preemptively take some Aleve before going to bed. I have so little control over the situation and I know I shouldn’t be so anal, but I can’t help it. I shouldn’t have to worry about the man my sister marries so much because she should choose someone upstanding. Maybe after their married for a year, I can calm down. But he needs to prove himself to me first.
I turn around to go back to the ballroom and run into my mother. I’m about to try and have a friendly conversation, but her face is displeased and I know I’ve done something wrong.
“Hi, mother…” Whenever she chastises me, I turn into a child again. I know she hasn’t said anything, but I know she’s about to get angry with me. She has a few tells – one of them being her eyes. They get kind of narrowed and mean looking.
“Sam, you had no right to insert yourself into your sister’s marriage like that. She married Neil and you’ll just have to accept it. You promised you would support her.” Oh, shit. She must have overheard my little talk with that fucking bastard. Fucking hell, I’m never going to catch a break with this guy. Every time I try, I end up fucking it up somehow.
“I was just trying to help. I’ve been telling you guys, I know Neil way better. I’ve dealt with him for years and there are things you don’t know –”
“Samuel Gregory Wood. Shut. Up.” She used my full name which means whatever she’s about to say next is not going to be nice. My Mom can be harsh when she needs to be and it’s never easy to hear. “You’re no saint. I know you like to pass yourself around. Sometimes you have more than woman on the go at a time. You’ve never settled down and maybe Neil used to be just like you,” that hurts a lot more than it should, “but he’s putting down roots and I don’t want you being a dick to him just because he’s changing his ways. Maybe you’re so mad at him because you know, deep down, that you should change as well.” I don’t want to yell at my Mom, but she’s pushing all my buttons. It’s not surprising because she knows the words that will get at my core. I take a deep breath and try to defend myself.
“I’m nothing like Neil because I make sure the women I’m with know the score before we… get together.” It’s a little weird talking about my sex life with my Mom, but I don’t want her thinking I’m some chauvinistic pig that lies to women – that’s what Neil does. I don’t work in shady manipulations because I make sure everything is clear from the get-go. I may not be a stand-up guy, but I’m not mean.
“You don’t get it, son. If you just gave it a minute’s thought, you’d see your no better than the average player. You’re no better than your idea of Neil.”
“What don’t I get mom?” It’s hard to hold back all my anger. And it’s even worse that it’s aimed at my Mom. I hate getting into fights with my family because I love them so much.
“You don’t give these women a choice. That’s how you manipulate them. You make the terms with zero regard to anyone else that way they’re set straight before they can even think of asking for anything more. Maybe on the surface it seems better, but when you actually get down to it, it’s just as bad.” I think she’s done, so I try to interject,
“I don’t –” but I’m wrong because there’s a lot more to her rant.
“Because if that girl wants more, you’re just going to tell her you were honest from the beginning and so all of her feelings aren’t your fault and she’ll have to sort herself out on her own. It’s cruel, Sam.” My face is contorting in anger, unable to fully contain my emotions anymore. I know I’m not going to yell at her, but I – I don’t know what I’m going to do.
“I’m not cruel, mother.” It seems my Mom has stopped listening to me and is getting a lot off her chest. It seems she’s been harboring a lot of feelings concerning my lifestyle and all this stuff with Neil has been a catalyst for her to unload.
“I love you, Sam. You’re my son and – I love you with all my heart, but you can’t keep having this idea in your head that you can control the women in your life. You can’t ‘protect’ them. You shouldn’t because it’s not your job. It’s insulting that you’d reduce us to such tropes.” My heart is starting to hurt and I’m not sure how to communicate this. I’m not used to getting so worked up over words and I need a breather, but Mom isn’t done yet. “You’re not God’s gift to women and I need you to understand that. I don’t want you to end up regretting the decisions you made in life.” She warmly pats my shoulder before heading back to the party. I’m fuming on the inside, I want to scream. I never knew my Mom had such strong feelings about me. What the fuck am I supposed to do with everything she just said. I know I’m not a bad person, but I can’t help but feel a little… responsible. I don’t know what to think. But what I need is a drink.
The bar is in the ballroom, so that’s the direction I go in. I order a double shot and look around while I wait. Everyone is full of this energy that I can’t muster anymore. At the beginning of the day, I was already running on fumes. From the beginning, this wedding was something I wasn’t a big fan of and my body has gotten to the point where it’s done pretending. I think I’m going to have to avoid Sarah and Neil and maybe even my mother for a little bit – just to get my head back on right.
My shot arrives and I down it. The liquor feels good, but I’m still not where I want to be. I see my Mom coming towards me and maybe she wants to apologize. I don’t think I’m ready to even here an apology from her yet. I look away for a second and see the baker from earlier. She might be a nice distraction. I leave my empty shot glass on the bar counter and head in the direction of hopefully a better night.
Chapter Eight: Zara
Sam left the ballroom and I still haven’t gotten the chance to talk to him. Ruby’s disappeared again, running off after she divulged the ‘secrets’ of the Wood family. I don’t know how I feel about her disappearing act – especially if we’ll be working together – but I really don’t know what to do about it. I don’t know what to do about any of it. I’m not a great socializer, so I’ve kept to the wall for most of the reception. A few people tried talking to me in passing, but I couldn’t hold the conversation, so they went back to whatever they were doing.
All the dancing looks really fun, though. I kind of want to join in, but I’d feel to out of place among all these elite people. Everyone looks so fancy and rich. It’s intimidating. Once Sam left, I focused most of my attention on to Sarah. She really is beautiful. She’s tall and elegant and, not going to lie, in this short amount of time, I’ve developed a bit of a girl crush on her. Some people just have that magnetic quality. Plus, she looks so happy. I guess that’s what happens when you’re in love. Her husband has been in and out all night. It’s kind of weird seeing how little time he’s spent with her, but she doesn’t seem bothered, so I’m not going t
o get bothered on her behalf.
Standing in the corner is making me antsy and I really want a drink. I’m not sure if I’m still on the job, though. The cake has been cut, so there’s nothing else for me to do – at least until Ruby and I have to clean up – but one drink won’t be too bad, right? I wasn’t invited to this wedding as a guest, though. There’s just too many things to consider.
As I’m thinking about whether it’s appropriate for me to have an alcoholic drink, someone taps me on my shoulder. I turn around and see Sam. He looks frazzled, his hair not as coiffed as it was before. He has that same magnetism I attributed to Sarah. In fact, the whole family has it. I found his mother intriguing as well, but Sam is – he’s the one that I’m most… interested in. He’s not standing that close to me, but I’m already affected by his body. It’s causing mine to stand on edge, electrified. I make small fist, digging my nails into palm. I felt them getting anxious, wanting to fix his hair and get it out of his face. His runs his own hand through it, effectively tousling more.
He’s looking down at me and I’m worried I’ve forgotten something. Maybe that’s why he’s frazzled. I was so sure I’d done everything I was supposed to. Ruby said we were only responsible for the cake until it was turned over and I’m pretty sure putting it on to that table was us officially giving them the cake. The longer he keeps quiet, the more my anxiety builds. It goes on for so long that I have to say something.
“Is everything okay?” My voice cracks, causing me to wince. My words seem to break Sam out of whatever weird thing he was in. He takes in a light breath, his mouth tightening into a line. My eyes go wide, drinking in his obvious anger. Worried that it’s directed towards me, I dig my nails deeper into my palms.
“What’s your name?”
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