Betrayer!
She clenched her fists, her eyes still fixed on Skye who kept looking down on the table. “So, you’re fucking my dad now?”
“Aine!” Finn shouted.
“Don’t call my name,” she retorted. “You lost that right the day you started banging my best friend.”
There was a stone-cold silence with the only sound being the tick tock of the wall clock. Aine’s angry voice broke off again.
“So, what are you aiming to become now?” she asked Skye. “My stepmom?”
Skye was still silent.
Aine continued. “Never! Read my very pink lips, never.” She paused to look round the faces of the people that sat on the table, her black eyeliner dripping down her waterline. Then, she returned her gaze to Skye.
“You kept this away from me all this while? You want to date my dad so you can have access to his wealth? Gold digger!”
“Aine!” Finn called out furiously.
“Don’t call my name!” Aine retorted.
Skye found her voice. “No, Aine,” she said firmly. “I’m not after Finn’s wealth. I love him. I really do.”
A loud crackle escaped Aine’s lips. “Finn you said? I see that touching his balls has given you the guts to call him by his first name.”
She looked at her dad, her disdain for him rising. “You two deserve each other.”
“I’m sure you know by now that our friendship is over,” she said, looking at Skye. That sounded more like a statement than a question. Skye remained quiet.
Aine stood up, fixed an icy stare at Skye and stormed out of the room.
“Aine,” Skye called out and tried to run after her.
Finn held her hand. “It’s okay, Skye. Let her be for now. She’ll soon come around.”
“Are you sure?” Skye asked, fearfully, still struggling to keep her tears from trickling.
“I’m very sure,” Finn replied, patting her shoulder.
Chapter Fifteen
The black limo pulled to a halt in front of the event centre and the chauffeur, an Irish man in a black suit hurried to hold open the back door. Skye stepped into the dazzle of the street that had been well decorated for the upcoming Christmas festivities kicking off tomorrow, her hands holding tightly her black clutch. She examined her black furry gown, carefully rolling her eyes down to her silver shoes and she smiled in satisfaction.
Almost instantly, Finn, draped in a black two-piece suit, turned to stand by her left side. He adjusted his red bow tie with his left hand while holding out his bent elbow to her. She wound hers into his.
“Shall we?” he asked, smiling.
Skye smiled back, her snow-white teeth contrasting with her dark skin. “Sure.”
They walked the antique red carpet with the grace and poise of celebrities. The uniformed guard held out the door for them and waited for them to walk through before returning to standing at ease with his hands crossed over his upper thighs.
The air within the hall seemed different. Skye’s eyes roved from the round tables spaciously spread out within the room to the guests that stood in groups of twos and threes to meet and greet. Occasionally, loud crackles would erupt from a group of guests. Skye spotted her mom, chatting with a group of stylish women who looked of similar age. Skye smiled contently, glad that her mom was having a good time. Finn held her hands as they graciously walked to greet their guests. Once done with meeting and greeting their acquaintances, they took their seat in the exclusive table in front.
The MC grabbed the microphone as soon as the couple took their seat. “Good evening ladies and gentlemen. “I’m very much delighted to announce the presence of our host and chief celebrant. Join me to welcome to the occasion Mr. Finn Oscar and Miss Skye Foster.”
A thunderous ovation sounded from the guests, making Skye wonder if there were some invisible guests clapping as well.
Finn and Skye rose to wave at their guests.
The MC continued. “If you’re yet to grab a glass of wine, please do so very soon, as we’ll be making a toast to our birthday lady. But before then, Mr. Finn Oscar has something to say to our chief celebrant.” With that, the MC left the stage.
Finn hurried towards the stage immediately. “Good evening ladies and gentlemen. You’re all welcome to the birthday party of my sweetheart, Skye. I deeply appreciate you for making time out of your tight schedules to attend this ceremony. Once again, welcome.”
The crowd clapped. He continued. “Before we go into the main party activities of wining, dining and dancing, there’s something very important I’d like the celebrant to do.”
Still smiling, he looked at Skye. “Skye, could you please come over to the stage?”
Skye nodded and got up, taking slow, calculated steps towards the podium. Once she got to the stage, Finn spoke up again.
“Skye, you’re going to cut your cake now. At the count of twenty-two, you cut,” Finn said, almost in a whisper.
Skye nodded, wondering where the cake was.
Finn faced his audience. “Ladies and gentlemen, at the count of twenty-two, Skye will cut her birthday cake.”
The guests became quiet.
“One,” Finn began. “Two, three…”
At the count of ten, the wooden lectern began to move. It adjusted in width, making an uncoiling sound in the process. Each time it adjusted, a rectangular looking platform would pop out. It was at the count of twenty-two that Skye realized what was happening. At the last count, the full sculpture of Skye had popped up, fully immersed in fondant, carved to look exactly like her. There and then, it dawned on her that that was her birthday cake. The rectangular object that she first saw turned out to be the cake board while the rest of sculpture from her head down to her neck was the cake. The most thrilling part of it all was the fact that the sculpture in front of her was dressed exactly like her. It was at that point that she understood why Finn had insisted that she wore the dress and accessories he sent her.
The thrilled guests gave a standing ovation. Quickly, she held the small knife that came with the cake and pushed it down to the admiration of the guests.
Suddenly, there was an uproar from her audience, she looked ahead to find the guests looking towards the left side of the stage, where Finn stood. Some of them were taking pictures of the moment. Curious to see the object of their fascination, she followed their gaze. There on the stage in the full glare of the guests, Finn knelt on one knee with an open black box in his hand. The pure diamond sparkled on top of the ring.
Skye glanced at the crowd, her hands covering her open mouth. She saw her mom in the crowd, her lips beaming a smile of approval. Then, she returned her gaze to Finn.
Finn spoke immediately. “Skye, the last few weeks have been the best weeks of my life and there is only one reason for that.” He paused to look at Skye. “That reason is you. So, this is me proposing to make the joy permanent. Will you marry me, Skye?”
Skye’s hand slowly left covering her mouth as she took two steps closer to Finn.
“I love you so much, Finn,” she said, her dark eyes sparkling. “I really do and marrying you would make me the happiest woman on earth.”
Finn’s eyes brightened more with hope as he eagerly awaited her final response.
Skye stretched her left hand towards him. “Yes, I will marry you.”
The crowd roared with excitement as the excited Finn slipped the diamond ring into Skye’s ring finger. He stood up to kiss her, a kiss which she reciprocated passionately.
“I love you, Skye,” Finn said.
“I love you too, Finn,” she replied.
Finn smiled as he moved nearer to her. He held her and kissed her gently.
Skye reciprocated passionately, much to the admiration of the crowd who cheered on.
“I have another surprise for you,” Finn whispered, pulling away from her.
Skye smiled, wondering what other surprise he could possibly have for her. “What could that be?”
“Behind y
ou.”
Skye turned quickly to see what Finn was talking about. There on the stage stood Aine with two fancy placards, one saying ‘happy birthday’, the other saying ‘I’m sorry’. Skye’s eyes moistened as she hurried towards Aine. “Aine,” she called out, still surprised. “You came?”
Aine nodded, also battling to hold back her tears. “I couldn’t miss my best friend’s twenty second birthday for any reason in the world.”
Skye smiled amidst sobs. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Aine replied. “I’m sorry for all the horrible words that I said to you on my birthday. I’ve had enough time to think things through and I’ve realized that I don’t have any right to come between you and my dad. You deserve to be happy, likewise my dad. I wish you the very best in the union that you’re looking to start.”
Skye rushed to hug her. “Thank you so much. This is my best Christmas Eve ever.”
“You’re welcome,” Aine replied, smiling.
“Can I have my fiancée back, please?” Finn asked, standing behind Skye. “We have a dance to do.”
“Aye sire,” Aine replied.
They all laughed.
Finn held Skye’s hand and led her to the dance floor, where they swirled gently to the rhythm of some blues. Their eyes locked into each other’s as they both decided, in the innermost recesses of their hearts, to love each other for ever.
THE END.
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Also by Nicole Houston
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Mine
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The Reckless Irish Prince
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The Cruel Bully
Cold hearted
The Possessive Sheikh
Dirty Secret: A BWWM Office Romance Page 8