What about you? - 2

Chapter 2

Kate had made just two steps into the ballroom when a hand circled her wrist and stopped her in her tracks. Then a voice, so close to her ear that the warmth of the breath sent shivers down her spine whispered, “ingenious hiding place for your phone!”

Glancing down at the long masculine fingers, wrapped around her slim wrist, she froze, every nerve ending in her body hyper aware of this man, she didn’t need to turn to know it was him, the observer. Suddenly she realised that he’d seen her tuck her phone into her garter, her dress hoiked up to her waist and was wholly embarrassed. The flush of heat that swept up her neck and to her face was purely embarrassment she swore, and nothing to do with misplaced attraction.

She had no place doing this, being here. Without glancing back, she shrugged her arm free of him and made her way back to the top table, ignoring the imprint of each of those fingers still burning around her wrist. Kate had only picked at her food, but this encounter made her find an appetite and she ate a bit more of her meal. The champagne was free flowing and suddenly with this predator in the room she was at risk. Throwing back her head she closed her eyes, unfortunately she was more in more danger from her own actions and her own response to him than she was to the man himself.

Mason Fitzgerald watched her walk away and knew that it couldn’t end then, she was the most intriguing woman he’d ever seen. Beautiful, elegant despite the ugliest and most ill fitting bridesmaid’s dress that he’d ever cast eyes on adorning her almost Amazonian figure.  Then there was the flash of those absolutely breathtaking legs that he’d seen as she’d retrieved a telephone. Shaking his head, he watched her enter the room. No, this woman was something special, and he had a feeling that things would never be the same again.

Swallowing some of the dry pale drink Kate’s fraught nerves seemed to settle slightly, that was until she saw the very same man move to one of the round tables and slide into a seat, his eyes never left her.

Toby, Stuart’s best friend from school stood and started the speeches, Roger first, talking of his beautiful daughter and the wonderful man she’d met. Thanking her mother for accepting them so readily into her fold, and then he looked down at her, “and thank you Kate for being part of this day.”

She smiled up at him a thank you, then as her eyes drifted back to the room, she met ‘his’ eyes, and he mouthed the word “Kate?” With a raised eyebrow, acknowledging her identity, and as though testing the sound of the word on his lips.

She groaned, this was getting complicated.

Once her brother and Toby had stopped swiping gibes at each other via their own speeches, the tables were cleared and the band started to strike up a chord. 

                “Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the new Mr and Mrs Michaels!”

To a hail of applause the band started the first dance and Kate felt her jaw drop at the sight of her brother waltzing, actually dancing with his wife! He was a typical farmer, happiest in welly boots and waterproofs, but here he was light and graceful moving around the floor. It was both unexpected and a pleasant sight. Her little brother had grown up.

                “He’s had lessons!” she didn’t mistake the sound of Toby next to her, “and if I’m not mistaken, as soon as this song finishes, tradition dictates the best man dances with the Maid of Honour!”

                “Less of the Maid!” she nudged him in the ribs, “I might be twenty eight, but I’m far from over the hill!”

Leading her out to join the parents who were now dancing too, he grinned, “never said you were!”

Toby expertly twisted her around the floor, laughingly passing comment on all the people they both knew. She was chuckling uncontrollably when the song ended.

                “Thanks for the dance Kate, I miss us goofing about, we used to have such fun!”

The familiar twang hit her chest, the one that she got whenever she thought of the past. She nodded, “but things change!”

Sadly he offered a half smile, “You’re right Kate, I only wish they didn’t!” But there was more poignancy in his words than their face value.

The sadness that had been the measure of her life the last few years seemed to return and she made for the bar, wine or vodka usually helped in these moments. The bar area was packed, as the ceremonial first dance had given way to general dancing, the bystanders seemed to have drifted in the direction of the bar.

                “Oh Kate!” A voice called out and she groaned as she recognised that of her Great Aunt Hilda. She’d managed to wave to relatives from a distance until now, and avoided those piteous looks and comments, but she should’ve known that Aunt Hilda would single her out.

                “Aunt Hilda!” She announced, stopping to greet the tiny octogenarian, “you’re looking glamorous!”

Hilda smiled, “unlike you. I have to say,” her words were a conspiratorial whisper, “that dress is as gaudy as they come, but then in anything nicer you’d have outshone the bride. I’m not surprised she chose it for you!”

                “Aunt Hilda!” she gasped as the older woman’s bluntness.

               

She waved a hand as if to dismiss her protests, “Pah! You know it’s true. She seems a nice girl, but she’s just that, a girl. Your brother isn’t thinking with his head!” She reached out and took her hand, “it should be you darling, you and Peter, but maybe you should just let him go, move on?”

It was the same every time, no wonder she rarely came home, she’d made her choice. All she wanted was for her family to both accept and respect that. Instead she had the relentless attempts to change her mind, the suggestions that she ‘see sense’, or ‘move on’. But she couldn’t, she wouldn’t. She wished people would understand that.

                “Vodka rocks.” She regretted the way her voice came out as a growl, but the young barman disappeared before returning with a tumbler filled to her request. The wedding had unlimited wine provided in the ballroom, but the general bar wasn’t free. When the young boy asked her for payment, she foolishly remembered that she didn’t have a pocket let alone a bag, purse, wallet...cash! “Um...Can you just hold on a second?” She blushed and was about to rush off to find her mother or Toby or even a distant relative when a hand reached over her shoulder waving a twenty pound note.

                “I’ll get that!”

Kate instantly recognised the smoky deep voice and the hairs on her neck stood on end a sign that her suddenly attention seeking libido recognised it too. Taking a steadying breath, she turned and tried not to gawp or stare. The man who stood a few inches from her was, she already knew attractive. But this close she could study his fathomless blue eyes that sat between long dark lashes that would make any woman jealous, the straight nose, high cheekbones and the fullest lips she’d ever seen.  He was indecently good looking and she could barely control her racing heart.

                “There’s no need, I just need to find...”

He placed a finger over her lips and she expected to see sparks emitting from the contact. If it fazed him as much as her, he hid it well.

                “It’s just a drink, hardly a proposal of marriage. You can accept without losing your dignity or your independence!”

He asked for a shot of bourbon for himself then paid for the drinks, as he pocketed the change, he laughed at her still stunned expression, then clinked his glass against hers, “cheers Kate!”

It was all a bit much for Kate, she didn’t cope well with attention of any time, so this blatant flirting would be hard enough if she didn’t find herself attracted to him. And that was something that never happened, as she’d kept telling herself all day. She’d not looked at another man since Peter.

Gulping the sudden choke of emotion, she muttered, “thank-but-I-have-to-go!” Downing the warming vodka she deposited the glass then made for the bathroom at a virtual run.

Yet again Mason found himself watching the rear of her beating a hasty retreat. He knew she felt the same spark that he did, he’d seen her slight gasp as he’d touched her, the flare of her eyes, the flush of desire sweeping her neck. No, she was attracted to him, there was no ring. This could be a fun evening after all.

He lifted his drink to his lips and swallowed it all, the sour burn causing him to shudder. He was nothing if a patient man, and he loved nothing more than a game of cat and mouse!

Kate was never more grateful for booking a room in the hotel than that moment. After crossing through the crowds she turned away from the bathroom and headed to the lobby. In the safety of her room, she raided the mini bar and drank a couple of shots, her preferred vodka, then whisky and finally a gin, which almost made her gag. Then as tears of frustration and self loathing fell from her eyes, she slumped onto the bed and cried.

It was a while later that she got to her feet and wandered into the bathroom. Her face was puffy and red, her makeup streaked across her face, the dress that she disliked so much was creased. She looked a mess. But she knew that it was important to the bride and groom that she played her part. If it was up to her she’d change into her jeans and leave. Run off into the distance away from this place, these people who challenged her beliefs and the man who made her doubt herself.

Cold water and fresh makeup did seem to help her look more presentable. But she was still self conscious as she rejoined the party. As she descended the stairs to the reception, she saw her brother walking towards her.

                “Are you ok?” She accepted a bear hug from her little brother as he looked her up and down, worry etching his face. Kate felt awful, here was her brother on the most special day of his life worrying about her...again!

                “I’m fine, I just needed to have a few minutes to relax. It’s hard trying to live up to your wife! She’s a born socialiser!”

He laughed, “oh that she is! Are you sure you’re ok? Toby thought he might have upset you.”

She smiled and hugged Stuart, “you don’t need to worry about me! I’m fine. You and Mum seem to make it a full time job!”

His look was anything but assured, “but you...”

Holding up a hand she stopped him, “go and find you wife, and dance with her. You only get one wedding day! I...am...fine!” She stressed each word, then stretched to kiss his cheek.

Nodding he disappeared.

Back in the ballroom she took a deep breath and made an effort, dancing with her Uncle Adam, her father’s brother, then her elderly grandfather, who was about to leave for his bed. Exhausted after a jaunty jig, she saw him to the stairs with a smile, then turned to see her mother watching.

                “You ok Mum?”

She nodded and reached for her daughter’s hand, “I’m more than that. You seem like my Kate again tonight. I haven’t seen that in a long time!”

Kate hugged her, “I’m always ‘your’ Kate. You know that.” Leaving an arm around her mother’s shoulder, they both walked back towards the music filled ballroom.

                “How long are you staying?” her mother didn’t dare to look up at her daughter, and Kate knew she was struggling to control her emotion.

                “I was hoping to come to the house? Maybe have some lunch with you? If you’re free?”

Her mother spun to her beaming, “of course I’m free. I would LOVE to cook you lunch. In fact, I may have some of my sausages in the freezer!”

                “My mouth is watering already!” She swooped to kiss her mother’s cheek, the farm produced special sausages were her favourite thing, so her mouth watered at the thought. She tried to ignore the tug of guilt she felt at her mother’s desperation to please her. She deserved better.

She seemed to have spent the whole day sighing, but as she watched her mother heading to the dance floor with her Uncle Adam, a most accomplished dancer, she did sigh.

                “I keep asking myself why one of the bridesmaids at this wedding would be so angry and so sad...but I can’t come up with any answers.”

With a zing every inch of her body became aware of the voice that had already become familiar. Refusing to turn to look at him, she shrugged, “things are rarely what they seem!”

The response was a chuckle, a warm sound and Kate tried to move away from the danger of him, but he seemed intent on riling her, stalking after her.

                “Can I have a dance Kate? After all this is a wedding, and it’s kind of custom.” He’d watched her all evening, she was a great dancer, sexy and flirtatious in an unintentional way. His body burned to hold her close, even she couldn’t object to a dance in a room full of people.

It was the last thing that Kate wanted or needed, to get closer to this man, but as she looked up, she saw her mother watching her over Uncle Adam’s shoulder, her face lit up with hope. If she could tolerate a dance with this man then she’d at least make her mother think she was ‘moving on’, even if she wasn’t.

                “Ok,” she offered, “but purely to make my mother happy!”