Page 4 of The Very First Night

It’s then that I notice it. The gleaming glow radiating off of Evelyn’s ring finger as she reaches for her water glass. The ring is exactly as I would expect for such an elegant woman, a modest yet impressive round solitaire diamond centered on a classic, dainty silver band.

He has impeccable taste in rings and women, yet my stomach sours as his eyes meet mine.

“Congratulations,” I choke out as his eyes linger on my own.

“Thanks,” Elijah mumbles. There’s a sadness in his expression that no one notices…except for me.

THREE

KAT

When they say you shouldn’t drink on an empty stomach, they really mean that.

By the time appetizers begin circulating, I am three glasses of champagne deep. With every glimmer of light that bounces off that devastatingly perfect diamond, I take a massive gulp.

Engaged? He’s engaged?!

How is he engaged?

Okay, I objectively know how these things work, but Elijah is engaged? This has got to be a joke. My heart races as dizziness overwhelms me.

Gulp.

“Are you okay?” Tanner leans over and whispers in my ear. We’re over halfway through dinner and I’ve taken two bites, but boy are liquid calories really doing it for me tonight.

I take a sip of my champagne and feel it burn down my throat like a slow-moving fire that leaves behind a refreshing, fizzy sensation. It radiates from the roof of my mouth and lingers on my tongue as I swallow the last bit. The bubbly liquid swishes around in my stomach, providing me with a newfound dose of confidence, causing me to sit up a little straighter.

“I’m fine.” I try to put on a brave face, but my voice cracks as I force out the lie. My eyes wander, unable to meet his inquisitive gaze as he awaits a more honest response.

“Kat—”

“I said I’m fine!” I pep up with a stab of my fork into the succulent piece of chicken on my plate. As I lift it to my lips, I find the smell is anything but pleasant. It should be—it objectively smells good—but the thought of eating is not appealing. Still, I force it past my lips, chew it twice, and swallow. “See, I’m fine.”

Despite his obvious lack of faith in my words, Tanner backs off. However, I don’t miss the way Elijah’s eyes are locked on me. My reaction really shouldn’t be a surprise to him; it hasn’t been all that long since that night. If anything, I’d say it would be weird for me to suddenly be chill.

That and, well…I’ve never been the chill type.

Finally, as dinner comes to an end, Jenna and Marcus make their way out to the dance floor for their first dance. I’m just thankful that it gives everyone, including Elijah, something to look at other than the pathetic woe-is-me expression of his now halfway-to-plastered ex-girlfriend.

I turn in my seat to watch Jenna and Marcus and it brings me a short-lived sense of calm. Jenna really does look incredible—not that I would expect anything less from her. She’s always been stunning. Her tight ringlets stay firmly in place in her updo as Marcus sways her to the music, the song unfamiliar but reminiscent of Frank Sinatra. Her tanned skin has a sheen to it, the lights dancing off the shimmering body lotion to which she’s been loyal since we were teenagers.

She looks like a dream, a picture of Aphrodite’s elegance.

The song eventually comes to an end and, once they’ve had their respective parent dances, the guests are invited onto the dance floor.

I’m not given even a moment to think as Tanner drags me from my seat.

“No sulking. This is a wedding, with an open bar. We’re having fun!” He twirls me as we reach the center of the dance floor, the fast-paced beat managing to reluctantly pull me from my wallowing.

At least for now.

Tanner pulls me to him as I try to lose myself in the moment. However, I still struggle to pry my eyes away from Elijah and Evelyn as they stand on the fringes of the dance floor, each holding a glass of champagne.

I thought I was past this. I thought I would be more okay seeing him with her again—but I made that assumption thinking that she was simply his girlfriend, like many other women I’ve seen him with over the years.

After a few songs, the tempo changes, shifting to a song I haven’t heard in years. A song that once filled me with an overwhelming amount of emotion now has my stomach in knots of discomfort.

Hunter Hayes’s familiar tune begins to play and Tanner wastes no time in pulling me to him, still not allowing me to slip away. We’ve danced together dozens of times over the years, usually inebriated, but always in good fun. However, I don’t feel fun, and I think he can tell.

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