Page 83 of Lie With Me

The parlor is filled with guests already mingling. There’s an open bar along one wall, with signs highlighting the themed drinks made from gin, and bottles of Dom arranged on the bartop. We take two glasses of champagne, and I spend the next ten minutes introducing Lenni to everyone. She dazzles the room, and more of the attention is on her than on Emily. However, my former fiancée appears almost grateful as she exits the room on numerous occasions, still looking sick.

“Tripp Kennedy,” a deep voice booms behind us. “Good of you to make it. And who is this enchanting lady?”

Before we turn, I notice a frown quickly appear on Lenni’s face. She’s tense as she takes in Emily’s soon-to-be husband, Neil Harmond. He’s nearly six-five, has a head full of ebony hair, and, as much as I hateto admit it, looks like he could be a male model. He’s lazy as shit, skates by on his father’s good name, and has been overly friendly toward me for a man who not only was fucking my fiancée behind my back, but who also had the audacity to look me in the eye and smile while I was blind to it.

I introduce them with a flat tone. “Babe, this is Neil Harmond. Neil, this is my fiancée, Valentina.”

“Well, you certainly hit the jackpot, didn’t you?” he asks crudely as his eyes sweep down the length of her body. She cringes as he reaches for her hand and bends to kiss the back of it. He looks at her curiously. “You know, Emily was under the impression your name wasBianca.”

“Inside joke between me and Tripp.” Lenni’s voice lacks her usual confidence, coming out soft and meager. She discreetly wipes her hand on her dress when he releases it, and he watches the offensive motion like a fox who just found its dinner.

“Interesting,” he muses. “Well, thank you both for coming. It’s good of you, Tripp, really. Valentina, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” His eyes pass over her once more before he turns and disappears through the crowd.

“I don’t know what just happened, but I didn’t like any of it.” My tone is slightly accusatory, and I hate that I sound like a jealous asshole.

With a blink, the tension melts from her body, and she suddenly beams at me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. He gives me the creeps.”

“Yeah, he basically undressed you with his eyes.At least all the other men in the room have the decency to do it while they think I’m not watching.”

I’m not angry with her, but she flinches at my tone, anyway. “I’m sorry. I’m being an asshole. He just pisses me off.”

She shrugs. “Yeah, I get it.”

“No. No, you don’t. This isn’t about Emily, Viv. So please don’t think that. The guy is just a jerk.” Panic laces my tone as I pull her to me and lay a chaste kiss on her lips. “I love you. I’m sorry if I made you think it was about her. It’s just about you, I promise.”

Her hand slides up my chest to grip the lapel of my suit jacket as she leans into me. I’m well aware that there are multiple pairs of eyes on us and that we probably look indecent, but I can’t bring myself to care.

“I love you too, Tripp. And I know it’s not about her. It’s about your pride, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Your ego was bruised by him, but what better way to indicate you don’t care than to show up with a smoking hot bombshell on your arm that you get to parade around and show everyone you upgraded?” She smirks against my lips before kissing me again.

“You’re the love of my life, not a trophy.” I lower my voice so that only she can hear me. “You deserve better than that.”

Her answering grin is devious. “I happen tolikebeing your trophy. At least in this particular situation. I’m all polished up, baby. Show me off.”

If I weren’t sure I’d be carted off for murder and that everyone here would get the wrong idea, I’d grab one of the candle centerpieces and burn Neil’s eyes out. Dinner is nearly over, and he’s barely taken his gaze off Lenni. And I’m not the only one who’s noticed.

Emily barely ate her dinner, which doesn’t surprise me with the wedding being in a day and a half. She’s probably trying to ensure she fits into her designer gown. But she still looks sick, and instead of caring for her or even sending her back upstairs to lie down while he wraps up dinner, Neil spends the entire time watching my girl. Probably thinking of ways he can try and take her from me, too.

Lenni’s hand squeezes my thigh beneath the table. “I’m so ready for this to be over. I want a nice long soak in the tub in our room, and then I want you to tongue fuck my pussy,” she whispers in my ear, her fingers twisting my hair affectionately.

“Would you two behave? I feel like I’m scolding teenagers. Keep it G-rated at the dinner table, for Heaven’s sake,” Mother chastises us in the quietest voice she can manage. There’s no way she heard what Lenni said, but my girl is more in my lap than her chair.

“Oh, come on, Margo. You remember when we were that age. Leave them be.” Pops chuckles,placing his hand over hers and drawing her attention away from us.

Someone clears their throat at the head of the table, and my attention turns to see Emily and Neil standing. “We just wanted to thank you all again for coming out to celebrate with us this weekend. We feel like now is as good a time as ever to make a little announcement,” Emily starts. There’s a faint glow to her cheeks, and she looks happier than she’s looked all night. Neil looks like he’d rather be in my place. “I'm sure most of you have noticed I’ve been a littleoffall night. What started as what I was sure was a stomach bug a week ago, has turned into a very real little bug. We’re having a baby!”

I can’t help the way my body reacts, and there’s no way Lenni doesn’t feel the way I tense at the news. Do I care that they're pregnant? No. But is it like the cherry on top of the fuck you cake they baked me? Yeah.

People stand to congratulate them, the din of the room clamoring to a roar of questions like, “How far along are you?” and “Do you know what you’re having yet?”

My parents stay seated, and Lenni retreats to her chair, a contemplative look stretched across her pretty features. Leaving now would make it look like the news bothered me. So we stay a little longer until the excitement calms down, and we can make our getaway.

As soon as we return to our room, Lenni makes a beeline for the bathroom. I hear the water running,followed by the sweet smell of the honeysuckle bath gel the inn provides. A bottle of Dom is chilling in a bucket of ice, with a tray of strawberries on the small table in the sitting area. I arranged for it to be here when we got back, hoping it would enhance the romantic mood, but something tells me the mood has been ruined.

Lenni shuts the bathroom door but doesn’t lock it, and I bring her a glass of champagne, sitting on the ledge while she soaks in the bubbles. “You okay?”

“Mmhmm,” she hums. She won’t look at me. In fact, it seems like she’s trying to keep herself from crying.

“Viv, what’s wrong?” I ask gently.

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