Page 59 of Bittersweet Legacy

I snorted at the ‘trust me’ but concentrated on the music.

“Is it?” I turned my head briskly as the first notes started to play and the voice of Ron Pope singing‘I do not love you’ filled the room.

“Ron Pope is here.” I whispered against his ear.

“I know,” he replied dipping me low, moving us fluidly to the rhythm of the music.

“I love Ron Pope.”

He smiled crookedly at me. “I know.”

I thought about it the rest of the song, following his lead thoughtlessly. How did he know I loved Ron Pope? Even if he did, why would he do that for me? He didn’t like me – the best I could hope for was him tolerating me.

When the song was done, Caleb led me off the dance floor as Ron kept playing.

“You did well, Esmeralda. You’re graceful, dancing comes easy to you.”

I nodded, keeping my eyes on the stage. “Do you think he’ll take a photo with me later?”

Caleb chuckled. “With what I paid him? Yes, I’m positive.” He intertwined our arms together and looked around the room as if he was looking for someone. I prayed that the girl I found him with in the office wouldn't be in attendance. He said she was inconsequential but could I believe him? He was clearly an expert liar.

“Who are you looking for?”

“Nobody,” he snapped. He sighed as I recoiled under his tone. “You’ll see. OK, let’s go mingle and show them how blissfully happy we are.”

We moved from guest to guest accepting congratulations, Taylor gave me a hug, whispering in my ear that everything was going to be OK.

We were approaching his parents when loud exclamations made us turn toward the entrance and a familiar red Iron Man cap came our way.

“Theo!” I gasped and Caleb looked at me, startled.

“How do you –” he started

“BB!” Theo beamed at Caleb, pulling him into a bear hug.

“You’re BB?” I asked, looking around for Mike who was just standing by the entrance.

Theo turned to me. “Meme! You look so pretty!” He hugged me too.

“Me-me?” Caleb asked visibly taken aback by his brother’s action. “You’re his friend Me-me?”

“And you’re his brother?”

Caleb smiled, pulling his brother toward him. “Yes, I’m BB.”

I looked at his parents making their way toward us and understood better my mother’s entry about James being a father. Why did they keep him as a shameful secret?

I was angry at them by the time they reached us.

His father had a fake smile plastered on his face and reached for Theo, who flinched as his hand approached him.

“I just wanted to say hello,” James said to Theo.

“You know he doesn’t like being touched,” Caleb defended him.

“Umm,” James shrugged. “What is he doing here?” He asked in a low reproving tone.

Caleb glanced at his mom who was busy examining her nails.

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