Page 86 of Let It Be Me
“Let’s go, pretty girl.”
We run into some of the wedding party on our way to the reception and I see Adam and Emily at the curb saying bye to Dylan for the night. When they turn around and see Riley and I slowing down, they join us on the stroll over.
“You’ll see him tomorrow.” I tell Emily as I loop my arm through hers. “Think of this as one of the many kid-free date nights.”
“She’s right, Em. Plus you know my parents will fill him up with all the sugar…” Adam trails off as he says it and swears under his breath before pulling his phone out of his suit jacket to presumably call his parents.
Emily shakes her head and laughs under her breath. “You’re right. I am super excited to spend the night dancing away until my feet fall off.”
“Atta girl,” I champion and the guys hold the doors open for us as we get closer.
Servers with flutes of champagne are positioned at the entrance and we each take a glass before clinking them together and head towards the reception hall. Twinkling string lights create a path towards where the reception is held and music floats towards the entrance. We all step into the room and stop at the threshold in awe of what we’re seeing. They continued with the twinkling light theme and brought them into the room along with white sheer curtains draped from the ceiling as string lights swoop and curtain to the floor.
The bride and groom table is at the front of the room on a lift. It’s a simple two-seater table with a white tablecloth and gold chairs. For us guests, circular tables with the white tablecloths cover the surface and big glass candle holders sit in the middle of the tables with eye-catching flowers as thecenterpiece. The center of the room is strategically left empty for the dancing that is guaranteed to take place.
Kamryn and Mason decided to forego a seating chart, so every seat is a free-for-all. We find a table that’s empty and wait for the rest of the guests to filter in.
“Have you seen Jax?” I ask Emily softly when we settle into our seats.
She looks around the room for her. “Not since the ceremony.”
I tap on the stem of my champagne flute and contemplate what to do. It’s her sister's wedding reception and she should be here. I lean over to Riley. “I’m gonna go try to find Jax.”
“Do you want me to come with you?” He asks, and I could kiss him all over his face for asking.
“No.” I say and stand up from my seat. “But if I’m not back in ten minutes, come find me.”
I swiftly walk back out of the reception hall and decide to go the opposite way we came in. Checking a few of the doors, but not budging from being locked, I keep trying until I hear a raised voice coming from the last door.
Trent’s voice is raised as he berates Jax for something that most likely isn’t her fault.
“Hey!” I yell sharply when I push my way into the room. “Who do you think you’re yelling at?”
“Back off bitch,” he spits and the mask that he’s always worn around Kamryn and Mason is finally off.
“Hey!” A voice booms from behind me. A flash of blond whirls past me as a fist is sent into Trent’s face.
“Riley!” I gasp at a loss for words of what else to say.
“Is this how you treat women? Tearing them down until you feel a fraction bigger than them?” His anger is like a live wire as he stands over Trent’s crumpled body.
The tiniest man I’ve ever encountered cradles his possibly broken nose if evidenced by the blood pouring from it. I look over at Jax with her face devoid of all emotion and tears silently trailing down her face. I’ve never seen her so defeated and I realize I have no idea how to approach this other than affection.
“Jax?” I tread carefully. I step in front of her and wait for her gaze to meet mine. And when it does my heart cracks in two for her.
“I don’t–I can’t…”
I shake my head and pull her into my arms. Her body shakes with sobs and fear. I look over and see security escorting Trent out of the room we’re in and hopefully making sure he leaves altogether. Riley stands off to the side with a furrow in his brow and his fist clenched.
“How long has this been going on?”
Jax pulls away from me and wipes under her eyes. “Longer than anyone knows.”
“Jaclyn Marie Rawlins, tell me that you didn’t hide this from your sister. From your parents.”
“And say what, Sarah? That my boyfriend was verbally abusing me for the past year? Using me to get closer to Mason for fame? That every remark he made about me and how I didn’t look like the Instagram models he followed tore at me day after day until I started to take matters into my own hands. Is that what I should have said?”
My mouth is agape and I look at her. Really look at her. And I swallow hard at everything she lays at my feet. Everything she went through at the hands of him. The man she loved. My therapist gave me tools for when I needed them for me. But now I feel completely useless because none of those tools are good enough for her.
