Page 84 of Free to Dream
Too bad her eyes have no soul.
Even wearing a business suit and heels, I’m several inches shorter than she is. She leans over me, trying to intimidate me with her height, her wealth, her dismissive manner.
I remain silent, knowing this will antagonize her further and get her to show her cards faster. My heart is beating rapidly in my chest, much in the same manner it used to when I would be locked in the room with the men who hurt me as a child.
This woman is nothing but evil.
“I can’t believe you’d dare to show up here.” She sneers as she moves even farther into my space. Her emphasis on the you in her sentence takes me aback, and I see the chief steward looking over with some concern. The last thing we need is the mother of the groom causing a scene in the foyer thirty minutes before guests are expected to arrive.
I’m about to quietly demand she be escorted to get ready or get out when I hear a very welcoming voice behind me.
“Be very careful, Mildred. Ryan and I are trying to uphold appearances for your sake, not ours.” Caleb stands next to me, not touching me in this crucial moment. Knowing that I have to stand strong, I hold my ground.
Her eyes, silent but deadly, cut from mine to her oldest son’s. She’s about to speak when Caleb cuts her off.
“Cassidy, if you’d like, I will escort you up to the secondary library. I believe your family is waiting for you.” Caleb cuts his mother’s sputtering off with a simple raise of his hand. “You have two options. You can get dressed and shut your mouth for the next six hours, or you can get the hell out and deal with the fallout. Either way, you will behave today.” His eyes are stone cold, and he’s coiled like a cobra ready to strike.
Her eyes drift to mine. “I’ll be quiet. For now.” With a final glare of contempt, she drifts off toward the grand staircase to the master suite. Out of the corner of my eye, the chief steward lets out a relieved breath.
Once she’s out of sight, Caleb turns me into his arms. “Are you okay? What the hell am I saying? Of course, you’re not.”
Still shaking, I wrap my arms around his waist and squeeze tightly. “After today, we’re not coming back here, right?”
“Never. I swear,” Caleb vows.
“Great, because this place gives me the creeps,” I mutter.
Caleb puts his arm over my shoulder and tucks me into his side as we walk down the short hallway to the second library. He mutters into my ear, “You’re not the only one.”
34
Cassidy
T-minus ten minutes.
I’m the last to finish getting ready. I check out my reflection in the mirror one last time while attaching the earbud that will remain in until the last guest leaves.
The deceptively loose chignon the stylist threw in has been pinned up using faux pearl hair pins. I have larger faux pearls in my ear to help disguise the bud, a half strand of inch-sized pearls tied by a blue satin ribbon around my throat, and a triple band elastic cuff of matching creamy pearls covering my earbud’s receiver on my right wrist.
Overall, I went for a simple, understated elegance with my short sleeve, mock turtleneck gown. Turning sideways, you can see the opening that exposes my back from the top of my shoulders to the top of my waist. Thank you, Nieman Marcus sale event.
As I gather up my clutch, I take eight deep breaths. I have the rest of the evening committed to memory. Yes, my small clutch is in my hand with my cell phone inside as a backup, but I’d prefer not to pull it out. I’m now Caleb’s guest, not coordinating the largest wedding in our small company’s history.
I either need to do something or throw up from being in this house alone.
I make my way back into the main foyer where guest after guest is being escorted through. Excellent. I catch the chief steward’s eye and he moves forward to escort me down. I can easily merge in with a group so I don’t interrupt the guests who need to be escorted.
Trailing in with a group of four, I spot my family, already strategically placed around the amphitheater like seating. Caleb and Jason are waiting toward the audience’s right, so I want to sit on the left. I spot the back section of chairs where a Freeman isn’t already sitting.
“Planning on making an escape?” Keene’s voice comes from my left.
I let out a puff of air. “No, we’re trying to scatter ourselves so we can make sure if any problems arise, one of us can be in place quickly.”
He surveys the milling people and sees that in all the external sections, at least one Freeman is sitting, with the exception of Holly, who I happen to catch making her way from Ryan’s groom’s room, down toward the gazebo for the procession.
“Nice.” He leans down and mumbles quietly, “Is this like us making sure Charlie sits next to Mildred for the ceremony until there can be tighter control?”
I lift my hand to my stifle my laugh. “Well played.”
