Page 5 of Accidental Wedding Crasher
“Is that so?” The woman’s brow furrowed more, though her forehead remained unnervingly smooth. “You don’t seem to be in the same circles as the bride and groom.”
“Well, you know.” Mia was blushing furiously by now.
“I’m not sure that Ido.” Her gaze fell to the bruschetta in Mia’s hand. She looked downright judgmental now. “Enjoying the food, are we?”
“It’s really great.” Mia edged away again. “Listen, I don’t mean to be rude, but I see someone—” She gestured toward the crowd, hoping to pull the same trick that had worked on Aunt Evie. This time, if she got away, she wouldn’t linger for more food. She’d just make a break for her car.
“Maybe you should tell me how you actually know the bride and groom,” the woman suggested. Her tone grew sharper, and Mia winced.
“Oh, you know, from here and there,” Mia said. “And how about you?”
Immediately, she realized she’d made a mistake, because the woman’s eyes narrowed.
“I’m Genevieve’s mother,” she said. “Thebride’smother. Mrs. Elizabeth Saint Claire.”
“Right, of course!” Mia was already on the edge of panicking. She was certain this woman was about to call the police, or at least whatever security this venue had, to report the stolen canapés. Was crashing a wedding actually a crime? She didn’t think so, but the woman’s stare made her less certain.
“How about you tell me your name?” Elizabeth Saint Claire suggested. “I can look you up on the guest list and make sure everything is as it should be.”
Mia’s blood froze. She felt like one of her high school students who had forgotten their homework or arrived for a big test without studying. Her heart was racing too quickly, and her stomach flip-flopped. She was tempted to throw the bruschetta as a distraction and make a run for it, but that would mean making an even bigger fool of herself. Mia could already imagine dashing across the cobblestones in heels and her dress, tripping, and falling. It wouldn’t be the first time. She could be clumsy, especially when she was nervous.
“Um…” Mia stalled.
“Do you not know your own name?” Elizabeth Saint Claire asked. Mia winced again. Surely, this woman would have to leave to check the guest list, and Mia could slip away during that time.
“My name is Mia. Mia Newton.”
“Hmm.” Elizabeth Saint Claire took out her phone, tapping it with her oversized nails, and Mia realized her mistake. Of course, she had a digitized version of the guest list.
“Darling, what’s going on?” A gentleman in a suit and tie wandered over. Elizabeth Saint Claire waved him down.
“Darling, I was just having a conversation with this woman, Mia Newton, and she can’t seem to explain exactly how she knows our daughter and son-in-law,” she explained.
Oh, no.Mia’s heart sank further. She was drawing more and more attention, making it harder to get out of this situation without admitting that she wasn’t supposed to be there at all.
“Is that so?” The man turned to her. “I’m Jonathon Saint Claire, the father of the bride, and I’m hoping to make sure everything goes smoothly today.”
“I…” Mia was blushing so hard she was sure she looked like a traffic light. A few other groups of people were staring at her with interest. Apparently, this little altercation was turning into prime wedding entertainment. Mia could imagine the headline in the family newsletter, or however rich people communicated:Public School Teacher Crashes Wedding, Steals Canapés.
“You’re not on the list,” Elizabeth Saint Claire said abruptly. “I’ve looked everywhere, and there’s not a single Mia or a Newton anywhere here. It’s time to explain what you’re doing here.”
Okay. She would have to do what she told her students to do when they made a mistake: admit it, own up to it, and apologize. Granted, her students usually used this strategy after forgetting their homework, which seemed like a comparatively minoroffense, but it would work here, too. It had to. Gathering her strength, Mia spoke.
“The reason I’m not on the guest list…” she began, trying to keep her voice steady. “Well, and I first would like to apologize for any confusion; it really wasn’t my intention to inconvenience anyone. Um. The reason I’m not on the guest list is actually because?—”
“Let me guess.” Jonathon Saint Claire crossed his arms and gave her an intense stare. “You’re not on the list because you were never invited. Am I correct? You crashed this wedding.”
“Well, you see, there may have been a bit of a mix-up.” Mia braced herself. She would take her lumps and explain what had happened. Eventhesepeople could find it in their hearts to forgive her. Couldn’t they?
CHAPTER 5
EVAN
Evan looked up from the spreadsheet he was trying to edit on the tiny screen of his phone to see a small group forming on one side of the lawn. Right after the ceremony, he’d gotten his phone out to do a little work, and he’d passed up the canapés and champagne that were going around so that he could focus. A few more minutes, and he’d grab a bite to eat, then see if it was too soon to slip off to the hotel. Earlier, he’d considered buying the pretty latecomer a drink, but he’d put that out of his mind. He needed to focus on work, not romance, as always.
Everyone else was having fun or seemed to be. People were sampling canapés, chatting, and laughing. A few had moved to a dance floor that had been set up on the terrace, where a live band was playing instrumental versions of popular music. Lots of people were toasting each other with champagne, giggling, and flirting, while Evan squinted at his phone screen and wished that he’d brought his laptop.
Now, though, people seemed to be forming a very annoyed mob. In the middle, he could make out the pretty woman in the lacydress he’d spotted coming in late. Frowning, he stood, slipped his phone into his pocket and went to see what was happening. As he approached, he heard Genevieve’s dad — he was pretty sure that the man was Genevieve’s dad — say, “Let me guess. You’re not on the list because you were never invited. Am I correct? You crashed this wedding.”
