Powerful (The Driven World) - Kathleen Kelly Page 0,47
it is, is nice, Sophia,” I reply.
With a shake of her head, she gets between Athena and molds herself to my side. “You promised me some photos.” Her hand rests on my stomach in an intimate manner. “Let’s get this godawful tie off you.” Sophia holds up one that matches her dress. “This one isn’t so gauche.”
Athena’s mouth drops open. “You’re changing to match her?”
“Babe, it’s just for the reporters outside.”
“Babe?” Sophia begins to laugh. “She’s who you threw me over for?” Laughing louder, Sophia moves away from me. “Come on, babe, time to work.”
“You’re not going to pose with her, are you?”
Placing my hands on Athena’s shoulders, I shrug. “I made a deal.”
Athena moves out of my grasp. “Right, right, well… off you go then.” Her tone is cold and impersonal, her face shows no emotion.
“Athena—”
“No, it’s fine, really.” With her lips forming a smile, she moves away from me and heads for the bar.
Fuck.
This is not what I wanted on today of all days.
Growling in frustration, I join Sophia outside, pulling my tie off as I walk and stuffing it in my pocket. Sophia hands me the tie, and I loop it over my head and around my neck. She batters my hands away and ties it for me.
“Oh, stop being so melodramatic. Your high school girlfriend will be fine. She’s waited this long for you, I’m sure she won’t mind waiting a little longer.”
Sophia places her hand in mine, smiles, and moves toward the throng of reporters.
Chapter Twenty
Athena
The smile I’m wearing is all for show as I order bubbles and make my way back to the bridal table. TB and Ashlea have taken their seats, and when I get to them, I lean down and kiss both their cheeks.
“Do you two need anything?”
“Water,” replies Ashlea. Her face is flushed.
“I’ll second that. Who knew that dancing could be so good for getting the heart rate up?”
Ashlea leans in and kisses him. “I love you, Ares Boswell.”
“Not as much as I love you, Ashlea Boswell.”
“Dear Lord, I think I’m going to be sick.”
TB gives me a withering look. “Go get the water, woman!”
Walking up to the bar, Tommy Baker smiles at me.
“What can I get you?”
Looking over my shoulder at TB and Ashlea, I say, “Water for the oh-so-happy couple.”
Opening a refrigerator, he places two bottles of water on the bar.
“Do I detect sarcasm in that tone?”
Shaking my head, I grasp the bottles. “Not from me, never.”
Tommy bursts out laughing, and I go back to the bridal table. TB swipes a bottle and grins at me.
“You are the bestest sister ever.”
“I second that,” replies Ashlea as I hand over a bottle to her.
TB looks around the room. “Where’s Kris?”
Smiling sweetly at him, I answer, “He and Sophia are having photos taken.”
“Now?” asks Ashlea.
“Yep, apparently, it couldn’t wait.”
Sitting next to Ashlea, I look around the room. Todd waves at me, and I smile back at him. Picking his way through the tables, he crouches down next to me.
“You okay?”
“No, Kris left to go have photos taken with Sophia. And he changed his tie.”
Todd laughs. “It’s nothing. Did you see the way he was looking at you in the church? I’m surprised God didn’t strike him down.”
“Stop it.” I burst out laughing.
“Girl, you stop it. That man is in love with you.” The air whooshes out of my lungs, and I shake my head. “Of course, he is.”
“N-No. He’s, he’s…”
“He is what?”
Shaking my head, I feel tears prick the backs of my eyelids. “C-Can’t do this now.”
Todd frowns and pats my leg. “Okay, honey. Keep it together. How about we take a trip to the ladies’ room?”
Todd stands and pulls me to my feet, then escorts me into the ladies’ room. He pushes each door open to make sure we are alone, then turns to me. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know. I think I’m just feeling…” I pause as I search myself for the answer, “… jealous.”
“Of who?” Todd throws his arms up in the air. “Not Sophia? Jesus, Athena, he never looked at her the way he looks at you.”
“Really?”
Todd pulls me into the warmth of his body. “Yes, you idiot, really.”
The door to the ladies’ room opens, and we immediately separate. Todd smiles, taps on the counter, and looks at the woman.
“Everything in here appears to be in order.” Then he nods a couple of times and walks out.
The woman smiles and says, “I was young once, too, but it’s kind of early in the festivities to be making