Love's Gambit

CHAPTER ONE

Saturday, August 18, 2018
Los Angeles, California
Tony's House

Her best friend and brother were definitely smitten, and for their vow renewals, they'd chosen a hot climate. They were going simple, claiming they didn't need another elaborate wedding dress—white or not.

Lexi looked beautiful despite the fact that she wasn't wearing a wedding gown—Melissa could've designed one this time, since she'd gotten over her fear of wedding dresses.

Lexi had had them all gather behind her as the bridesmaids for the bouquet toss, and the memory of her being the one to catch it at Jason & Sierra's wedding unnerved her so much that she had decided not to make any effort at all this time.

When Lexi tossed it and the other bridesmaids were surging forward, she'd step back and let them do their thing. She nodded to herself, confident it'll work out that way.

"Are you all ready?" Lexi asked, her back turned to the five people who made up her small group of bridesmaids — Melissa, Sierra, Samantha, Paige and Evie.

The four, annoyingly gathered behind her, all enthusiastically responded with a resounding "Yes!" It was like they knew something she didn't, and she didn't like it one bit.

Count in the fact that Trey had appeared there and was nodding at his wife. They definitely had something planned, and she hoped to God that it had nothing to do with her.

Lexi began her count down. "Three, two," and on Trey's thumbs up, Lexi spun around on 'one', making her way towards them. Melissa could hear the muffled giggles all around her and that deepened her annoyance. One more goading and she was out of there.

Lexi handed the bouquet to Melissa, and bewildered and now thoroughly annoyed, she began her tirade. "What are you doing? What happened to giving the bridesmaids an equal chance to catch the bouquet?!" she hissed, realizing Lexi wasn't paying her any attention. The bride only grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her around.

"I swear, if you're doing this because I caught it last time, I'll. . . I don't want this." She groaned when Lexi said nothing in response. "Are you listening to me?"

Then ever so calmly, Lexi said, "Ladies." It seemed they understood what she meant because they all stepped out of the way, leaving her facing . . . him.

She felt her body go rigid with tension as she watched him watch her. He was so casually reclined in her seat which she'd vacated for the bouquet toss, and was regarding her with an idleness that said he could do it all day.

And then Lexi, either daft or plainly not caring, reminded Melissa of her presence and her hand in this when she whispered, "All the best."

Melissa snapped out of it, then turned to find her brother and best friend had taken off in a run. Her first urge was to throw something. She hurled the bouquet at Lexi, and followed it by a sandal that narrowly missed her face. Trey wasn't as lucky, as the second sandal she took off hit him right in the calf.

But they still didn't stop, and the distance was growing.

In anger, she yelled, "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!! BOTH OF YOU!" She reached onto the table and grabbed the empty glass she'd used earlier, about throwing it when a familiar touch stopped her.

Devante held onto her wrist to keep her from making the throw. She turned on him, eyes blazing, and he found it hot. "Touch me one more time and I'll bash your head in so bad you won't see your pretty little wife again," she snarled, stepping away, and throwing the glass anyway, though they were so far away now that she couldn't hit them. It fell in the sand.