Just Married

17: Just Surprising

Snapping out of it, I forced a big smile on my face. It was genuine though. “No,” I breathed. “You look incredible.”

He sighed in relief, dropping his hands down. “Oh my god, I’m losing it.”

I chuckled. “Yeah, you and me both,” I muttered.

He cleared his throat and stuffed his hands back into his pockets, rocking back and forth on his heels. Thank goodness that no one could read my mind, because it was dirtier than the gutters right now. My thoughts would make a nun blush. “Let’s start over,” he laughed.

He began walking away from me and out the door, closing it on his way. Two seconds later, there was a sharp rap on the door and I smiled.

Opening the door, I was just as, if not, more floored by how Theo looked. “Hello,” I murmured.

“Hello,” he repeated. Grinning, he stepped back into the house as I moved to let him do so, our arms brushing slightly, sending tingles. I closed the door back. “May I say you look extra spicy tonight, Cora.”

Blushing, I rolled my eyes and took a hand to brush off the nonexistent dust off the shoulder of his suit jacket. Despite my nervousness and Noel beating my ass about my past, I couldn’t help but to feel alright around Theo. He made me feel safe and a way no one has before. He felt like home.

“I didn’t know a punk rock kid could clean up so nicely,” I played along. “Not half bad, Theo.”

“Are you ready to go?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s go do some matchmaking,” I said.

***

The Carmel Room was the fanciest restaurant I’ve ever been to. There was a valet service and people who escorted you to the entrance and waiters handing you champagne as you wait to be seated. It was awesome. And it was even more awesome since I wasn’t paying. Free food is the best kind of food.

Theo kept near me as we hovered in the crowded waiting area of the restaurant, a hand always on my back. We were waiting for Nina to show up with her mystery boyfriend. James texted us saying that he and Lana were already sitting in their reserved table and that our table was ready whenever we were. Lana texted me separately saying that she was having a foodgasm in her mouth, which made my mouth water. They were supposed to only be past appetizers before we sat down, so it looked like they were there not coincidentally before us.

There was one sip left of my bubbly before a sleek silver car pulled up to the valet service. A dainty heeled foot popped out of the passenger side of the car before a massive mane of blonde curls followed. No doubt everyone turned to look as Nina Peters stepped out of the car. Heck, I was staring.

“She makes quite the entrance,” Theo commented.

She waited as her boyfriend stepped out of the car with her. I just wanted to point out that we were watching them get out of a car like it was an Oscar worthy movie. Just saying. He shut the door and buttoned his suit jacket as he rounded the car to stand next to her. All the guys groaned as she looped her arm into his and they walked towards us.

As they closer, so did Nina’s boyfriend’s face.

First it was Theo whose hand tensed against my back, then it was me as I gasped, my face morphing into complete and utter shock. Together, the two of us stared at Nina’s boyfriend like he was an angel that dropped out of the sky.

It took us a moment to realize that they were finally standing in front of us, smiling.

When our eyes registered back to normal, we saw that her boyfriend held the same shocked expression, but his was more of a fearful shock than our genuine shock.