UNEDITED
When Leon Saint-Laurent receives a wedding invitation in the mail, he soon realizes nothing's fair in love and life.
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Eliza is set on marrying James. She wants to step into a new chapter of her life. One where she can forget the past a...
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Leon
The next morning, bright and early, I'm at the golf course with James, Scott, and Kit. The morning sun has chased away any remnants of last night's storm, so the weather is already beginning to heat up beneath the hot summer sun. As is the game; James and Scott are beginning to become frustrated with the fact that Kit and I are dominating the game. This might sound a little sadistic, but I'm enjoying watching the frustration build up in James. He's like the storm that was brewing last night – ready to explode at any moment.
"I think we're the only two playin' this game," Kit murmurs as we watch James try to shoot his ball out of the bunker.
I wipe the sweat off of my forehead and the back of my neck with a towel I brought. Already, my golf shirt is sticking to my sweaty skin – and it's not even nine o'clock. "Yeah," I reply. "Next time, it'll have to be just you and me if we want to have a real game."
"Hey, assholes," Scott calls from the bunker. "We can hear you!"
"Good," Kit shouts back. "Maybe you'll take the constructive criticism and get somethin' done about your lack of skill."
Scott scowls at us before turning back to James.
"So," Kit continues. "How was Eliza doin' last night?"
I play stupid, despite the blush I can feel creeping across my cheeks. "What do you mean, man?"
Kit punches me in the bicep. "Don't play daft with me. Nobody takes that long in the bathroom."
"Avoiding the alcohol last night, were we, Kit?" I tease, punching him back.
"Just a smidgen," he smirks.
I sigh, adjusting my ballcap. I can't tell him about what almost happened. About the tension between Liz and I. "She was in rough shape when I found her," I say. "I went out there to make sure she was okay because no one else seemed to care." I shoot a glance at James. "I thought weddings were about marrying someone who loves you."
"James does love Eliza," Kit replies. He sounds mildly defensive. "He just wanted to give her some space. It's what they do when one of them is mad or upset; they allow the other to blow off some steam before they talk."
I resist shaking my head. I know Liz and I have changed drastically over the past two years, so maybe he's right. The Liz I remember, however, only pushes people away when she's upset because she wants them to put up a fight and stay to talk to her. And I think she still leans that way a little – her comment about James is enough to back up my thesis. And maybe I'm being pigheaded when I say this, but I don't think Liz is as happy with James as she says she is.
"Okay," I sigh, watching James sink a bogey for the second time in a row. "I'll remember that for next time. But the reason I took so long was that our conversation shifted from her parents' divorce and how she was doing to my mom and the complications between us."
