Lose Control (The Jewel Project #5)

Slow Song

"Why are you here?" she asked.

Christine heaved a sigh. "Skye actually invited me. I'm still not sure why. The thing is..." She glanced around wistfully. "Sam and I were trying for friendship. This whole thing made me realize that I can't. I can't be his friend when all I can think about is..."

Angie swallowed heavily because she could completely understand. "How you wish you were Skye."

Christine just nodded and looked away. "Anyway, this is it. I guess I'll just show myself out of his life and be done with it."

"You should be proud of yourself," Angie said, because she'd honestly expected Christine to try and ruin the wedding rather than admit defeat and back off.

"I am, just a little. I'll figure it out. You obviously have."

No, she hadn't, but it was nice to hear it anyway. Especially from someone in the same predicament. Would Angie be invited to Tom's wedding with Lucy in a couple of months?

The thought made her nauseous, so she was more than grateful when Sam and Skye made their grand entrance to general applause, and even more so when the lights dimmed almost all the way down. This way, she didn't have to keep up the smile, pretend not to be miserable.

But when a single light shone on the center of the stage and the three couples ready to dance, her stomach sunk again. Kyle and Kay, Jessie and Jerry and Tom with Lucy. In the chords of a smooth tango, they were off, dancing in perfect sync.

And even though Kyle and Kay were spectacular as always, the air sizzling around them, this time Angie only had eyes for Tom, for the way he held Lucy, for the way she smiled back. And which each excruciating chord, she had to admit they looked great together, that there was obvious chemistry there. And all she wanted to do was break them apart, take over, melt in Tom's arms.

Why? You're the one who chose to leave. He wanted you back. Maybe it was exactly that. He'd claimed to still love her when she'd left. Did it only take four months for him to get over her?

No, he couldn't have. He still loved her and she was going to prove it, even if it meant beating Lucy away with a stick. The decision made Angie feel lighter somehow, as if she could still fit in, have purpose.

But as the introductory dance ended, she was left watching Sam and Skye taking the floor for their first dance as husband and wife. Kyle abandoned dancing and headed for the stage to sing, so it took only seconds for Kay to join her.

"How was it?" she asked, her face all smiles and looking a little flushed.

"Amazing, as always."

"We only practiced for three days, so I was a little nervous." Kay picked up a menu and fanned herself with it, turning to the dancers.

The floor was filling up now, and Lucy and Tom were still glued to each other, holding on too tight. Angie gritted her teeth, only half hearing what Kay was saying about Kyle's band. Yes, they were wonderful and Kyle was amazing, but Angie wished they were less so. That the music would stop and the lights would go out and the ground would swallow her.

"Sucks that you can't dance," Angie mumbled to Kay.

"Nah, the band doesn't have long performances. He'll be down in no time. Plus, I love to hear him sing." She winked and glanced around. "It's a really beautiful wedding."

It really was. "How much of it are you stealing for yourself?"

"At least half. Skye and I planned most of it together after all."

"So when's the wedding?"

Kay's smile slipped off her face. "We haven't settled on a date yet. I mean we're planning and we have the essentials down already, but..."