What Deceit Looks Like | ✓

27: cassidy

When he said there would be fifty to one hundred people here, I wasn't expecting to see quite so many suits. There are still many that aren't, but it's easy to see that a large portion of the party is made up of businessmen and politicians. I spot Dean quickly who is busy making himself invisible in the corner. I don't blame him, this isn't exactly my scene either. I'm not sure what my scene is anymore these days, but I know that if I ever have a baby shower, I'm not making a big show of it like this.

This doesn't look fun at all. It just looks like another excuse for everyone to get together to talk business. I split up with Maddox a few minutes ago to look for Tessa. I know he doesn't want to do any work today, but it doesn't appear that he has a choice. Tess is organizing more cupcakes to be brought out in the kitchen.

"Need any help?" I offer hesitantly, and she smiles at me.

"Actually I think I've got this all handled for now; have you met Peyton? I think you guys would hit it off. She's somewhere around here," Tess says it quickly, more to herself than to me.

"Are you okay?" I ask, resting a hand on her shoulder.

Her expression falls slightly, "What do you mean?"

"I don't think I've ever seen you this busy and frantic. Normally you're cool as a cucumber," I joke lamely, and she sinks against the counter.

"I just want everything to be perfect. Grayson and I got into a huge fight last night over literally nothing, and I have this huge pit in my stomach that something is going to go wrong today. Nothing can go wrong today." Tessa repeats, and I'm shocked. I know that every couple fights, but Grayson and Tessa seemed like the exception.

I resist the urge to tell her that Maddox had the same thought, "It's all going perfectly. I really wouldn't worry that much about it. What did you and Grayson fight about if you don't mind me asking?"

Tessa pulls her hair back into a short ponytail, "His mom is upset that we're having a small wedding instead of a big one. I then replied with how I don't feel like having all of her friends making passive aggressive comments the entire time with her at my wedding. Grayson asked if I would bend and make the guest list a little bigger to make things easier, which I have no intention of doing. I don't even know his mom's friends that she wants me to invite? Why would I want them at my wedding."

"She sounds like a bitch," I scrunch my nose, and Tessa laughs, wiping a tear out of her eye carefully.

"Oh she really is. Gray doesn't even like spending time with her so I don't know why-" She takes a deep breath trying to calm herself. "I just need to forget about it for now, and try to make sure that nothing can go wrong today."

"Tess wait." I say after her, and she pauses to look at me.

"What Cassidy?"

I smile warmly at her, "I think that you and Grayson will be fine. What do you need help with, and don't even try to tell me nothing."

"Care to help me keep Sephine's parents away from Hayes's parents? It's not the moms we have to worry about, it's the dads that need to stay away from each other." She warns, motioning to which set of parents I'm supposed to take.

I'm halfway towards Sephine's parents when someone grabs my arm and pulls me to the side, "Are you okay?" Dean asks, scaring me half to death.

I look at him curiously, "Why are you asking me that? I'm perfectly fine."

"I didn't know if Maddox had the chance to warn you that..." His voice trails off as he looks over my shoulder with his eyes wide.

"Warn me about what?" I ask, turning my head to follow where his attention went. Shock hits me like a brick wall as I'm looking at a splitting image of Maddox that's twenty years or so older than him. Less mean looking than his older brother, but still not friendly. I offer out my hand, "You must be Mr. Benson. It's nice to meet you, I'm Cassidy." Maddox never said anything about his dad being here?