Caleb and Giselle followed an usher to their table. They threaded their way through the maze of tables. On the way to their table, they both saw the wedding cake.
Giselle paused and whispered, "Wow. She was right. That cake is stunning. Extraordinary."
"And anyone would know the cake would be spectacular, given the couple!" Caleb countered, put a hand on her back and gestured Giselle forward.
Giselle looked over her shoulder and scowled. "Obviously she was here, inside."
"Probably part of the crew setting up today." Again he gestured, "Keep moving, Giselle!"
Ah, that would explain it, Giselle thought as Jena's dress code resurfaced in Giselle's brain. Giselle glanced over her shoulder and mouthed, "Interested in your explanation?"
Caleb again gestured, and said at the same time, "Probably magic! Unless gravity is a figment." The cake was unusual.
The gap between the tables widened, so Caleb joined Giselle and together they followed their usher. "I am not talking about the cake." Giselle murmured quietly. "Your chemistry."
" What chemistry?" But he knew given the fact his pulse was still racing.
Giselle comically raised her eyebrows, "Between Jena and you." Giselle being nosy said, "I thought she must be your ex. And it might explain the chemistry I saw." She quirked a brow, and said with empathy, "Was it a recent split?"
"Arguing is not chemistry." Caleb whispered conscious of the guests who could hear their conversation. "Just poor form."
"Connection. Pure chemistry!"
"You saw a connection? Or just your imagination." But he registered their chemistry and he was not happy about that.
"Yes, I saw attraction. Sparks flew!" Giselle's brain reviewed her memory stores, "The way you both look at each other! Non-verbal communication! You needling her. Well actually you teased her! Over and over. The question is why?"
He muttered. "Giselle, Giselle, Giselle. Your imagination."
Giselle ignored Caleb's green herring, statement, "And, she was fiddling with her hair and kept licking her lips! All telling traits! Revealing interest without speech!"
Caleb snickered. "Guess this wedding has affected your heart and head! When did you pass the entrance to a degree in psychology?"
Giselle ignored his sarcasm. "You were leaning towards her! And eye contact between you and her was scorching! I mean, sizzling! As I said, pure chemistry. I do not need a degree in psychology to see that!"
"Just your creative mind working overtime!" Caleb mocked. But he knew Giselle was right.
"Palpable tension. I am telling you, cousin, definitely connection. Real, honest, genuine chemistry. Not sure why you are ignoring it." She frowned, "And normally you have manners, and are usually charming and polite. Not today."
"I was charming." He retorted and Giselle snorted. "My manners were perfect for the circumstance. I could have told security that she had plans to gate-crash the reception."
"And we both know that is not true, given she had made no effort to blend in with the guests. She was not going to gate crash this wedding. Just not sure why she was here, walking with us, towards the entrance. Any way, " Giselle sighed. "why are you ignoring this chemistry between you and her?"
"A, your brain conjured up the chemistry. Pure fiction! Like the cake, an illusion. An illusion conjured up by your romantic soul. Pure imagination." Unfortunately it was not imagination. He was not sure why, given he would never trust someone who had an affair, his heart was racing.
Giselle snickered and pushed, "I was right! Jena is your ex! Isn't she? And I think you are not over her!"
"As I said, this figment of chemistry is something you saw in your fertile creative mind! And given she is not my ex, there is nothing to get over!" He said beneath his breath as they navigated the route to their table.
Giselle teased, "Come on Caleb. You split up recently? Obviously not amicable. But do you still fancy her? Is that the problem? Do fancy her? Are you in love with her? She is lovely. Actually beautiful."
Caleb ignored her questions. Giselle huffed then giggled, "Fine. If you do not fancy her, can you give me her contact details?"
Caleb chuckled but wondered if Jena might prefer a date with Giselle. "What makes you think I have her contact details?"
Both Caleb and Giselle recognized the people at their table but continued with their whispered conversation as they approached their table.
"Duh. Given you recognized her, knew her name, and apparently told her that she did not meet your standards!" When the usher pulled out a chair from the table, Giselle took her seat and said to the usher, "Thank you." Caleb took his seat. Then Giselle leaned towards Caleb and whispered, "Assuming you are not pining for her, just for information, she meets my standards! Happy to take your ex-girlfriend out!"
Caleb chuckled. "Good luck with that!"
"What? Why?" Giselle frowned at Caleb. Something in his statement suggested he knew more.
"She only dates people with a wedding band!"
Giselle's eyes went wide.
Caleb's sister's boyfriend, Isaac nearly put the Giselle and Caleb's conversation to bed, when Isaac looked at his watch and said, "I thought you forgot your way to this venue!" Isaac wondered about the whispering between Caleb and his cousin.
Sophie smiled at her brother and added with a pout, "I was just about to phone you, to see where you are! What happened, Caleb?"
"We were waylaid by his ex!" Giselle grinned.
"Really?" Sophie's mouth formed an O.
Giselle nodded. "Just outside! Apparently ditched him because he was not wearing a wedding ring! Whatever that means!"
Sophie ignored Caleb's statement and asked Giselle, "Which ex-girlfriend?"
"The one in Giselle's imagination." Caleb said drily. "No exs waylaid us."
"Caleb and Pinocchio are sharing a nose!" Giselle looked over at Sophie, and with a conspirator's tone, she whispered, "His ex bumped into him, and accompany us to the front entrance, well nearly!" Giselle continued to grin.
Sophie's eyes showed excitement, "Really? Is she here? Can you see her? I might recognised her." She frowned and looked around to see if she could see Caleb's ex.
"No, she is not here." Giselle said with a sigh.
"No, no ex! Not waylaid by an ex! We were late, because Giselle's caught her shoe heel in a rut. Her heel snapped." Dead pan, he said, "I suggested she could start a new fad, wearing only one shoe or go shoeless. But she refused." Sophie rolled her eyes at her brother "But she insisted on shoes. Ensured we would be late. We went back to her flat."
Sophie glanced at her watch, "It took you ..."
Caleb interrupted, "Exactly! Giselle is a shoeholic!" Caleb, Sophie and their cousin, Giselle had a good relationship, they were used to the teasing. Caleb continued, "As expected, it took her ages to decide which substitute-shoes were suitable for her dress and this event. In my view, all shoes were suitable!" Caleb pursed his lips. "Giselle discarded at least twenty pairs before she found something! And only after I told her I was going to the reception without her and was going leave her in her flat!"
"Bet her shoes are spectacular!" Sophie backed her cousin.
Giselle nodded. "They are!"
"She settled on tottering ridiculous heels!" Caleb's tone was curt while his eyes laughed.
"Wearing my ultra sexy shoes, are wasted on you!" Giselle wiggled her eyes. "But bet I will pull today!"
"Doubt it!" Sophie said drily. "Most guests are here, as couples!"
"Perhaps. Two couples will have arrived, but will leave with a different combination!"
Sophie snorted. "Giselle!"
"Hey, I have my secret weapon, my ultra sexy shoes!" Giselle grinned. "Just a shame that it took me ages to find them."
"So that is why you were late." Sophie chuckled.
Giselle nodded. "Guilty. But that is so boring, I prefer the waylaid by an ex as a excuse for our tardiness!"
Their conversation was curtailed when the MC announced the bridal couple.