CHAPTER 14 #2
I clench my jaw, doing my best to keep my irritation in check. But Sebastian catches it, of course, he does. As May steers him through the crowd, he glances back at me with an apologetic look and mouths, “Sorry…”
And just like that, he’s gone, swallowed up by the sea of people.
I roll my eyes, still fuming, when my four friends close in around me, champagne flutes in hand and grins on their faces.
Francis nudges me with a wicked smile. “Relax, mate. Don’t worry, he’ll be back in your arms before you know it…”
What the hell? Who does he think he is?
I’m just about to snap at him when the others start giggling behind me. Francis sees it coming and lifts his hands in mock surrender.
“Kidding, Remi! Chill…”
He raises his hands in mock surrender. I let out a breath and deflate, though not before giving him a slightly-too-hard nudge in return, just to remind him who he’s dealing with.
“Still,” Jamie chimes in, his voice calm and measured, “Francis isn’t wrong. We get it, you want to look out for Seb, especially for Maddie. But he’s a grown man, Remi. And he seems perfectly capable of handling himself.”
Oh God, is that what they think? That I’m doing all this for Maddie?
I’d laugh if it weren’t so painfully off the mark… If only they knew the truth, how completely obsessed I’ve become.
I need to say something, anything, to explain why I’ve been so protective. It’s not exactly a side of me they’re used to seeing.
“You’re right, Jamie. But that woman…” I shake my head. “She’s just so overbearing. I can’t stand the way she treats Seb.”
No one argues with that. Even after just one brief encounter, I can safely say none of us is a fan of May Morris, especially not Anne.
And right on cue, she jumps in. “Remi’s absolutely right. Which is why I’d like to suggest something that I think is more than appropriate, given the situation…”
“We’re all ears, Annie!” Francis jumps in immediately, grinning. The others nod, clearly intrigued.
Anne shoots him a playful glare before continuing, “I propose we enjoy this lovely room and the delicious buffet that’s been laid out for us.
And once we’ve had our fill, we’re going to rescue Sebastian from his agent’s claws and make our escape through that side door at the back of the hall. What do you say?”
She winks at us from beneath her tousled fringe and takes a slow sip of champagne, looking thoroughly pleased with herself.
I stare at her, mouth slightly agape, genuinely impressed by her ability to read a situation so perfectly and come up with something so bold, and so Anne. Especially considering she looks like a wide-eyed fawn in heels.
“I’m in!” Noah cheers, high-fiving her. Francis and Jamie nod with equal enthusiasm, and then all eyes turn to me.
Without a word, I grab a tray from a passing waiter, snatch a flute of champagne, raise it to the group, and laugh.
“To your plan, Anne, which I fully support, and to all of you, because you’re slightly unhinged… but also the best friends anyone could ask for.”
We clink glasses with a chorus of laughter, locking eyes like any proper toast demands. But when my gaze meets Francis’s, something shifts. It’s not the usual light-hearted sparkle. There’s something more measured in his eyes.
He knows something’s up. He always does.
But he doesn’t say anything. Not yet.
Instead, he leans toward Anne and whispers something in her ear. I turn away, my eyes drawn back to Sebastian across the room.
May is dragging him from one guest to the next, like a trophy she’s determined to parade. He looks exhausted. I know his face well enough by now to see through that polite smile. He’s barely holding it together.
He glances in our direction, and for a moment, our eyes meet. His look is almost pleading.
Anne, still chewing a canapé, places a firm hand on my arm. The others are chatting and grazing at the buffet, but I can’t even stomach a tartlet.
All I can see, all I can think about, is Sebastian. I know my growing obsession with him is starting to show, maybe even becoming a concern, but right now, none of that matters. All I care about is getting him away from her.
“Patience, Remi…” Anne murmurs, stroking my arm gently. “Just a few more minutes. Let the boys devour the buffet like wolves, then we’ll extract him. I promise.”
“How though?” I hiss, the frustration spilling out. “How are we supposed to get him out of here without anyone noticing? May’s stuck to him like an octopus!”
I throw my hands up, overwhelmed, not just by the situation, but by the rising panic clawing at my chest. I’m genuinely afraid he might have a panic attack, right here, in front of everyone. And that would be a disaster.
Finally, the others return, hands piled high with food, and Anne grabs Francis’s hand. As we huddle closer, she leans in and whispers, conspiratorial as ever, “I’ve got a plan.”
We all lean in instinctively.
“To get our Seb away from that leech, we need a distraction…”
We hold our breath.
“…and I’ll handle that part.”
“What do you mean?” Noah asks, already intrigued.
“I mean,” she says sweetly, “I’ll casually stroll over, and then, oops!” She mimes twisting her ankle and stumbling, her hand flying up in exaggerated slow motion. “My champagne just happens to spill down Miss Morris’s plunging neckline.”
Anne is an evil genius.
She gives us her best look of innocent remorse, then continues, “While everyone’s busy dealing with that disaster, Noah and Jamie will rush in to help and escort May to the ladies’ room. And in the chaos, our dear Remi will swoop in and whisk Seb away.”
We burst out laughing, high-fiving like a pack of misbehaving teenagers. Francis beams at her and, without a care in the world, pulls her in for a deep, unashamed kiss, utterly oblivious to anyone watching.
Once they finally break apart, we all put our hands together, a silent pact forming between us, ready for action.
Jamie nods toward the side exit, neatly tucked behind a heavy velvet curtain. It’s close. A few seconds’ walk from where Seb is standing.
“Ready?” Anne asks, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.
“Born ready,” I reply, and the others nod in unison.
We move as one, glasses in hand, drifting through the crowd with rehearsed nonchalance toward May and Seb, who are currently locked in conversation with what looks like a pair of royals.
From this distance, I can see it clearly, the weariness etched into Sebastian’s face. That beautiful face, so full of light when he plays, is now drawn with tension and exhaustion. The sight of it punches a hole right through my chest.
And I can’t help but feel a swell of gratitude for these incredible friends, ready to leap into action for someone they’ve only just met. No questions asked, no hesitation. They already consider him one of us.
Then Anne sets her plan in motion. I watch it all unfold as if in slow motion.
She twists her ankle, stumbles dramatically, and her champagne arcs through the air with surgical precision, landing squarely down the front of May’s designer dress.
May shrieks like a banshee. The elderly couple beside her recoils in horror and quickly makes their exit. Jamie, Noah, and Francis leap into action, offering tissues and words of concern like well-trained butlers.
Anne, the picture of fake remorse, dabs at May with cocktail napkins that only make things worse.
May is livid, ranting about her ruined Gucci dress as she storms off toward the bathroom, trailed by our three “concerned” accomplices.
That’s my cue.
I stride over and take Seb’s hand, lacing my fingers through his. He looks up at me, eyes dull with exhaustion.
“Please, Remi… get me out of here.”
I squeeze his hand, firm and steady. “That’s exactly what I’m going to do, Seb. I’ve got you.”
And just like that, we slip away.
No one stops us. Somehow, despite the chaos, despite how magnetic he is, no one notices as we vanish through the velvet curtain and down the back stairs.
We reach the lobby, quiet, almost deserted. It feels like stepping into another world.
At the coat desk, the young woman behind the counter blushes the moment she sees Sebastian.
“Already leaving, Mr Arnette? The reception’s only just begun…” she stammers, clearly star struck.
Seb shifts uncomfortably, biting his lip. “Yeah, it’s a lovely evening, but I’m not feeling great… Would you mind letting Miss Morris know I left early because of a headache?”
“Of course, Mr Arnette,” she says, her voice practically trembling.
She disappears into the back, and when she returns with our coats, Seb thanks her with that signature sweetness, flashes his dimple, and adds a wink for good measure.
She nearly melts on the spot.
Even now, after everything, he still manages to catch me off guard with that quiet, playful charm.
Without thinking, I pull him a little closer, protective, maybe even a bit possessive, and guide him gently toward the exit.
Once we’re outside, out on the bustling pavement, I finally let go of his hand, but I can’t quite stop touching him. Gently, I take his chin between my thumb and forefinger and lift his face until our eyes meet.
Sebastian doesn’t bother hiding how drained he is, and strangely, I’m glad. It feels like trust. Like he doesn’t need to pretend with me.
In the softest voice I can manage, I ask, “Do you feel up to taking the tube? Or should I call an Uber?”
But, as always, he surprises me. He holds my gaze with quiet steadiness and shakes his head. “Actually… I’d like to walk.”
I don’t even let him finish before I frown, concern rising instantly. “Seb, are you serious? You look completely wrecked. And you’ve got every right to be, but what you need now is rest, sweetheart, not a trek across the city.”
Now it’s his turn to cut me off.
“Remi, I know you’re worried, and I appreciate it. Really. And thank you for rescuing me from my agent, by the way. Though I can only imagine what kind of wrath our friends are facing right now after ruining May’s dress… Whose idea was that, anyway?”