Chapter 4
Chapter four
“Are all these people friends and family of the bride and groom?” Darwin asked in surprise as they walked into the Sauvignon Ballroom.
It was filled with at least four hundred guests.
And from the expensive clothes they were wearing, every one of them looked like they had money and wanted everyone else to know it.
Katrina laughed, the sound feminine and musical to his ears.
“Heavens, no! I doubt if more than a quarter of the people here could even pick Khloe or her fiancé out of a line-up. Unfortunately, this party isn’t as much about socializing with the bride and groom as it is about giving people a chance to rub elbows with my father and those who move in his circle. ”
Darwin grimaced. “I can’t imagine your sister is thrilled about that.”
As he and Katrina slowly navigated their way through people gathered in small groups, he picked up tidbits of conversation here and there, realizing most of them were talking about money in some form or other––be it investments, crypto, or the current stock market trends––while a string quartet played music in the far corner of the room.
Yeah. To say this wasn’t his scene was an understatement.
“I’d like to tell you she isn’t, but Khloe has always been more willing to play the game than I am,” Katrina said. “On the upside, she and Asher can pick up a few more items from their registry list.”
That was one way to look at it, Darwin thought. He’d always liked the idea of a smaller wedding himself.
Beside him, Katrina shrugged in what looked like surrender. He’d never noticed until now, but she had very sexy shoulders.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so cynical,” she said.
“I think I’m projecting my negative feelings about how my father does business onto my sister.
The truth is, she’s more likely making do with this whole thing the best she can.
Which means getting married while my father does whatever the heck he’s going to do, regardless of what she wants. ”
“I’m guessing you and your family aren’t close.”
He’d meant it as an observation, not an insult. He only hoped she realized that.
“Not since I went rogue and became a nanny,” Katrina said with a sigh as she led him further into the ballroom, looking left and right as they went, like she was searching for someone.
“I love them, but things haven’t been the same since I told them I wasn’t going to follow in the Weber family footsteps. ”
Darwin could understand that. He had a lot of Teammates whose families weren’t happy they’d decided to become SEALs instead of a job less dangerous. He knew it wasn’t the same thing, but still.
“You must be close to your sister if she asked you to be a bridesmaid,” he said, taking two glasses of white wine off the tray a passing server offered them and handing one to Katrina. He was more of an ale guy himself, but when in Rome...
“Thanks,” she said with a smile. “Yeah, Khloe and I have always been close. I was so thrilled when she told me Asher proposed.”
Darwin sipped his wine. It was actually pretty good. “How did Khloe and Asher meet?”
“Asher is the eldest son of the Santa Monica Haynes family.” The way she said it made Darwin think he should recognize the name. “They made their money in venture capitalism and are best known for supporting tech startup companies. He and Khloe met at an investment accelerator party.”
“O-kay,” he said. “Let’s pretend I don’t know what an investment accelerator party is.”
She smiled. “Sorry. It’s where people who need money for new business ventures are matched up with people looking to invest in the next big thing.”
“Wow. That sounds like one exciting party.” Darwin snorted. “I’m having a hard time imagining a meet-cute over business plans and return on investment estimates.”
Katrina laughed. “Well, everyone can’t meet their very own action hero in the middle of an adrenaline-pumping life-and-death situation, you know. Most people meet at work, and that’s what Asher does for a living.”
“I get it.” Darwin held up a hand in surrender. “But it still sounds boring.”
“You know what? I agree. Just don’t tell my sister I said that.” Katrina grinned. “Oh, there she is! Come on. Let’s go say hello.”
Taking his hand, she steered him toward one corner of the room, where several people were gathered near a table laden with delicious-looking mini-pastries.
“Katrina!” A woman with the same long, blonde hair and blue eyes as Katrina hurried over from the group with a squeal to pull her into a hug. “I was starting to think you weren’t going to show.”
“Sorry, Khloe,” Katrina said, hugging her back. “There was traffic all the way from Miramar. We checked in with just enough time to freshen up before coming down to the party.”
Katrina and her sister stood there chatting excitedly about the wedding, apparently completely forgetting there were other people around them.
It wasn’t until a tall, lean man with blond hair and wearing a suit that probably cost more than Darwin’s monthly hazard pay from the Navy walked over with a smile on his face.
“You must be Darwin Sutton,” the man said, offering a hand for a firm shake. “I’m Asher Haynes, Khloe’s fiancé.”
“Nice to meet you,” Darwin said, glancing at Katrina with a smile. “She did mention you, but something tells me that I probably know as much about you as you know about me.”
Which was to say, next to nothing.
“Probably,” Asher agreed with a laugh. “But that’ll give us a lot of stuff to talk about while Khloe and Katrina bond over wedding stuff.”
Darwin immediately decided he liked Asher. As a Navy SEAL, making quick appraisals of a person was kind of like a thing for him.
That was when Katrina and Khloe remembered they were in a ballroom with four hundred other people, including their new boyfriend and fiancé.
“I see you’ve already met Asher,” Katrina said with a smile. “Darwin, my sister, Khloe.”
Up close, Darwin could recognize the family resemblance even more. Katrina’s face was a little more heart-shaped, her nose a little perter, and her hair a little more honey colored, but it would be impossible to look at them and not know they were sisters.
“Nice meeting you, Khloe.” Darwin gave her a smile. “Thanks for inviting me.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too,” Khloe said, returning his grin as she moved close to Asher and slipped her hand into his. “And of course I’d invite you. Like I’d pass up the chance to meet the man my baby sister has been telling me so much about for the past few months.”
Stunned, Darwin looked at Katrina, who suddenly seemed to have an unusual interest in the string quartet on the other side of the room. Was she blushing?
“Katrina’s been talking about me?” he asked innocently. “What’s she been saying?”
“Don’t you say a word!” Katrina hissed, glaring at her sister. “Anything I said to you is protected under sibling confidentiality.”
Darwin chuckled. He’d been teasing Katrina by asking, but now, he couldn’t help wondering exactly what the two sisters had discussed. Unfortunately, Khloe shook her head.
“I’m just playing,” she assured Katrina. “I’d never reveal anything you said in private. But you can’t blame me for being interested in the guy you brought to my wedding. And don’t think I didn’t notice the two of you have connecting rooms.”
“Who has connecting rooms?” a woman asked from behind them.
Darwin turned around along with everyone else to see an older version of Katrina and Khloe standing there, wearing an elegant gown and looking expectantly at her daughters.
A younger man stood beside her, his suit as expensive as Asher’s, and his gaze locked on Katrina like he wanted to eat her up.. Darwin had never met the man and already didn’t like him.
“Mom!” Khloe said. “Katrina and I were just about to go find you.”
“Were you?” the woman said, her tone suggesting she didn’t believe Khloe at all. “Because all I heard you two talking about is Katrina having a connecting room with someone.”
Katrina’s mother regarded her for a few moments before continuing until her icy blue gaze settled on Darwin, as if she was evaluating him. And found him lacking.
“I don’t believe we’ve met,” she said, giving Darwin a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“This is Darwin Sutton,” Katrina said, stepping closer to him, like she was trying to protect him from her mother. “My boyfriend.”
Her mother’s eyes went a little wide at that. As for Mr. Perfect, he looked like someone had just stolen his G. I. Joe action figure with the Kung-Fu Grip. For some reason, the man’s reaction made Darwin happy. It was juvenile, but he wasn’t going to apologize.
“Boyfriend?” Katrina’s mother echoed. “You didn’t mention having a boyfriend at Khloe’s bridal shower. And you certainly didn’t say anything about bringing anyone to the wedding.”
“Yes, my boyfriend,” Katrina repeated, not flinching at the accusation in her mother’s words.
“Darwin and I have been seeing each other for a while, but I didn’t get around to asking him to come to the wedding until recently.
That’s why I didn’t mention it at the bridal shower.
But since we’re here now, I should introduce you, don’t you think?
” She looked at him. “Darwin, this is my mother, Grace Weber.”
Katrina’s mother didn’t say anything. Instead, she stood there studying her daughter with what could only be called a calculating expression. After a moment, Grace’s gaze moved to Darwin before going to Mr. Perfect.
Deciding it was time to step in, Darwin offered his hand to Katrina’s mother. “Mrs. Weber, it’s wonderful to finally meet you. Katrina has told me so much about you.”
Grace regarded his extended hand for so long Darwin thought she wasn’t going to shake it, but then she reached out and took it.
“Sutton, you said?” She arched a brow, scanning him critically up and down. “Of the Silicon Valley Suttons?”