Chapter Eight
CHAPTER EIGHT
NATALIE
I should dress up more often.
I smooth my hand over the white strapless dress that’s form-fitted to my body and do a spin in the mirror. I had my makeup done for tonight. Well, the professional I hired pretty much used it as a trial for the wedding day, and my hair is down in waves, giving it a whole twenties maybe thirties vibe.
I feel beautiful, and I love it.
“Natalie, are you ready?” Griffin asks, stepping into our room. He smiles from ear to ear. “You look great,” he says and kisses my cheek.
“Thank you. Your suit is very sharp.”
He stands next to me in the mirror and kisses the top of my head.
“We should go.”
He moves quickly, but I stand still. He complimented me, but I don't know. I thought maybe he’d have more of a reaction.
I groan and grab my bag.
I’m totally overthinking everything these days. Is this what getting married is supposed to be like? Questioning every moment, every word, every look from your fiancé?
I totally get why people elope.
The fact that Tobias and I still haven’t talked is weighing on me too.
I need to apologize for what I said. I was out of line.
And I need to hear him out.
I meet Griffin at the door, and he follows me out to his car. He opens the door for me, winks at me with another smile, and then walks around to the driver's side.
As soon as we get there, the room is already full of our friends and family. People greet us the minute we walk in. After about twenty minutes, Nora walks by with two champagne glasses, handing them to me and Griffin as he chats with a colleague, his arms around my hips to keep me at his side. I silently thank her and smile at the other guests who wave at me.
“Excuse me,” I interrupt my fiancé. “I’m going to go say hello to my family.” I hold out my hand to a guy I know he works with, but I cannot remember his name. “It’s great to see you again. Thank you for coming.”
He gives me a quick hug and a quiet congratulations, and Griffin rubs my back right before I head for my mom, dad, and sister.
“I cannot believe I didn’t have a different dress for every event of my wedding,” my sister, Lilly, says as wraps her arms around me. “You look smoking hot in this dress. What did Griffin say?”
Not that.
“He likes it too” is how I answer.
“You look lovely, dear,” my mother says, and she and my father also hug me.
Maybe this night should be renamed the night of the hugs.
“Have you eaten?” I ask them, noticing their bare table. “It’s self-serve appetizers the entire night. Griffin kept it simple so everyone could snack as they like.”
“We’ll get food soon.” My mom smiles at me. “Don’t worry about us. I’m sure you have a lot of people to see tonight. I haven't seen Tobias, though. Is he running late?”
“Yeah, I need to talk to him about his next release,” Lilly says and fans her face. “Have you read it? Do you know when it is?”
I shake my head. No one knows that we’re fighting. Well, at least I haven't told anyone anyway.
“I don’t actually. I’ve been busy.”
She grabs my hand to look at my ring again.
“Very.”
I scan the room, noticing my friends all gathered at one table, but like my mom said, Tobias isn’t there. I look around once more, but there is no sign of him.
A lump forms in my throat. That was our biggest fight to date and the words held weight. I feel sick about it.
“I’m going to see if Nora knows where Tobias is. It’s not like him to be late.”
“Okay, see you in a bit.”
I march straight for the only table of the night who won’t demand my attention, my heels clicking on the hard floor announcing a woman on a mission.
“Have you guys seen Tobias?”
Nora looks down. Hero grabs her hand and rubs her back. Slowly, one by one, everyone sitting at the table looks away.
Heat crawls up my spine.
“What? Where is he?”
Simon clears his throat and swirls the bottom of his drink against the table as he looks up. “He’s in Lovers.”
“Oh. Why is he—Oh god," I gasp. “Is Grandma Betty okay?”
Simon nods.
“All right.” I glance at the group again, but still they avoid looking at me. “What’s going on?”
This time, it’s Zane who clears his throat.
“He …”
“He what, Zane? Spit it out. Someone, anyone, please.”
My heart races as I wait for an answer. The way everyone is avoiding me right now, I’m worried something terrible happened to him. Whatever it is, they’re afraid to tell me.
“When is he coming back?” I ask when it’s clear my last question is going to go unanswered.
Nora shifts out of Hero’s embrace to sit next to me. She grabs my hand, and I can see regret in her eyes.
“Grandma Betty fell, but she’s fine, and Tobias went to stay with her for a while.”
My heart lurches into my throat. Or at least that's what it feels like.
“He … he … she.” I can't even get the words out. I spot Griffin across the room, talking to his mother. The sight of him should calm me, but it doesn't. It doesn't do anything. I’m about to have a panic attack, and he isn’t the one I need.
“Why didn’t he call me? Grandma Betty is my?—”
I understand why it isn't here, but a feeling I can’t explain washes over me.
He’s supposed to be here. He’s supposed to be with me at every big life event. We’re supposed to make memories. Tonight won’t be right without him. I don't care if it’s a stupid dinner.
Nora shakes her head.
“I’m sorry, Natalie. He asked us not to tell you.”
“And he just thought I wouldn't notice that he isn't here?”
Despite how upset I am that he didn’t tell me, it hurts more to think about him alone and how he must have felt when he heard about Grandma Betty. He needs me.
“I think I need to go?—”
“Hey, guys,” Griffin says, walking up to our group. He puts his arm around me, but I can't look at him. I’m on the verge of tears.
“You all clean up nice,” he adds, and Graham stands to shake his hand.
“Congratulations. I don't think I’ve seen you since the big news came out.”
“I’ve been busy. My job has been more demanding on the West Coast, so I’ve been traveling more than normal.”
“Busy is good.”
“It is, especially when—whoa, whoa,” Griffin squats to look me in the eye and gently turns me to look at him completely. “What’s going on?”
I don't answer him, so he scans the group, but not a single one speaks up.
Griffin grabs my hand and pulls me to a quiet corner of the room.
“Talk to me,” he says calmly. “Did something happen to Tobias? I noticed he isn’t here.”
I nod. “His grandma fell, and he left today to go help her.”
“Okay.”
“I keep thinking of him going there alone, and I …” The words drift off as more tears fall.
A moment goes by; I’m not sure how long it is before Griffin speaks.
“Natalie, look at me.”
I wipe the tears that have escaped and look up at him. He takes a deep breath and grabs my hands.
“Where do you want to be right now? Here with me, celebrating our engagement, or in Lovers with Tobias?”
“It’s … complicated.”
Before I can stop it, more tears fall.
“I can’t let him be alone right now.”
“But you can walk out on me at our engagement party. Our party, Natalie. For us.”
Those last two words carry a tone I’ve never heard in his voice.
I step back.
“He needs me.”
Griffin steps closer to me with a look in his eye that sets off alarms inside me.
“If you walk out that door, we are finished. Okay. No wedding, no nothing.”
“Griffin, that’s not fair.”
“You know what’s not fair? That guy thinking he’s better than me, coming to me and saying we need to be friends for your sake, as if he’s the better man. Fuck that. You belong to me, not to him.”
Oh my god.
Oh my god.
“I …” I start to back up for the door.
From the corner of my eye, I see Nora and the group getting up as if the building is on fire.
“Don’t you dare walk out that door,” Griffin calls out behind me.
Before I know it, Hero, Beck, Simon, Zane, and Graham are all standing between me and Griffin.
“I’d stop right there if I were you,” Hero says quietly but with authority.
“This is a conversation between me and my fiancée. Why don’t you all go back to your table and?—”
“Let’s go,” I say and turn. Nora hands me my purse.
“Get back here,” Griffin yells. “Nikki!”
My back stiffens, and I stop for the briefest of moments to look over my shoulder.
“Natalie, I meant Natalie.”
“Go to hell, Griffin,” I say and march right out the door with my friends at my side.
“What just happened?” Nora says, looping her arm with mine.
“Griffin and I just broke up.”
“Oh my god. Are you okay?” Calla asks.
“Yes. I just need someone to take me to my car.”
“Why not home?”
“Because.”
“Because why?” Hero asks.
“Because I need to go to Lovers.”
“This is the best day ever,” Beck says.
“Beckett!” Calla smacks him in the back of the head.
His gaze snaps to mine. “Worst day. Worst day ever, I mean. I’m too caught up in the excitement to think straight.”
“We can drive you,” Simon says, placing his hand on Greer’s lower back and pointing to his truck. “I’m parked the closest.”
“Thank you.”
“Call me when you get there!” Nora shouts behind me.
I climb into the truck and pull my phone from my purse. Not a single missed call or text from him.
As soon as I find out Grandma Betty is okay and I see it for myself, I’m going to give Tobias a piece of my mind.