Chapter 10 #2
“This is absolute perfection,” she sighs, then opens her eyes to find Conrad watching her with far too much appreciation. “The raspberry filling is like... like summer in your mouth.”
“You have such a poetic way of describing things,” Conrad says, his voice dropping to what he probably thinks is a seductive level. “It’s refreshing to meet someone who truly appreciates quality.”
Unlike some people who appreciate anything with a pulse and a trust fund, Kiki thinks to herself as she glares at Piers.
“The vanilla is lovely,” Bea agrees, clearly trying to steer the conversation back to safer territory.
“It reminds me of my grandmother’s wedding cake.
” Grandmother never had to worry about money the way I do now, she thinks sadly.
If only Frank’s fortune had survived his gambling addiction.
Charlotte deserves better than this financial mess we’re pretending doesn’t exist.
“What?” I gasp.
Piers works his way through the samples methodically, like he’s conducting a business evaluation rather than enjoying dessert. “The lemon lavender is interesting,” he says, holding up his fork as evidence. “Sophisticated but not pretentious. But the red velvet with white chocolate is my favorite.”
Unlike this entire wedding week so far, Kiki thinks while maintaining her polite expression.
Red velvet with white chocolate is my favorite flavor combination and he knows it!
It’s like he’s taunting me with that dingbat.
He probably doesn’t even remember that I made him red velvet cookies at least once a week when we were together.
It’s as if our relationship meant nothing to him.
Poor thing. It’s clear her heart is truly broken—and she’s downright bitter. And that’s a dangerous combination if ever there was one.
“What do you think, Kiki?” Charlotte asks with genuine warmth, completely oblivious to the tension crackling between her fiancé and his ex.
“It’s lovely,” Kiki replies smoothly, her eyes never leaving Piers’s face. “Very... memorable. Some flavors just stay with you, don’t they, Piers?”
Piers finally meets her gaze, and the look that passes between them could freeze the ocean in July. “Some things are better left in the past,” he counters.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Charlotte chirps, completely missing the subtext. “I think it’s wonderful when people can stay friends with their exes. It shows maturity!”
Maturity isn’t the word I’d use, Conrad thinks, reaching across Charlotte to sample the strawberry champagne cake.
His arm brushes against hers in the process, and she doesn’t pull away.
“I’m really digging this one.” He sheds a wolf-like grin as he looks past the cake and right into her big blue eyes.
“Conrad, you’re terrible.” Charlotte laughs, but she’s not moving away from his proximity despite the fact. “I think I’m really digging the strawberry champagne cake, too—it’s giving me serious fairy-tale wedding vibes.” She laughs as she takes a bite and wiggles her boobs in Piers’s direction.
“Fairy tales are overrated,” Piers says curtly, stabbing his fork into the red velvet with unnecessary force. “Real life requires practical decisions. Like red velvet.”
“How romantic.” Kiki bites the air with razor-sharp sweetness. “Nothing says eternal love like practical decisions.”
“At least practical decisions don’t leave you bitter, broke, and alone,” Piers shoots back.
The silence that follows is so thick you could cut it with a cake server. Even Ella stops babbling, apparently sensing the tension in the room.
Conrad clears his throat and makes a show of savoring the chocolate decadence. “Now this,” he announces, “is what I call a serious cake. Rich, complex, unapologetic. Like a beautiful woman who knows what she wants.” He looked directly at Charlotte as he said it, and she giggles up a storm.
Did he just compare cake to women? Emmie’s thoughts hit me with a wave of secondhand embarrassment. Please tell me he’s not going to start rating all the flavors based on attractiveness. I think we all know he thinks Charlotte is a ten.
Or a twenty, judging by the way he’s acting. The man really is gunning for a black eye.
“How... descriptive,” Bea says with a dry sarcasm that could wither houseplants at fifty feet.
“It seems Conrad has very strong opinions about dessert.” Charlotte laughs once again and her cheeks turn pink with delight.
“I have strong opinions about lots of things.” Conrad grins, leaning closer to Charlotte. “Life’s too short not to know what you want. And right now, I want to make sure you get the perfect cake for your special day.”
What he wants is anything in a skirt that’ll give him attention, Piers thinks darkly.
The man hit on three different bridesmaids at the engagement party.
Including my sister. But he’s just testing me, seeing how far he can push.
He gives Conrad a razor-sharp smile. Keep pushing, buddy.
Payback’s coming, and if I’m really lucky, you might just become the wedding’s second casualty.
I gasp hard and Emmie clears her throat. “So, what do you think?” she calls out. “Do we have a winner?”
Piers nods and holds up his fork. “Hands down it’s the red velvet with white chocolate.”
Charlotte sniffs his way before looking at Emmie. “We’ll have the strawberry champagne cake for our wedding day. It’s my hands-down favorite.” She shoots a sly glance at Conrad. “And I always get what I want.”
The silence that follows is deafening.
Piers may not have killed Tessa, but Conrad better hope there aren’t any more knives lying around at the reception.
Because, by the looks of it, some betrayals are worth killing for.