Chapter 5 - THE PERFECT TOASTWhen Harrison returned to the ballroom, applause erupted.
He hadn’t heard the joke.
He didn’t smile.
Blake stood near the dance floor holding a champagne flute.
“There he is.”
Several guests laughed.
Blake’s smile tightened.
“Dad, where’s Mom?”
Harrison looked directly at him.
“Resting.”
For one second, guilt flashed in Blake’s eyes.
Then disappeared.
“Is she coming back?”
“No.”
Sloane stood beside him.
Her hand tightened around Blake’s arm.
Harrison noticed.
He noticed everything now.
The way Sloane avoided his eyes.
The way Blake positioned himself between Harrison and his bride.
The way both of them appeared less worried about Evelyn than about what Harrison might know.
Interesting.
The band quieted.
The master of ceremonies handed Blake a microphone.
The groom lifted his glass.
“I just want to thank everybody for being here tonight.”
Cheers.
Harrison took his seat.
The envelope containing the unsigned transfer documents felt heavy inside his jacket.
Blake continued.
“I’ve spent my whole life surrounded by people who taught me the importance of loyalty.”
Harrison nearly looked away.
“But tonight,” Blake said, smiling toward Sloane, “I start a new family with the woman who knows me better than anyone.”
The guests applauded.
Sloane kissed him.
Harrison’s stomach turned.
He had never objected to Blake putting his wife first.
That was healthy.
Expected.
A marriage required loyalty.
But loyalty did not mean moral blindness.
Protecting a spouse did not require humiliating a mother.
And love did not require cruelty.
Blake spoke for another two minutes.
His father.
His friends.
Sloane’s parents.
The Carlisle family.
The wedding party.
He never mentioned Evelyn.
Not once.
Harrison saw people notice.
Not everyone.
But enough.
An elderly aunt leaned toward her husband.
One of Harrison’s oldest friends glanced toward the empty chair beside him.
Blake finished.
Applause.
Then Sloane spoke.
She thanked her mother for creating “the wedding of my dreams.”
Her father for always believing she deserved “the very best.”
Then she turned toward Blake.
“And thank you for always choosing us.”
Choosing us.
Harrison studied her.
Had that been what the hallway confrontation was about?
A test?
Choose me over her?
Harrison had known controlling people before.
In business, they usually revealed themselves through small loyalty demands.
Take my side.
Exclude him.
Don’t invite her.
Prove that I matter more.
Then the demands increased.
Blake returned to the table.
“Dad.”
Harrison looked up.
“You okay?”
“Yes.”
“You seem quiet.”
“I’m listening.”
Blake lowered his voice.
“Mom said anything to you?”
Interesting again.
Not “Is Mom okay?”
Not “Did you find Mom?”
Anything to you?
Harrison took a sip of water.
“No.”
Technically true.
The security monitor had spoken first.
Blake visibly relaxed.
Harrison hated how much that told him.
“Good.”
Blake caught himself.
“I mean, she was upset. I didn’t want her dragging you into something during the reception.”
“Something.”
“Just a misunderstanding.”
Harrison looked toward Sloane.
She was laughing with a bridesmaid.
“A misunderstanding.”
“Mom got emotional.”
Blake smiled as though discussing an elderly relative confused by a seating arrangement.
“Tomorrow I’ll smooth it over.”
Tomorrow.
Of course.
Because Evelyn always gave him tomorrow.
Harrison leaned back.
“What did she misunderstand?”
Blake hesitated.
“That Sloane needed space.”
“And the red mark on your mother’s face?”
Blake went still.
Harrison watched him.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Blake put down his drink.
“She told you.”
Harrison said nothing.
“It wasn’t what it looked like.”
“What did it look like?”
“Dad.”
Harrison maintained eye contact.
Blake looked away first.
“Sloane felt threatened.”
“By your sixty-year-old mother.”
“She got in her face.”
“No.”
Blake looked back.
“What?”
“No.”
The word was quiet.
Absolute.
Blake’s expression changed.
“How do you know?”
Harrison reached into his jacket.
Blake’s eyes dropped instantly toward the envelope.
There it was.
Expectation.
Harrison removed it.
For one heartbeat, Blake smiled.
Then Harrison placed the envelope inside the inner pocket of his coat instead.
Blake stared.
“Was that—”
“Enjoy your wedding.”
“Dad.”
Harrison stood.
“Not tonight.”
He walked away.
Behind him, he heard Sloane approach.
“What happened?”
Then Blake’s whisper.
“I don’t know.”
Harrison did.
May you like
The first piece of Blake’s imagined future had just disappeared.
And the groom didn’t even understand why.
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