Desserts & Dramas

Chapter 16

The venue Alice chose was actually a mix of Japanese restaurant and bar, combining sushi with creative drinks. The bride and groom managed to reserve some isolated tables with sofas, making their guests more comfortable to interact.

When the official announcement was made, the women were immediately excited, but the men smiled a little uncomfortable. They knew that weddings meant endless rehearsals and perhaps spending too much time with people you don't like. But for Alice and Tomás, dear friends, it was worth the sacrifice. Since Sofia had already talked to her sister about it, the components of the group were not a surprise to her. She even expected to meet Gabriel and intended to stay well away from him. Or at least, if she was close, that the drinks would be far away from both of them.

Trying to accomplish her mission of keeping her distance from danger, Sofia ended up sitting between Arthur and Vivian. Vivian was interested in getting Gabriel's attention, what left Sofia alone to deal with Arthur, perhaps a greater danger than the first.

"Beautiful, intelligent and talented." praised Arthur. "We seem to have missed each other at dinner, dear."

Sofia thought it would be safer to keep the conversation about talent and desserts, so at least she would have the opinion of someone as demanding as he made it seem.

"I'm glad you approved my work."

"More than approved. Now I am even more sure that you need an investor, or rather this investor, to make your sweets shine all over the country."

Arthur pointed to himself and again excelled all his qualities and connections. Sofia tried to be as polite as possible, but who could be such a snob? She couldn't stand to hear any more about the family's houses, cars and boats. The important friends, the acquaintances in the government, and the exclusive list of businessmen. She knew that Tomás's family had many possessions, however, unlike his cousin, he didn't keep emphasizing all the family's possessions for everyone around to hear.

While Arthur was focused on his own monologue, Sofia observed the other guests. And she couldn't help but notice that all the waitresses were more helpful when serving Gabriel compared to the other occupants of the table. She saw when he arrived and was attended to by a very helpful girl, or one interested in something else, who escorted him to the table where they were sitting. Sofia was already tired of rolling her eyes at such flattery, she couldn't imagine that they could be so promiscuous. How could these women be so blind? Yes, he was handsome, but arrogant and sarcastic beyond his limits, which spoiled all his beauty.

On the other side of the table, Gabriel followed Sofia and Arthur's interaction from afar, while trying to dodge Vivian's approaches. She really was stubborn and seemed to have made him her new focus. On the opposite side was Daniel, more interested in talking with Jade, which left him little choice but to interact with Vivian.

He was starting to realize Ali's plans in arranging the places at the table interspersed so that her friends and Tomas could mingle. Gabriel was not at all happy to see Arthur there. Tomás had said that he would not be there, yet somehow Alice should have convinced him that all the groomsmen should attend the dinner.

Growing up with Tomás, he knew very well what Arthur could be like. At so many family parties over the years, he had heard the whole repertoire, whether real, exaggerated or even made"up stories. Maybe if Sofia spilled some booze on Arthur, he would stop talking so much, he thought wickedly and couldn't help but smile. Vivian, seeing the smile, believed it was for what she had commented and redoubled her efforts to make him smile even more. He was not a man given to smiling, he always had a serious expression, and from time to time he could show a wry smile.

"Someone is having fun today," Tomás said to Gabriel. Vivian had gone to the restroom, and Tomás took her place briefly.

"Don't be fooled by the smile, I thought Arthur wouldn't be here."

"Alice," Tomás merely shrugged.

"I noticed the meticulous seating arrangement."

"Any complaints should be taken directly to the organizer," Tomás replied and pointed at his fiancée, who was chatting with her friends from college.

"There are worse things than dealing with Arthur." Gabriel's face darkened.

"Have the test results come out yet?" Tomás asked.

"Not yet, but they're due in 15 days."

"Man, you know everything's going to be fine."

"No, I don't, that's the problem."

"But I do know."

"What's going to be all right?" Eric picked up Samanta at the door, who arrived after dinner, and returned to where his friends were standing. The others stood to welcome the couple and continued their conversation after the greetings.

"Gabe is having a hard time to deal with the best man activities," Tomás said. Eric knew a little of Gabriel's anguish, as did Tomás, but neither of them wanted Samanta's participation in such a serious matter.

"Relax, weddings are for meeting people," Samanta tried to reassure him. "And you've always been very good at it, from what I've heard."

"The problem isn't meeting people, it's keeping the relationships going." Eric clarified.

"I prefer my freedom," Gabriel objected. "And my sanity."

Everyone laughed. Gabriel ordered another round of drinks from the helpful waitress and went back to teasing his committed friends about his single life.

After 11 pm, the restaurant, where before it played low ambient music, began to transform its space into a dance bar with loud music. With the furniture already moved away, even some customers left their tables to dance in front of the sound and light booth. Watching Sofia alone near the improvised dance floor, Gabriel decided to approach her. He was still trying to understand her. Something about her made him feel more alive. Every time he teased her it was like an injection of adrenaline. It was probably the rejection and the thrill of conquest. She wasn't running after him like the others, and this was disconcerting and invigorating at the same time.

"I see that tonight we won't have any accidents."