I Bought A Wife

Five

She waited for her husband to comeback but he didn't and that explains it.

He'd rather be with Lexie that her, she thought.

Grabbing Val's suit jacket closely to her, she went to the give herself some booze and went outside the veranda to savor the beautiful view of the central park.

She never had left England her entire life, and she never thought that the only chance for her to come see the other side of the world is by being someone else's wife.

Lucky but unfortunate, she described herself.

What was he thinking? He couldn't just leave his wife by herself outside? Lexie was clinging tightly on his arm as they went through the crowd. "There he is!" she exclaimed when they saw Matt standing by the podium.

The awards presenter droned from the next room, Val could not let himself miss the ceremony but Darcy... he thought, Matt would understand wouldn't he?

He pulled himself off Lexie, "I have to go." As he hurriedly went outside the ballroom and Lexie followed him.

"Val, Matt's on his way up the stage!" Lexie cried stopping Val on his way out, "He's your best friend," sounding sincere she added.

Val stared directly at Lexie and said, "And she's my wife."

"Madame? Do you still need more?" the waiter asked as he took the empty champagne glass from her hand. It was her fifth glass, she thought, and she could still add one more. She's not trying to be drunk, she was never drunk. Her body had high tolerance for alcohol and she used to be so proud of it back in college. She used to be a total mess, she loved hanging out late at night with friends and used to go to music festivals, having fun and get wasted. But now, she doesn't even know herself anymore.

"Yes please" she told the waiter and he left.

"You're here..."

Val found his wife leaned against the wrought-iron railings of the hotel's veranda. "It's okay now. We're clear." He said walking towards beside her.

"My definition of okay and yours must be different." Gazing at the central park, she clutched the jacket tightly against here as the wind caught her skin that made her shivered. "I'm sorry, Val. You must be embarrassed."

She was still facing front, as if she didn't want to look at him.

"Me?" he leaned against the railings and clasped his hands over it. "You're the one who has a reason to be embarrassed. I can't imagine how you must feel." He took a deep breath then continued, "First I forced you to meet Lexie and then your clothes and the weight of that woman. I'm the one who's sorry."

"It's not your fault," she countered fiercely. "If only I knew about the button, I have checked it beforehand coming to this event."

"Actually, this..." Val showed her the price tag and her face went red.

"Oh my God!" she took the tag, and looked away from him. Now that's what I call total mess.

"The dress was fine and the button was doing great. I just had a series of unfortunate measures to take that thing off from you."

"Oh Bullocks, I'm so sorry." She said slowly as she bends her head down.

Val grinned and adjusted his suit jacket at her back. He had felt a little of her skin brushed against his hand and she shivered or was it him?