"Thank you so much for the wine Lola and thanks again for coming! We're so glad you could make it tonight. Take a seat anywhere, make yourself comfortable and help yourself to the appetisers." Jess repeated the mantra for the twentieth time that evening. Nearly every single guest had gifted her and Elijah a bottle of bubbly; she was sure they'd have just about enough alcohol to last until they were well into their fifties.
She couldn't help beaming at the mere thought. Her and Elijah sprawled out on the couch, ragged and wrinkled but their love for each other still being as youthful and pure as it was now.
"Elijah!" Jess called out for her fiancé over the roaring music.
The night was still young but the engagement party had been a success so far. The food was great, the company was great and most of all – it was all about them. Her and Elijah; swarms of people had been approaching her most of the evening, giving their well-wishes and blessings to the young couple.
"Elijah!" Jess called out for the second time. However, Elijah seemed to be completely lost in his own thoughts despite the bustle of people around him scurrying towards the buffet section. Him appearing dazed wasn't something new to Jess; she'd been noticing it more and more this passing week. "You okay, Elijah? Aren't you going to eat?"
'Yeah, in a bit. I'm not hungry yet." He flashed her one of his adorable half-smiles but it was more than obvious that his attention was elsewhere.
She followed his distracted gaze to where one of Elijah's closest friend' Abdul and Kylie sat, on a table towards the far end of the hall. The two seemed engrossed in a deep conversion; their chairs pulled up close together.
"Ohh! I see it makes sense now – you're worried that your friends going to get caught up in the claws of the 'wickedest bitch of the west', huh?" She joked, nudging his shoulder mockingly, quoting the exact words he'd used to describe Kylie when Jess had first decided she'd be moving in with them for the preparations for the wedding.
Elijah chuckled in remembrance, "yeah, yeah. You clearly know me too well, Jess." But then in a more serious tone, he asked, "do you think they like each other...like that?"
"I mean this is the first time they've met so it's hard to say. But so what if they do? Abdul's a great guy, he could be just what she needs." She said matter-of-factly, but noticing his worsening tense demeanour, she continued, "Look, I know you're worried about him but he's a big boy, he can take care of himself...but if you ask me I don't think anything will come of it – other than a one-night-stand most likely." She chortled absent-mindedly. Beside her, Elijah's face completely fell at her final statement.
"Elijah, it's our engagement party, you're supposed to be happy not worrying about your best mate's love life. Don't be like this, please? If you're honestly that worried, go talk to him but please don't be in a mood when it's time for the speeches." She pleaded with him.
"You're right. Sorry. I'll go speak to them." He responded, pecking her cheek lightly and sauntering towards the two who still had their heads burrowed, deeply intrigued by the conversation. Jess sighed unhappily as her fiancé rushed away, but she decided to bury her concerns as per usual.
"Hey man...What's up with you?" Abdul said in response to the obvious odd mood that was painted across his friends' face. His caramel flawless skin glowed under the heavy light supplied by the chandelier of the hall; the colour of his skin a result of his Mediterranean heritage.
"I just need a minute with Kylie."
"What for?" Kylie strained up at him from beneath her heavy false lashes, appearing nearly as baffled as Abdul.
YOU ARE READING
Lethal Lust
General Fiction[COMPLETED] Elijah and Jess had been unbreakable since high school, so it comes as no surprise to anyone when the young couple decides to tie-the-knot. But when Jess's feisty and voluptuous best friend, Kylie, returns to the hometown for the wedding...
