THE GORGEOUS GROOM

WHY DID YOU NOT TELL ME?

TORI

"Who are you?"

"Joem Corpus."

"No what I mean is..."

He pulled me to him and pressed my body to his. Good thing I'm wearing heels so I don't have to stretch my neck to look at him

"Sssshhh you'll blow our cover."

I whispered to him

"How come Mom knows you and I guess everyone in this damn partyknows you."

"I own JEC, now does that answer your question?"

"What? You own it?"

"Yes."

"And you forgot to mention that to me?"

"I was trying to tell you but you kept interrupting"

"So you never saw the chance to tell me? You made me think that you're a carpenter and made me look like I'm dumb."

"So you want to settle this now or after the party where no one is listening to us argue?"

I noticed that the people around were looking at us while we argue. I glared at him and he just looked at me. We decided to go back to our table. Not speaking to each other. I don't know why I'm such in a bad mood. We're not in a relationship and it should not matter that he did not disclose his real identity. It's not as if we're going to be staying together forever.

I should have asked him that we leave instead of going back to our table where my family is now all seated and waiting for us. I could see all of them curious of the man beside me. As if on cue, Joem placed his hand on the small of my back pulled my chair and sat beside me. He leaned towards me and whispered in my ear.

"Let's fight later. Let's not blow this cover now."

I looked at him and I fully understood he is serious about it. For the couple of hours spent with him tonight and the 15 minutes yesterday, my gutt tells me when to argue and not with this man. He might be smiling the sweetest smile for me right now but I could see that he is smiling at me now but something tells me that it's only for a show. Oh snap!

"Joem, this is Tori's Daddy, Dr Gonzales. Honey, this is Joem Corpus, Tori's friend"

They shook hands. Dad is taller, that I noticed.
So everyone was asking us questions that we were able to answer. Then the questions shifted to him.

"So Joem, do you love my sister?"

Oh crap! My nosy sister just had to ask that? Really?

"That, I do. She knows!"

I smiled at him and he reached out and squeezed my shoulder. And he leaned to kiss my forehead. What should I do? I leaned back on his chest and he wrapped his hand around my waist. And there it goes again. That thing I felt when we first touched. I raised my face to look at him and he looked down at me and smiled. Damn! This feels so real.