Page 61 of Lie With Me
“Anyone could have, but itwashot—the thrill of being discovered when there’s an entire partyhappening only a few feet away. Ten out of ten would recommend,” Ginny throws over her shoulder.
“You hear that? Ten out of ten. We should probably try it,” I murmur in Lenni’s ear, releasing her arm to wrap mine around her waist. After an entire week of not seeing her, having her in my arms gives me a sense of calming relief. Her only response is a humming sound as we walk into the large room.
Everything is decked out in cream and champagne with touches of soft sage green, from the tablecloths to the flowers to the elaborate backdrop of balloons and crisscrossed fabric panels along one wall. Glowing candles in large vases with glittering ornate designs are sprinkled throughout the room, and the lighting is dimmed to give off a romantic feel to the space.
Everything is tasteful and not overly done, with the exception of the photo backdrop—Mother loves a good picture wall.
“It’s beautiful,” Lenni muses, sounding reserved and not at all like she approves.
“You don’t like it.” It’s a statement, not a question. And for a second, her eyes shimmer as if she’s about to cry, but with the next blink they clear, leaving me wondering if it was just a trick of the light.
“I do, actually,” she expresses softly. Then, even quieter, as if I’m not meant to hear, she goes, “I really do.”
“Oh, there you two are! Goodness, late to yourown party. I was beginning to wonder if I needed to send a car for you,” Mother exclaims as she emerges from the crowd of people whose eyes have all turned toward us.
There’s a hushed murmur traveling throughout the room. Women sizing up Lenni, deciding whether to approve of the new addition to their social circle, while men raise their eyebrows at the beauty radiating from my bride-to-be.
“You should know by now I’m late to everything, Margo,” Lenni jokes as they air kiss each other’s cheeks.
“This is true. Come, let’s introduce the happy couple.” Mother grabs Lenni’s hand, and I watch curiously as the woman of my dreams allows it, letting go of me to be led to the other side of the room where there’s a small stage. They seem more comfortable in each other’s presence, interacting in a way I never saw my mother do with Emily.
Lenni is all warm smiles as she gets introduced to random people, holding herself with an elegance I know is forced and uncomfortable for her, but she never lets it show. Pops meets us at the stage, handing each of us a glass of champagne as all four of us crowd the area, and Mom picks up the microphone to formally announce us.
“Thank you everyone for joining us tonight. We know it was last minute, but as I’ve learned with my son and his fiancée, they like to rush things.” She pauses as the crowd laughs, and I wrap my hand around Lenni’s waist again, kissing her temple. “Theway we learned of our son’s engagement was a little unorthodox, but in the past few weeks, we’ve gotten to know Valentina, and we are happy to welcome her into our family. So, here’s to the happy couple!”
Everyone raises their glasses as she hands me the microphone, and Pops helps her back off the stage as I begin the little speech I prepared. “They say when you know, you know. I can confidently say that from the moment I laid eyes on this woman, I knew right away that I wanted to share the rest of my forever with her. Valentina, you completely took me by surprise at a time when I was ready to give up on love. Our meeting was a complete accident, but I like to think that it was fate. You were always meant to be mine, and I was yours from the moment I spilled coffee all over you on the sidewalk.”
Some people laugh, others let out sounds of awe, but the only thing that matters to me is how Lenni looks at me—eyes wide, lips parted slightly as she holds her breath. It’s all supposed to be an act, but everything I’m saying comes straight from the space beneath my lungs, reserved only for her now.
“I’m honored that you have agreed to spend the rest of your life with me, and I promise to fill every single day with love and respect and as many Julia Roberts movies as you want.”
Everyone claps as I lean down to kiss her chastely. “That was perfect,” she whispers.
It was real.
“The hard part is over. Now all we have to do is schmooze people for a while, and then I want to takeyou home and fuck you in this dress,” I murmur in her ear. Her cheeks light up in a rosy hue, and she kisses me again, harder than before, eliciting a few catcalls from throughout the room.
For the next hour, we mingle as I introduce her to people. Many of the guests are friendly, but there are some who look down their noses at her as if she’s a fly in their chardonnay.
“Could her dress be any tighter? I was thinking they were rushing to get married because he knocked her up, but her dress looks painted on,” a nearby woman says in a scandalized tone, not realizing we’re right behind her.
Lenni lets out a laugh and grabs my arm as she asks loudly, “Baby, can you see my underwear in this dress?”
The group behind us turns at her question, but before I can answer, she laughs again. “Oh, that’s right. I’m not wearing any! Silly me.”
A few gasps sound and the woman who made the rude comment reaches around her neck for imaginary pearls. My lips curl in as I attempt to hide my laughter, recognizing Lenni’s spin on a line from her favorite movie.
Suddenly, my mom appears, reaching out to lay a hand on Lenni’s arm. “Valentina, did you see the cannoli and pignoli cookies? They are a huge hit! They will be a must have at any event from here on out. I can’t believe I’d never had them before.”
“Well, you’d have to travel beyond the UpperEast Side to try new things, Margo. Don’t worry, we’ll work on it,” Lenni responds warmly.
Something happens in my chest. It pinches before flooding my veins, like a needle popping a water balloon. She planned to make my family think she wouldn’t last, and yet, here she is, making plans with my mother for the future.
I don’t even know if she’s aware of what she’s doing—of how her actions are edging our charade closer to being real. It’s only been a month since the night we met, but I like to think I know her tells by now. I know when she’s putting on a show. At this very moment, there’s nothing on her features or in her body language to suggest she’s acting.
Reaching for her elbow, I pull Lenni back to me. “Excuse us, Mom. I’m going to steal her away for a moment to ourselves, if you don’t mind.”
I don’t give her a chance to reply as I whisk Lenni away, catching Jackson’s eye as I head toward the doors that lead to an ivy-covered terrace that spans the length of the building. He flashes me a smirk and raises a brow, saying something to Ginny that makes her look in our direction with a sly smile.