The Vegas Rerun, page 13
"Oh, it’s lovely to meet you, dear,” she says, taking both of my hands in both of hers and keeping a hold of them as she talks. “I was beginning to think Joshua would never bring anyone to meet his momma."
I smile politely, resisting the urge to roll my eyes at Joshua’s triumphant expression.
“Oh, and do call me Fran. Francesca is a bit formal isn’t it,” she adds.
Fran chats with us a moment longer and then she’s called away by another family member and she excuses herself and Joshua and I are left alone for a moment. We take our seats in one of the pews just behind his parents. Joshua leans into me, his lips brushing my ear as he whispers to me.
"You’re doing great. My mom already loves you," he says.
I shake my head, suppressing a grin.
"I’m not trying to impress your mom," I inform him.
"Oh? Who are you trying to impress, then?" he asks.
I shoot him a look, but he just smirks, clearly enjoying himself. I’m saved from having to come up with something clever to say back to him, because at that moment, the priest appears, and the ceremony begins. It starts with the normal church service which includes a sermon from the priest, several hymns sung by the congregation and a few prayers. Judging by the sound of rustling clothes, I’m not the only one with a numb ass by the time the actual christening begins.
“Welcome everyone to this joyous occasion as we celebrate the christening of Oscar Benson, son of Mitchell Benson and Hannah Redfern Benson. We gather here today to give thanks for this gift of new life and to publicly welcome Oscar into the Christian faith,” the priest says.
When he finishes speaking, he beckons and a pretty, dark haired woman in a white dress with black flowers on it stands up first. She’s holding a tiny baby dressed in white and wrapped in a blue blanket. I assume she is Hannah. With her is the man I assume to be her husband. He too is goodlooking, and it occurs to me that this whole family looks like they have just stepped out of the pages of a magazine. Another woman stands up. She’s almost identical to the mother of the baby except her hair is a little bit shorter. She must be the godmother. And finally, Joshua gets up and heads to the front of the church with the others. I had no idea he was going to be the baby’s godfather.
When everyone who needs to be at the front is there lined up beside the font, the priest does a Bible reading and then a couple of prayers to which we, the congregation, have to reply amen when he says it. Finally, it’s time for what I think of as the actual christening of the baby.
“Parents, Mitchell and Hannah, will you, with God’s help, guide Oscar in the Christian faith, pray for him, and support him in his life’s journey?” the priest says.
“We will,” Mitchell and Hannah reply simultaneously.
“Godparents, Joshua and Helen, will you, with God’s help, support Mitchell and Hannah on their journey to raise Oscar and to provide him with a good, Christian upbringing?” the priest says.
“We will,” Joshua and Helen say in unison, and I smile at the thought of Joshua being involved in this baby’s life, but then I remember my own baby, sitting at home with my mom because her father doesn’t know about her, and I feel a spike of resentment in my chest. I have to remind myself that it’s not like Joshua has rejected Autumn. He doesn’t know she even exists, let alone that she’s his.
Seeing his beaming pride as the ceremony goes on makes me want to tell him, but there’s a huge difference between being a godfather, which is mostly symbolic, and being an actual father which is one of the biggest responsibilities someone can have.
I’m pulled out of my thoughts and back into the moment by the indignant cries of baby Oscar as the priest, who is now holding him over the font, pours water over his forehead.
“I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” he says.
There’s another prayer, and then the parents and godparents return to their seats. I smile at Joshua as he sits back down. He returns my smile.
“You did good,” I whisper.
“I only had to say two words,” he whispers back with a laugh.
“May God’s grace and peace be with Oscar and with all of us. Amen,” the priest says.
“Amen,” we all say back to him.
“Let us now go forth and live our lives in faith, hope and love,” the priest says and then he turns from the font and walks through a small door signaling that the service is concluded. I can’t say I’m sorry it’s over.
Now it’s time to head to the party and let my hair down and have a good time and not think about Joshua’s beaming pride up there at the font and let this influence my decision to keep Autumn a secret from him.
CHAPTER 29
MOLLY
After the christening, we head to the reception, where the real fun begins. It’s being held in a large room in a country club. The room is decorated in the same maroon and cream colors as the roses from the church and each table has a centerpiece made up of the flowers. The chairs are covered with cream covers as are the tables and with the maroon ribbons around the chairs and runners on the tables, the room is so fancy it looks more like a wedding reception than a christening party. There is even a huge maroon and cream balloon arch behind and over the buffet table.
Joshua sticks by my side, his presence warm and solid as we take seats at a vacant table. I’m glad he didn’t want me to sit with his parents and sister and her husband. As much as they seem like nice people, it would have been awkward for me, and he seemed to sense that. We make good use of the free bar, and we talk, and we laugh together, and when Joshua begins to flirt with me, I forget that I’m supposed to be acting as though I’m immune to his advances, and I flirt back. For the first time in a long time, I let myself enjoy the moment without overthinking it.
Several times when I happen to glance over to the family table, I see Fran looking over at us and smiling. She definitely seems to approve of me, and when I’m formally introduced to Mitchell and Hannah, they both seem welcoming and friendly too. I start to almost feel bad for deceiving them into thinking Joshua and I are dating.
One of the highlights of the day for me is when Hannah is chatting to Joshua and me at our table and she needs to use the ladies’ room, and she asks me if I wouldn’t mind holding Oscar for a moment. I relish that milky warmth in my arms, his sweet baby smell in my nostrils. He peers up at me out of perfect blue eyes and I chatter away to him in baby talk. He is the most adorable baby, and he seems to be content enough in my arms. When Hannah comes back, I don’t want to hand him back over, but I know I have to. Before Hannah can take him though, Joshua says it’s his turn and he takes baby Oscar.
Watching Joshua holding the baby and talking to him, I melt inside. Seeing him be so gentle and sweet with the baby turns my heart into mush. And when he moves the blanket aside slightly and baby Oscar grabs his finger and holds onto it, it is cuteness personified. I’m upset when Hannah has to take Oscar away, but her mom wants to see him before she has to leave.
The buffet opens and Joshua and I go and join the line for the food. I end up beside Joshua’s father who peers at me for a moment and then his eyes open wider.
“I know you,” he says. “You’re that secretary, the one who spilt the milk on me in the board meeting.”
“Guilty,” I say, blushing.
“Don’t worry,” he says, leaning in conspiratorially. “I hated that suit. Mind you, I like this one and I’ve seen what you can do with a single jug of milk. I dread to think what you can do with a whole bowl of dip so please be careful.”
We laugh and although I’m still a little bit embarrassed, he’s put me at ease, and I relax a bit. It’s a good thing because relaxed me is pretty good at touching things and holding them but flustered me is a whole different story. I manage to make it from one end of the buffet table to the other, helping myself to the food, without dropping anything, spilling anything, or knocking anything over. I don’t congratulate myself just yet though. That comes when I get back to the table without dropping my plate.
The food is delicious, and Joshua and I fall quiet for a little bit as we eat. When we finish, I offer to go up to the bar and get us some more drinks. I go up and order a white wine for myself and a scotch for Joshua. I turn to go back to the table when a woman in a pair of grey pants and a black top stops me. She has brown hair with a few bits of grey showing around her hair line, but her face is pretty much wrinkle free and it’s hard to place her age.
“It’s Molly, isn’t it?” she says, and I nod my head. “I’m Norma, Joshua’s aunt on his father’s side.”
“Oh hi, lovely to meet you,” I say.
“And you,” she says, and she smiles at me. “Has Fran got you two married off yet?”
“Not yet,” I say.
“Give her time,” Norma says. “I guarantee you she has already picked a venue, a color scheme and what she will wear in her head.”
“It’s a bit soon for that kind of talk,” I say with a laugh, trying to let her know that’s not happening, but without sounding abrupt.
“That won’t stop Fran. Joshua never brings people he’s seeing to family events, so you must be pretty special, and she’s not letting you go,” Norma says. “How long have you two been dating then if it’s too soon to be thinking of marriage anyway?”
I’m at a loss for words for a moment. Up to this point, everyone has assumed that Joshua and I are dating, and I’ve just let them think it. Now though, if I give any sort of timeline, I’m openly lying to this woman’s face and that feels wrong as she seems really nice. But if I say we’re just friends, or worse, work colleagues, it kind of blows Joshua’s whole getting his mom off his back about dating thing out of the water. I’m saved from having to answer as Joshua sidles up beside me.
“I thought you got lost,” he says.
“No, I was just talking to your aunt,” I say.
“I was just asking how long you two have been dating,” Norma says.
Fuck. She’s not letting this go. Joshua doesn’t seem to have the same qualms about lying to her as I have though.
"Oh, we’ve been dancing around each other for years," he says smoothly, his hand resting on the small of my back. "It was only a matter of time for us really."
His words send a thrill through me, even though I know they’re just for show. Still, when his aunt sighs dreamily and tells us what a lovely couple we make and then walks away from us, I glance up at him, shaking my head.
"Fancy lying to your aunt like that," I say.
He grins.
"But did you see how happy that made her?" he says.
I roll my eyes, but I can’t help the way my heart stutters in my chest. Because for a brief moment, I wish this wasn’t just pretend.
“Anyway, it wasn’t really a lie was it. Three years we were apart, but we found each other again,” he says. “And before you say we’re not dating, like I said, it’s just a matter of time.”
I don’t know what to say to that, but I like how it sounds, and I let myself just enjoy the moment. I hand Joshua his drink and we go and sit back down.
Unlike other christening parties I’ve been too, this one doesn’t dissolve around six o’clock. Oh no, not even close. Around that time, the children are ushered off with nannies or babysitters and then a DJ turns up and the party really starts. The drinks keep flowing, a whole other course of food is served, and the dancing goes on until late.
“Come and dance with me,” I say to Joshua.
He shakes his head.
“I’m not much of a dancer,” he says.
“And I’m not much of a fake dater, but here we are,” I say. “At least make it fun for me.”
“What, you don’t think my charming company is fun enough?” he says.
“I mean it’ll do I guess, but a dance would be better,” I grin.
“Oh, it’s like that is it?”
“Yup.”
Defeated, Joshua stands up and takes me by the hand and leads me to the dance floor. We spin and shake our hips and move together. Joshua takes control, leading me around the dance floor, and as the song ends, he dips me dramatically and then pulls me back up. When the next song, a slower one this time, starts, we wrap our arms around each other and sway together.
“I thought you said you couldn’t dance,” I say after a moment.
“This is hardly dancing.”
“I’m aware of that. I meant the last song.”
“Oh, that. I didn’t say I couldn’t dance, I said I don’t dance,” he says.
“Asshole,” I say, and I put my tongue out at him.
“Very mature,” he says with his signature smirk.
We dance until my feet are burning in my heels and then we grab a drink from the bar and go and sit back down. This is pretty much the way the rest of the night goes. We dance for a bit and then sit and chat for a bit. The one thing that doesn’t change is that we do it together. Joshua hasn’t left my side once except for bathroom breaks and I love that he’s making sure I don’t end up left alone while he’s talking to everyone he knows. Whenever anyone comes over to talk to us, he makes sure to introduce me and include me in any conversations that occur. He really is very well mannered and chivalrous, and I don’t think he’s doing it to try and win points with me or anything, I just think it’s his natural way.
When the DJ stops playing and the lights come up, I’m shocked at how fast the day and night have gone by, and I’m even more shocked when I learn it’s close to one am.
Joshua gets his cell phone out and excuses himself. He’s hardly gone for more than a minute and he’s back.
“I think I’ve had a bit too much to drink to drive home. I was just calling my driver,” he says. “He won’t be long.”
We go around and say goodbye to Josua’s family and some friends of his, and then we thank the host and hostess who thank us in turn for coming. All in all, it’s been a lovely day and night, and I have really enjoyed myself. The only thing that could make it better is if it didn’t have to end.
CHAPTER 30
JOSHUA
Molly and I stand outside of the country club after my driver sends me a text message saying he’s two minutes out. The night air is cold, and I take my jacket off and slip it around Molly’s shoulders.
“Thank you,” she says, pulling it tightly around herself.
I see the town car coming towards us and I step forward. It pulls up at the curb and I open the door for Molly. She gets in and I jog around the back of the car, and I get in the other side beside her. I close the door and the dividing screen between us and the driver comes down.
“Good evening, Mr Redfern. Where to please?”
“Good evening, Giles,” he says. “My place please.”
Giles nods and the partition goes back up and then Molly raises an eyebrow at me.
“Am I supposed to walk home from your place?” she asks.
“Don’t be silly,” I say. “I have other cars. I can run you home in the morning.”
“That’s very presumptuous,” she says.
“Fine,” I reply, winking at her. “Get a cab home in the morning then.”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it,” she says.
I lean forward towards the button to lower the divider screen and Molly grabs my wrist. Fire explodes between us and tingles go up my arm.
“What are you doing?” she says.
“Putting the screen down to tell Giles to take you home,” I say.
“I didn’t say I wanted to go home,” she says.
“So, you wanted to come back to my place all along?” I ask.
“That’s not the point,” she says.
“It is from where I’m sitting,” I say.
I pull my hand back and when Molly releases my wrist, I take her hand in mine, and we sit that way as we drive through the night.
I’m beyond happy that my little ploy worked. I know Molly wants me as much as I want her. All the signs were there in the way she pressed against me when we were dancing, and in the way her breath caught in her throat when we looked into each other’s eyes, and of course the flirting and the touching. But I know Molly and I know she’s rather stubborn about admitting that there is something between us, so I figured if I just asked her to come home with me, she would say no just out of habit. This way gave her a chance to think about whether she actually did want to come home with me without blurting out a no she would later regret.
Now I know Molly is coming home with me, I can hardly wait to get there. I resist asking Giles to step on it. I don’t want Molly to think I’m desperate, although when it comes to her, I am always desperate for her touch.
Finally, Giles pulls into my underground parking lot. He takes us right to the elevator and I get out of the car. Molly stays put until I open her door and then she thanks me and gets out.
“You’re a fast learner,” I say.
“I had a good teacher,” she replies.
I motion for Giles to wind his window down which he does. I thank him and he nods his head in acknowledgement and then he winds the window back up and he drives off, leaving Molly and me alone. I press the call button for the elevator and when it comes, we step inside.
My apartment is on the top floor, and I hit the button for it, floor seventeen. The ride is fast and the sexual tension between Molly and me is fizzing hungrily. I debate grabbing her and fucking her right here in the elevator, but I don’t want a quickie, I want to savor every second of us being together and I want to make Molly’s body sing for me.
The elevator reaches my floor, and we stumble out and I lead her to my front door. I get my keys out and let us in and I turn the lights on. The living room comes into view. Molly takes my jacket from her shoulders and drapes it over the back of my couch and places her purse on the seat in front of it, and then she walks the rest of the way across the hardwood floor to my window, which is the entire wall of the room. She stands and looks out over the city.
“Wow, nice view,” she says.
