“I’m going to do a few laps around the crowd, see if I can find out anything useful. Do you think you can handle yourself alone for a while?”
Sydney paused for a beat before giving him an answer. Truthfully, she didn’t want him to stop touching her arm. “Of course, Alex. These are my friends too.” And with that Sydney walked off before he could say another word. She sort of hoped he was watching her as she walked away, but more than likely he had refocused on his task.
She was a little disappointed to have to work the crowd on her own. Having someone with her to deflect some of the well-meaning questions from nosy acquaintances had been a nice change of pace. She was dreading seeing old friends, and the all-too-familiar look of pity on their faces. Especially now, after what had happened to Lizzy.
She spent the next forty-five minutes clicking around the delicately lit pool area. She could hear the sound of laughter as guests mingled, and the clink of glasses. Servers were dressed in formal black-and-white attire, floating from one group to the next to keep the hive of energy buzzing and the drinks flowing. She mingled with guests, snapped a few videos to add to the stories section of her feed, and tried to present herself confidently while masking any signs of worry that had her stomach tied in knots.
She spotted a few friends from college—Julie Maxwell and her husband, Daniel—took a deep breath, and headed in their direction. As she approached, she immediately noticed the “look.” It was always the same. “Hi Sydney, it’s so great to see you.” Followed by a head being cocked and a sympathetic “How are you?” She was sure that the concern was genuine most of the time, but it was always awkward.
“Sydney!” said Julie, leaning forward to give her a brief hug. “It’s so great to see you. Do you remember my husband, Daniel?”
“Of course,” Sydney said. “Great to see you, Daniel.” Daniel’s attention had left the conversation already. He was studying the rear of one of the waitresses as she chatted with a guest.
Julie and Daniel, like Sydney, had a picture-perfect life on social media. Word had gotten around, though, that Julie’s drinking had become a problem in their relationship and Daniel had a wandering eye.
You just never know, thought Sydney. But who was she kidding? Her social media profile certainly didn’t reveal the truth about her current state of affairs.
“So, how are you doing? I’m so sorry to hear about Lizzy. I know she was a dear friend of yours,” Julie said, giving her a sympathetic head tilt.
“I’m fine,” Sydney said, the words catching in her throat. “It’s hard, her not being here. But I know she would have wanted to see Marissa and Ethan married.” She could feel her cheeks burning as she spoke and was desperate for any opportunity to change the conversation. Julie seemed to pick up on this.
“I see you brought a date! He’s cute,” she said, giving Sydney a knowing look. “How did you two meet?”
Sydney nearly sighed with relief. This was a question she could handle. “Oh, we just met at a coffee shop in Chicago.”
“Well, I’m happy for you, Sydney. It’s great to see you out there, dating again, you know since…” She moved her head from side to side, not wanting to call a spade a spade.
“Oh, you mean since my husband died?” She wished people weren’t so afraid to just say it.
“Um, yes.” Julie took a sip of her drink, clearly embarrassed. Just as Sydney was about to ask some not-so-polite questions about Julie’s life, Maxwell appeared next to her. Julie turned her attention toward the butler, obviously looking for a reason to escape the conversation.
“Oh Maxwell, do you need something?” Sydney said.
“Yes, ma’am. But don’t let me intrude,” he said in his calm, dry manner.
“Oh, it’s not a problem,” she said as she turned toward Julie and Daniel. “Catch up later?”
“Of course! Enjoy your evening.” Julie gave her a tight smile and latched on to Daniel’s arm as they walked away.
She turned her attention back to Maxwell. “Is everything all right?” she asked, curious as to why he had found her at the party.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said while extending a carefully folded note on his gloved hand. “This note came for you. They said it was urgent.”
“Urgent? Who’s it fro—”
“I was only asked to pass the note along to you, ma’am. Have a wonderful evening,” he said and quickly ducked back into the crowd.
Sydney was still standing there with her mouth open to speak as he disappeared. She looked down at the note in her hand. What now? she thought anxiously.
She spotted the nearest vacant cocktail table and squeezed her way through a few couples happily chatting away with drinks in hand. Sydney sat her glass and beaded clutch on the tall white-and-gold-embellished tabletop. The note was folded into a square, and as she unfolded the layers, she found a typed message centered on the page.
Meet me on the beach at 10 p.m. It’s urgent.
She stared at the page. There was no signature. Who is this from?
She looked around to see if Maxwell was still nearby, but he had gone. She wanted to ask him how he had gotten the note. As she continued to scan the crowd, she saw Alex coming back toward her. She quickly refolded the note and stashed it in her clutch.
She was just putting her champagne glass to her lips as he sidled next to her.
“There you are,” he began. “Did I miss anything exciting?”
“Oh no, just catching up with old friends,” she said, letting the champagne trickle down her throat. “What about you—any juicy leads you cooked up during your recon mission?”
Alex laughed. “I wouldn’t call it a mission. Nothing out of the ordinary actually. Just a bunch of nice people getting sloshed at a rehearsal dinner party.”
“Let’s join them,” Sydney said as she emptied her champagne glass.
Twenty-Five
Ethan
Ethan scanned the crowd at the rehearsal dinner. Everyone was laughing, and the drinks were flowing. As promised, the wedding planner had delivered an exceptional event that went off without a hitch. Each detail was carefully selected for an elegant beach theme. In a twisted way, Ethan wanted only the best for his soon-to-be short-lived marriage. As he saw the impressed looks on the faces of the guests he had invited, he felt a sense of satisfaction. In a way, he would prove to everyone that he could move on, even from the death of a twin. And he could use their sympathy to his advantage.
Right now, however, he needed to get a location on Sydney and her date, Alex. At the same time, it would look strange if he left Marissa by herself. She was dressed in a long, off-the-shoulder gown that just barely clung to her curves, and he enjoyed the way other men were looking at her. Her long crystal earrings brushed against his nose as he kissed her bare shoulder.
She was doing her best to enjoy the party, although he was sure it was a front. He hadn’t seen her without a drink in her hand all night long, and he was starting to worry she might be drinking too much. She was leaning into him as she laughed and chatted with guests.
“Have to get something, sweetie. I’ll be right back,” he whispered in Marissa’s ear.