The Arrogant Best Man I Hate

Charlotte Reed knew she had made a mistake the moment the champagne left her hand. The glass tilted. Time slowed. Before she could stop it, the golden liquid spilled straight onto the chest of a man who looked like he had never made a mistake in his life. Silence fell around them. Charlotte froze, her heart dropping as she stared at the stain spreading across his perfectly tailored suit. “Oh my God,” she said quickly, grabbing a napkin from the nearest table. “I am so sorry.” The man didn’t move immediately. Slowly, he looked down at his shirt, then back up at her. His expression was calm, but his eyes were sharp and cold. You just spilled champagne on me. Charlotte forced a tight smile, already dabbing at the fabric. “Yes, I noticed. I’m trying to fix it.” “By making it worse?” Her hand paused. “I’m helping,” she replied, though a hint of irritation slipped into her voice. His gaze didn’t soften. “You’re not.” Charlotte exhaled slowly and stepped back before she said something she might regret. “Fine. I’m sorry. It was an accident.” “It usually is,” he replied. Something about his tone, controlled and slightly mocking, made something in her snap. Well, maybe if you weren’t standing in the middle of everything, she started. I was invited, he interrupted smoothly. Charlotte blinked, then straightened her posture. “So was I.” A brief silence passed between them. He tilted his head slightly, studying her. “You must be the wedding planner.” Charlotte crossed her arms. “And you must be the reason this job is going to be difficult. For a moment, he simply looked at her. Then the corner of his lips lifted slightly. Alexander Hayes. Best man. Of course he was. Charlotte resisted the urge to sigh. Charlotte Reed. And I’d appreciate it if you tried not to get in my way.” Alexander’s eyes darkened with amusement. That might be hard. “Why ?” she asked. “Because I don’t trust your decisions yet.” Her grip tightened around the napkin still in her hand. “You don’t need to. That’s not your job.” Making sure this wedding goes smoothly is my job. “And making sure it’s perfect is mine,” she shot back. The tension between them thickened, the kind that didn’t need raised voices to be felt. Charlotte turned away first, refusing to let him see how much he was already getting under her skin. She walked toward the table of arrangements, pretending to check the layout even though she had already gone over it twice. She could still feel his presence behind her. Watching. Judging. “Those flowers don’t match,” he said after a moment. Charlotte closed her eyes briefly. “They do.” “They don’t.” She turned sharply. “Do you always do this?” Do what ? Question everything. Alexander shrugged slightly. “Only when something feels off.” Her jaw tightened. “Nothing is off.” Are you sure? Charlotte stepped closer this time, meeting his gaze without hesitation. “Very.” For a second, neither of them moved. The air between them shifted. It was no longer just about the argument. There was something else there, something harder to ignore. Alexander’s gaze flickered briefly, not to her eyes, but lower. Charlotte noticed. Her breath caught for just a second. Then she stepped back immediately, breaking the moment. “This is a waste of time,” she muttered, turning away again. “I have work to do.” “Of course you do,” he said, his voice quieter now. Charlotte didn’t respond. She focused on her task, forcing her hands to stay steady. But one thought refused to leave her mind. This wedding was going to be a problem. And not because of the decorations. It was because of him.