The Wedding Date

Chapter Three

Amelia

"So do you know who he is?" I asked Lizzie as we climbed into our cab to the resort. She looked at me with big green eyes obviously playing dumb. "Who did Abbey pair me up with?"

She bit her lip and seemed to debate. I got a sinking feeling like maybe I should have asked her that question sooner.

"Jesus, Liz! Who is it!?" I whispered yelled pulling her hair playfully. She yelped looking at me with big suprised eyes. It had been a long time since I had been in the mood for fooling around I must have taken her by suprise.

"Okay! Okay!" She giggled straightening. "It's Jack Priest."

"Wait what? I thought he just got married a few months ago. " I replied. I knew the girl he had married, her name was Alice. She was the worst of the worst. At one time she and I had been close friends but, I knew even then she hated my guts. Now I wasn't even sure what value I found in spending my time with her. I knew exactly what she was capable of. Lying. Manipulation. Cheating. Stealing. Alice was the type of girl to smile in your face and then kiss your boyfriend. I had always heard Jack Priest regarded as one of the smartest bussinessmen alive. I had been shocked when I heard he was marrying Alice. It wasn't a wonder the marriage didn't last long, he likely got too close and finally saw through her charade. I smiled wondering what that had been like for her, it must have felt like the curtain was finally closing on her theatrics.

She had told me once while talking about a guy she had wanted on the football team, I remembered clearly, "I don't care if I have to lie to get close to him. I don't care what I have to do. I'll become an entirely different person."

"Nope, they divorced after only a few weeks. I heard he caught her sleeping with their private chef." Lizzie told me pulling out her compact to check her makeup in the tiny mirror. I couldn't help but, laugh. That sounded like Alice.

"What is that his third?" I asked her. I did a quick check of myself in the mirror. I wore typical travel clothes. A tee-shirt with the name of my favorite band, and some acid washed jeans. I had managed to clean the old makeup off my face but, had not bothered to reapply it. My hair was tied up in a messy bun. Less messy than my bar bun but, still messy.

"That's his fourth marriage and his third divorce." She told me in a matter of fact tone. Now, I remembered. Jack's first wife had been a Shepard.

A widely renowned family in politics, the Shepards. I had heard they had caused quite the stir amongst the families when they had first met. His fiance Dana Shepard, I believe her name was, was already engaged to another man when they met. But, after a whirlwind romance Dana had dumped the man her family had picked for her. She died in horrific car accident a few years later, the same year that I had graduated high school.

I had gone to school with her sister Olivia Shepard, I had seen her running through the halls with tear streaked cheeks the day she had found out. I had hated seeing her like that and couldn't imagine losing my own sister. Olivia and I had never been friends but, that day that look on her face had reached me even as vapid and cruel as I was then.I wanted to protect her. LIke her sister would have wanted. I had told my friends she was off limits after that, no one was allowed to bully her. Something I was ashamed to admit I had taken part in often. Before I became who I am now. I wonder why she never thanked me. How sweet of me I only stopped bullying her because I thought I was doing her dead sister a favor protecting her. I really was twisted back then.

Then I had another creeping thought... Why had Abbey and my mother paired me with Jack Priest? The pairings at weddings were seen as modern day match making and it was common for the wealthy family to try to use them as an opportunity to network and make connections. Make matches. Make marriages. Make future companies. The Anderson family, my family, had been doing it for generations.

These pairings were well thought out often chosen strategically to bind families or companies closer together. Priest was a partial shareholder in most of the Anderson families holdings. Did they see him as a threat? If that were the case, why pair me of all people with him? I had removed myself entirely from any company involvement. Why did they intend to gain?

"And you?" I asked trying to shake the feeling. After a few long second of silence I looked up to see a bright red Lizzie who looked ready to burst. "Who?"

"Colton Garrett." she burst out as if trying to spit it out quickly might make it better. I couldn't help but, groan aloud. Colton Garrett was Skyler's best friend. They had notoriously gotten into trouble together during their sophomore year. I didn't know specifics but, I did know I personally got called down to their fraternity to testify on their behalf.

"Lizzie..." I tried in a warning tone. She put her hand up stopping me looking at me with pleading eyes.

"I met him once!" She told me quickly practically screaming.

"I'm sure that you have-" I started before she interrupted.

"No, please! You have to trust me! I only talked to him for a few seconds but, I could just tell. He's different! He's not like Skyler." She told me. I loved Lizzie and loved her hopeful outlook on the future. But, as her friend I knew that she wasn't exactly the best judge of character. She had afterall called me friend when I had only spent time with her because I wanted attention. I did not however want to start this week long vacation off by shedding doubt on her dream.

"I'm sure that he is." I told as our car pulled into the resort. I'll be watching him like a f*****g hawk, I decided. I'd spend my whole week following them around if that what I had to do to ensure he did not hurt her.