Something Gained: A Billionaire Romance

Chapter 18

ELENA

This pretense was getting more than boring. I danced with Rylan, a fake sweet smile etched on my face while I imagined things like how good it was going to feel once I would get home after this was over and change into my pjs. My thoughts were interrupted when the "blonde best man" came up.

"Can I steal your wife for a dance?" Rylan exhaled before nodding and walking away.

"May I?" I smiled and put my hand in his and another on his shoulder. We danced to the soft flow of music, our steps in perfect sync with the beats. With the kind of grace Jayce moved, he was a much better dancer than Rylan.

"We haven't officially met. I am Jayce Andrews, Rylan's best friend." Though that explained why he was the best man but it raised questions on his absence at the engagement. And why hadn't I heard about him all these days? Then again Rylan wasn't civil enough to sit down and have a talk about his personal life unless it favored him.

Since I had moved in, we had never had a proper conversation and that's saying something considering we were sleeping in the same room. I hadn't even had the chance to ask him about his mother. Stopped on considering how the talk could become. I had offered my parents whatever I gathered from the internet.

I shook away the thoughts of that idiot and brought my focus back on Jayce.

"Elena Smith, nice to meet you." I truly meant those words as he seemed to be decent. That led me to think that even after being surrounded by a bunch of decent and nice people, how could Rylan be such a jerk.

"So, why haven't I seen you earlier like in our engagement party?" He spun me around before we synchronized our steps to the now slower music.

"Rylan didn't invite me." He shrugged. Well I was a little surprised but not much. Considering his manners, it was a wonder that he at all had a friend!

I let out an awkward laugh. What do you say in situations like this? Jayce chuckled in response.

"Kidding. I was in Australia and closing a deal for my company. I apologize for not being able to attend the engagement party." He flashed an apologetic smile. I mentally groaned thinking why couldn't Rylan be more like him. Spending two years would have been so easy.

"Apology accepted." I smiled back at him.

"Do you like your honeymoon destination?" He asked all of a sudden.

"Huh?" I am sure my expression must have said something like I haven't heard of the word "honeymoon" ever before in my life.

"I take it you don't know where you are going." He raised one of his perfectly shaped brows.

"I didn't even know we were going." I mumbled to myself.

"Sorry?" His expression was one of slight confusion and a bit of amusement.

"Uhh.. no actually I asked him but he told me it is going to be a surprise. You know, he likes surprising me." I ended with a nervous chuckle.

"I see." He nodded but there was something playful about his smile as if he hadn't bought the story I had just delivered. Did he actually happen to know the equation between us? Rylan told him when he clearly warned me not to?

"Do you mind if I ask my daughter for a dance?" I looked at Dad standing behind me. Jayce nodded and moved away, letting Dad take his position. As soon as I stepped into his arms, most of the tension left my body.

"I never saw this day coming so soon." I put my hands and my head on his chest as we moved to the music.

"Me too." It was strange how his presence could comfort me in situations that he had no knowledge about.