Chapter 753 - Two days before wedding (J&J) (12)

In the event hall…

Cake time arrived. JoAnna and Jeff cut the cake together and fed each other a piece each before sitting down and allowing staff to cut the rest and distribute to the people.

Sarah was next to Aiden, and two of them sat so close that their thighs touched under the table. It was one of those things which only two of them know about, and they were both giddy to share a secret in a public setting. Sarah propped her chin on the root of her palm and watched JoAnna feed Jeff cake even after they took their seats. JoAnna and Jeff had goofy smiles on their faces and the love was in the air.

Sarah took a deep breath when she noticed that Sophia is leaning onto Felix. It's a nice thing: all three sisters are happily in love.

Sarah scrunched her nose. Why is she smelling makeup products? She smelled her palm on which her chin rested and realized it's coming from there.

"Strange…", Sarah mumbled while taking another whiff.

"What?", Aiden asked while leaning closer.

"I don't use this type of makeup, but I definitely know what it is… I wonder how did it end up on my palm?" Sarah traced her activity since last time she washed her hands. She didn't shake anyone's hand or touched anyone's face or used this hand for much besides eating… except… Sarah reached under the table and pulled Aiden's right hand up.

"How did you get female makeup on your hand?", Sarah asked after inhaling the scent of his palm. "And it's quite a bit of it, because it transferred onto my palm while we held hands."

Aiden shrugged indicating that he does not know. After few seconds realization hit him, and he froze.

"It seems you remembered something." Sarah didn't miss his reaction.

Aiden's eyes shifted for a second while weighing his options. To tell her about Madison or not. He can't deny the whole thing, that would be suicidal in case she finds out… He decided on (almost) the truth: "While you were out with Stella, there was another troubling woman at the main entrance. I went to take care of her. She was quite persistent, and I had to physically stop her… With my hand on her face."

Sarah was shocked for a moment while thinking how much troubling that woman was to make Aiden get physical. Why bodyguards didn't take care of her? And even if Aiden had to do it, couldn't he just restrict her hands or something like that? "Did you hit a woman in the face? I never thought that you would be hitting women... in the face…"

"It was not really a hit… more like I facepalmed her… like this...", Aiden gestured by extending his arm with palm facing forward. "...and she ran into it."

Sarah laughed while trying to imagine that scene. "I'm sorry I missed it."

Aiden is happy how it all went with Sarah. He didn't lie… he just skipped telling her few points, but they are not relevant. Madison or any other meddling woman, from his past or not, they are delusional if they believe that they have a place in his life. They are not welcome, and he is more than willing to get physical in order to keep them away if they are being unreasonable. And anyone who tries to get between him and Sarah is unreasonable.

He smelled his palm. "I didn't realize it left residue. I'm going to wash hands."

"Wait!", Sarah called after him. "I need to wash mine as well."

When they returned back to their seats, Eve spoke in their earpieces: "Vanessa Moore was rendered unconscious at the South side entrance."

Sarah smiled bitterly. She is happy that they have Eve on their side, watching over the venue, otherwise they would need to handle all these pesky women 'manually' . She wondered how many more women will try to get in. They still had cake, roasting of the newlyweds part and then is an open bar with snacks and dancing until people disperse.

Plates with cake slices were in place and serving plates with variety of desserts were arranged on the tables.

The cake was delicious. Sarah was two bites into the cake, when Eve spoke again into Sarah's and Aiden's earpieces: "Jules Heenan was rendered unconscious at the North side entrance."

Sarah and Aiden paused, and both looked toward JoAnna. They know that Jules is the actor who plays doctor in a TV drama where JoAnna is contributing her knowledge. Just what on earth was he doing there? Is he even invited to the wedding?

After the cake, parents and the officiator (Mr. Price) with his wife left to the resort lounge, leaving youngsters to their fun and games.

Sarah remembered that Aiden said he will introduce her to Mr. Price, and Aiden apologized: "I forgot. There will be other chances... if not earlier, then during the wedding."

"Can we have a word?", Jeff's voice came from behind them, and they saw that Jeff adressed Aiden.

Aiden stood up and followed Jeff to an area without guests. Aiden has a hunch that this will be about Madison, and he told himself to wait and hear what Jeff has to say.

"Earlier, I misunderstood the situation." Jeff came to apologize for jumping to conclusions and accusing Aiden of cheating. "I know that you were not flirting with that woman." He wanted to clarify this.

Aiden responded with a small nod. As much as Jeff rushed into accusing him, Aiden needs to admit that it's his fault for being negligent. "I know that I was too close. I will be more careful in the future."

Jeff was surprised that Aiden is… reasonable. "Good that you know… because if that was Sarah instead of me. She would be hurt to see you like that."

"I'm glad it was you and not her. It will not happen again." Aiden assured him.

At that time, Jasper asked for attention, so two brothers returned to their seats after smoothening the relationship between them.

It is time for roast-the-newlyweds part of the evening...

Jasper held the microphone and started talking: "I know Jeff since… forever. We started interacting more at the University, and I can tell you that he was not fun. Jeff was always busy with his books and numbers, and I was confident that his smiling muscles are atrophied or completely missing because I never saw him smile… or crack a joke… or do anything fun. And few weeks ago, he called and said that he is in love and getting married and asked me to be his best man. I agreed immediately because I was confident that it's a prank call, and I was busy. It was easier to say 'yes' and end the call. My reasoning to classify it as a prank call was the fact that there is no way a rock can fall in love. But after the call ended, I realized that was Jeff's private number, and that was his voice… so I got some of my men to investigate and make sure that the call came from Jeffrey White... and that he is getting married… to a woman… who is alive…"

Jasper is very good at telling stories in a funny way and entertaining people. Everyone laughed, including Jeff.

Next was Ellie, as the maid of honor. She spoke when as teenagers JoAnna and her sneaked some beer into Ellie's room during a sleepover and ended up in the middle of the night singing and dancing in the garden pretending to be fairies while pulling bedsheets behind them… their fun evening ended when Ellie's parents woke up because two drunk teenage girls climbed the fountain and were screaming for help, afraid to come down. The whole thing became more... lively when Ellie's parents called Stella and Edward to come over and JoAnna climbed onto the roof of their three story villa in order to avoid facing her parents... and she was still holding onto that bedsheet.

Ellie's story-telling capabilities matched Jasper's, earning laughs and giggles from everyone.

"Do you always end up near fountains when you drink? Or is water your element?", Jeff's question directed at JoAnna earned him a pinch to his waist.