~Big Sur, CA

✿ Reid's POV

I look at the time on my watch.

Is this a good idea?

But who was I kidding? I was already here.

“How much longer, Don?” I ask my driver.

“It should be just about ten minutes more, Mr. Dalton,” he tells me, “But you never know with this unusual traffic.”

They are obviously going to the same place.

I drum my fingers on the armrest, waiting for the traffic to move, when my phone rings. I take it out of my coat and roll my eyes.

“What?” I ask.

“Where are you, Reid?” he asks. “I've been waiting all morning for you.”

“Big Sur” I reply.

He was most definitely going to chastise me.

“And you didn't think it was necessary to give me a heads-up? I've been waiting for you at the golf course all morning. And why the heck are you in Califor—” he trails off.

“Here we go” I murmur under my breath.

“You bastard!” he cries. “Are you out of your mind?!”

“You can't call me two things at once Hernan. Pick one.”

He groans.

“Why the heck would you go?” he asks.

“Because I was invited.”

“There was the option to decline, Reid.”

“Well, I didn't.”

He sighs.

“Why in the Lord's name would you agree to go to your ex-girlfriend's engagement party? Who told you this is a good idea?”

The car moves slowly.

“I want Anika to see this does not affect me in any way. And I'm just itching to see this 'guy' she replaced me with.”

I'd like to see her replace me.

“This is not a good idea, Reid, and as your best friend, I have to drum it into your head,” he says. “Turn the car around.”

I chuckle.

“Sorry, I can't do that. And not when the traffic is actually over” I say as the car picks up speed.

“Reid this is a terrible, terrible idea. Why would you ever think... oh my goodness” he sighs.

I roll my eyes.

“Could you be less of a drama queen?” I ask. “You make it look like you're gay.”

“And you make it look like you're desperate and believe me Reid, desperate is not a good look on you.”

“Whatever. I've got to go.”

“You better call me as soon as you get out of that place” he instructs.

“Yeah, yeah.”

The line goes dead and I put my phone back into my coat. It was another fifteen minutes before my car pulled up at the entrance to the hotel.

“I'll call you to come get me, Don” I say to him and get out of the car.

The hotel manager rushes forward the moment he sees me and hurries over to greet me.

“Mr. Dalton, it's such a pleasure to have you with us today,” he tells me, jogging to keep up with my pace as I walked briskly to the elevator. “I've personally made sure that everything in your room is at its finest and met and I hope you have a fantastic weekend here.”

Once in front of the private elevator, I push the button and turn to him before smiling broadly. I quickly glance at his nametag.

“Well, thank you, Alfred,” I say, making him beam. “I'm sure everything will be just as you've said.”

“If there's anything you need, sir, please don't hesitate to ask,” he tells me, his chest puffed out.

“Of course” I pat him on the shoulder.

The elevator arrives and I step into it. It doesn't take long for it to arrive at the penthouse. I walk out, freshen out and get ready for the show I was about to put on.

Stepping into the hall the engagement party was being held, I notice the room was packed with a mix of old and young, male and female. I glance around the room and pause when I see reporters crowded in a corner.

“Of course, she called the press” I chuckle and pluck a glass of wine off a tray of one of the waiters.

“Oh my goodness, is that Reid Dalton?!” I hear a voice call from the opposite side of the room.

“Maybe I should have stringed Hernan along” I mutter behind my glass before bringing it down from my lips.

I turn.

“Come, join us!” the voice calls again.

I cross over to the woman's side.

“Wooo- oo-oo-oh!” another familiar voice laughs its way over to me. “The party can really begin now because the famous Reid Dalton is in the house!” he hollers.

“Have you learned nothing about indoor voices from all your time in prison, Ray?” I ask.

His sister snorts out a laugh and slaps him on the shoulder.

“You just got reided” she laughs.

“Again Amy, 'reided'  is not a word, neither is it the opposite for 'roast'  and that joke will never catch on,” I tell her.

Only an idiot would get it.

Now it was Ray's turn to laugh. Amy gives me a pointed look.

“Why are you here anyways?” she asks.

“I was invited.”

“Dude that's messed up” Ray shakes his head. “I don't see why my cousin would invite you.”

“I'm sure she wants to rub it in” Amy eyes me. “She did upgrade.”

I scoff and focus on scanning the room for the bride-to-be. But I spot someone instead.

“If you two children would excuse me,” I tell them and step away from them.

Once I had successfully crossed through the crowd and reached the face of the bar, I lean over it. The worker behind it watches me as I grab a bottle of whiskey from behind the counter. The bartender just nods his head in acknowledgment of me, sliding me a glass and moving to tend to another person.

“You just love ruining my night, don't you, Dalton?”

I watch him huff as he downs the shot of vodka in front of him.

“You scared all the nice girls away.”

I turned my gaze to take in the wide berth my presence had created around us. The women had scuttled away, some of them even going as far as to the end of the room and the rest of them had moved to the opposite side of the bar.

I scoff.

“Nice girls aren't meant for men like you, Brandon,” I tell him.

But he grunts in displeasure as he takes the bottle from my hands and presses it to his lips, completely forgoing a glass.

“Then who else are they meant for?” he asks. “I've always shown them how to have a good time” he laments.

“I'm not sure fucking you is any woman's version of a good time,” I smirk knowing that my words would rile him up.

But instead of resorting to violence like I thought he would, Brandon strikes back with an equal amount of vindictiveness.

“At least I'm not the one so lonely that I'm willing to come to my ex-girlfriend's engagement, looking pathetic, and secretly hoping she'll take me back.”

I frown. But before I can retort, a feminine hand clutches at my forearm and pushed their body into my side.

“Reid” she purrs. “My, my, where have you been all these years? I have missed you.”

I roll my eyes at Brandon as he pretended to gag. I turn to the woman. Pamela stares up at me as seductively as she could and smiles, pushing her breasts at me in a way that I could see all the way down the front of her dress.

I smile.

“It's nice to see you again Pam. But I don't have to remind you that you're not my girl. So that means you don't need to know where the fuck I've been.”

“Yeah. You're just the girl he liked to fuck in high school” Brandon continues with a smirk.

I give him a look.

“The girl he liked to fuck more than any other girl” Pamela corrects as her hand moves to the back of my neck, her fingers running through my hair. “Well, at least that was before my cousin swooped in and snatched you like she's done with everything else.”

I knock back a glass of whiskey.

“Reid?” her voice reaches my ears.

If I hadn't swallowed my drink, I would have spat it all out. I quickly slap Pamela's hand away from me and stand up straight.

Anika Woods.

She was a desirable woman. Her brunette hair was always perfectly styled and her outfits, were always in season. I stare at her as her blue eyes hold mine. Then I smile.

“Anika.”

“I didn't think you'd make it” her smooth tone goes.

Her voice brought back memories.

Man up, Reid!

“It was a last-minute decision,” I say, clearing my throat.

She nods.

“I called. There was no answer so I called Hernan.”

“I was busy.”

“When are you not?” Pamela mutters, moving to stand beside Brandon.

“Too busy to return any of my calls?” Anika asks.

I scoff and put a hand in my pocket.

“You're not the only one who's got things going on, Nikki.”

My words have an effect on her but before she can say anything else, a man slips beside her, taking her by her waist and possessively tugging her to his side. Anika smiles at him and then turns back to me.

“Let me introduce you to my fiancé,” she says. “Reid, this is Ethan Holloway” she smiles, “And babe, this is Reid Dalton.”

“The ex” Pamela and Brandon chip in simultaneously.

The man's lips curl up into a smirk before he grins at me.

“Hello, mate. It's nice to finally meet you!” he greets with excitement, his Australian accent thicker than my grandmother's oats.

I eye him.

This was the upgrade? An accent?

The man was already going bald. He looked at least fifty years old. I eye his outstretched hand and then look at him.

“Likewise” I smile, satisfied that she couldn't do better than me. “And congratulations. You got yourself a good woman.”

“Thank you!” he grins.

“Ohh look at you being a good sport” Brandon teases.

“It's been two years, Brandon. Get over yourself.”

We all share a laugh. Anika's cousins and parents join us and soon it's a full circle. Ethan whispers something in Anika's ears and she giggles before he gives her a sloppy kiss. I roll my eyes inward as I watch them.

I could kiss better than that at fourteen.

Brandon clears his throat.

“Save it for the media you two” he teases, watching me.

I look away from them and flex my jaw.

“So you decided last minute and came all the way to California?” Pamela asks, changing the topic and diverting the attention to me.

“Actually no. I just happened to be coming here this same weekend.”

“Business?” Mrs. Woods asks.

“That's all he ever does Auntie” Pamela chuckles. “It's always work, work, work, and work. Right Nikki?”

This was like the moment at every high school reunion where you could prove yourself to your friends that they never really knew you. Or you could go down as the person who couldn't live up to his yearbook's photo inscription.

“Actually no” I let out, pushing both my hands into my pants pocket this time.

The laughter stops and they all look at me.

“Reid Dalton isn't here for business?” Ray asks.

“No, I'm not” I repeat.

“Ouu do tell” Amy giggles.

They all wait for me to speak up.

“Pleasure” I let out.

They furrow their brows.

“Not that it's any of my business, bro. But you missed the Vegas turn” Brandon chuckles.

I smile at him.

“No not that kind of pleasure,” I say.

Anika shifts closer to Ethan as I spot him lowering his hand from her waist to squeeze at her ass.

You fucker!

“I came with my fiancée” I blurt.

Anika pulls away from Ethan just as Amy spits out her drink. A flash goes off beside me and at that moment, the harm had already been done.

Oh, Hernan was right. This was a bad idea.

I'd announced a lie to all these people and somehow the press had gotten a hold of my fake confession. The flash alerts the other reporters who hurry to get the rest of the juicy information.

“You're here with someone?” Anika asks.

There was something about her tone.

“Uh-uh, couzie” Pamela goes. “Not someone. His fiancée.”

“Oh, that's wonderful news, Reid. Congratulations!” Mrs. Woods chirps.

“Your parents must be thrilled that you're becoming a better man” Mr. Woods adds.

Your daughter left me and I'm the one who needs to become a better man?

I smile.

“They are,” I say.

“What's her name?” Amy asks. “I bet she's famous. Like a model... oh or one of those actress, singer, song-writers!”

“Yes, Reid. Tell us who this person who's managed to steal your heart is” Brandon urged.

I chuckle and shake my head.

“I don't think that's a good—”

“No, no, Reid. Tell us who she is. We're all dying to know” Anika goes.

I look at her and her eyes look deadly. A certain thrill surges through me. She was jealous! Raging mad jealous!

Ohhh I knew it!

I smile a little and begin to see if I could come up with a believable name.

What are the names of all the good female characters in the movies?! Or should I go with Anime?

I take in a deep breath and push my hands further into my pockets. Then my finger grazes at something. I furrow my brows and pluck the item out.

You have got to be joking.

For one second it seemed like another terrible idea to keep playing along with this. But then again, Anika was jealous. That was something I'd never seen her do. She was never jealous and we dated for eight years.

Another thing was, I could prove to all these people that I wasn't the fuck boy they knew anymore. That I had changed and it wasn't all about the status and looks anymore. I could literally play this card and win.

I smile.

“She's not—”

“Real?” Pamela cuts me off. “Because it has taken you a good five minutes to tell us the name of this girl.”

I look at her and smile again.

“I was going to say she's not an actress or model” I gesture at Anika.

“Oh?” she asks, crossing her arms.

“Yes,” I say.

“What is she then?” Ray asks.

“A baker.”

Amy guffaws and I look at her.

“I'm sorry” she lets out seriously, but then guffaws again.

“And what's funny, Amy?” Anika asks her youngest sibling.

“Nothing, nothing” she quickly replies, the serious look returning and for her sake, staying.

“A baker” Brandon repeats.

I nod, my eyes not leaving Anika's raging blue ones.

“My cousin got replaced by a baker?” Pamela asks. “Well, that's just golden.”

“And your parents are okay with you getting engaged to this... baker?” Mrs. Woods asks.

“Why wouldn't they be?” I ask.

“Because she's obviously a gold digger” Anika answers.

I scoff.

“I beg to differ, Anika.”

“Really?” she challenges, taking a step forward.

“Yes,” I say, her jealousy renewing my energy to play out this lie flawlessly.

I take a step forward too.

“Because I did the digging... and she's pure gold.”

Her face falls and Amy lets out an excited squeal.

“Oh wow, she's managed to turn Reid Dalton into Shakespeare's understudy” Pam goes.

“Can we quote you on that, Mr. Dalton?” a lady from the press goes.

“Most certainly” I smile, looking at Anika who looked like she just got run over by a bus.

Ethan slips in front of her, blocking her from me. He holds out his hand.

“Congrats mate. I bet she's a good woman too.”

I take his hand and give it a firm shake.

“The best” I smile.

He stares at me and I stare back, the handshake continuing. He doesn't blink and although my eyes are already burning, I try not to blink either.

What is happening? I've never been good at staring contests.

“Mr. Dalton, could we get a name?”

“Hm?” I hum, finally blinking away from Ethan as I let go of his hand.

From the corner of my eyes, I see him smile and peck Anika's cheek.

“Could we get the name of your fiancée?” the reporter repeats.

“Yeah, I totally forgot you didn't tell us” Pamela smiles.

“What's her name, Reid? This baker girl” Anika asks.

Isn't she going to back down?

I lower my eyes to the card in my hand and bob my head.

“Lee” I let out.

“Lee?” they all chorus.

I nod.

“Lee” I repeat.

Brandon scoffs.

“That's vague.”

I eye him.

“What's her last name? I wanna look her up” Amy asks.

“Yeah, I wanna see this girl who's made you a poet” Ray adds.

“Oh... she's not on any social media,” I say.

“Of course, she's not, Reid” Anika scoffs.

Oh, it burns?

“Well, do you have a picture on your phone?” Amy asks.

“Yes, we would love to see her picture, Reid” Anika drums.

Before anyone else can say anything else, my phone rings. I take it out of my jacket and press a smile on my face. The cameras emitted several flashes.

“It's her,” I say. “Excuse me.”

“Oh, she has a phone but no socials?” I catch Anika say as I walk away from them.

I slowly slip out of the room and walk down the hall to the secluded balcony at the end. I answer the phone.

“Why am I staring at a tweet from a 'xo_endoftheworld' that says you're engaged?” Ellen's voice comes through the phone.

Already?!

I huff. I couldn't shut this down now.

“It's not exactly false, Elle.”

“Wait, what?!” she exclaims.

“Shush!”

“Don't you dare shush me, Reid. You got engaged without telling anyone? When did you start seeing this person?!”

I groan.

“Look, I have the right to keep my relationships secret okay? I don't like people poking their noses into my business.”

“Does Portia know? Because she's calling me right now.”

My stomach sinks.

“Just... hold her off. I'll call you back.”

I hang up and glance at the card.

“I've gotta fix this” I mutter.

“Trouble in paradise?” Anika's voice comes behind me.

I turn.

“Shouldn't you be in there, laughing with your old man? And I don't mean your dad.”

She smiles.

“He prefers the term sugar baby.”

“Of course” I scoff.

“And how can I enjoy my own engagement party when the news of your sudden engagement is all the guests can talk about?”

I shrug. Then her face goes serious.

“Are you seriously engaged, Reid?”

I furrow my brows.

“Why would I make something like that up?”

“To get back at me!” she exclaims.

I arch a brow.

“Look,” she says calmly now. “I know it's been two years since our breakup and it's fine to want to move on... but engaged?”

“You're engaged” I accuse.

“Because he asked me, Reid!” she exclaims again. “Ethan asked me.”

Oh, I see where this is going.

“After a year of us being together, he asked me to marry him.”

“And you said yes.”

She frowns.

“Was I not supposed to?”

I shrug.

“You're the one complaining.”

She gives me a hurt look.

“We were together for eight years, Reid. Eight, fucking years. And you... even when I threw the signs at you... you never proposed. You never even joked about it!” she cries.

I roll my eyes inwardly.

“I thought you were just nervous so then I proposed. And you turned me down. And then suddenly you actually proposed to someone else after a year together?”

“Two” I correct.

Her jealous aura was soothing. She scoffs.

“Of course. You replaced me right after we broke up.”

I frown.

“You left me, remember?”

“Because you wouldn't propose and I was tired of waiting! I wasn't getting any younger, Reid.”

“Well, now you're finally engaged and so am I. I don't see the big deal here.”

She lets out a pained sound, matching her pained expression.

“What are you two doing out here? The party is inside.”

I roll my eyes as the accent reaches my ears.

“You're not trying to steal my woman back are you mate?”

I let out a short laugh.

“No, no we were just talking, babe,” Anika says.

I nod.

“And...” I look at her as she speaks, “... Reid's inviting us to his engagement party next weekend.”

I give her a look.

“Oh, we wouldn't miss it for the world!” Ethan cheers. “Hey press! Reid Dalton's engagement party comes off next weekend! Don't forget to include that!” he steps away from us and yells.

I scowl at Anika.

“What do you think you're doing?”

“Making this easier on myself” she scowls back.

“Where, mate?” Ethan walks back to ask.

“I'll send you the details” I reply.

“We'll see you there then” Anika smiles at me and takes her sugar baby's hand.

I huff, all the muscles in me tensing. I was going to have to find Sweets by Lee and convince her to play my fiancée and then plan an engagement party all in a week.

I feel a sting in my finger and I look. I was pressing the card so hard that I'd given myself a cut. I let out an annoyed sigh.

“This is not fun anymore.”

Thank you for reading!
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Ciao
~the_atticwriter