The reception was held in the grand ballroom of the finest hotel in Reston. Judging by the immaculate decorating, Brodie's parents obviously spared no expense. Lit only by what must've been hundreds of candles, only added an element of awe. What wasn't dripping with silk, and accented with crystal and gold was covered with white flowers ranging from roses, orchids, lilies, and other exotic flowers. Most of the evening had gone by with Sloane truly enjoying herself.. She almost forgot the reason why she had stayed away so long. Almost. Her family and friends provided her with only a temporary distraction from Gabriel. Every time she dared to sneak a look at him, his attentions were preoccupied with the pretty maid of honor he had been paired up with for the wedding.
Choosing to ignore the stab of jealousy she felt at the sight of the maid of honor in Gabe's company, she drew on the anger she felt during her and Gabe's first 'encounter'. Or whatever she wanted to call their silent battle during the wedding ceremony. When she had turned to catch a glimpse of Dean, the church full of people faded into dead silence as her gaze collided with his. Sloane could only her heart pounding thunderously in her chest.
Gabriel Jennings was still the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. He looked older, of course, but time had clearly been good to him, very good. His hair was cut closer to his head, bringing out all the intriguing angles of his face. The lips pulled back into a cocky smirk as his gaze intensely locked on hers, daring her to shudder. It was then she knew was he was doing. He was intentionally trying to get a rise out of her..
If he thought she was the same heartbroken girl that left, he had another thing coming. Squaring her shoulders, she pinned him with a glare that made flipping the bird in a church look like a nice gesture.
"Sloane?" The masculine voice followed by a slight nudge shook Sloane out of her thoughts. She blinked, registering Walker Jensen's face staring back at her questioningly, "Darling, are you paying attention?"
Sloane hesitated before slowly answering, "Of course...you were telling me about your promotion?" She prayed that's what they were still talking about. They had been on the subject for the last two songs.
He looked at her quizzically for a moment before smiling darkly, "I've always liked a woman who knew how to listen."
Sloane smiled sweetly at him rather than voice what she really wanted to say in response to his flagrant double meaning.
As Walker continued talking, she resumed tuning him out. Sloane supposed she could've been attracted to Walker based on appearances alone. However listening to him as he went on and on about how he was God's gift to basically every noun had her wishing she never said hello to him at the start of the evening.
The whole thing gave her a headache that only paled in comparison to the throbbing radiating from her feet. Had she known Walker would be so insistent on dancing to nearly every song, she may have rethought her decision to wear the sky high stilettos. After the numerous spins around the dance floor, her feet and sanity were screaming mercy. When the song ended she hurried out of Walker's embrace, glad for opportunity to seek refuge and to give her feet an overdue rest.
"Let's get out of here." Walker commanded, rather than stated. He gripped her elbow and started to steer her towards the exit.
"There's Layla." Sloane said quickly, ducking quickly out of Walker's grip. Sloane hurried off in Layla's direction.
"Keep walking and don't turn around." Sloane whispered to Layla linking her arm with hers as she met up with her.
"Walker too much for you?" Layla replied sarcastically.
"Oh yeah...he's something alright." Sloane replied.
****
"I can't believe you're actually leaving tomorrow." Layla said softly. Sloane stopped chewing her pizza to look over to Layla across the room. Tears that brimmed Layla's hazel eyes, threatened to spill over, as they had frequently during the evening.
"Not again." Sloane sighed, setting her pizza down. They were taking a break from packing up all of Sloane's stuff that had accumulated in Layla's room since childhood. "It's not like I'm never coming back. I'll be back whenever I can."
"You know what I can't understand?" Layla sniffed, "Why you chose to go to Cali-freaking-fornia. What happened to staying here and going to State?"
Sloane shrugged as nonchalant as she could, but she knew exactly what happened. Gabriel Jennings. That's what happened. He was a man not known for his bedside manner. She was the foolish girl that thought she was different. It was an old story and lousy one at that. The truth of Sloane's feelings for Gabe hit her like a ton a bricks. Sloane wasn't naïve, she knew sex always complicates things, but she had always liked him on some level or she would've never slept with him that day.
Sloane started fidgeting, something she only did when she was nervous. Picking up on the action, Layla gave her a curious look.
"My mom's parents live out there and this gives me a chance to get to know them." Sloane spoke finally, "Not to mention I've lived the last 18 years of my life under the unwanted protective custody of my brothers. I want to experience the world. If I don't get out of here now I don't think I'm ever going to. I feel like this is my chance." Sloane let a silent sigh of relief when Layla looked to have accepted her partially true answer.
"Well then I'm happy for you." Layla said, her voice wavering before sobbing all over again, "My best friend in the whole world is going away to a college a bazillion miles away, while I'm stuck here soon to be big as a freaking house."
"C'mon Layla, you're pregnant. Getting big as a house is inevitable," Sloane couldn't help but giggle at her friend's overdramatic reaction, "And if you ask me, you being upset about me leaving is just smoke screen for what's really bothering you."
"And that would be what Dr. Bennett?" Layla teased.
"With me gone you'll have no choice but to open up and lean on Jackson." Sloane said quickly.
"No..." Layla protested.
"Yes." Sloane corrected, "Since you found about this pregnancy, you've spent more time with me than you have with Jackson."
"That's not fair, you're leaving..."
"I know, and I love you for trying to spend as much time as possible before I leave. And as scared as you are about this pregnancy, I'm sure Jackson is too. Remember this isn't just your baby. It's both of yours. Something that he wants to be a part of, every step of the way. Whether or not you want to see it, he loves you Lay. Open your eyes."
"Did you talk to Gabe today or something?" Layla said after a long time spent in silence. The sudden mention of Gabe taking Sloane by surprise.
"Gabe? No. Why?"
"Nothing really, just that he basically said the exact same thing." Layla replied, "You two are freakishly in sync for people who barely say two words to each other. Although..."
"Although what?" Sloane asked.
"You didn't tell him you weren't going to State with us in the fall, did you?"
"No. You didn't tell him did you?" Sloane said, unable to mask the anxiety in her voice.
"I'm sorry I didn't know it was a national secret." Layla shot back.
"It's not." Sloane covered.
"Well...when I mentioned the two of us hanging out tonight since you were leaving tomorrow, he bombarded me with questions. You should've seen his face when I told him you were going to school in California. If I didn't know better, I would say he likes you Sloane." Layla said, before looking at Sloane and shaking her head, and laughing "No, that's crazy."
"Yeah. Crazy." Sloane replied just before she broke down and started crying.
"Oh my god! Sloane what's the matter?" Layla asked.
****
The reception was in full swing. The music was great and the alcohol was abundant. There was an endless supply of willing female company. Distractions shouldn't have been in shortage, however Gabe found himself unable to tear his attention away from the dance floor, more specifically the raven haired beauty right smack dab in the middle of it.
He sipped his beer slowly as he watched Sloane move to the music. Sloane had always been a graceful dancer, but watching her now he couldn't help but noticed that she had clearly picked up a thing or two. He wondered what else she had learned in the last six years. Her dress clung to her body, leaving little to the imagination. His gaze traveled down her lithe body, stopping to appreciate the way the fabric of her gold dressed stretched across her ass as she swayed rhythmically to the beat.
Gabe hadn't been the only one appreciating the view. He had spent the better part of the evening watching Walker Jensen attempt to mark his claim on Sloane. His desire to break Walker's fingers was only subdued by his greater desire not to cause a scene. It appeared that Sloane was doing a good job at keeping him at bay, but Gabe knew Walker and knew his reputation. He'd have to keep an eye on him. For Sloane's own safety of course.
"You have got to be the worst best man in history." Gabe tore his attention away to see Dean hovering over him.
"I told you choosing Gabe to be your best man were a mistake. You should've picked me." Added Jackson accompanied by Layla wearing her usual irritated expression whenever she looked at him.
"I'll make up for it at your next wedding." Gabe replied, grinning.
Dean chuckled before plopping down in the seat a few down from Gabe, "Don't hold your breath. Brodie is my life. Hell, the woman will probably be the death of me as well. I still can't believe she married me."
"Damn well took you long enough." Gabe said, "You should've done it a long time ago."
"Amen." Jackson agreed, "That should mean a lot coming from Jennings. He's been through half the female population. We all remember my bachelor party, right?"
"Hey now!" Gabe chuckled, looking at Dean he replied, "You're no saint either. If memory serves, pre-Brodie, you were working your way through other half. I'm just catching up."
"He's a married man now," Jackson said sitting down and pulling Layla into his lap, "Let me be the first to welcome you to the club."
"Better late than never, right?" Dean said looking directly at Gabe before shaking his head, "I don't suppose you'd understand."
"Nope, not a clue. Do you have your hotel key?" Gabe said, changing the subject, "I gave mine to Johnna."
He, Jude, Jackson and Dean had stayed in the hotel the night before, and had the room for another night. Working his frustration out with Johnna, the sexy maid of honor, was a lot better than the source of it.
"Johnna? Again? I think she's becoming a habit." Dean commented raising his eyebrows.
