[22]

I swirled the champagne in my shot glass, leaning against the bar, one leg crossed over the other while I sat on a barstool. The golden liquid was supposed to distract me from the noise around. It wasn't working.

There were four empty shot glasses arranged in front of me. I'd placed them there for a reason. This champagne was good, and I really needed that distraction. I lifted the glass in my hand and took a long sip, effectively finishing the contents of my glass. Slapping it back onto the counter, I raised my brows at the bartender.

"I want another."

With a nod, he went on to pour me another round of champagne shots.

My gaze wandered around the club, watching people jump up and down, screaming and gyrating in every direction, celebrating the newest couple around here. I was supposed to be amongst that crowd, but I was too busy with my own world. Mira and Shawn were probably talking to the Wellington parents.

Her parents had left a long time ago, immediately after the wedding. Said they had an important meeting to attend. When they had said this, I'd noticed the pain that flashed across Mida's eyes, but she was quick to hide it. Good thing Shawn noticed it as well and squeezed her hand for comfort. I swear, watching them made my heart constrict sometimes.

Anyways, Marcus's parents were having a relationship talk with Simone and Marcus. Informing them about how tough being in a committed relationship could be and all the bad things that could happen. They'd almost forced me to sit through their class, but I'd escaped-thank the heavens. I guess being a wedding planner was a great excuse for awkward conversations. No one would want to be stuck in a room receiving relationship advice while there was a party going on downstairs.

Speaking of parents, mine were also present. They had arrived late after Shawn and Mida were declared husband and wife. I'd spoken to them before, but it was mostly about my well-being and whatnot. Mom had asked if I'd gotten a man yet, and after turning red in the face, I'd excused myself from the awkwardness. Again, being a wedding planner had its perks.

I did not want to talk to my mother about Parker at my cousin's wedding. What if she'd said she wanted to meet him? Knowing her, she would have probably pinched his cheeks and told him how beautiful his eyes were. I'd just gotten the guy. No need to do anything stupid that would chase him away. Not happening!

"Are you alright?" The unknown voice drew my attention to the bartender, who was now staring at me with slight concern. His eyebrows were pulled together, and the sleeves of his white dressing shirt rolled up to his elbows. I wasn't sure if it was the alcohol beginning to tell on me, but he looked a little like a bad boy.

"You seem stressed," he pointed out.

Gaze drifting down to the now filled shot glasses before me, I lifted one and chuckled. "You don't say." I took the shot, slapped the glass back onto the counter, and stared him dead in the eye. "how did you figure that out."

He smirked, eyes twinkling with amusement. "How wouldn't I? A pretty lady sitting all by herself at her cousin's wedding?" He lifted a brow. Was he flirting? Wait, was I flirting? "Something's definitely wrong."

A shadow of a smirk still lingered on his lips. Parker hardly smirked. He was a smiler, A smiler with brilliant green eyes.

I was not drunk.

"What can I say?" I sighed, lifting a glass. "I'm stressed, obviously. You're stressed as well. The whole world's stressed. In the end," I smiled, lowering my voice to a whisper. "We're all stressed."

I was not drunk.

Amusement danced in his eyes. "Are you drunk? It's actually cute."

I laughed. "What's your name?"

"I'll tell you mine if you share yours," he quipped.

"Camsy." Camsy... I like it.

"Trent."

I was starting to feel light-headed. Parker had told me to meet him by the bar after the wedding. And here I was, Parker-less and flirting with the bartender. Also, not drunk. But I couldn't get Parker out of my head.

My smile fell into a frown, and I quickly downed another shot. He wanted to say something, but he didn't get the chance.

"Get back to work, Trent." Simone came out of literally nowhere and butted into our conversation, leaning over the counter to flick Trent's chest. She sneered, "Cam's taken."

Trent laughed. It didn't sound like Parker's laughter. "I was just watching out for her."

"Sure you were." Simone rolled her eyes, facing me. Her face fell. "Are you drunk?"

"Not yet," I sang, grinning and lifting up my glass to her. She groaned.

"I thought you were more responsible than this."

"Hey!" I pouted. "I'm very responsible. I've just had a rough day. And Parker stood me up, so I'm sad."

And just like that, Simone broke into a wide grin. "Aww, so you miss the love of your existence?"

"Get out," I hissed, going to take another shot but having my hand stopped halfway there. Someone was holding my hand, and it wasn't Simone.

"I leave you for a few moments, and you're already drunk." Parker tsked. "Do you want to forget me by the morning?"

I couldn't help but snort. "It would take a lot more than champagne to make you forget you so easily." My words seemed to make Parker happy. A smile took over his features. I felt my heart flutter like I'd found that one thing I'd been looking for for a long time. But I suppressed my joy. "What took you so long?"

Parker and Simone shared a look before he faced me again. "I had a lot to attend to. But, I'm here now."

"You're not leaving anymore, are you?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "Not without you."

That was it. I couldn't hold it in anymore. I smiled very hard. The next thing I knew, I was hopping off the barstool and wrapping my arms around his torso, the side of my face pressed into his chest. From my position, I could hear his heart beating. I imagined it was beating for me.

"You two are so cute!" Simone gushed, puppy eyes and all. "You make me want to barf rainbows."

I rolled my eyes at her, still clinging to Parker. He laughed. His chest rumbled in my ear.

"Wanna get away from here?"

I pulled away to stare at his face with a smile on mine. "Sure."

"Good," he grinned, slipping his hands around mine. "Because I have something to tell you."

"Does it have anything to do with your letter?"

"Yes," he nodded. "It does."

"Then let's go," I said. Starting to tug him away. "I want to know what's in there."

Parker chuckled. "I think it'll be better if I lead the way. You're a little tipsy."

Yeah. Not drunk!

A little too excited for any good, I nodded, heart pounding. Parker led me away. Behind us, I could hear Simone yelling at us to use protection and blah blah. She was crazy. Maybe she was drunk.

When we almost got to the stairs, I saw two familiar figures. I quickly tugged Parker to a stop and waved like a mad woman, yelling, "Mom! Dad! I got a man."

Mum's lips parted in shock. The I-can't-believe-that's-my-daughter look in her eye. Dad looked like he was on the verge of doubling over in laughter. Beside them, Mida and Shawn were already laughing.

I didn't know what was so funny. I was trying to inform my parents that I had found someone and they were laughing. The world was filled with drunk people. Except me because I was not drunk!

Parker's cheeks were turning red when I turned to him. I wanted to kiss them. I wanted to kiss him. I was getting pretty impatient, bouncing on the balls of my feet.

"Let's go."

"But your parents. Don't you want to say hi?" He raised his brows.

I waved a hand dismissively. "Been there, done that. No time for another greeting. I'll see them in the morning. Now, lead me away, Parky!"

By now, I was sure my parents were wondering where it all went wrong, but I couldn't care less. I had Parker now. They would have to wait to meet him properly.

"Parky?" Parker questioned.

"Let's go!" I urged.

With a laugh, he led me to the stairs, ignoring the attention we were beginning to draw. When we got to Parker's room, I was a bundle of giggles and adrenaline.

He shut the door and turned to me.

"You've been lots of trouble for the past few minutes," he commented, stepping closer. "Exactly how much did you drink?"

I closed the distance between us impatiently, placing a hand on his shoulder and the other on the back of his head. I pulled him down, so our foreheads were touching, gazes locked. It was our thing. Like Mida and Shawn had their sweet talks. Ours was the ability to look into each other's eyes and feel like it was our souls that were connecting.

Like magic.

"I don't know," I shrugged, voice light. "A couple of rounds. I don't care."

"You're going to regret that by the morning." He wrapped his arms around my waist. I angled my head and whispered into his ear.

"I. Don't. Care."

Then I brought my lips to his. And if I wasn't drunk before, I sure was now.