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hours. I wish they would get the show on the road.”
    “I agree,” entered a new voice. “Don’t they realize everybody showed up for the open bar? The rest of this is just pomp and circumstance.”
    Genie twisted in her seat to find Shannon squeezing into the empty seat on her other side.
    “Hello Mr. Alfred,” he said over her shoulder. “Oh good. You wore a watch. You can keep us updated on how much longer we’re going to be forced to suffer through this.”
    Steven flushed at Shannon’s words and turned to make conversation with the elderly lady seated on his other side, effectively ignoring them, but she noticed he also tugged his sleeve down nervously, hiding the watch from sight.
    She looked at Shannon questioningly, but he only chuckled.
    “How have you been, beautiful?” he asked, turning her attention away from Steven.
    She smiled despite herself since no woman alive no matter the circumstances could be completely immune to his charm. “I’m alright, and you?”
    “I’ve been covered up with work; which, while a good thing, has left me exhausted, and it’s hot as hell. Oh, excuse me, hot as heck in this church. When are they going to get this thing started? Good grief?”
    Genie suddenly felt a little better now she realized she wasn’t the only one being affected by the great wedding effect. The wedding march began. They all stood to watch the bride coming down the aisle, except when Genie turned, the world screeched to a halt as she recognized Weave seated directly behind her. Her eyes locked with his for a split second, but she looked away just as quickly thinking she might be sick. He stared straight through her as if she were no more than a stranger, and she never hated another person in her life as much as she hated him in that moment. Everybody began to reclaim their seats, and she dropped like a rock into her own, staring straight ahead, frozen like a deer in the headlights. How long had he been sitting there? She swore she could feel his eyes on the back of her neck, and the hair stood up on her arms. It took every ounce of her willpower not to glance over her shoulder. She never heard a word of the vows being exchanged, and she didn’t even realize when it came to an end until Shannon reached over linking his fingers with hers. She looked over to find him searching her face. “Is everything okay?”
    Her smile felt wooden, but she refused to let anyone see her distress. “I’m fine.”
    “Your fingers are like ice,” he said, sounding concerned. “Let’s go find that open bar.”
    He held her hand and helped her to stand. She followed him out without a single thought as to what happened to Steven, and she kept her eyes straight ahead in fear of even accidently setting eyes upon Weave again. As promised, Shannon skipped the receiving line and headed straight for the bar. He ordered up two shots of whiskey, and Genie tossed it back. She swiped his as well, before he was given a chance to drink it, and tossed it back as well.
    Shannon looked shocked but ordered up two more, and as she was throwing back the third she heard the voice she was dreading. “How have you been, Genie?”
    She forced herself to set the glass down gently and gathered her strength to face him. She managed to arrange her features into an expression of amused confusion. “I’m sorry. Have we met?” Gathering up the hem of her dark blue dress, she swept past him, not giving him time to respond, but she didn’t make it far before Shannon was on her heels. “What the hell was that all about?” She might have ignored him and continued on her way, but he sounded really pissed, which caught her off guard. What the hell did he have to be pissed about? Nobody screwed him and then snuck off in the night, never to be heard from again. She paused in her steps long enough for him to fall in beside her then continued outside towards her car.
    He laid his hand on her arm, bringing her to a halt. “Are you going to tell