The Worst Best Man(91)

Frankie couldn’t wait for that hour to end, and with it this portion of her life so she could step into her newly favorite role. Aiden’s bed warmer. Since she was already in town, it only made sense for her to stay at his place tonight. Especially since tomorrow was Saturday. The plan was to sleep in and have a lazy Saturday brunch. Then dinner with Aiden’s father, his new lady friend, and Aiden’s mother. As always, the Kilbourns kept it quite civilized. Though not civilized enough to invite the step-mother/soon-to-be-ex. News of the divorce had leaked early. And the gossip was rampant even here.

Rumor had it that Jacqueline had been on the guest list for tonight but was too humiliated to show her face. Frankie guessed the woman was probably reviewing her prenup with a magnifying glass rather than suffering any actual humiliation. It was funny serving food to some of the same people she’d danced alongside of last week. But as was typical, no one looked a server in the eyes unless they were after something more than food or drink.

The anonymity was more comforting than anything. Aiden hadn’t mentioned anything about her catering gigs, but she imagined it must be odd for him to have a girlfriend who cleaned up after his peers.

“Franchesca?” Cecily Kilbourn cocked her head to one side. “It is you!” She was dressed in a simple yet stunning yellow dress that only a woman with her coloring and bearing could begin to pull off.

“Mrs. Kilbourn,” Frankie said, nearly bobbling her tray.

Her ghost status had just been revoked.

“Please, call me Cecily,” she said with a genuine smile. “Is Aiden here?”

“No. He was working late tonight.”

“Ah. My son is always working,” Cecily sighed. “He takes after his father in that area.”

“He’s very dedicated,” Frankie agreed.

“That’s a very polite way of saying he needs to be careful before he starts following in the rest of his father’s footsteps. I’m very glad he’s found you. He seems quite taken with you.”

“Same. I mean, I feel the same way.”

“I may be biased,” Cecily said, “but he is quite the prize.”

“We’re enjoying our time together,” Frankie said, not knowing how to make small talk with her boyfriend’s mother when she was supposed to be handing out miniature shrimp cocktails served in ceramic spoons.

“What did you find now, Cecily? You’re going to end up ten pounds heavier when you leave here if you don’t stay away from the food.” Jacqueline, neither humiliated nor glued to her prenup, sidled up to them and plucked a sample from Frankie’s tray. She sampled it and wrinkled her pretty nose. “Ugh. Disgusting. I hate shrimp.” She dropped the half-eaten shrimp back on the tray in a masticated lump.

Asshole.

“Where’s the girl with the brie?” she demanded.

“Jacqueline, you remember Aiden’s girlfriend Franchesca, don’t you?” Cecily said pointedly.

It took Jacqueline a moment to realize that Cecily was talking about the tray-wielding Frankie and not someone else. “You’re a waitress?” Jacqueline asked with a laugh. Her eyebrows were trying valiantly to raise, but the flawless forehead only allowed her eyes to widen ever so slightly.

“Among other things, Mrs. Kilbourn.”

Jacqueline looked like she was weighing whether or not she should be seen talking to the help.

“Well, enjoy your girl talk,” she said, going nearly cross-eyed from looking down her nose at them. “I’ve got another party to attend soon, so I must say my good-byes.” She swished away in satin and pearls.

“Let’s hope the next one is slightly more tolerable,” Cecily sighed.

“How did Ferris go from you to that?” Frankie asked. Oh shit. When was she going to learn to keep her mouth shut?

“It probably had something to do with her being pregnant with his child,” Cecily mused. “Oops. Family secret. Just pretend I said something really Zen and sweet instead.”

“You’re right. Jacqueline really is a treasure,” Frankie said.

“Oh, Cecily!” A woman in a burgundy shawl waved from her up-close vantage point of a very naked statue.

“That’s a friend of mine. Would you like me to introduce you?” she asked.

Frankie shook her head. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’d rather stay incognito. I’ve only got one more catering gig to go, and it’s just easier if no one knows my… connection to Aiden.”

Cecily nodded. “I understand. Well, it was lovely to see you, and I’m looking forward to dinner tomorrow night.”

“Me, too,” Frankie said. And she realized she actually meant it.

Frankie headed in the direction of the kitchen to get rid of Jacqueline’s dead shrimp. Nothing killed the appetite like someone else’s chewed up food.

“Did you see who Cecily was talking to?”

Frankie heard Jacqueline’s voice coming from a cluster of ladies who were lingering near the bar.

“Who?” someone asked, breathy with excitement over any tidbit of gossip.

“A waitress.”

“Was she getting a recipe?”

“The waitress is her son’s girlfriend.”

“No!” someone gasped in horror.

Okay, that was a bit of an overreaction. It’s not like she just announced Aiden was eating homeless dogs for breakfast.