Chasing Shadows (First Wives #3)(38)

“Avery?”

She handed Liam her wine and moved beside the wedding party and smiled for the camera.

Trina had opted for an oversize round table to accommodate their wedding party and significant others. Considering Avery hadn’t seen much of Liam the entire weekend, it was nice to have him sitting next to her instead of across the tent next to some Kardashian wannabe.

Food rolled out in courses, and she knew from experience that if they didn’t eat quickly, the guests would descend and make it hard to chew.

“Did you help with the guest list?” Liam asked close to her ear.

“I did.”

He glanced over his shoulder. “Is that Steven Tyler?”

Avery lifted a fork to her lips. “Yup.”

“Doesn’t that make you a little giddy?”

She looked again. “Sure does.”

“I’d love to know the story of how Wade and him met.”

Without missing a beat, Avery lifted her voice. “Hey, Wade . . . how did you meet Steven Tyler?”

Liam nudged her under the table.

“The Grammys. Three years ago. Had a complete fan moment backstage, and we’ve been friends ever since.”

“What does a Wade Thomas fan moment look like?” Reed asked.

“There was stuttering involved. It wasn’t pretty.”

“Good to know you’re not unaffected,” Liam told him.

“This guy was a complete dork for years once we went big,” Gus, Wade’s best man, said.

“I’m much better at playing it cool now.”

During their limited dinner conversation, Avery sensed Liam start to relax.

Once the dinner plates left the table and settings were in place for cake later in the evening, Avery and Liam mingled around the room and were introduced to dozens of people. Reed stood by a tall, olive skinned woman she’d never met before. He motioned them over when he caught her staring.

“I don’t think you’ve met Sasha.”

The woman wore Versace. The black dress stuck to her like a glove. The angle and cut crossed over the front of her body in an asymmetrical way that only a woman as lean and fit as this one could pull off. Avery had instant arm envy. The woman didn’t appear to have an ounce of fat on her.

“I have not. I’m Avery.” They shook hands.

“I know.” Her exotic voice matched her dress. “You must be Liam Holt.”

“I am.” He seemed as surprised to hear his name coming from her lips as Avery was.

“Sasha is Trina’s late husband’s half sister,” Avery explained to Liam. She’d leave the rest of the woman’s significance in Trina’s life for a later conversation.

Sasha had played an intricate role in stopping Ruslan Petrov from hiring any more killers to cover up his crimes. Intricate meant being nearly killed by the man’s hands while the authorities rushed in at the last minute and put a bullet in him. If it wasn’t for her, he would have fled and still been alive to cause misery and pain to Trina and everyone she held dear. Including Avery.

“I feel the need to thank you,” Avery said.

“That isn’t necessary.”

“Sasha is occasionally helping with our security team, so hopefully we can convince her to join us outside of work.”

“That would be great, and you can tell me where you got that dress. Versace, right?”

“Paris.” A woman of one-word answers.

“It’s stunning.”

“Thank you. If you’ll excuse me.” And she was gone.

Reed moved closer once she walked away. “I’m surprised she came.”

“She’s intense” was Liam’s take on the woman.

“I don’t remember putting her down on the table assignments,” Avery said.

“She refused. Said she would witness the wedding, blend in at the reception, and drill security to make sure they were doing their job while everyone ate.” Reed glanced around the room.

“And is security doing a good job?” Liam asked.

Reed looked down his nose at him. “Our team never fails.”

Liam patted Reed’s back. “I feel safer.”

“Good to know. Now let me find my wife. I wanna dance.”

Later, after Avery delivered a toast alongside Gus, and the obligatory wedding party dance after Trina and Wade took the stage, Liam claimed her as his for the rest of the night.

He lost his tie, ditched the jacket, and swung her around the dance floor.

There wasn’t any of the bumping and grinding that went along with the club scene here. Just good moves with dips and turns for the rock and roll, and plenty of line dancing and two-stepping when the country hits were sung.

Flushed and breathless, Avery pleaded to step away from the crowd.

Liam tugged her hand toward the back of the covered dance floor and out into the night.

“You’re crazy out there.”

He did a little shuffle. “Love to dance.”

“I can tell.”

Liam slid a hand around her waist and swung her in a circle when some of the other guests walked by.

Avery glanced at them and laughed.

“I think that was Faith and Tim.”

Liam wasn’t listening. He wrapped his arms around her waist and walked behind her until they were on the edge of the manicured outdoor space, overlooking the moonlit valley below.