Confetti Hearts (Confetti Hitched, #1)(80)

“Why? I haven’t done anything. I did have a go at answering the question about the childhood star who became the United States ambassador to Czechoslovakia, but alas, Britney Spears wasn’t the answer.”

“Because it’s fun.” He hesitates. “It’s always fun with you,” he says in a fervent voice that seems to embarrass him, given how his ears have reddened.

I stare at him and offer a tentative smile. “Well, it’s fun with you too.” And it is. In a strange way, it’s like we’ve been a team for these last few days, united in sorting everything. He’s always been there when I’ve turned to share a joke or snipe about the guests. Like my partner in crime.

“Lachlan. Joe.” Melissa’s voice is sharp. “Are you still playing?”

“Oh, we’re definitely playing,” I say. “Although I’m not sure at what.”

My husband smiles and turns back to the game.

Paula, in her position of question master, looks at us. “Okay. Last round of questions. Melissa and David are tied with Lachlan and Joe, so this is the deciding round.”

I eye my intelligent husband with pride and slant a competitive glance at Melissa. But she’s scarily good at fierce stare-downs and doesn’t blink.

I look away and find Lachlan watching me. “What?” I ask.

He gives me a crooked smile. “You’re such a ferocious cheerleader, darling.”

“Oh, shut up,” I whisper. “If she were in a fairy tale, she’d be a basilisk.”

Paula holds out the deck to Lachlan. “Pick a card and hand it to me without looking. Melissa and David will choose the category you answer.”

“I think entertainment,” Melissa says without even consulting her husband.

I groan. We’re not terribly good at that. Well, I mean, Lachlan isn’t. I’m not good at any of it.

“Okay,” Paula says, winking at me. “Who was the first Sex and the City main character to get married on the show?”

“Oh my god,” I breathe in growing excitement. “I know this one. I know this,” I exclaim, staring around the table to import the seriousness of that fact.

Lachlan stirs. “Do you think you should answer it, then, darling?”

“But I might be wrong.”

He shrugs. “I believe in you.”

“And if I’m wrong?”

“Then I’ll still believe in you.”

“Really?”

We gaze at each other until Melissa stirs. “Might we have an answer this decade?” she whinges.

“Oh, sorry.” I turn to Paula. “It was Charlotte.”

There’s a split second of silence, and then Paula nods. “He’s right.”

“Oh, my fucking god,” I shout and stand up and do a herky-jerky sort of dance while Paula laughs. “I was right. In your face, Melissa and David.” I pause, remembering where I am. “I mean, goodness, I was right. Good luck, Melissa and David.”

I sit back down. Lachlan is obviously fighting the urge to laugh.

“Sorry,” I mutter, and he loses the battle, and I stare at him as he chuckles. Then I gasp as he leans forward and kisses me. It’s quick and very PG-rated, but I’m still breathless when he pulls back.

“Well done, partner,” he whispers and returns to the game.

When I look over, Erica is observing me, smiling. You’re so perfect together, she mouths.

Shut up, I mouth back, and she snorts.

Paula shuffles the cards and holds the deck out to Melissa. “Same for you, please. Pick a card, and Lachlan and Joe will pick the category you answer.”

Melissa obeys, and Lachlan turns to me. “I think brown,” he says. “What do you say, Joe?”

“Oh, of course.” I lean closer. “Good choice. She’s fucking shit at art and literature.”

He nods, a wicked gleam in his eyes.

Paula reads the card. “Who painted The Birth of Venus?”

“Was it Venus’s mum?” I whisper, and Lachlan snorts, earning us a glare from Melissa.

A silence settles over the table. “David?” Melissa says. “Answer, please.”

“Why do I have to know?” David says, which seems a fair question. It sums up my attitude towards the game very admirably.

Melissa doesn’t seem so thrilled. “Well, you know everything else.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

As if synchronised, we all draw in a breath and lean forward.

Melissa and David don’t notice, as they’re now locked in matrimonial warfare. I recognised the signs earlier. Weddings seem to bring it out in established couples.

“Well, you think you know everything,” Melissa snaps.

“Really?” David says silkily. “Everything, eh?”

Melissa glares at him. “You seem to, but you’re actually not good at general knowledge.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I have a great deal of general knowledge. Like the fact that the outfit you are wearing cost nearly a grand.”

Lachlan’s eyes widen, and I roll my eyes. “She was robbed,” I whisper.

Melissa glares at David. “I deserve it after putting up with you.”

“But I haven’t finished airing my general knowledge, my dearest darling. I also know you spent five hundred pounds on underwear I will never see.”