Chapter 12 - Be the Best Man.

They tried about seven different flavours in total, afterwards Cara and Mrs Green finally found a flavour that they could settle on.

They went with a classic chocolate  cake with raspberry filling.

After which Mrs Greene left to talk some more with the baker.

"Shouldn't you be the one making the final plans with the baker?"

Nicholas asked and Cara shrugged.

"I'm okay with your mum doing it."

She said and he raised his eyebrows.

"But you know you can tell her not to do it. I mean, it's your wedding after all."

"I'm well aware of that Nicholas. Thank you for reminding me."

"And why isn't Alexander here doing this with you?"

Cara shrugged.

"He's busy with work."

Nicholas sighed.

"Right."

"Well ladies! I must be on my way now. I have some work to do."

"Alright. See you later Nicholas."

Malory said as she waved to him.

Nicholas goes over to Cara and gives her a quick hug despite her mild resistance.

She didn't want to remember how he felt like, or how he smelled like.

It was too much for her.

When Nicholas left Malory raised her eyebrows.

"There is something you're not telling me."

She said and Cara shrugged.

"What?"

Malory looked at her seriously.

"What's going on with you? I'm your best friend, you know I can tell when something is up with you."

She knew she could trust Malory, she just didn't know what Malory would think of her. A part of her felt like she had let Malory down and she didn't want to do that, but it seemed like the inevitable was going to happen anyways.

"We'll talk later. Not here."

She said as she turned to Mrs Greene who was approaching Cara with the baker.

"So! We finally settled on this design. What do you think?"

She asked as he showed Cara a magazine.

Cara nodded. A little too over the top but she didn't have time to argue about anything.

"I love it! It's perfect!"

Mrs Greene turned to the baker with a proud smile on her face.

"I told you she'd love it. We have similar tastes."

No we don't.

Cara said in her mind. The only reason Mrs Greene thought they had similar tastes was because Cara was always agreeing with everything she said.

At least the cake tasting was over and everything about it was over.

It was time to move on to other things.





Nicholas had been in his car on his way to have a couple of drinks with some friends when his brother Alexander called him.

He sighed as he ignored it.

He'll just let it ring for a few more moments.

He wasn't particularly interested in anything Alex had to say.

His mind went back to the cake tasting that he had convinced his mother to make him attend.

All because he wanted to catch a glimpse of Cara.
He knew as the wedding drew nearer everything would get even more tense and Cara might avoid him for personal reasons.

Reasons which he understood but he went to the cake tasting anyways, also mostly because his mother had told him Alex wouldn't make it.

That had been a great relief for him, he really didn't want to see his brother and have to endure another round of pretentious formalities.

But seeing Cara had been refreshing, she looked tired, as there were dark bags under her eyes but she looked even more relaxed than he had ever seen her.

Her long dark hair was in a messy bun and she was wearing some simple black jeans, black tank top and a wooly knitted mint green sweater.

He stole glances when she wasn't looking and sometimes he even caught her looking at him!

He wished they had had s chance to talk alone, but with her friend and his mother on the table, leaving the table together would have definitely raised suspicions.

Nicholas was convinced he had to find a way to get her out of his mind.

He didn't know why he couldn't.

Maybe it was the fact that she was unreachable to him that made him even more attracted to her, or it was what had happened that night that raised more feelings than he could control for her.

He had met Cara first, there was no news in that. He wanted her first.

But life had other plans and both their parents had other plans for them.
He had been pretty surprised that his family wanted Cara's hand in marriage in return for helping them out with their company.

He understood the business perspective, but from what he knew, his family and the Devines had been business partners for years, they could have helped out Cara's family without such an ultimatum, unless they wanted complete control over her family company too.

The Devines might have been a little too desperate in signing off their daughter to his brother and it was deeply glaring that Cara was having second thoughts.

At first the two of them got together, they looked good together and Nicholas had even seen them being romantic to each other in that honeymoon phase. But all that seemed to change as the wedding gradually approached.

Nicholas suspected that Cara must have found out what a total douche her brother was and how obsessed he was with controlling the lives of those around him.

He wished she would let him help, if she wanted his help he could find a way to help her. But she was way too nervous about the truth getting out than needing his help and he understood her fears.

Arriving at his apartment complex, Nicholas took the elevator to his condo.

The safe haven where he lived in with zero interference from his family, he doubted they even knew where he lived, he kept a very secretive lifestyle, much to the dismay of his prying mother.

"God! Thank God you're here! I was about to leave."

Alexander said as Nicholas stepped out of the elevator.

"What are you doing here Alex?"

Nicholas asked as he walked towards his apartment.

"What? Can't I come say hello to my brother?"

Alexander said as he put his hands in his pocket and sized his brother up.

He looked bigger than the last time he saw him, he must have been spending a lot of time in the gym.

"Really? You've never been here."

Nicholas answered as he opened the door to his place and let Alexander in.

Alexander walked into the apartment slowly as he took everything in.

It was a condo, in one of the most exclusive places in New York. With the best view.

"Nice place you got here."

He said as he looked around again.

Well one thing was for sure as he soaked it all in, Nicholas had a very expensive taste.

"Can I get you something to drink?"

Nicholas asked as he walked towards his bar and Alexander shrugged.

"Oh no thanks. I'm not really looking to get drunk."

Alexander said as he settled in a seat.

Nicholas scoffed and left the bar.

His brother had not been to his apartment before and frankly he was still very confused as to why he was in his apartment.

"So, are you going to tell me why you're here or you're going to leave me hanging?"

He asked and Alexander shrugged.

He was still mesmerised by the fact that his brother could afford such an apartment.

"I called you quite a few times. You didn't pick up."

Nicholas shrugged.

"I'm sorry, I was busy. I was going to call you back after I settled in."

His brother nodded as he stroked his chin.

"It's about the wedding."

He said and Nicholas's heart skipped a beat.

"What about the wedding?"

He replied quickly and Alexander shrugged.

"I'd like you to be my best man."

Nicholas chuckled. His brother was probably joking.

"I thought Adrian was your best man?"

He asked and Alexander shrugged.

"Adrian broke his leg this morning. Minor accident. He'll be on crutches for weeks."

"Well hopefully he'll get better before the wedding because there's no way in hell I'd be your best man."

He said.

His mother had roped him into becoming a groomsman for Alexander's wedding, now they wanted to make him a best man?

Hell no!

He didn't want to have anything to do with that.

Alexander sighed.

"Don't be so difficult. You don't even have to do anything but give me the rings and say a couple of speeches."

Nicholas nodded.

"Exactly, that's what I don't want to do. Alex don't worry I'm sure Adrian would be fine."

"I already told Mum anyways. I guess I'll just go and tell her you said no."

Nicholas groaned.

He closed his eyes in frustration.

The mom card always worked on Nicholas because he tended to avoid any sort of trouble with his mum, besides she could be very persistent if she wanted to.

"Fine. I'll be your best man."