Chapter 465 - The Wedding (M&H) (7)

Mia smiled as she shook hands and nodded while thanking robotically everyone who approached her.

It was nice the first fifty times, but after that, it became a reflexive set of actions as her brain became numb.

Fabricio beamed while standing between Mia and Penny. His daughter married a fine young man, and he got to walk her down the aisle and share this experience with Penny. They look like a happy family and he hoped that one day they can become one for real.

On the previous evening, Nathan and Madeline organized a party for the older generation, with an intention to introduce Fabricio and Penny to their circle of friends and partners. Fabricio was surprised to see that a number of people from that group were his customers. Ah, it's a small world.

Fabricio's wristwatch buzzed, reminding him that it's time for the father-daughter dance.

They allocated half an hour for receiving congratulations and well wishes because if they didn't timebox it, Mia and Hunter would spend most of the afternoon standing and shaking hands.

Fabricio turned to Mia and offered her his hand, palm up. "Are you ready for our dance?"

Mia looked at him blankly, put her hand in his, grasped it, and gave it a shake. "Thank you very much."

Fabricio stifled a laugh when she realized that she responded as he congratulated her for the wedding.

"Mia… dance.", he reminded her.

Mia blinked. "Oh… Sorry. What were you saying?"

Fabricio shook his head thinking how Mia is silly. "I asked if you are ready for our dance."

"Anything… just to get out of here."

Hunter also snapped out of his daze when he saw that Mia moved, and he followed after Mia and Fabricio. Fabricio and Mia will dance, and then it's Hunter's turn, and that marks the official beginning of the party.

Hunter was silently counting events that passed. One by one, they were getting closer to the end of this wedding and that also meant closer to the honeymoon. Now that was his favorite part: he and Mia will spend two weeks away from everything as a beginning of their married life together.

The guests crowded around the dancefloor, wanting to see up-close the father-daughter dance. Everything was also shown on the big screens that were strategically placed through the venue, but seeing it directly was always the best.

Fabricio and Mia stood in the middle of the dancefloor and a second later, a slow tune filled the space.

"Thank you for letting me be part of this.", Fabricio said to Mia when they started moving.

Mia looked into his eyes that misted with unshed tears and she felt a pang in her heart. That is her father, and he was thanking her for something that belongs to him anyway.

"I know that I can be difficult, and I will not apologize for it.", Mia said. "But I want to thank you for not giving up on me. This wedding would not be perfect without you and Penny."

Fabricio was visibly surprised by these words. And to make it more shocking, even Penny was mentioned! He felt like pinching himself. "Thank you for including Penny."

"Dad…", Mia's expression was complicated. "As long as she makes you happy, I am fine with her."

Fabricio smiled. "Your mother would be proud to see you today. You are a smart and beautiful young woman with unlimited potential, and I am honored that you are my daughter."

Mia smiled in response, and they didn't talk for the rest of the dance.

As soon as the song ended, Hunter was next to them, and Fabricio put Mia's hand into Hunter's before stepping away.

"Mrs. Anderson…", Hunter said in a husky voice while pulling Mia closer to him, and his cheeks were hurting how much he smiled.

"Mr. Anderson…", Mia responded, and her smile matched his.

"From the moment I've met you, I knew that you are perfect for me.", Hunter said as their bodies swayed at the beat of the music. "Everything about you is perfect, even this dance… the way you fit in my arms…" He inched closer. "The way I fit inside you…"

Mia stifled a giggle. Hunter can be shameless. But she loves him to pieces.

"The way you look at me in the morning and greet me with a smile… The way how you give me your oysters because you know I love those…"

Hunter murmured sweet nothings during their first dance as a married couple, making Mia giggle and sigh, and the audience watched them while whispering among each other. Some were happy for them, some didn't care, some were jealous, but everyone agreed that Mia and Hunter are in love and enjoying themselves.

Angela and Roberto were with the crowd watching the newlyweds. Angela smiled while daydreaming that one day she gets to dance like that with the man who will make her feel like a princess, and Roberto was practicing in his mind how he will ask Angela for a dance. After Mia and Hunter end their first dance, others can officially join them on the dancefloor, and Roberto didn't want to miss this chance.

Roberto came up with several options, but none seemed to be good enough.

Ah! Everyone was clapping, which meant that the dance is over!

"Angela…", Roberto said in a squeaky voice and he paused when he saw her looking at him curiously. His throat got dry as he stared into her hazel eyes. Why did he get nervous? It's ridiculous! He is not an inexperienced teenager, and this was just asking her for a dance! He cursed himself internally and forcefully inhaled. "I was wondering if…"

"Can I have this dance?", a husky voice came from the side and Angela's eyes flashed even before she looked at the person who offered her his hand.

Roberto frowned at Derek. "I was about to ask her for a dance."

"But you didn't.", Derek said curtly. He was standing right there, and he saw Roberto getting all fidgety. There is NO WAY Derek will allow that brat to dance with Angela. Derek ignored Roberto and looked at Angela. "Well?"

"Of course…" Angela smiled and put her hand in Derek's. 'I would never dance with anyone other than you...' 

The moment their hands connected, Angela felt the rush as her heart rate increased. Ah, they are supposed to only dance so that Ashton does not suspect anything! This will be hard, but she didn't want to dance with anyone other than Derek. Her boyfriend.

Madeline and Nathan joined on the dancefloor, and so did Fabricio and Penny, and then Liz rushed toward Mia.

"Wait! Wait! We forgot the bouquet throwing!", Liz shouted in panic.

After a moment of silence, everyone burst into laughter and single ladies got to squeeze to catch the flowers.

Brianna and Sabrina are married, so there was no point in them competing over the bouquet. The two of them laughed when they saw that Liz enthusiastically took the spot front and center. Grace and Olivia were behind Liz.

"I didn't know that Liz is so desperate to get married next.", Sabrina said to Brianna.

"Shh…", Brianna shushed Sabrina. "I don't think Liz knows what it means to catch that bouquet. Liz was always competitive, and she probably thinks it's for bragging rights and as the maid-of-honor, she has to win it."

"Well… I don't know how she will feel if she catches it, but Max is definitely cheering for her.", Sabrina said while gesturing toward Max who was gazing at Liz with a goofy smile on his face.

"Ready?", Mia shouted at the throng of young women behind her and without any warning, she threw the flowers over her head with all her might.

There was silence and gasps as the bouquet twirled in the air and a bunch of single ladies lifted their arms in the air and they all moved toward the left because that is where flowers were going.

Roberto was sulking that Derek got Angela to dance with him, but he was not ready to give up.

"Can I have your next dance?", Roberto asked Angela.

"Listen, buddy, that is not how things work.", Derek said icily and reminded himself not to speak too much because it might put Angela into trouble. He silently shouted at Roberto: 'Stop meddling in my relationship. Angela is MINE!'

"You can't hog her for the whole wedding.", Roberto protested.

"That is not up to you to decide.", Derek said smugly. 'I will hog her for this wedding, and much longer. Now scram!' Derek swallowed the curses that were threatening to spill out of him, and then he remembered… "Aren't you responsible for security here? How come you have so much free time for drinking and dancing?"

With peripheral vision, Derek saw something flying their way and his hand moved right on time to catch the bouquet of white roses. One split second later, and the flowers would smack Angela in the face.

"Aww!", there was a collective sound of disapproval of many ladies who looked at Derek with frowns on their faces.

Derek ignored them and focused on Angela.

"It seems that these want you as their owner.", Derek said while offering Angela flowers.

Angela's face lit up and she took the bouquet. "Thank you."

"You will get married next!", Grace said teasingly, and Angela blushed.

She glanced around and saw that nearly everyone is looking at her! So much for keeping a low profile. Forget the flowers, Ashton will definitely see that Derek is with her.

Angela stared at Derek. "Uhm… maybe you should take these back."

"You don't want to get married, but are pushing marriage on me?"

Angela blushed even more. How was she supposed to answer such a question?

Derek's lips lifted into a smile. "Keep it. I'm not getting married any time soon."

'Not without you, anyway…', he added silently.

"How about that dance now?", Derek asked Angela.

Angela thought how there is no better way to avoid Ashton's questions than to get in the center of everything. "Sure. Let me get some staff member to put the flowers on my table…"

Derek put his hand on Angela's shoulder, to stop her from moving away.

"The song is starting...", Derek said and snatched the flowers from Angela. In the next moment, the bouquet was in Roberto's hands. "He can drop off the bouquet at your table. It seems he has a lot of free time, and no dance partner...", Derek said with a straight face while leading Angela toward the dancefloor.

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