Chapter 449 - The Last Guest

Chapter 449: Chapter 449 - The Last Guest

Kyle stared at her for another second before laughing.

"Holy shit. Roxie?"

She grinned and raised her champagne. "Hi, Kyle."

"I thought Kendall said you weren’t coming!"

"Changed my mind."

"No kidding." He shook his head, still smiling. "God, it’s been years."

Roxie laughed as Kyle stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. She returned it, still smiling at how surprised he seemed to be. Of all the people she’d expected to see tonight, Kyle was probably the easiest to approach, and it was nice to find that he hadn’t changed much.

"It’s good to see you," he said when they pulled apart.

"You too. Congratulations, by the way."

"Thanks."

She glanced at Kendall, who stood beside him with her arms crossed, watching their reunion with an expression Roxie knew very well.

"So you’re really marrying her?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"Kyle!"

He laughed and slipped his arm around Kendall’s waist. "I’m kidding, sweetheart."

Roxie watched Kendall give him an irritated look before allowing him to kiss her cheek. She was still having trouble imagining the two of them getting married, especially when she remembered how Kendall used to like Zac back in high school. God, that had been a headache. If someone had told her ten years ago that Kendall would eventually end up with Kyle, Roxie would’ve laughed in their face.

Yet here they were, standing together in Italy with a wedding only two days away.

"So," Kyle said, looking at her again. "How’s New York?"

"Pretty good."

"I’ve seen you on television a few times. You’re doing really well."

"Thanks."

"I mean it. Congratulations."

Roxie smiled at him, touched that he actually seemed to mean it. "Aw, Kyle. Yes, I’ll put more money in the envelope."

Kyle laughed. "I’ll hold you to that."

"Don’t. I already spent enough getting here."

"Then you should’ve come earlier. You could’ve enjoyed the hotel longer."

"Believe me, I’m already regretting that part."

She was about to ask him how the preparations were going when several loud voices came from the entrance. Someone called Kyle’s name, and Roxie turned toward a group of men making their way onto the terrace.

They were talking among themselves, laughing loudly enough that a few nearby guests turned to look. One of them had his arm around another man’s shoulders, while a third was busy examining the arrangements with a glass in his hand.

Roxie recognized the first face almost immediately. Then another, and another.

"Looks like the boys finally made it," Kyle said, already smiling as he looked toward them.

Most of them had changed enough that Roxie needed a moment to place their faces. Some had gotten broader, one had put on a little weight, and another was sporting a beard that made him look considerably older. It was strange seeing them wearing expensive suits and carrying themselves like grown men when she could still remember them walking around school in their football jerseys.

"Hey, man!"

One of the men raised his hand when he spotted Kyle, and within seconds, the group had gathered around him. There were handshakes, a few rough pats on the shoulders, and several complaints about how long it had been since everyone had gotten together.

Roxie stood beside Angela, watching them with a smile. She recognized their voices more easily than some of their faces, especially when they started talking over one another.

Then one of them looked in her direction.

"Wait. Is that Captain?"

Roxie laughed. "Hi!"

"Holy shit! Roxie Jones?"

Another man turned toward her, looking equally surprised.

"No way."

She was still laughing when several of them approached, and suddenly she was answering questions from three different directions. Someone wanted to know when she’d arrived, another asked whether she was still living in New York, and one of the men looked genuinely offended that nobody had told him she was coming.

She hadn’t expected such an enthusiastic reception, but she was enjoying it. There was something amusing about seeing men who used to argue over locker room space now discussing their flights and businesses while still talking as loudly as they did in high school.

One of the football players got her attention.

"Man, I haven’t seen you since graduation."

"Well, you’re looking old, Jayden."

He laughed. "Thanks. You look great too."

Someone brought up their last football season, and Roxie immediately smiled.

"What, the one you lost?"

"Oooooh!"

The men guffawed, several turning toward Kyle, who pointed at her with an offended expression.

"Hey! We made it pretty far that year."

"Still lost, though."

"God, you’re still annoying."

"Thank you."

The others immediately started arguing about whose fault the loss had been, and Roxie listened while taking another sip of champagne.

One of the men asked about her work on television, saying he’d seen her covering a major story several months earlier. Another complimented her dress and offered to buy her a drink.

"Careful," Roxie told him, raising her glass. "I might actually accept."

He laughed and promised to find her later.

She continued talking with them, listening to their complaints about work and their attempts to explain how they’d ended up scattered across different states. It was a little overwhelming having so many familiar faces around her again, but she liked it.

What she appreciated most was that nobody had brought up Zac.

She’d half expected someone to make a remark about him the moment they saw her, especially with so many of the old football players gathered together. Yet they seemed more interested in catching up with one another, which suited Roxie perfectly.

She was still smiling at something they said when another familiar voice came from behind the group.

"Well, I’ll be damned."

Roxie looked past the others.

A tall blond man stood a few steps away, wearing a dark navy suit with the jacket unbuttoned. His hair was styled back from his forehead, and he’d grown broader through the shoulders.

For a moment, she simply stared at him. Then he smiled, and she recognized him.

"Mason?"

"Hey, Roxie."

"Oh my God!"

She walked toward him, and Mason opened his arms as she reached him. Roxie hugged him, laughing as she pulled away to examine his face properly.

"Jesus. Look at you!"

Mason chuckled. "What?"

"You’ve changed."

"Hotter? Sexier?"

Roxie scrunched her face, pretending to consider it.

"Uglier."

He laughed and shook his head, looking entirely pleased with himself despite her answer.

Roxie had to admit he’d gotten handsome. The long blond hair suited him, and the navy suit looked good against his broad shoulders. She was still examining him when she remembered someone else who might appreciate the view.

"Karen!"

Karen looked up from her drink and put her glass down as Roxie approached with Mason. Angela who left them and was sitting beside her on one of the sofas arranged near the terrace, smiled when she saw who was coming.

"Hi, Mason. Long time no see."

Mason smiled back. "It’s been a while. You’re looking good, Angela."

Angela winked. "I know. How about Karen?"

Roxie looked toward her best friend, who was already straightening slightly in her seat.

Mason turned to her with a smile.

"Long time no see, Karen."

Karen smiled a little awkwardly. "Yeah, it’s been a long time. How are you?"

"Good." Mason lifted both hands. "Unfortunately, I had no choice but to join the business world."

Roxie frowned at him. "Wait. I thought your dream was to become a rancher somewhere in Virginia."

He laughed, apparently surprised she still remembered that.

"That was a long time ago."

"What happened? Gave up on your cows?"

He winked at her. "Hard to find girls if I’m living out there."

Roxie laughed, although she was more interested in how Karen was looking at him.

Karen had relaxed against the sofa again. She was smiling as Mason answered Angela’s questions, and when he turned back toward her, she immediately joined the conversation.

"And you?" Mason asked. "Still in New York?"

"Yeah."

"I was there a few months ago."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Had a meeting in Manhattan."

"How long were you there?"

"Just a couple of days."

"Oh."

Mason looked at her for a moment as though he was considering saying something else. Roxie noticed Karen waiting for him to continue, but before he could, someone called his name from where Kyle stood with the other men.

"Mason!"

He glanced over his shoulder.

"Coming!"

He turned back toward the women. "I’ll be going, ladies. The best man needs to work."

"Go," Roxie said. "Let’s talk more later."

"Sure."

He gave them another smile before heading toward Kyle, who was already speaking to one of the hotel staff.

Angela raised her champagne once he was out of earshot.

"Mason looks good. Bet he’s got lots of girls following him."

Roxie grinned and glanced toward Karen, who had picked up her glass again.

"Bet Karen’s biting her nails right now for letting that man go."

"I can hear both of you." Karen rolled her eyes. "That’s history."

"History can be rewritten," Roxie said, smirking.

Karen turned toward her.

"Are you really doing this?"

Roxie opened her mouth, ready with another remark, but stopped when she saw Karen’s expression. She knew perfectly well what her friend could bring up in return, and she had no interest in having that conversation in the middle of Kendall’s wedding celebration.

"Anyway," she said, turning toward Angela instead.

Angela burst out laughing.

"Unfortunately, I can continue the joke. My shitty ex isn’t here."

Roxie shook her head, smiling despite herself, while Karen looked thoroughly satisfied.

"Must be nice."

Karen took another sip of her champagne, and Roxie decided to leave her alone. Besides, she was curious whether Mason would come back to talk to Karen later. He hadn’t lingered for very long, but she’d noticed how he kept looking toward her friend while they were talking.

Roxie was looking forward to seeing how that developed.

Dinner was announced shortly afterward.

Roxie followed the others toward the tables, where place cards had been arranged beside the plates. She found her name between Angela and Ava, while Karen was seated across from them.

Mason’s name was a short distance away, and Roxie noticed Karen glancing toward his place card as she pulled out her chair.

Roxie smiled but kept quiet.

She’d already been warned once.

The servers began bringing out the first course, accompanied by bread and wine. Roxie tried the food and immediately went back for another bite.

Angela leaned closer. "Good?"

"Really good."

Around them, the terrace had grown lively. The musicians continued playing near the entrance while guests talked across the tables, and servers moved between them carrying plates and refilling glasses. A cool breeze occasionally reached them from the lake, making the candles flicker against their glass holders.

Roxie sat back for a moment and looked around.

The lights strung above the terrace had become brighter against the darkening sky, and beyond the balustrade, the villas across the water were beginning to glow.

She could hear laughter from another table where several of Kyle’s relatives were gathered, while nearby, two women were discussing the boat excursion scheduled for the following morning.

The conversation continued around the table. One of the boys had gotten married the previous year, while another had moved overseas for work. Someone was talking about buying a house, and Jace was complaining about how expensive children’s sports equipment had become.

Roxie listened with growing amusement.

There was something strange about hearing the same people who used to complain about homework now discussing mortgages and school fees. Every now and then, someone would say something that reminded her of how they used to behave, and she’d find herself laughing at a memory she hadn’t thought about in years.

Marissa was seated a little farther down the table beside her husband, who had placed a small plate of food in front of her. Roxie caught her smiling at something he said before resting a hand against her stomach.

Six months pregnant.

God, they really were getting older.

Roxie listened as the former players began discussing the coming NFL season. A few of them were arguing about teams and recent games, while Jace was insisting that one particular quarterback had been overrated for years.

She was reaching for her wine when Jace suddenly looked toward Kyle.

"Hey, is Captain Zac really not coming?"

Roxie’s hand paused beside her plate.

She hadn’t expected to hear his name quite so suddenly, and for a moment she was very aware of the people sitting around her. Someone across the table glanced toward her before looking back at Kyle, while another man shifted slightly in his chair.

Seriously?

It had been ten years. Surely, they had better things to worry about than whether she cared about Zac attending a wedding.

She continued cutting her food, although she was listening.

Kyle leaned back in his chair.

"He’s got some things to finish before the season starts. Said he wasn’t sure he could make it."

"Ah, damn," Jace said. "Was hoping to see him."

Another former teammate nodded.

"That guy’s impossible to catch these days."

"Well, he’s busy," someone answered. "You see what he’s doing with the Giants?"

The conversation immediately shifted toward Zac’s career.

One of the men brought up a game from the previous season, recalling a touchdown pass that had made the highlights. Another started talking about how much Zac had improved over the years, particularly when it came to reading defenses.

Jace shook his head.

"That last game against Dallas? Man, those throws were insane."

"Yeah, he’s gotten even better at reading defenses."

"Remember when he’d make us repeat the same play because somebody messed up?"

Someone laughed.

"Usually because Jace dropped the ball."

"Fuck off," Jace replied.

Roxie continued eating while the men discussed Zac’s games.

It was strange hearing them talk about him so casually. Of course, they’d kept up with his career. Most of the people sitting here had played football with him, and some had probably attended his games over the years.

Roxie knew how successful Zac had become. His name appeared often enough in news reports and advertisements that avoiding him completely would’ve required giving up television altogether.

Still, hearing the boys discuss him brought back memories she’d rather leave alone.

She could remember Zac getting irritated during practices, arguing with teammates who made mistakes, and refusing to leave the field until he’d gotten something right. It seemed he’d carried that stubbornness all the way into professional football.

Apparently, it had worked out for him.

"He’s really good, though," Jace continued, looking toward the others. "You have to admit that."

Angela scoffed beside Roxie.

"What’s so great about that man?"

Roxie immediately looked at her.

Angela turned toward her, clearly ready to say something else, but stopped when she saw Roxie’s expression.

Roxie gave a slight shake of her head.

Please.

She’d already noticed the occasional glances when Zac’s name came up, and she had no interest in giving anyone a reason to start talking about their breakup. There were people at this table who knew them back then, and she could easily imagine how quickly an innocent conversation could turn into questions she’d rather avoid.

Angela pressed her lips together and reached for her wine instead.

Thankfully, Jace was too busy arguing with another man about football to notice.

Roxie relaxed slightly and returned her attention to her plate.

So Zac wasn’t coming.

Well, that was fine.

She’d wondered about it, and now she had her answer. There was something almost relieving about knowing she could attend Kendall’s wedding without having to worry about an uncomfortable encounter.

Although, she supposed a small part of her had been curious.

Ten years was a long time. She’d seen Zac on television, certainly, but she wondered what it would actually be like to speak to him again.

Would he still talk to her the same way? Would he even want to?

The questions came before she could stop them, and Roxie frowned slightly at herself.

God, why was she thinking about this?

She had plenty of people to catch up with, an entire lake to explore tomorrow, and a career problem waiting for her when she returned to New York. She could spend the next few days enjoying herself without worrying about a man who hadn’t been part of her life for ten years.

She took another sip of wine.

That sounded perfectly reasonable.

Ava leaned toward her.

"Roxie, are you joining the boat excursion tomorrow?"

Roxie smiled.

"Everyone keeps asking me that."

"Because it’ll be fun!"

"Fine. I’ll go."

Ava looked delighted.

"Good! You’ll love it."

Roxie laughed before glancing toward the lake. The sky had darkened completely, and the lights from the villas along the shore were reflected across the water. The musicians were playing something soft enough that she could hear the conversations around her, and the breeze carried the smell of flowers and freshly prepared food.

She was enjoying herself again, listening to Ava talk about the places they’d be visiting tomorrow, when a faint sound reached the terrace.

At first, Roxie barely paid attention to it. There had been boats passing across the lake all evening, and she assumed it was another one approaching the shoreline.

Then the sound grew louder.

A steady, rhythmic thudding carried over the water, becoming distinct enough that she stopped listening to Ava and glanced toward the lake.

"What is that?"

Angela looked up. "What?"

Roxie listened again. The sound was getting closer, and several guests were beginning to turn toward the waterfront. A few stood from their chairs, looking beyond the terrace as the noise grew louder.

Karen frowned.

"Is that a helicopter?"

Roxie turned toward the lake.

An aircraft was approaching above the darkening mountains, its lights blinking against the evening sky. The beating of its rotors grew louder as it crossed the water toward the shoreline.

"Oh my God," Angela said, leaning forward. "It is a helicopter!"

Roxie laughed in disbelief.

"Who the hell arrives at Lake Como in a helicopter?"

Across the terrace, Kendall had stopped speaking to one of her guests.

She looked toward the sky, then immediately turned toward Kyle.

"Kyle."

He glanced up.

The helicopter continued across the lake, descending toward a landing area beyond the hotel.

"Kyle," Kendall repeated, louder this time.

Roxie watched as Kyle reached into his pocket and checked his phone.

He read something on the screen.

Then he started laughing.

Kendall stared at him.

Kyle looked up toward the helicopter, a grin spreading across his face.

"You have got to be kidding me."