The clean-up crew had already started clearing things away, and I watched Ella talking to the wedding coordinator, making sure everything would be returned to its rightful place the next morning. I took a sip of my scotch and lost myself as I watched her talk, her hands fluttering in conversation.
I hadn’t seen Ella’s date since earlier in the evening, but I had noticed her out on the dance floor with Derek and Antoni. It was impossiblenotto notice her. I’d only wished it were me she’d been dancing with, but Grace had whisked her away before I had the chance to try.
The wedding coordinator waved at Ella and set off toward the bar. Ella’s smile faltered a bit until she noticed me standing near the table I’d been holding down most of the night.
“Hey, Cash.” She glided over to me and wrapped her arms around me, enveloping me in the sweet scent of lemon and sugar. “I feel like I haven’t gotten to see you all day. You look so handsome.”
When she pulled away and I finally got to look at her up close, I was speechless. Looking at Ella Claiborne was like trying to look directly at the sun. She was arrestingly beautiful, so much so that her light was almost overwhelming at times. Her smile radiated a warmth that you felt from the inside.
“And you look…” I swallowed hard, raking my hand over my mouth as I attempted to find words eloquent enough to describe her beauty. “Wow… just wow.”Great job, Cash.
“What? This old thing?” Her voice was sarcasm and cotton candy. “Did you have a good time tonight?”
“I did.” I left out how unnerved I’d been when I saw her with her date. “It was a beautiful wedding.”
“It was,” she agreed. “Did you bring anyone?”
“I went stag tonight,” I said, leaving off the part about how much I’d wished it was me she’d been walking toward with that smile and those legs for days. “What about you? I thought I saw you with someone earlier.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah. His name was Ryan, and he was far more interested in his phone than he was in me, so he left a while ago. Which is just dandy seeing how he was my ride.”
“I’d be happy to dri—”
“Mom, I’m heading out. I’ve got to run inside and grab my things,” Grace’s voice interrupted as she bounded up to her mother.
“Already?” Ella placed an arm around her daughter. “Are you sure you want to spend your last Saturday night in town with Lexi and not with your mother who birthed you? And yes, I am trying to guilt-trip you. Is it working?”
Grace giggled. “We’ll have all day tomorrow, Mom. I promise. I’ll be back in time for us to go see Grandma.”
“Fine.” Ella pouted. “I’m done here, so I’ll call us an Uber and drop you off.”
“Actually, Sam offered to drive me there.” She looked at Ella hopefully. “His place is on the way to Lexi’s.”
Ella propped her hand on her hip. “Sam, whom you will be working ever so closely with the next two months in another country? That Sam?”
“That’s the one,” Grace said. “Is that okay?”
“Fine. Just leave your poor, pitiful mother to watch TV alone in her sweatpants.” Ella sighed heavily before hugging Grace and kissing the top of her head. “How about now? Didthatguilt trip work?”
“I love you, Mom.” Grace kissed Ella on the cheek. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
Ella laughed. “I’ll take that as a no.”
Grace moved to hug me. “Good night, Cash.”
“G’night, Grace,” I said as she started toward the mansion.
“You have your phone, your house key, and all of that?” Ella called after her.
“Yes, Mom,” Grace replied before disappearing inside.
I felt like I’d been handed a huge stroke of luck. Maybe it was the scotch giving me courage, but I wasn’t going to let it pass me by.
“I guess I’ll call my Uber. I foresee a date withGossip Girland a pint of Jeni’s ice cream in my future.” She started to walk away.
“What flavor?” I asked.
She shot me a grin that splashed across my face like cold water, waking up my insides. “Probably some Salty Caramel.”
