“Of course.” Derek grinned. “Thanks for the dance, Ella.” Derek disappeared into the crowd as Antoni and I moved in unison to the beat.
“This is the most unsolicited male attention I’ve received in a long time,” I joked. “Please continue fawning over me.”
“Honey, your date should have been falling over himself.” Antoni bumped my hip with his. “Have you seen yourself? You’re a vision.” He gestured approvingly at my legs. “And those gams, girl! God really does have favorites.”
I laughed. “I think I could have been naked and Ryan wouldn’t have noticed.”
“Well, Ryan’s dick must be broken or something, honey. Because I’m pretty sure every other man in this joint can see how gorgeous you are.”
I choked on a giggle. “I highly doubt that.”
“When you walked into this courtyard, Cash looked like he’d been touched by an angel, honey,” Antoni purred. “That man’s jaw hit the floor.”
“What?” I asked incredulously. “Cash? No way.” I had to admit, I’d always had a bit of a crush on Cash, but I’d never really thought he’d look at me in that way. I mean, I knew I was a catch, but I also knew I came with a little baggage. Besides, he was Grace’s boss, and technically he was Liv’s boss too.
Antoni pressed his lips together. “I probably shouldn’t have said anything.”
“You’re not serious.” I pressed him further.
He stopped dancing and huddled close to me. “Lord, forgive me. I turn into such a loose-lipped Lucy when I’ve been drinking.” Antoni’s voice dropped low in my ear. “When Cash saw you walk your pretty self over to ole what’s-his-name, I thought the man was gonna come unglued.”
“What did—” I started to ask what he’d said when Grace appeared at our side.
“It’s time,” Grace said. “Aunt Liv wants us to meet her in the bride’s room.”
“I better go grab Nate and get outside,” Antoni said breezily, as though he didn’t just tell me one of our friends thought I was hot. He gave my shoulder a squeeze. “Toodles!”
I reached for Grace’s hand, and a wistful smile spread across her face. We started across the courtyard toward the room where Liv waited for us, and my chest tightened. The heaviness in my heart gave me a silent nudge to remind me it was still there. I knew this would be the last moment the three of us would be together for a long time, and the winds of change felt as though they might blow me away.
* * *
It was almosteleven p.m. when Grace and I entered the bride’s room to find Liv buzzing around the room like some sort of erratic bumblebee. Makeup, clothes, and undergarments sailed through the air as she appeared to be looking for something. That, or trashing the place.
“Are you okay?” I asked cautiously.
“I can’t find my phone.” Her voice was frantic and at least an octave higher.
“I have it.” I crossed the room to the dressing table, grabbing my purse off the back of the chair. “Remember, I held onto it for you earlier when we were at the salon.”
She smacked her palm to her forehead and sighed with relief. “I’m losing it, you guys. I can’t keep track of anything.”
“You’ve had a lot on your mind, Aunt Liv.” Grace gave her a reassuring smile. “Besides, it’s your day today. It’s our job to keep track of things for you so you can relax.”
Liv looked anythingbutrelaxed as she collapsed on the puffy white sofa in a heap of tulle and lace. “How will they ever give me a kid, let alone two kids, when I can’t even keep track of my phone?” She burst into tears, her shoulders shaking as she buried her head in her hands.
“Liv…” I moved to sit beside her on the couch, pulling her into my arms as Grace hurried to her side with a box of tissues. “Sweetheart, you’ve got this.”
“What if I mess this up, Ella?” Her words were a warbled mess. “What if I’m a terrible mother?”
There were a lot of things I wasn’t sure of in the world at that moment, but this wasn’t one of them. “Honey, you are going to be an amazing mother, and Jax is going to be a great father.”
“Yes you are,” Grace agreed, squeezing Liv’s hand.
Liv looked at me through glossy eyes. “How do you know?”
“How the hell do you think I’ve survived this long?” I asked. “You’ve always helped take care of me and Grace. If it weren’t for you, I don’t think I would have made it after Craig died. You held me together.” It was true. For months, I barely moved from the safe cocoon of my bed. Liv cooked, cleaned, took care of Grace, paid the bills, made sure I showered and brushed my hair. “You’ve always made sure I eat well and take care of myself because you know if I were left to my own devices I would exist solely on take-out and pizza rolls.”
A soft smile crept onto her face. “You know those things are loaded with sodium.”
