A tear slips down my cheek.
“I’ll always look for you. In every parallel. On every plane. Every version of me is made to love you. You’re a once-in-a-lifetime, Ellie girl. So, in our next life, meet me at the fence—because that’s where I’ll be, hoping lightening strikes the same place twice.”
My tears are more like sobs now, as they fall in hot streams down my face.
I spent years doing everything I could not to cry, only to cry more the past month than I have my entire life.
“I—I?—”
“You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know.” His thumb swipes under my eye. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
“They’re the good kind,” I choke out.
“Good,” he says, kissing my forehead.
We continue swaying to the song, and once it’s over I have to sneak off to the restroom to make myself look presentable. Normally, I keep a bag of emergency makeup and other odds and ends for my brides and the bridesmaids. Tonight is the first night I’ve needed to use it on myself.
After I’ve tamed the mess of mascara that was streaking down my face, there’s still plenty more wedding left before I can call it a night.
The bride tosses her bouquet, the groom wraps the garter around a football and tosses it into a crowd of unruly men, and the cake cutting goes smoothly, the song “Sugar Sugar” by The Archies playing as the bride and groom feed each other a bite.
While the dancing continues, Paisley and Faith work on gathering the floral arrangements, preparing them for donation to local nursing homes tomorrow.
Near the buffet table, I spot Ben, lingering awkwardly. He’s holding his phone, angled slightly toward me, and I feel a strange prickle of unease. Before I can think too much about it, Dominic moves from behind me.
I watch him approach Ben, and my stomach twists. Ifollow, but a guest stops me with a question, and by the time I catch up, Dominic has cornered Ben near the coat check.
“What are you doing?” Dominic growls.
Ben stammers, holding up his phone. “I—I was just taking pictures of the event. They’re for my final.”
“Really?” Dominic’s tone is sharp, his eyes narrowing. “Then why do you keep pointing it at Ellie?”
Ben pales, his eyes darting between Dominic and me. “I—I wasn’t?—”
“Don’t lie to me,” Dominic snaps, stepping closer. “You’ve been following her around all night.”
“Dominic,” I say softly, placing a hand on his arm. “He’s supposed to be following me around. He works for me.”
Dominic doesn’t look away from Ben, but he takes a small step back, his jaw still tight.
“I don’t give a shit. I don’t trust him.” He shifts his focus back on Ben. “Hand over the phone.”
CHAPTER 52
Dominic
I LIKE HER
PRESENT
Iknew I didn’t like that little punk.
I pace the hallway outside the interrogation room, summoning all my strength to not go in there and torture the truth out of him.
Through the one-way glass, I can see Kincaid sitting across from Ben, who looks every bit as uncomfortable as I want him to feel.
Ryker steps up beside me, arms folded in a similar stance. “You need to let him handle this,” he says through a clenched jaw.
