Marriage looksgood on my sister. She hasn’t stopped grinning since she and Luke said I do. They’re swaying softly to the music that’s clearly meant for dancing, which the rest of our families are doing.
I’m leaning against a pillar, watching my sister and new brother-in-law enjoy the first few moments of their married life.
“They look good together.”
I turn around to see Marion behind me.
“They do,” I agree.
“Maybe one day it will be you and Connor up there,” she says.
I give her a strained smile, the same one I’ve been giving everyone who’s said the same thing to me the whole day. Somehow, being in love automatically means we’re getting married. Which I’m not opposed to. Hell no, I want that ring on my finger and more importantly, I want a ring on Connor’s finger.
I just don’t want this. I don’t want fifty people watching me marry Connor. If Connor invites any of his old teammates, it’s going to be more than fifty people. It’s my worst nightmare.
“I’m happy you forgave him,” Marion continues. “I know that wasn’t easy for you.”
I look at Connor across the room, talking to Logan, my cousin. Connor in a suit is sexy as fuck. He’s trimmed his beard, his hair has been pushed back, he looks delicious. His eyes meet mine and he winks at me.
“It wasn’t easy, no,” I admit. “But I’m trying to be more understanding.”
“He’s exactly the same as Fred raised him,” Marion says, referring to her husband. “But sometimes I wish he was a little easier on the boys. Maybe they would have been happier.” She sighs, patting my arm. “I don’t want to bring down the mood. I’m going to run across the hall to the Christmas party.”
I smile at her even as I inwardly roll my eyes. Jane is hosting a Christmas party in the smaller ballroom. Apparently, that day she asked to speak to Connor, she was inviting him to the party, and he denied. Even though we hadn’t invited him to the wedding at that point, either.
Connor walks across the room, swooping down to place a kiss on my cheek.
“You look happy,” he says.
“I am,” I agree. “Sienna looks beautiful and happy. The wedding went off without a hitch. The place looks gorgeous. Thank you for that, by the way.”
“You don’t have to thank me, baby girl,” he says, kissing me softly. “But if you insist, you can do it tonight when we’re alone.”
“The office is closer,” I say.
He laughs. “And you call me a sex-starved barbarian.”
“Well, I am leaving in a few days, so…” I shrug.
Connor’s smile drops. “Right.”
“I can extend my trip until the new year, but I do have to go back eventually.”
“That should give me enough time,” he says.
“To do what?”
“Talk to Oliver about managing things here while I’m with you. There’s no way I’m letting you go now.”
I remember his letter and the guilt he always felt leaving his responsibilities. I don’t want him to feel guilty because of me.
“What about your brothers and Marion? You have to take care of them,” I say.
Eyes softening, he takes my hand and leads us onto the dance floor. “We’ll figure it out. And we don’t have to do it all tonight.”
I put the worries out of my mind for tonight. I know tomorrow morning; I’ll go back to worrying about where we’re going to live and how often we will have to travel back and forth. I haven’t met his brothers, and they can hate me, like half this town. I wouldn’t be able to ignore them like I can this town.
But I don’t worry about all that. I let Connor’s arms surround me and feel his heart beating against mine. I lose myself in the feel of his lips pressing against mine, our laughter as he dips me. I lose myself in my family’s happiness around me because in the end, that’s all that matters.
