But it does.
It rearranges mine completely.
I stare at him, my mind scrambling to reconcile the man onstage with the one I know. The man I know barely meets my eyes some days. The one who pulls away like closeness costs him more than he’s willing to give.
This Colton stands tall under the spotlight, composed, powerful. Wealthy in a way I never imagined.
I feel acutely aware of my dress. Of my hands around my glass. Of how small I feel in a room that suddenly seems built for people like him.
It shouldn’t matter.
Money doesn’t change the way he speaks to patients. Or the way his voice softens when delivering hard truths. Or theway his presence fills a room, even when he’s trying to disappear.
And yet … I’ve realized how much of him exists beyond the hospital walls.
As the applause dies down, his gaze lifts as his eyes move about the room.
And then they land on me.
Only for a second, but it’s enough. Surprise flickers across his face. Then something darker replaces it.
The confident smile fades, and in its place is the man I recognize.
He speaks to the room like they are his friends. Probably because they are. I feel so distant from him. I can barely listen to the words coming out of his mouth.
I realize my mind drifted when everyone applauds Colton and he steps offstage.
“There you are.”
Megan’s voice pulls me from my thoughts.
I turn to her and force a smile. “Here I am.”
“Trudy said she spotted you before. And I must say”—she looks me up and down while fanning her face— “you look ravishing tonight.”
I chuckle awkwardly, not used to this kind of attention. “Stop it. I’m so embarrassed. This dress was all I could afford. It’s nothing compared to what these other women arewearing.”
She shakes her head disapprovingly. “Now you’re being stubborn. Money doesn’t equal beauty. It comes from within, and yours is shining bright tonight.”
Latoya, Tena, and Trudy appear at our side.
“Quite the event, huh?” Trudy smiles. “This evening alone pays for our research and teaching program each year.”
“It’s … incredible,” I reply, the words getting stuck in my throat.
It’s difficult to articulate what I’m feeling at the moment.
“Tena over here has been scanning the crowd for any eligible bachelors,” Latoya says in a mocking tone.
Tena shrugs her shoulders. “Hey, I love my job, but I also love trips to Europe.”
The girls keep my mind occupied just enough as we move around the room before walking the line of items for the silent-auction portion of the fundraising. There is no reasonable amount these items could possibly go for, so we just enjoy our drinks and chat about which one we would bid on if we had the money.
Then a certain item catches my eye. A vintage bottle of wine. I recognize the torn edges of the label before the words. It looks like it has a history. As a wine lover, I’m driven straight toward it.
I let my fingers brush over the bottle while I read the label.
Barolo.
