“It’s on me,” I reply.
Whatever retort he has on the tip of his tongue, I cut him off before he can voice it.
“Ryan, it’s the least I can do after everything you’ve done for us.”
He sighs but accepts, although I expect him to try his luck and pay when he arrives; not going to happen.
I push off the wall, and we say our goodbyes before I slip my phone into the inside pocket of my suit jacket, my hand brushing over my chest again.
Elliot enters through the staff-only door, smiling when he sees me.
I tilt my head to the side, confused by his appearance but also pleased to see that spark again, the one I thought he’d never get back after being injured. But River and Lily—the guys, they’re what he needed. Proof that everything works out as it should.
“Hey man, Jessica said I could come through to call a client,” he says, holding up the phone in his hand.
“Yeah, of course,” I reply.
Walking deeper into the hallway, he stops a few steps away from me. “Everything okay?” he asks, his gaze roaming over my face.
It’s sometimes easy to forget how intuitive Elliot can be.
I clear my throat, my hand dropping to my side. “Yeah, of course, just checking on Aspen,” I reply.
He studies me for a beat, but I can tell he’s still unconvinced.
“You know I’m here anytime you want to talk, grab a drink.” He glances over his shoulder. “I think Caleb might be thawing out a little where I’m concerned.”
I throw my head back and laugh at that because, yeah, I suppose he is.
“I think it helps that you’re very much taken now,” I admit.
That full-on smile returns at my words. “Yeah, I am.”
He glances to the floor and then back to my face. “But I mean it, Noah.”
I reach out and grip his shoulder.
“Thanks, man, and the same to you. I need to get back out there. Caleb wants to make a toast soon.”
He nods. “Of course, I just need to check in on this client, and then I’ll be right out. The last thing I want is to earn Caleb’s wrath.”
My lips curl into a smile. “River really is rubbing off on you, isn’t he?”
He wiggles his eyebrows. “That and then some.”
I shake my head, but my smile remains as I leave him to make his call.
Walking back into the restaurant, I note all of our close friends and those we consider family talking, laughing, and enjoying themselves. It warms my heart to see Jessica standing amongst them, a glass of champagne in her hand.
Her freckles are more prominent due to the nice weather we’ve been having, even with the sunscreen she wears. She’s naturally fair, and we’ve quickly found out she tends to burn quickly, so we have plenty of suntan lotion in various factors. Courtesy of Caleb, of course, he ensured it’s in her daily moisturiser. It’s one of the many reasons I love that man.
She looks stunning in her dress, but then again, she always does, whether she’s in a tatty old t-shirt or dressed up to the nines. Jessica has come so fucking far in the past few years. It still hurts when I recall how she turned up on our doorstep, bloody and bruised. A shell of the young woman we met at Mason’s birthday party, it was hard to reconcile the two.
I stare at her now. Her newfound confidence is visceral, the way her skin glows, and her smile radiates warmth. The strength and tenacity it’s taken for her to find happiness are inspiring.
It makes me think of my mum. I try not to let my memories and mind go there. More often than not, the grief is still like a dagger to the heart. I often wonder if she would have found the same happiness if she’d been able to escape my sociopathic, narcissistic, abusive sperm donor. But life never dealt her that hand; the opportunity to start again. Cancer took her before she ever got the chance. Deep down, I have to believe that if things had been different, she’d have walked away. It’s something I often battle with, the what-ifs.
I try to shake off the cascade of melancholy thoughts because today is not the day.
