Behind him, the groom seemed the opposite. Like he’d been born in a tuxedo. He wore black tie with the same ease as one of his custom-made suits. Some of the women around me straightened at the mere sight of Shawn. He was attractive on a normal day, but tonight he was made even more attractive for what he was about to do.
A commitment to the woman he loved. There was a power in the air, clinging all around. Power and love.
My gaze, along with everyone else’s, followed the groom as he went to stand at the front, nodding hello to guests as he trailed behind Jason. The string quartet in the corner began to play, and at the back of the aisle, a woman in a black dress stepped forward, clutching a bouquet of red roses. Light brown hair was pulled up and set at the crown of her head, soher big, blue eyes were striking.
The ballerina from the picture, although now she was a brunette.
Laurel was girl-next-door-pretty, and she moved with a dancer’s grace down the aisle toward her husband and brother-in-law. When she reached the end of the aisle, she turned and looked back, waiting for her sister to make an entrance.
Which Kara did.
The white dress was elegant and sophisticated, finding that perfect balance between classy and sexy. The lace on the bodice parted so it could plunge deep in the front, revealing her slender neck and just the right amount of cleavage. Then, the lace gave way at the waist to silk that looked like liquid, pouring over her curves.
While everyone was focused on Kara, I snuck a glance back at Shawn. Seeing his reaction to his bride made my goddamn kneesweak.
For a moment, his eyes clouded, and then it was blinked away, but the emotion remained on his face. Unabashed love.
Uncomfortable feelings welled up in my chest. Coming to this wedding had been a really bad idea. This evening would have side effects. Was this part of Ethan’s plan?
The ceremony was short, but Shawn’s kiss at the conclusion was less so. A few people chuckled while others raised eyebrows, and when he finally let his new wife come up for air, her face flushed to match the flowers she carried.
I had to get out of there. Halfway through dinner, seated at a table with everyone twice my age, I began to plot how I was going to escape. The other guests were family, friends, or business connections, and although they were welcoming to me, it was lonely.
I needed to offer my congratulations to the newlyweds and slip away as soon as dinner was over. I’d rather be lonely at my apartment in pajamas, instead of dressed up and lonely around all these people who were in love.
Once I’d finished my slice of cake, I rose from my seat and worked my way closer to the bride and groom to position myself for the goodbye. But a wall of a man stepped in front of me. Jason. His pretty wife was at his side, her blue eyes curious as she gazed at me, and a baby in her arms.
“Thanks for coming,” Jason said. “This is my wife, L, and our son, William.”
L looked even more like her sister when she smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“You, too.” I glanced at the baby, who slept blissfully unaware of the party going on around him. Most babies were cute, and this one was no exception.
Music filled the tent—a slow, sultry song about love. Shawn led his new wife onto the dance floor and couples began to pair up, drifting to join them. My stomach bottomed out.
“You can’t dance with me,” L said to her husband. “It’s almost time for me to feed him.”
Jason looked relieved at the idea of not having to dance, until she gestured to me.
“Uh . . .” we both said.
I was about as thrilled with this idea as he was. The tables around us emptied. He didn’t look like dancing was his thing, and I was sure it wasn’t personal when he appeared to search for a way out.
“Dance with her,” she commanded. “She came by herself.”
His anxious gaze settled on something and stilled, and his anxiety seeped away. “I only dance when I have a professional helping me,” he said. “And I see someone else who came alone, too.”
I turned, and the crowd parted at that moment, not that it mattered. He was a head taller than most people.
Soonfinally became now.
27
OLIVIA
I stopped breathing.Even though Ethan was on the other side of the tent, I could see him clearly. He wore a jet-black suit with a crisp white dress shirt, and the tie was red silk. A darker red than my dress, slightly closer to the red of blood than the bright hue I wore.
Holy hell.
