I took a hearty sip of my drink and went to hand the microphone back to the wedding coordinator. Only to remember that I was supposed to hand it to Jamison. I turned around and almost slammed into him. I looked up from his chest to his collar, his neck, the dusting of scruff on his jaw, the slope of his nose, to his dark eyes surrounded in long, thick, swooping lashes.
For a moment, I froze—overwhelmed by his presence.
He was close enough to catch the spicy scent on his skin, and the heat of his body.
A shiver ran down my spine as his fingers brushed mine taking the microphone from me. It was the barest touch. Every cell of my skin begged for more.
He swallowed. Somehow he stood straighter and took a step backward.
I’d never seen him speak publicly, even though I knew that he did on occasion for his job. Before he even opened his mouth, he commanded the room.
And like everyone else, I hung on the little hook at the edge of his lopsided grin.
Chapter 26
Jamison
“Did you know that in the course of publishing eight books Bell Whether only says the word ‘love’ eighteen times?” I held the microphone in one hand. I wanted to look relaxed and comfortable, but I couldn’t. Instead, I rubbed at the back of my neck as sweat beaded at my hairline.
All day I’d been trying to talk to Sadie, and with each failed attempt I grew more afraid that my opportunity was gone. That I’d never get the chance to tell her how sorry and wrong I was. She didn’t owe me another chance. But if she’d give it to me, I’d never let her down again.
And so, I considered how to shape my argument. How could I speak to the room but get my message to her? I pulled on my years building a counter argument, tweaking my speech for her. I hoped it would be enough to get her attention—that it might be enough for me to get the chance to say sorry.
She stared intensely at the bubbles clinging to the sides of her champagne flute as they drifted and fizzled to the surface—giving me as little of her focus as was possible.
Something told me that if we went back to Chicago like this, it really was done. Maybe it was paranoia on my part, but the stakes were immeasurable.
“But when we feel love, that’s when words fail us,” I went on. “How do you encompass a feeling so powerful and desired into a series of letters and syllables? I thought about that a lot in preparing for this speech. I haven’t figured it out. But I’ve come to the realization that it’s more important to just show up—even when you’re imperfect about it. That it takes bravery to be in love. I really like the way Sadie put it—being their champion.
“We get caught up in the big moments—the first date, the proposal, the wedding day—but it’s the everyday opportunities that really hold substance. It’s showing up only armed with cupcakes and not being scared off by a couple tears. It’s listening when the person you love tells you what they need. It’s admitting to being afraid instead of running away.”
Sadie’s head was still turned down, but her eyes had lifted and fixed on me.
My stomach tossed as I stood perfectly still. “Some people know this innately, and they’re really good at it. The rest of us will be fortunate to figure it out, hopefully not too late.”
With my face burning, I felt bared.
“Mike and June are definitely in the first group,” I said. “These two have been unwavering in their commitment. I never stop being impressed by you. And just like in Belle’s books, we all recognize a love story”—I paused to give June and my brother a meaningfullook. But just as quickly as it landed my gaze drifted to meet Sadie’s—”because you know it when you see it.”
I took a step backward, ensuring that I wasn’t blocking anyone’s view of the bride and groom and grabbed my champagne flute off the table to raise it over my head.
“Let’s hear it for Mike, the best brother I could ask for, and June, my new favorite family member.”
The first dance was with my mom and brother, and missing my dad walked hand-in-hand with the joy of the moment. Then June and her dad danced. Sadie watched on with tears clinging to her eyes. After June and Mike’s first dance, the floor opened up to the rest of the guests. I wanted to try again to speak to Sadie but felt any more attempts to talk to her tonight would be a blatant violation of her boundaries.
I stood in a group with my Uncle Bill and Derrik, listening to them shoot the shit, when a tap on my shoulder pulled my attention away.
Sadie bit down on her lower lip, her blue eyes sparkling in the gold lighting overhead. Just like the first time I’d seen her today, I was blown away by her beauty. The soft pink of her flowing dress made her skin radiant. It hugged her waist and ended just below her knee. Her tits looked so fucking good in it it was a challenge not to stare.
“Will you dance with me?” she asked.
I pushed my drink into Derrik’s chest hard enough to make it almost spill. He snorted, taking it from me.
“Yes.” I took hold of her hand leading her onto the dance floor without another word. Her fingers fit in mine like they were meant to be there. The imminent probability of her in my arms was all I could think about. My heart pounded against my ribs filling my ears with my pulse. I exhaled one long breath between my lips.
Slowly, I spun her under my arm, once to place a hand on her waist. In the back corners of my mind, I knew there were other people swaying near us, but they might as well not have existed.
There was only Sadie.
