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“Understandable. What would it be?” He asked.
“Tech holding.”
“Damn, ambitious. I like it. You think you can handle it?” He smiled.
I shrugged, “Yeah.”
“Then go for it. You know we’ll support you.” I nodded. That was always a guarantee.
“What’s the first step?” He asked.
“Uh, buy an old startup. Decide to sell it for parts or rebuild and then keep doing that. I have to put a lot of my own money into it at first, but it will pay off soon.” Dad nodded.
“Makes sense. Is this something you’ve been thinking about?”
“Yeah. Since Vivian…I just need a change. A new goal.”
I couldn’t tell him I also wanted something to keep me from Emilia. If she was going to focus on work, I wanted to do the same thing too. And I didn’t want to lose sight of my ambition. I couldn’t sleep until noon and day trade for the rest of my life.
“You will do a great job, I know it. Come on, let’s join the party.” He dragged me, figuratively kicking and screaming, back to the reception hall.
The guests had piled in and taken their seats, but Emilia was nowhere to be found. I was sandwiched between mom and Natalie, with dad on mom’s side. And Kit.
He looked like a fucking screen model. Blonde hair, gray eyes. Maybe that’s why he can go out and sell a bunch of expensive medical equipment hospitals know they don’t need. He was taller that Nat, which rarely happened because she was almost six feet. She went to college on a volleyball scholarship. Naturally, I was inclined to dislike him. But the way he looked at my sister…that I liked.
He tried to make conversation with me, and I was as polite as possible. Well, Natalie just kicked me under the table if I wasn’t being nice enough. But he was smart, in a way. He was five years older than her, but I guess it didn’t matter at her age. Thirty-seven and thirty-two are the same thing, apparently. Emilia was younger than me by three years and it didn’t seem like it. She’d always been smarter than me. Well, when she wasn’t balancing a check book.
Anyway, the happy couple sat at the end of the table. Levi was giving Gab that look, and her the same. We made eyes a few times, and he nodded to the end of the table where Emilia sat, engaging in conversation with Sasha and her grandson. Her son was there too, and he was my age. It was obvious he was hitting on Emilia.
They sat next to each other. He was showing her photos on his phone, probably of his developments. He was involved in real estate too. Thinks his custom homes are the best of all. She was vaguely intrigued but pretended well. I could tell. I stared at her, until she felt my eyes and she looked at me. I smiled softly, and she returned it before being pulled back into the conversation. It made my blood boil, seeing her with anyone else.
I knew my feelings were strong, and I didn’t think I could do just casual beyond the wedding. But I’m not a monster. I won’t take her dream away from her. So, I just sit back and watched her from a distance.
“You’re staring.” Natalie whispered in my ear. I glared at her softly.
“Maybe.” I sipped my wine. It went well with their choice of a ravioli dish and tres leches cake for dessert.
“Have you guys talked?” She pressed.
“A little. She wants to be casual. I guess it’s better than nothing at all.”
“Yeah, but don’t let it hurt more.”
She was right. And it would hurt more at some point. I didn’t really want to stick around for that, but there wasn’t much I could do. I would rather have at least a piece of her than nothing at all. And the piece I was getting was pretty damned good.
Glasses clunk together and Levi stood up to make his speech. I wanted to be a good friend, so I didn’t do any asshole moves I was thinking of doing.
“Thank you, guys, for coming. I figured I would read my vows now in case Gabriella decides to leave me at the altar.” Everyone laughed at his joke, but I honestly wouldn’t put it past her.
He didn’t even read from the paper as he talked.
“When I first met you,” he turned to her, and she gleamed up at him in her off-white evening gown, “I knew you were way out of my league. But I still went for you, because I couldn’t imagine not taking a chance. I would regret it if I didn’t at least get rejected by you. So, I did. But you said yes when I asked you out, and I didn’t know what to do because I didn’t imagine it going that far. But it did. You said yes to me even when I was just a poor farm boy, with no family. And no money. Now I have you—which is everything I could ever want. And I can’t wait to say yes to the rest of our lives. I love you so much.”
The room was up in applause and Gab was on him in seconds. Kissing him like they were alone, but I couldn’t be mad. They were in love, and happy. And it was one hell of a speech. Levi got the best end of it. He has one of those life stories that make you wonder how he can even get up in the mornings, but he does. And he is better for it. Gab stuck around and gave him a chance even when he had nothing. Most women wouldn’t do that. It’s how I knew she really loved him even though she made him wait almost a decade to marry her.
“That was so sweet.” Natalie sniffed.
“Are you crying?” I gaped at her. She shoved me as she wiped her eye with a napkin before it could drip on her makeup.
