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She replayed her conversations, emails and text messages with Joe over the years. She recalled the final time she’d seen him. She’d sat with him on the couch at his parents’ home. He was weak, but refused to let her see him lying down in his hospital bed.
“Promise me something,” he’d told her, taking her hand in his colder one.
“Anything.”
He glanced at their intertwined fingers before locking gazes with her. “Live a beautiful life, Addison. Not an acceptable life. Not an okay life. A beautiful life. One where you have the desires of your heart and leave none of them behind—including that boss of yours you’re in love with.”
A sad smile crossed her lips.
“Go get ’im, Addi. Life is short.”
She’d been more concerned about keeping her tears inside than she’d been about reading between the lines of his speech. Had he left his desires behind? Had he wanted her but never told her?
“Oh, Joe,” she whispered to herself.
She lifted a glass of bubbly from a passing tray and took a fizzy gulp, remembering how she and Joe had laughed any time his parents or hers had insinuated they should be together. Joe hadn’t taken them seriously. Or so she’d thought.
Tears balanced on the edges of her lashes, she started at a voice behind her. Joe’s brother, Armie, stood next to Joe’s framed photo, speaking into a microphone.
“Good evening, everyone.” Tall, with thick, dark hair, Armie looked like his younger brother. He waved an envelope in the air. “The outside of this envelope literally reads, ‘Do not open until my party or else I’ll cut you out of the will.’”
The crowd laughed softly. Addi couldn’t find her laugh yet, even though she did send an eye roll to the heavens.
I saw that, Joe seemed to say. Funny, he’d been stone silent on the revelation she’d had a moment ago.
“I’m the mystery emcee, by the way. Another of Joe’s surprises.” Armie’s eyebrows jumped. “Let’s start, shall we?” He read from the paper in his hand, “To my beloved parents...”
Yes, Joe had plenty of surprises in store for this evening, she thought as she finished her glass of champagne.
Bran had already been to the Violet Ballroom. He’d introduced himself to Joe Hart’s parents. When they’d asked how he knew Joe, he told them the truth. He didn’t. He told them he was here in support of Addison, but hadn’t seen her yet today.
He then visited the table of memorabilia and perused the photographs on a board. Addi was younger in the photos and still drop-dead gorgeous. There was litheness to her frame, as if her womanly curves had come later. She was polished and regal, like she was now, but her smile was brighter and wider in those photos than it had been lately.
In the one of her and Joe dancing at what appeared to be a formal event, Bran didn’t miss the way Joe was looking at Addi. Like he wanted her to be way more than a friend.
Poor guy.
Bran had never longed for a woman he couldn’t have—that he wouldn’t allow himself to have—until recently. Addi had captured his attention. If not the same way as Joe’s, damned close. She’d left last night asking him not to come tonight, but when he finished up his dinner and paid the check, he decided he wasn’t going anywhere.
She was used to doing things by herself, but maybe she shouldn’t be. And at a venue like this one, definitely she shouldn’t be alone. Sometimes being strong meant leaning on someone you could trust.
He was a man she could trust.
Back at the entrance of the ballroom, he paused to let a couple walk in ahead of him.
The crowd was facing front, where a man on the stage read from a sheet of paper. “To my brother, Armie,” he started, his voice wobbling. Joe’s message to his brother was funny and heartfelt, and by the time the emcee sniffed and made a joke, it was obvious that he was Armie.
Bran sidled along the edge of the group before spotting Addi. She stood, hands gripping a forgotten champagne flute, her face twisted with sadness.
“The last message I have from Joe reads as follows,” Armie said into the microphone, “Addi, you’re the one woman I loved for as long as I can remember.” Armie’s eyebrows raised in surprise as he scanned the crowd. “We, um, we never made it down the aisle, but you have my undying devotion. Even though I’m dead. Go, beautiful girl, and grab ahold of that incredible life we talked about. Go get him, honey.”
Addison’s expression could only be described as shell-shocked. Every eye in the room swiveled to her. She blinked a few times in quick succession, her fair skin turning an impressive shade of rose. Bran could practically see the question marks over Joe’s parents’ heads.
Bran wasn’t surprised even a little.
She turned to slip from the crowd and he moved to intercept her, but an older couple blocked her escape before he could reach her.
“That’s quite the announcement,” came the man’s stern tone.
