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“Fuck yeah,” he said with an appreciative nod. “You go get it, Edwina.”
His dining partner, a woman around his age, slapped his arm. “Shut up, Colin.”
Edwina pulled her phone out as she threw open the door to the restaurant and stepped out onto the sidewalk. She opened her airline app. She was buying a plane ticket for the next available flight.
She was going home.
Sullivan pulledout some of his notoriously bad dance moves at Leighton and Axl’s wedding, figuring if you sucked at something you should at least do it with enthusiasm. He had to admit he was actually enjoying the wedding, for the most part. He was happy for his friends and listening to them exchange vows had brought up good memories for him instead of grief, which was some impressive progress.
The only dancer worse than him was Jesse, who was doing some version of the robot, and together, they were owning their ineptitude. Astrid was almost as bad as they were but she looked cuter doing it.
Then without warning the music slowed and within a split second everyone was coupled off, swaying to romantic baby making music. Leighton and Axl were staring deep into each others’ eyes. Jesse pulled Astrid into his chest. Brandon and Grace were swaying together. Rick and his sister looked like they needed a room.
Well, shit. Time to hit the bar.
Finn was at home with a babysitter and he planned to walk home from the venue, which was a rehabbed old furniture store, and only two blocks from his house. He hadn’t been drunk in ages. Maybe since the night his house had gone up in smoke. He wasn’t planning on getting drunk tonight, but he wouldn’t be mad if it happened. It would be a welcome change to go home and just pass out instead of spending every night staring at his ceiling, thinking about Eddie and wishing his hand was her mouth.
After grabbing a drink, Sullivan took a seat next to his father and gestured to the dance floor. “How come you and Lilly aren’t out there? You’d fit right in with all happy couples.”
“Lilly is more interested in the dessert table right now,” his father said, sipping his drink.
Sullivan glanced over and saw Lilly had a plate piled high with sweets. “Whoa. I guess so.”
He’d never known Lilly to have a massive sweet tooth but love affected people in different ways.
“Listen, son, I need to tell you something about me and Lilly.”
Sullivan froze at the tone in his father’s voice. The old man sounded pretty fucking pleased with himself. “Oh, God, you’re moving in together, aren’t you?”
“Well, yes, but—
Sullivan set his drink down on the table behind him with a harder slam than he meant to. It wasn’t that he wasn’t happy for his dad and Lilly. He was. But did everyone have to be in a loving relationship while he was spending every night wondering if he should text Eddie?
Hell, it was a debate he had with himself at least ten times a day.
Time had not eased the ache he had for her. He still wanted her and she was still in New York, with Nigel and his expensive shoes. Nothing had changed.
“But what? You’re going to give her a ring for Christmas?” he asked. He wouldn’t be surprised. His dad was head over ass for Lilly. But on the other hand, he’d been divorced for like twenty-five years. It would be a huge life change for him.
“No.” His father rubbed his beard. “We got married on Tuesday.”
Sullivan hadn’t seen that one coming. “What? You just up and got married? On a Tuesday? Did you tell anyone?”
“No, if I didn’t tell you and Sloane, who would I tell? It just felt right so I went with it.”
He was genuinely shocked. “You’ve only been dating for a few months.” His father had been single for a long time. When Sullivan and Sloane were kids he wasn’t even aware of his father ever dating.
“When you know, you know.”
Just like that.
Sullivan swallowed hard, a lump in his throat. He pictured Eddie’s eyes when she looked at him in a certain way, right before she laughed. His chest felt tight. “But how do you know you’re not moving too fast?”
His father glanced over at Lilly, a smile playing on his lips. “Lilly is such a kind and generous woman. She’s fiercely loyal and she lives to take care of the people she loves. I’mluckythat she loves me and I’d be a fool to let fear stand in the way of an amazing relationship.” He turned to Sullivan. “There are no guarantees when you get married. But if I messed this up, if I let Lilly slip through my fingers because I dragged my feet or sabotaged the relationship, I can guarantee I would regret that with all my heart for the rest of my life.”
Sullivan nodded, unable to speak for a second. He was having trouble breathing for some reason. A reason that had dark hair and a mean elbow jab. “Congratulations, then. I’m truly happy for you.” He was. His father had earned the right to focus on himself and his own future.
He stuck his hand out and clapped his dad on the shoulder as they shook hands. “You just went and got married? Smart man. Avoid all of this.”
