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But Noah wasn’t really seeing it. He gripped his glass in his hand, turning Rudolph’s advice over in his head again and again.
How long had he allowed fear to hold him back?
And would he let it keep him from what he wanted most this time?
* * *
A short while later, Mindy walked out of the room where Valerie had been getting ready with Shelley, Colette, and Sarah. They returned to the massive room where the wedding would take place, all of them searching the faces around them for the men that they’d arrived with. The wedding was due to start within the next few minutes, and she wanted to make sure that she and Noah had plenty of time to get themselves seated.
Her friends found their partners and gave Mindy a wave goodbye, and just as she began to worry that maybe something had happened and Noah had left, the crowd parted and she spotted him near the wall by the bar.
He was holding a glass of amber liquid in his hand, leaning against the wall and staring out into the crowd with a somber expression, clearly lost in thought. She wondered what he could possibly be thinking about that had him looking so serious as she began walking toward him.
Her movements must have caught his attention, because as she got closer, his eyes flicked up to hers. The moment their gazes met, his face broke into a wide, heart stopping grin.
“There she is,” he said, and he looked so happy to see her that it made her heart hurt.
A vision danced in Mindy’s mind, one where they greeted each other like this for years to come, where they were always each other’s date to functions, where they would spend the night dancing, laughing, hanging out with their friends, and then drive home together while holding hands. A lump of emotion formed in her throat, and she tried hard to swallow past it as she returned Noah’s smile.
“The wedding is about to start,” she said, hoping that he couldn’t hear that her tone sounded a little too falsely bright.
“Let’s go take our seats then,” he answered, extending his arm to her in offer.
Mindy looped her arm through his, allowing him to lead her toward a pair of seats. She couldn’t help but notice that Noah kept throwing her sidelong glances, and as they sat down, she turned to look at him.
“What’s up?” she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.
“You just look so beautiful,” he answered, something intense gleaming in the depths of his eyes.
Mindy’s cheeks flushed, but before she could answer, the last person in the crowd took their seat and the music began to play. Clark walked up the aisle, taking his spot before the mantel along with the minister who had been called in to perform the ceremony.
The music changed, and the crowd turned, everyone craning their necks toward the entrance to the ballroom so they could get the first look at Valerie when she emerged. It happened a moment later, and the music coming through the speakers swelled as she appeared in the doorway with her arm looped through Rudolph’s.
Mindy’s breath left her in a rush as she took in her friend. Of course, she had seen her only a few moments before, but somehow she looked different now. Valerie stared at Clark at the opposite end of the aisle, her entire face filled with happiness and yearning as she made her way toward the man that was about to be her husband. Energy and excitement radiated from her, and Mindy watched as she and Rudolph stopped before the altar.
Rudolph gave her away, passing her hand from his to Clark’s and giving her a peck on the cheek before turning and walking to his seat in the front row. The minister gave a small speech, talking about how much of a pleasure it was to have witnessed the two of them fall in love, and how the entire town had welcomed Valerie in as one of them.
Mindy felt a hand come down on top of hers where it rested on her lap, and she looked down to find Noah lacing his fingers with hers. He squeezed her hand, and she looked over at him, her heart lurching with emotion. He made to pull his hand away a moment later, but she tightened her grip, not wanting to let go, and she felt his shoulders shake beside her with a chuckle.
By the time that Valerie and Clark exchanged vows, Mindy was holding on to her emotions by a thread. Tears shimmered in her eyes, and she was trying her hardest not to blink so that they wouldn’t begin falling down her cheeks. She watched as Valerie and Clark promised to love each other for the rest of their lives, promised to take care of one another, to cherish and respect each other, to be partners.
And all the while, she held Noah’s hand.
She couldn’t help but focus on the solidness of his grip in hers, or the warmth rolling off his body, and the visions that had filled her mind moments before the wedding struck up anew. She wanted it to be real, wished that Noah could stay and that this could all amount to something.
But she also knew that it just wasn’t in the cards for them right now.
The crowd around her began clapping as the couple were finally pronounced husband and wife, and Mindy lost her battle against her tears as Clark and Valerie shared their first kiss.
She let go of Noah’s hand so that they could both applaud for the newlywed couple. They pushed themselves up to stand as Valerie and Clark walked back down the aisle, both of them beaming so hard that it looked like their cheeks might split from the force of their smiles.
Once they disappeared out the door, Lacy walked up to the front of the room, letting everyone know that it was now time for the cocktail hour and appetizer portion of the evening to begin. Pushing all other thoughts out of her mind, Mindy stuck by Noah’s side as they weaved their way toward Lacy to get instructions to begin helping to clear the ballroom.
Even though her heart felt like it was cracking inside her chest, she knew there was still plenty of celebration to come.
CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO
Valerie and Clark slipped into the library of St. Nick’s Place, breathless and laughing as he spun her around.
