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"Now after a month of being stubborn, I was finally able to come to an agreement with myself and my father on the best way to make this happen. That was where I met someone who bought into my dream.
Ethan Sullivan," she said and I smiled. "He may be a little clumsy, but he's so humble and ready to learn from those beneath him staff-wise. He still wants to help whoever he comes across in a selfish yet selfless way that I could get addicted to seeing."
She paused. "I'm glad I met him. We may have had our ups and down, but…I am very glad I met him. I'm grateful that he was the one who bought into all this. I also want to thank Ben and Ian Sullivan for their help as well. Allison and everyone from Ethan's place who came to help, my staff and I are very grateful for your acts of kindness. I will never forget it. And I hope to pay it forward one day."
Everyone cheered and clapped.
"And to every citizen of Glen Allen who has remained on my family's side all these years, I'm grateful as well," she said and raised a glass. "Now, if there are still drinks in your glass, I would like to make a toast to the beginning of a partnership that won't end for a long, long, time. Cheers."
"Cheers!" we chorused followed by the clinking of glasses.
"There's no better time than now," Ben whispered to me and pushed me back to get going.
She came down from the podium, she clinked glasses with other guests. She turned to look at me and a smile formed on her face.
Here we go.
I started to make my way to her.
Stacy
The speech went well. Although it wasn't what I rehearsed. I thought about thanking Gabrielle for giving me something to help break the ice with the guests. Amid the congratulations and cheers, I could feel someone's gaze. I turned around and found Ethan standing there with a very nervous expression on his face. He started walking toward me. People seemed to just clear out of his way. I tried to calm myself down, I had no idea why my heart started to pound.
He stood in front of me. "Hey."
"Hey," I echoed with a smile.
He started smiling as well and chuckled nervously. "Your speech was amazing. You really outdid yourself preparing for it."
"That wasn't what I actually planned on saying and it wasn't what I wrote down either," I explained. "Everything you heard was not scripted.
"Off the top of your head?" He raised a brow. "You really are something else."
"Stealing my lines? Plagiarism!" I teased and poked his stomach playfully.
A slow ballad started to play and everyone found a partner and started dancing.
"Want to dance?" I asked.
"I'm a good dancer when I'm on my own. But with someone else? Unless your shoes and feet have a death wish," he said.
"Well, I know a good orthopedic," I mocked.
"Alright, if you say so," he said.
My breath caught as his hand enclosed mine, warm and strong. His eyes held a promise of adventure, and suddenly, all my doubts melted away. The music carried us into a world of its own creation. With every sway and every step, I let myself be guided by the melody. The area spun around us, a whirlwind of color and sound. His touch was firm yet gentle, leading me through a dance that perfectly matched the rhythm of the song.
Each movement was a language of its own, a conversation between two souls eager to connect. I lost track of time as we moved in harmony. My laughter mingled with the laughter of others; and for a while, the worries of the world faded into the background. It was as if the universe had conspired to bring us together, to let us share this fleeting moment of beauty and connection.
The world outside ceased to exist as our steps quickened, the music reaching a crescendo. His eyes locked onto mine, and I felt a rush of emotion that words could never capture. In that instant, it was just us, a shared heartbeat echoing in the dance. As the final notes hung in the air, we slowly came to a stop, our breathing synchronized.
The applause of the audience brought us back to reality, and we exchanged a smile.
"My feet are still fine," I remarked.
"I was hyper conscious about it," he confessed.
"I don't mind you stepping on my toes," I said.
