Lora’s eyes widened as she stared out the window. “No,” she said quickly. “I just…I didn’t see him seated at the wedding. Don’t remember checking him off on the list. But now he’s here at the reception. You know how popular you are. There are total creeps out there who will crash a wedding to take pictures they can sell.”
“Well, shit, Lora, there are a lot of people here at the reception. He could be someone’s driver or maybe tagged along with one of the ladies as their guest.”
Lora’s throat bobbed as she swallowed.
“Lora, are you okay?” I asked. Her face had paled. I’d never seen her like this—not since that time she saw Buck—when she was paralyzed with fear.
“I’m fine.” She pressed a hand to her stomach. “I think I’ve just had too much champagne. Not only that, but I’ve been up since four this morning getting this wedding ready.” She closed her eyes for a brief second, breathing evenly. “Guys, don’t let me ruin your night. Go,” she insisted, pushing us toward the door. “I’m going to run to the bathroom and hope I don’t vomit all over the place.”
“All right…text me if you need me.” Concern was laced in Cane’s voice. I was worried too, but when Lora smiled, I let it go. For now.
Before we reached the crowded area, I said, “I think all this planning has made her stressed and tired. I’m sure she’ll feel better once she actually gets to rest.”
“Yeah, I think so too. Lora isn’t really equipped to run for days. She’s like a cat. She needs naps.”
I giggled at that.
“She’s a paranoid girl, too. She’s been that way since she was younger. She always thinks someone is coming after her, probably because of what she went through with Buck as a kid.” Cane shrugged. “Once she gets some rest, her anxiety will settle, and she’ll be okay.”
I nodded, but looked over my shoulder. Lora was standing in front of the door, watching everyone. Cane tugged on my hand, tearing my gaze away, and when we made it back to the reception area, everyone cheered for us.
“How about we let the happy couple share one more solo dance!” the singer said into the microphone, and Cane displayed a full smile.
“Shall we?” He winked at me.
I took his hand, letting him reel me toward him. “Let’s.”
The singer started singing “1+1” by Beyoncé. It was a slow song, but the lyrics defined us in every way. Cane nuzzled his nose in the crook of my neck, and I tossed my head back, laughing. Then I pressed my cheek to his chest, rocking with him, forgetting there were hundreds of eyes on us.
For a split second, I only heard his heartbeat. Felt his skin on mine. His lips in my hair as he kissed me. We were alone on the dance floor, beneath gold lights and stars, and nothing else mattered.
When I opened my eyes, I saw Mom, Miss Cane, Lora, and Dad, who was holding Chance in his arms. They were smiling. Chance was still awake, but barely, his lids drooping.
My eyes shifted over to my girls Morgan, Gina, and Frankie. They were all sipping champagne and laughing their asses off. I spotted Clay not too far off from where Frankie was standing. One of our guests, a younger guy with nice hair and an even nicer smile, came up to Frankie and said something, and Clay’s grip tightened around his bottle of beer as Frankie beamed up at the guy. The way he looked at her said it all. I know she said she wanted me to pretend I didn’t know a thing, but I’d seen that look before.
Primal. Fierce. Possessive.
Cane had given me that look many, many times before, but there was also adoration. Confusion. He didn’t understand his want for her. And that’s the funny thing, when it comes to complicated loves like these: they are always hard to understand at first, but if you work through them, weather every storm and conquer your battles, you end up understanding the want. The need. You understand that it is worth fighting for.
It starts off as lust, but morphs into so much more.
I picked my head up to look at Cane as the song came to an end. His eyes shimmered from the lights above, his smile content.
Wow…this man. This man was going to be my forever and always. He was going to be my husband, my king, my everything.
Once upon a time, I was a young, hopeless girl with a crush and a desire. A girl who thought there was no chance in hell a man like him would fall for a young, naive girl like me.