Page 19 of Wild Heart
I wasn’t quite sure how a party for me would look this year. Of course, they’d have no problem putting it together. I just wondered how Tate and I would manage. Would he even show up?
There was a part of me that was tempted to tell Ivy I just wanted a small dinner out with her, but I knew Evelyn would never allow it to happen. She’d learned from the matriarch of the family, Wendy, and missing a birthday celebration would never fly.
“I’ll look forward to it.”
“Oh, Ava, you made it.”
My attention was pulled behind Ivy, where I saw Rhea coming toward me, Wyatt on her heels.
We greeted one another with a hug, and I said, “You look incredible. Absolutely gorgeous.”
Loosening her hold on me, she took a step back and said, “Thank you. Here’s hoping I look even better tomorrow, right?”
“I’m sure you have nothing to worry about. Plus, even if something was off, I don’t think there’s anything that’s going to stop this guy.” I pointed to Wyatt. “He’s marrying you no matter what you look like.”
Her face lit up just as we both turned our attention to Wyatt. He smiled down at Rhea before looking at me. Something moved through his expression that I hadn’t ever seen before, but as quickly as it was there, it was gone. He stepped forward and put an arm around me. “Thank you for leaving the tour and coming back for this.”
“You know I wouldn’t miss this for anything in the world.”
He smiled at me, giving me a squeeze before releasing me and pulling Rhea into his arms.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t be here sooner to help with any of the wedding preparations,” I lamented.
Wyatt shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. We’re just glad you’re here to celebrate with us. That’s what matters most.”
“Well, I can’t tell you how happy I am for the both of you. I’m sure everything is going to be just perfect.”
“We appreciate that. Have you had a chance to catch up with everybody?” Rhea asked.
I shook my head. “Not yet. I just arrived.”
With any luck, I’d avoid contact witheveryone.I didn’t think I’d succeed in not seeing Tate at all, but if I could mitigate the awkwardness by only being around him in a crowd just like I’d done at Christmas, I’d consider that a success.
“Oh, it looks like they’re getting ready to serve the food,” Malcolm noted. “Maybe we should go grab our seats.”
As everyone dispersed, Ivy said, “You’re sitting at my table, Ava. Jules is dying to see you, too.”
“Great. Lead the way.”
I followed Ivy as she led the way through the dining room toward the table where we were seated. And no sooner had I given Jules a hug and been urged to sit down, I turned to pull out my chair and noticed it had already been done for me.
I didn’t have to look up to know who was standing there.
My eyes went to the hands resting on the back of the chair and studied them. I’d held those hands in mine more than a year ago. One of those hands had touched my breast more than a year ago.
I closed my eyes briefly, visions of that day flashing in my mind.
My chest began to rise and fall rapidly when my eyes continued their journey up the body those hands were attached to, until they finally settled on the handsome face and blue eyes I’d seen in my dreams for months.
Something I couldn’t read had settled in Tate’s features. He held my stare for several long moments before he sent a small smile my way and said softly, “Hi, Ava.”
If I thought having Tate’s parents welcome me home the way I imagined they would have welcomed one of their own children home had me on the verge of tears, it didn’t compare to what I felt in this moment.
My belly was trembling, my heart pounding. With just two words, he destroyed me.
Unwilling to make a scene or detract from Wyatt’s and Rhea’s day in any way, I offered a slight nod in his direction. “Tate.”
He frowned. I wanted to believe I saw what looked like regret in his expression, but I refused to do anything that would allow me to get my hopes up again. Tate tipped his chin down, indicating the chair, so I turned and sat as he pushed the chair in for me.