Page 238 of The Grand Duel

From embarrassment and pure satisfaction. Because surely I’ve won. Surely it doesn’t get better than this feeling.

My eyes trail him to the front of the room, his shoulders spread wide, back straight, hair a perfectly styled mess.

He’s perfect.

I love him.

I swallow, my heart hammering.

God, I love him.

I try to distract myself, letting my eyes fall to the two men beside him. They’re smiling, laughing, maybe, I’m not sure because my heart won’t stop. But whatever they’re saying, it has Charlie smiling as he turns, his focus falling wholly on me.

He winks, darting his tongue out to wet his bottle lip.

I shake my head slightly, catching my smile between my teeth.

Elliot claps Charles on the back, his groomsman turning, a little reluctantly. The three men stand huddled together, waiting.

My thoughts shift to Lance and the conversation I had with Charlie last night.

“There were certain parts of Mason and Nina’s wedding day that you just noticed were off. It was perfect. But not having Lance stood at the bottom of the steps with us, seeing Scarlet force her smile, it was as if we were all missing limb, a vital part of us.”

“Do you think it will be easier tomorrow? Now that time has passed?”

He shakes his head. “No. I think it will be worse.”

I stare at the trio, at my Charlie boy, his hands in his pockets. You wouldn’t know how much he hurts from across the room, but I know. I’ve witnessed the pain in his eyes at the mention of Lance’s name.

I witnessed it just this morning.

“What’s that?” he asks, towering over me.

I open the small bag and pull out the box inside, still a little breathless from sprinting across the carpark. “I’m sorry I took so long. Scarlet wasn’t sure where to find them.” I hand him the box.

He frowns as he opens it. “Cufflinks? Luce had specific ones custom-made for us, baby. She’ll?—”

“She doesn’t care. I asked. These are Lance’s.”

He looks at them closer.

“I know it’s not the real thing, and trust me, if I could break the man out of prison and have him here today, I would. But at least now when you stand at the bottom of the steps, or aisle, this time, you’ll know he’s not completely absent.”

He looks up from the gift, his eyes glassy, searching. “I miss him,” he tells me.

“I know you do.”

The music quiets in the Great Hall, Elliot moving to stand to the left of Mason, Charlie on Mason’s right. He turns once thesoft echo of the violins starts, a lump instantly forming in my throat at the look in his eyes.

He gives me a small, soft smile and then faces forward again.

Elliot rolls his shoulders, lifting his chin slightly, his feet not completely grounded as he fidgets with the cuffs of his sleeves. I watch on as Mason silently clasps him on the shoulder, neither man looking at one another.

Elliot nods slightly, and then his entire body settles.

It’s with tears in my eyes that I turn and look towards the entrance of the room, at the beautiful woman entering in through the doors.

Charlie