Page 62 of Montana Freedom
After the bridal party left, everyone else did too. An absolutelymassivetent had been set up for the reception a little way from the barn, and a bar with cocktails was available while the wedding party took pictures.
Everyone I knew was in the wedding party, so I grabbed myself a drink and stood to the side, watching everyone’s faces. Across the room, I saw Dr. Rayne. She saw me and smiled but didn’t approach me, which I appreciated. She was nice, but I wasn’t sure how I felt about talking to my new therapist at a wedding three days after meeting her.
A hand touched my back and I jumped, nearly spilling the remnants of my drink.
“Whoa,” Daniel said, holding me against him. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you like that.”
“It’s okay.” My heart was pounding in my ears. “Just wasn’t expecting it.”
“They’re doing photos with just Evie and Lucas now. I wanted to come check on you.”
I smiled. “I’m fine. Just people watching. You don’t have to worry.”
“Or maybe I wanted to come find you just to have the excuse to have you in my arms.”
“I like that reason better.” As I twisted to face him, he kept his arms around me. “And you’re really okay being here with me? In the open?”
His smirk teased me, calling up heat that had nowhere to go while we were in public. “Should I not be?”
“No, just checking.” A blush heated my cheeks. “Everyone knows you, and you were worried about the age difference—”
Daniel slipped a hand behind my neck, tilting my face up so he could kiss me. Truly kiss me. More than the light kiss in front of Lena and Jude, and more than I ever expected him to do in a room full of people.
“If I made you think I wanted us to be a secret, or I was ashamed to be with you in front of others, I will get on my knees right now and ask your forgiveness.”
“No,” I whispered. “It’s just new. And, you know, new things can be nerve-racking.”
He smiled. “I don’t do things in halves. If I’m with you, I’m with you. I’m never going to treat you like my dirty little secret.”
“So, you weren’t worried?”
“I was. But it was misplaced. The worry I had about derailing your life was more about taking away your choices. And the worries I had about how it would seem to everyone else—” he shrugged “—well, it’s not anyone else’s business.”
“Good,” I said with a smile. “Because I want to dance with you.”
He looked over my shoulder before dropping another brief kiss on my lips. “We will. Absolutely. I’ll be right back. We need to do the entrance.”
People’s eyes followed Daniel, and then they landed on me, making me want to squirm. I felt the reality of what he’d just said. People would wonder, and they would question. And between the two of us, if they were going to cast blame, they would throw it at Daniel’s feet and not mine.
But it truly wasn’t any of their business. If the rest of the Resting Warrior family was okay with it, everyone else should be too.
Still, I felt subtle glances as Daniel came in with the bridal party. So I downed what was left of my drink and smiled and clapped like I didn’t have any other cares in the world.
Because right now, I didn’t. Whatever was happening beyond the walls of this tent could take a fucking break for the evening.
Daniel came back to me. “Let’s go.”
“Where are we going?”
“To sit.”
But he was guiding me toward the head table. “Daniel, I’m not in the bridal party.”
“Ask Evie if she cares. Because she’s the one who made sure there was a place for you.”
Sure enough, I glanced at the bride, and she lifted her glass to me. We were at the very end of the head table, which I was grateful for. Not the center of attention, just the two of us in our own little bubble. This was all surreal.
The food was delicious, and the cake was out of this world—which surprised no one, given Lena had made it. And when I was full and nearly drowsy, Daniel held out a hand. “Dance with me?”