Page 67 of Until Now
“Relax.” I squeeze her shoulders. “Take a deep breath.” I inhale and then exhale once and then again with her. “You’re going to be fine. Just keep your eyes on Josh, don’t worry about anyone else.”
“Can I ask you a favor?”
“No, I won’t help you escape,” I smile.
“No, not that!” Elizabeth laughs. “Will you walk with me? I don’t think I can do it alone. And, you’re not going to be up there. I’m sorry, I should’ve asked—”
“Yes.”
“Really?” I nod and Elizabeth hugs me, tighter than before.
§
Elizabeth has a death grip on my hand as we walk through the park. One more turn and we will be standing face-to-face with her soon-to-be husband. She slows to a stop and takes a deep shaky breath. This is the moment we’ve been waiting for, even before the night of the 2015 Christmas Ball. It was obvious they were made for each other. They just needed a little push in the right direction from yours truly.
I fix the curl of her hair letting it rest gently on her shoulders and adjust the veil so the faux white flower pieces sewn into the fabric are on display. Her dress is the last one she had tried on, she didn’t even want to, but I made her. The second she stepped out of the dressing room, we knew it was the one. Long sheer sleeves, elegant floral lace, and a flattering a-line v-neck were the total opposite of every other dress she had tried on, but she beamed with an excitement I hadn’t seen with any of the others. I adjust the clasp of her necklace — the same one her mother had worn on her wedding day — and finally, meet her brown eyes.
Faintly, I hear the wedding march begin.
“Don’t let me fall,” she whispers.
“Never.”
“Okay ladies, it’s time,” the wedding planner approaches.
We share one last smile before turning the corner and my breath hitches meeting his whiskey-colored eyes. That familiar warmth spreads through my entire being when he smiles at me. God, I miss him.
“You’re staring,” Elizabeth whispers without missing a step.
“I know.” I can’t help it, not when he looks so handsome in that sand-colored tuxedo with an olive-colored tie. The way it brings out the color in his eyes… I rip my gaze from him when we reach the altar. I have a role to play. “I know where you live, Joshua,” I warn, earning a laugh from the crowd.
“Love you too, Nin,” Josh says without missing a beat and kisses my cheek.
I share a final look with Nick taking my seat next to Kai. I wonder if he’s imagining us in the same place. Because right now, that’s all I can think about.
§
I step out onto the balcony of the ballroom taking a breath of fresh air. Nick and I have been actively avoiding each other for most of the evening, but every chance I get, I steal a glance. And every time I think about going to talk to him, I remember what Michaela told me a few days ago. Alex isn’t the only person Nick has been hanging around in Boston — some girl named Sheyenne has entered the picture. They met during one of his late-night escapades Alex had tried telling me about. Yet, Alex failed to mention this Sheyenne girl to me. “He didn’t want you to know that part,” Michaela said when I questioned it. So, now I’m left to wonder if everything that happened in Haven was in my head. Did I imagine it all because he was able to forget it so quickly?
“I’m glad we get the chance to finally meet,” I hear someone say — their voice rugged and warm. Jimmy Davis. He settles up next to me with a fresh glass of champagne. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Nina.”
“Likewise.” I smile taking the champagne. “It’s nice to put a face to the name, Jimmy.”
I wonder how much he knows — if he knows Nick didn’t take the money even though it was right in his hands. I can only hope it didn’t put them in a tight spot, especially with the time off they’ve had in Boston. I’m tempted to ask him about Sheyenne, what does he know about that relationship? Instead, I swallow my questions with a rather large gulp of champagne.
Something catches his attention inside the ballroom, but he says, “Nick would kill me if he knew I was saying anything, but whatever happened in Haven…it rocked him.”
“I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
“I think you do.” He turns to look at me, but I refuse. My gaze fixed on the park below us.
“There you are!” Kai exclaims joining us. He looks between me and Jimmy, “Am I interrupting something?”
“Kai, this is Jimmy. Nick’s dad,” I introduce them.
Realization crosses my brother’s face. “Nice to meet you, Kai Villa.”
“Likewise,” Jimmy says as they shake hands.