“Tonight, our good friend Travis is going to sing the first dance song for the bride and groom…along with a special guest…” Tommy introduced as Brock and Tessa walked out to the middle of the dance floor. Tommy wore a wicked smile on his face as he motioned towards the stage where Travis was already situated. Every eye landed on the special guest. Her long caramel hair curled over her right shoulder, held in place with a sparkling silver clip. Her dress matched the clip, silver and sparkling, and she looked vaguely familiar. When she started to speak, I realized I’d heard her voice many times on the radio and TV before.
“Thank you so much for inviting me to sing, Travis.” She said, speaking into the microphone as she grinned at him. She turned her attention back out to the audience, her eyes seeking out the bride and groom. “Congratulations Tessa and Brock—you guys truly are a stunning couple. I’m honored to be here tonight!”
“No way! That’s Everly Daniels!” Krista squealed from beside me. “I wonder what kind of strings were pulled to get her here? I heard she stopped preforming!”
“She’s here with Brock’s friend, Grayson,” Braden answered from beside Brock’s vacant seat. He gestured to a table towards the back where a handsome guy I’d never seen before sat. His eyes were fixed on the stage, as if he was spellbound.
The band behind Travis and Everly started to play, while Travis began singing.
“Dancing in the dark, middle of the night.
Taking your heart, and holding it tight.
Emotional touch, touching my skin.
And asking you to do, what you’ve been doing all over again.
Oh it’s a beautiful thing, don’t think I can keep it all in.
I just gotta let you know, what it is that won’t let me go…”
Everly joined in, harmonizing Faith Hill’s parts through the chorus as Brock and Tessa swayed on the dance floor.
Goosebumps raised on my flesh as I watched the scene before me. It was like something out of a fairy-tale, and it made me acutely aware of everything that my relationship with Alex was severely lacking.
After the first dance, I watched as Tessa danced with her father to Heartland’sI Loved Her First. When their song ended, they moved to stand just off to the side of the dance floor.
“Unfortunately, the groom lost his mother a few years back. But his sister, Becky, is going to dance with him during the mother son dance.” Tommy announced, and Becky and Brock walked out onto the dance floor as Lynyrd Skynyrd’sSimple Manbegan to play. Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought of Deanna Miller. It was heartbreaking that she wasn’t there to watch her eldest son get married—that she wouldn't see any of her children get married.
“She’s watching,” Braden’s voice startled me, and I almost spilled my champagne. I hadn’t notice him take Tessa’s seat. He was looking at me intently. “My mother wouldn't miss this—not even in death.”
“I know,” I took a shaky breath and forced a smile. I couldn't imagine how hard this was for the Miller siblings—and for Tessa, too. I couldn't imagine not having my mother around on such an important day.
“Beautiful wedding, huh?” he asked, his eyes still on his brother and new sister-in-law.
“Yes,” I swallowed, nodding. My mouth suddenly felt dry, and I reached for the champagne flute before me. I took a heady sip, then realized who I was sitting beside. Guiltily, I placed my flute back down on the table.
Braden didn’t even seem to notice—he was still watching his siblings, his expression unreadable. WhenSimple Man’s final chorus faded off, the dance portion of the evening began. People started standing up and making their way over to the dance floor and bar.
I should find Alex, I thought, standing up. I still hadn’t had a chance to talk to him. He’d arrived this morning when Cheyenne was doing my hair, and my mother had immediately put him to work helping arrange the flowers in the reception tent.
I weaved my way around people and tables until Alex came into view. Most of the chairs were vacant, but I knew that Ezra, Peter, their dates and Krista’s date were his table mates. After all, I’d spent hours with Tessa going over the seating chart.
I came to a halt when I saw none other than Joanna Poole sitting between Peter and Alex. My blood started to boil. I couldn’t believe she had the audacity to show up. Tessa had purposely left her off the guest list, having lost touch with her shortly after she stuck her tongue down Braden’s throat when we were still dating—and yet here she was, sitting beside my current boyfriend, her claws all but posed and ready to dig in.
Peter scowled off into the distance, clearly pissed that his date was ignoring him. She was too busy flirting with Alex, fluttering her fake lashes—fake lashes that I had a sudden strong desire to tear out—and leaning purposely towards him, her cleavage basically spilling out of her thigh length hooker dress. And yet…I was more pissed off about what she’d done with Braden.
My hands clenched into angry fists, and I resumed walking towards them, intent on giving Joanna a very overdue piece of my mind. Before I could reach them, someone grabbed my hand and tugged me back.
“Easy now,” Braden said, dropping my hand and raising his in surrender when I whirled around with a venomous look on my face. “Where’s the fire?”
“Don’t,” I warned, teetering on the edge of hysteria. Seeing Joanna again had brought back the wave of heartbreak and despair I’d felt when I found lipstick on Braden’s lips. He sensed that I was going to implode, and he carefully led me away from the dance floor, outside of the reception tent. “Let go of me Braden!” I demanded shrilly, trying to yank my hand from his grasp.
“Not until you tell me what’s wrong,” he insisted, his hold still firm as he led me around the side of the tent.
“You cheated on me!” I accused when he finally released me, tears burning in my eyes. Pain and anger dripped off each word. “With one of my best friends!”
Braden looked as if I’d slapped him. He swallowed hard, his eyes never leaving my face. His hands came up to cup my cheeks, forcing me to hold his gaze. “I’m not proud of that, Elle. It was a stupid decision, I was drunk and…there’s really no excuse for it.”
