She nods toward the dance floor. “Reid’s a good one. He brings out the best in you. I like him.”
“Yeah, but if we break up you have to take my side.”
“You won’t break up. I think he’s in it for the long haul.”
He is one of the good ones. One of the best ones.
And I am so madly in love with him.
Reid finishes his slow circle and now his eyes find mine. The smile on his face widens as our gazes connect and my heart feels warm and tingly at the sight.
“Yeah, me too.”
Despite all the stress and drama, this wedding ended up being a true once-in-a -lifetime experience.
I got to go to Italy. I got to drink limoncellos and learn to make pasta from scratch. I got to repair my relationship with my sisters and I grew closer to Elise.
And, most importantly, I met the man who changed my life forever.
The song ends and the chords to a new one begin. I tip my head back and laugh as I recognize it. Reid stops in the middle of the dance floor—my mom having gone back to my dad for a dance—and he points at me as he sings along to the opening line.
“When I’m dreaming, I’m guided to another world. Time and time again,” he sings at the top of his lungs. Kate and Jason are watching him, laughing as he sings. Jessica is sitting at a chair, arms crossed, tapping her foot impatiently as she stares at him with narrowed eyes.
I just laugh as he sings the next lines of “Higher” by Creed, pouring his entire heart into the performance. Elise grabs the glass from my hand and nudges me to my feet. I meet Reid at the bottom of the stone steps, where he’s already grabbing my hand, pulling me to his chest as he continues to sing to me.
“Great song choice,” I say.
“Right? You’re welcome everyone!” he shouts. Couples are either dancing next to us with confused expressions on their faces or skittering off the dance floor now.
“You were right by the way,” he says.
“About?”
“I had the lyrics wrong.”
“Yeah, no kidding.”
“It doesn’t matter though.”
I tilt my head to the side, pursing my lips. “It does, though. If you’re going to sing it at the top of your lungs, you should probably know what it is you’re singing.”
“Well, as long as you don’t mind?—”
“I do, though.”
“Fine, I’ll learn the words so I can serenade you every day.”
“Much better.”
I grip his tie in my hand and pull him toward me, pressing a kiss to his lips. I can feel the smile on his mouth, his warm hands on my lower back. And I suddenly can’t wait to hear this song every day of my life—loudly, wrong, and off-key, it doesn’t matter as long as I get to hear it from Reid Matthews, the man who stole my heart.
Epilogue
Saturday nights are bustling at Reid’s restaurant. I can barely hear Lola and Kai over the excited chatter and the clinking of glasses and the tapping of cutlery on plates. The glass door flies open and heads swivel as a stunning redhead strolls in, plopping in the free seat at our table.
“Oh my God, it smells amazing in here,” she gushes. She flicks out the black cloth napkin and delicately sets it across her lap. I realize I’m staring at her, but I’ll never get over the fact that Kai is friends with Brianna Beckett. The supermodel.
I’m at my boyfriend’s restaurant having dinner with asupermodel.
