The party is going off, the sun has fully set, and the drinks are flowing steadily. There has already been one shuttle that came to pick up guests who are staying at the lodge up the mountain, but there are still plenty of people left at the ranch partying it up.
My eyes scan the area, looking for one particular set of eyes that caught me off guard during the ceremony.
I’ve been so busy that I haven’t had a single moment to look for her again.
There is always the chance she had already left, and that would be disappointing. There’s also the chance she’s married, or a nun, or not into my gender at all.
And yet, I stand here, scanning the crowd like my super vision can find her.
I’m standing on the edge of the dance floor, a light sheen of sweat on me from doing the Macarena like my life depended on it, when a small body slams into my right leg. I turn, looking down at the girl in the bright purple dress looking up at me.
“Whoa, little one, are you okay?”
She smiles and nods. “I’m dancing!”
She twirls her dress, and I smile at the move, my eyes lifting above her to look for whatever person she belongs to. When I don’t see anyone, I kneel in front of her and give her my kindest smile. “You’re really good.”
“Thanks! I practice every day.” She says it so matter-of-factly that I laugh a little.
“Aurora!” I hear someone call, and suddenly, the air in my lungs leaves me when the beautiful woman from the ceremony comes through the crowd of people, her hand clutching at her chest in relief when she spots the young girl. “Aurora Valerie! You know better than to run off like that.”
“Sorry, Mommy, I’m dancing.” The girl shrugs innocent shoulders and grabs onto her mom’s fingers, twirling herself under her hand.
The woman softens with love and I’m sure relief while looking at her daughter. Then, as if remembering I’m standing there, she looks at me and smiles.
I’m struck stupid. She has long golden-blonde hair, almost the color of honey, and her bright blue eyes are striking, just enough so to tear my gaze off of her soft pink lips.
“Thank you. I’m so sorry if she was bothering you.”
I nod my head, then shake it, working over what I can say to her, and my tongue seems to get stuck to the roof of my mouth.
“Well.” The woman smiles again, and my head hurts from how idiotic it’s behaving. Say something, man! “We’ll leave you be now.”
No! Think, Derek!
Oh, right. That’ll work.
“I’m Derek,” I call out just as she turns to walk away, and my ears burn in embarrassment. Good Lord, how loud was I just now?
The most gorgeous woman on the planet pauses and turns, her hair swaying around her shoulders, and I’m pretty sure this woman is an angel. She smiles kindly at me, and I barely refrain from clutching my chest. “Thank you for your help, Derek.”
Oh my god, say my name again.
I shake my head. Man, something is seriously wrong with me.
She starts to turn again when Quinn squeals, running up to the woman of my dreams and wrapping her arms around her. I assumed she was one of Quinn’s friends, but my mind works long and hard, trying to figure out how they know each other and why I’ve never been introduced to her before.
I stand there, watching the girls talk and probably looking like a stalker, when Quinn notices me, and she beams. “I absolutely loved the song, Derek!”
Her arms wrap around me, and I hug her back, glad she was happy with my performance. “Thank you, thank you. I worked all week on it.”
Not true. I’ve been planning on doing that since the moment my friend got engaged.
“It was perfect.” She smiles and then turns back to her friend. “Oh! Derek, this is my college roommate and bestfriend, Elizabeth. Elizabeth, this is Graham’s best friend, Derek.”
Elizabeth.
Fuck. Even her name was hot and sophisticated. It suits her well.
