I hold out my hand politely, and she places her warm skin against mine. I feel a zip of energy between our palms as they touch, and my eyes hit her bright blue ones. Hell. She is stunning.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, officially. Your performance was very entertaining.”
Her daughter tugs on her mom’s dress, getting her attention, and like it’s completely second nature, she tugs the little girl into her arms.
“I aim to please,” I say, and Quinn laughs.
“I’m pretty sure Graham will never forget this day solely based on your song.”
“I’m sure there are other reasons he’ll remember this day,” Elizabeth says with a smile, lightly nudging Quinn’s shoulder.
“Definitely,” Quinn replies, a beaming smile on her lips. “Oh, if Aurora is feeling overwhelmed, they have a bunch of the little kids watching a movie inside.”
“Movie!” Aurora yells, grabbing her mom’s cheeks and pulling her attention to her. “Mommy, I want to watch a movie.”
“Okay.” She laughs and turns to Quinn. “Just inside?”
“I can take you,” I offer, unsure of where it’s coming from. I turn to Quinn. “You go dance with your husband.”
Quinn squeezes my arm in excitement, thanking me, and I lead Elizabeth and Aurora to the house.
In through the front door and down into the family room, there is a group of kids, including Graham and Quinn’s two kids, settled into the couches and watching a cartoon movie. Most of them are conked out, and a teen girl stands when she sees us enter, smiling politely.
“Hi,” she says softly, looking at Aurora and Elizabeth. “I’m Lue. I’m hanging out with the kiddos for a little bit so they can relax.” She catches Aurora’s eye and says, “Want to come sit with me?”
“Are you sure this is okay?” Elizabeth asks, even though her daughter is squirming to get out of her arms already. “I don’t want to impose.”
“Nonsense.” The girl takes Aurora willingly and smiles at her. “Go have fun for a while.”
Elizabeth clasps her hands under her chin and smiles kindly. “Okay, if you’re sure.”
I smile at the sight; she clearly loves her daughter a lot and doesn’t want to leave her.
I turn to walk back out to the wedding, expecting Elizabeth to follow, but when I get to the door, I see she’s still watching the room, or more specifically, her daughter.
She glances back at me and smiles kindly before taking a hesitant step away from the room and following me.
I guess she doesn’t need to follow me, though I am hoping that she will take me up on an offer of a dance. Just as soon as I get the courage to ask her.
Which will happen.
Any second now.
“Sorry. I’m not used to leaving her with strangers.” Elizabeth blushes, and I track the way it flushes up her cheeks.
“No big deal, you’re a good mom for not wanting to leave her.”
She shrugs and says, “Don’t all moms want to stay by their babies all the time?” Her laugh tells me that she’s poking fun at herself, and I nod my head.
“They definitely should,” I reply, thinking back to my own mother. Though, I mostly just think of her as thetime before, not really remembering much of her.
She took off on me when I was four, leaving my dad and me high and dry to chase some life I doubt she found. Dad raised me all on his own, and somehow, we managed.
Edging near the dance floor, we see that there are several couples who settled into each other, talking softly as a slow country song plays over the speakers. I want to ask her to dance, to talk with me more, but the words get stuck on the edge of my tongue.
Something is definitely wrong with me. I clench my fists in frustration. The thought of asking her and her rejecting me is tripping me up.
She’s not going to reject you. She’s not like other women who trample all over your feelings. Man up and say something.
