The reception rolls on: dinner, speeches, cake cutting, champagne, and finally… dancing.
Jackson finds me again halfway through the night. Without a word, he takes my hand and pulls me onto the dance floor. His arm wraps around my waist as we sway slowly together.
“You’re exhausted,” he murmurs.
“Worth it.”
His thumb brushes my back. “I’m glad I met you.”
My chest tightens. “Me too.”
I don’t let myself think about tomorrow, not tonight. Tonight I just want to be here. With him.
The music picks up, and we laugh and spin across the floor with everyone else. I drink champagne, sipping the sweet bubbles down until I feel just as light.
Jackson pulls me into dance after dance, and at some point, I kick off my heels. By the time the reception finally winds down, I can barely keep my eyes open.
Jackson chuckles softly when I stumble slightly. “Easy there.”
“I’m fine,” I mumble.
“You’re half-asleep.”
“Maybe.”
Before I can protest, he scoops me up into his arms.
I gasp. “Jackson!”
“You’ve walked enough today.”
I loop my arms around his neck, laughing softly. “Everyone’s staring.”
“Let them.”
He carries me out of the ballroom and into the quiet hallway. The elevator ride is silent except for my sleepy breathing.
By the time we reach my floor, my eyes are barely open.
Jackson carries me inside and sets me gently on the bed. He pulls the covers over me like I’m something fragile.
I smile sleepily up at him. “You’re sweet.”
His hand brushes my hair away from my face. “You deserve sweet.”
Emotion swells in my chest. I want to say it. The words sit right there on my tongue.I love you.But my eyelids grow heavy.
Jackson leans down and presses a soft kiss to my forehead. “Goodnight, sweetheart.”
I try to speak, but sleep pulls me under before the words can come out.
TEN
Jackson
The first thingI notice when I wake up is that the bed is cold. For a second, my brain is slow to catch up. I blink at the ceiling, still half asleep, trying to figure out what feels wrong.
Then it hits me. Fern isn’t here.
