Page 28 of George’s Big Day

As if, even if I became lobotomized and Kurt still wanted to marry me, any of them would ever be welcome at my nuptials.

“In the fall,” Kurt said with a sigh. “I can’t wait. We’re having a small intimate wedding.”

“But Mr. Sutter will be there?” Marcum asked.

“He’s my fiancé’s boss, and he agreed to be there as soon as we can pin down a damn venue,” he said, chuckling to himself. “I’m this close to having it in our backyard.”

“With the dogs?” I pretended to groan, tugging him after me.

“Thank you for the drink,” Kurt called back.

Vanessa got up then, and I was very pleased with her. She rushed around the table to reach him before I took him away.

I let go of his hand so he could hug her, as she’d stepped in close and wrapped him in her arms, her head on his shoulder.

It was nice, though shorter than I would have liked. But she reiterated that she would certainly return soon and they could sit down, just the two of them.

“That would be good,” he told her, and his smile was genuine and warm.

Once she let go of Kurt, she glanced at me, and I gave her a head tip. She nodded and then turned for her chair, and I took hold of Kurt’s hand again.

“You didn’t hug her,” he said as I led him across the floor.

“You can count more or less on one hand the number of people I hug,” I reminded him. “I have to really like you, and if me looking at you keeps you away…c’mon. That’s not gonna happen.”

“Yes, that death stare of yours is quite terrifying.”

I rounded on him, and he almost walked into me but stopped himself in time.

“That was abrupt.”

“Death stare?”

“It’s dark, inky blue,” he told me.

“What?”

“Your lovely eyes,” he whispered, staring at me. “Your fixed regard is not for the faint of heart.”

“Is that right?”

“Yes, dear,” he breathed out, and I saw how big his pupils were, like he was drugged, lips parted, cheeks flushed, looking like he absolutely needed to be kissed.

“You wanna go to the bathroom with me?”

“Classy,” he grumbled, scowling as he followed me upstairs.

“You’re the one who looks like you’re into me.”

“Yes, well, it seems like it’s going to be a lifelong affliction.”

“That sounds pretty good,” I said with a sigh, walking him to the seat next to Hannah’s boyfriend, Jake, and pulling out the chair for him.

Everyone at the long table greeted us happily, several of the executives getting up to come around the table to shake my hand and say hello to Kurt. It was such a warm welcome, so very different from the lukewarm, barely tolerable one I received downstairs.

Hannah returned then from downstairs, where I was guessing she had diverted to the ladies’ room. As she came up the stairs, she waved at Kurt’s acquaintances—I couldn’t even say estranged family, as other than his mother, they were nothing to him—and I was surprised that they waved back. But then, when I thought about it a moment, that made sense. She was Aaron Sutter’s goddaughter, so of course they returned her gesture.

To me, it was different. To me, Hannah was irresistible. I didn’t see her as an extension of anyone. She was simply her.