Chapter 9 Tyler
CHAPTER NINE
TYLER
I’m walking through the engagement party with eyes for only Harper, desperate to ask her to dance, but Killian steps in front of me.
“Tyler, switch bridesmaids with me.”
“What are you talking about?”
“For the bridal party pairings,” he says with impatience.
“Felix is partnered with Violet. You’re paired with Harper.
I can’t be with Zara. She’s a student of mine at Sacred Heart.
You know how strict the school is about maintaining staff professionalism.
I nearly lost my job during the Dan and Ally scandal because we share the same last name.
The last thing I need is for some article to hit the news with a twisted narrative about me and a student. Give me Harper instead.”
“Zara is still in school?” From the short interaction I’ve had with Zara today, I guessed she was in her early twenties and that Ally met her at Juilliard. She must be in her senior year. “How does Ally know her?”
“She’s Violet’s little sister.”
My gaze flicks to Harper across the party, having seen Violet and Zara by her side a moment ago. Sure enough, the sisters are still with her.
Violet is Ally’s maid of honor. She’s pretty, with long brown hair and a slender frame. Harper is friendly with her through dance. She’s a retired ballerina due to a career-ending injury and now teaches dance at Sacred Heart.
For a moment, I think Violet and I are making eye contact, until I realize her focus is on Killian. I’ve always suspected there were romantic feelings between the two, but the few times I’ve asked him about her, he says they’re just friends and colleagues.
For two people who are “just friends,” I’ve caught Violet looking at Killian a lot throughout the night.
“You and Violet are still only friends?” I ask.
“Yes,” he snaps. “Even if I wanted more with her, staff aren’t allowed to date at Sacred Heart.”
“Would anyone need to know?”
“This family has a bad past with secret relationships. I don’t need to add to the list and I don’t need to risk my career.”
The irony. Killian doesn’t have a clue how many secrets have been kept within this family.
“That’s all beside the point,” he continues with growing frustration. “I can’t be paired with a student at Sacred Heart. We’ll have to dance together. I’m not even supposed to be interacting with students outside of work.”
“Can’t you switch with Felix to have Violet?”
“No. The best man and maid of honor always go together.”
“Surely Ally and Dan would make an exception. I want to be with Harper.”
“You two broke up.”
“Exactly. I barely see her anymore—”
“Goddammit. You are no fucking help.”
He walks off pissed, completely overreacting.
I don’t see what the big issue is for Killian.
Dan and Ally have been clear with their guests that this wedding is to remain an intimate affair.
There won’t be any media circus involved.
No interviews. No photos are to be shared publicly.
Even if photos are leaked, I don’t see how being paired with Zara would be the disaster Killian is claiming.
But if he’s this stressed about his job… I suppose we can swap and I’ll partner with Zara for any wedding activities. It’s the least I can do as a brother trying to make amends for being absent.
“Killian, wait.”
He’s out of sight before I can offer to switch.
I make a mental note to correct the issue with Killian the next time we speak, then put him from my mind.
Harper.
My gaze lands back on her and I’m instantly smiling. She’s beautiful, laughing with Violet and Zara. The two sisters really are nothing alike. Violet has a vibrant energy. She’s talkative and always smiling. Her skin is tan, like she lives on the beach.
Her little sister looks like a nocturnal creature with the palest, snow white skin and jet black hair hanging by her waist. I only met Zara today but she has a reserved nature.
I make my way through the guests and place a hand on Harper’s middle back, my palm warming against her bare skin. “Sorry to interrupt, ladies. Harp, would you like to dance?”
She excuses herself from the conversation, smiling when seeing me. “I’d love to dance.”
Harper’s hand fits into mine and I lead her onto the dance floor, weaving between swaying couples. My hands settle low on Harper’s hips while the live music pulses around us. She’s back in my arms, right where she belongs.
Harper is always beautiful and sexy, even more so tonight. Her smile is radiant. But she’s nervous around me, licking her lips and blushing. Her body is an inferno in my arms and she’s rigid while we dance.
I laugh and flatten my palm on Harper’s back, drawing her in till our bodies are flush. “I want you closer. You’re dancing like we’re back in high school and a teacher has placed a wooden ruler between our bodies.”
Her breath quickens. She peers up at me with shyness.
I stroke her rosy cheek. “I like that I can still make you blush.”
I’m acting like her boyfriend and shouldn’t speak this way, but it only feels natural.
Her head dips with a soft laugh. “People are staring.”
“Because I’m dancing with the most beautiful girl here.”
She swats my chest and laughs louder. “You’re supposed to say Ally is the most beautiful girl here.”
“Not really into the whole sister thing. That’s more Dan’s style.”
She snorts. “Brothers are more your thing.”
I grin with her. “I love seeing you laugh.”
Without work on my mind, I feel weightless. I’m having fun with Harper for the first time in I don’t know how long. Her laughter settles and she gazes into my eyes with the tender look she always has before saying she loves me.
I stroke a curl behind her ear. “If you keep looking at me like that, people will definitely stare. Amabella will be running over, asking if we’re back together.”
“How am I looking at you?”
“Like… you love me.”
“I do love you. I’ll never stop—” She shuts her mouth abruptly. “Sorry, is that inappropriate to say?”
“No. It’s nice to hear. I’ll never stop loving you either.”
“But people will think it’s strange I’m looking at my ex-boyfriend like I love him.”
“Don’t call me your ex-boyfriend. I hate the sound of it.”
“So do I. Surely there has to be a better label.”
Contemplating a solution, I twirl Harper around and press her spine to me, the two of us swaying as I hug her from behind.
A smile finds my lips when the answer arrives.
“As corny as it sounds, we’re soul mates.
We’re bound for life. I told you when we first started our break—we may be far apart from each other at times, but we’ll always find our way back to each other. It’s you and me, always.”
“I love that. Soul mates.”
I laugh. “It’s fucking corny. Forget I said that shit.”
She spins back to face me. “It’s not corny. I mean it, I love it.”
Harper’s eyes flick to the side, looking at something behind me. She stiffens, loses the smile, and swallows hard.
“You okay?” I glance over my shoulder and realize Felix is behind us, close enough to have heard our entire conversation. From the way he’s glaring at us, I know he heard the whole thing. All the laughter. The I love yous. The soul mate talk.
Harper steps back from me. “Felix—”
“Thought we could talk,” he says. “But I’ve heard everything I need to.”
Without another word, Felix turns his back on us and disappears through the crowd.
Harper swears under her breath. “I’m surprised he has an issue with me dancing with you. He was so cruel to me this morning and made it clear he wants nothing to do with me.”
“Felix cares, Harp. He never stopped caring about you. Let me talk to him and explain what he heard.”
“No. I’ll find him.”