Chapter 32
Lyra
O
f course I take his hand, because I know exactly what Spencer is doing.
I rise from the chair—super uncomfortable in the bum area—gripping Spencer’s hand.
“You look exquisite,” he says simply.
“Thank you,” I tell him.
His hand slides to my back. “Do you remember the Christmas party the mayor had?”
“Of course.” I grin, adjusting my stance.
And then Spencer swoops me into a waltz.
There’s no music, but the steps come back as though we practiced them all day yesterday.
I had been sixteen, and Spencer was home from his second year at university.
The new mayor—married to Duncan’s ex-wife—had been hosting a Christmas dance, even though my father would have one the next week as well.
Out of loyalty to his father, Spencer didn’t want to go.
My brothers tried to persuade him, but it was me who convinced him.
Signe did her best to ignore Spencer, even though she had been his step-mother, and Spencer didn’t want to deal with her rudeness for the night.
I came up with an idea of a dance, so that it would be impossible for Signe to pretend Spencer wasn’t there, since everyone would be talking about him.
We practiced for two days straight.
And now, Spencer leads me in a Viennese waltz, the very same dance we did then.
It feels so good to dance again.
It feels so good to have Spencer holding me, his back straight and strong, his hand holding mine like it’s something precious.
“You’ve still got it,” I tell him as we make the turn at the end.
“You bring it out in me,” he counters.
The warmth in my chest grows as we waltz, the hem of my dress swirling around me. At the end, pausing before my chair, Spencer breaks hold and spins me around, before dropping me into a dip.
My laughter bubbles up as I lie in his arms, his hand holding mine pressed against his chest.
And then it dies as our eyes meet. “I need to be here,” he says in a low voice. “I need you to see me, Lyra. Because I see you. I always have.”
He settles me on my feet and bows over my hand.
Dimly, I hear cheering from the others, but I can’t focus.
It’s hard to catch my breath.
After the fashion show comes the obstacle course. The winner will get time alone with me.
For the first time, I really hope Spencer wins, so I can ask him what he meant.
It’s a good strategy to remind me of our shared past, but bringing back memories only shows me what we didn’t have.
Do I want to be reminded of all the missed opportunities?
We were friends. I… I’m still not sure what to call what I felt toward him. But we were never together, and I blame Spencer for that.
Maybe that’s not fair, but it’s how I feel.
Grayson explains what will happen as I stand with Sophie and Camille, sipping champagne. Odin stands by the men to offer moral support.
Still wearing their suits, they will be divided into two groups for a tug-of-war challenge. The winning group will be then put in pairs to compete in a balloon popping contest, and a three-legged race. The two winning pairs will then compete in a bouquet making contest.
It’s the strangest, most random set of events, and it’s hilarious.
The Blue team, led by Boone and Jon, beat the Red Team. Tanner and Dylan do their best but are no match for the combined strength of the bad boys.
Watching Jon compete in a kilt is a highlight for all.
They pair up: Jon takes Rand as a partner, Boone has Leo, and the four of them win the three-legged race, mainly because Jon and Boone manage to carry the smaller men across the finish line.
I’m happy to see Spencer and Liam take third place.
The three pairs are then tied together around their waists, given a balloon, and told to pop it.
I have never laughed so hard.
Boone wraps Leo in a bear hug, squeezing, but the rubber doesn’t give before Leo is crying out that Boone might break his ribs.
Spencer and Liam push their balloon to their feet and eventually, by stamping over each other’s feet, manage to pop it.
But not before Jon takes it between his teeth and bites it, making Rand squeal as it pops in his face.
I’m still laughing as the two of them face off over a mound of flowers, but Rand seems to be the only one who has ever held a flower.
He makes me a gorgeous bouquet in the time allocated, winning the time with me.
But before I can lead Rand away, Leo comes up with a question about the dance, and then Dylan has compliments about my dress.
And then Spencer is there. “This is Rand’s time,” I tell him, glancing around to see Rand joking off to the side with Jon.
“I know. I’m not arguing today,” Spencer tells me.
“Well, I can argue whenever I want,” I decide.
“That sounds like the annoyed little girl who couldn’t have her friend live with her instead of me.”
My eyes narrow and I wish I’d escaped with Rand when I had the chance. “Why are you bringing that up? I didn’t have a problem with you there.”
“No, but you didn’t like it.”
“Why wouldn’t I like it? You were always on my side. You made my brothers spend time with me.”
“They wanted to.”
“That’s what everyone says, but I don’t really believe it. I… liked… you being there,” I admit. “When you went away…”
How did we start talking about this? There is so much I need to say to Spencer, and we’re talking about when he moved to the castle when he was a kid?
“Did you miss me then?” Spencer asks in a low voice. His silvery grey eyes catch my gaze and hold it, like he held my hand in the hot tub.
And like then, I start to feel like a block of butter left out in the sun. The way his gaze doesn’t falter. The determined jut to his chin.
The way that suit fits him so perfectly, even rumpled with grass stains from when he tripped over Liam.
The way Spencer laughed as he fell…
I nod.
“Would you miss me now? If I went away?” Spencer doesn’t wait for me to reply. “Lyra, why don’t you just give me a rose and we’ll figure this out once and for all?”