24. Aaron
Chapter twenty-four
Aaron
The banquet room at the hotel is no grand hall. Yet, thanks to Ellen and the decorators, it has been transformed into a stunning and enchanting space.
Flower arrangements sit on every table, and the many stars with their disco mirrors hanging from the ceiling cast a twinkling light over the floor.
The walls are covered with various shots of Castleton. At the front of the room is a huge collage of the people who live there.
“You did amazing,” I tell Ellen, impressed by her work.
She flips her hair over her shoulder. “Of course I did. But it’s nice to be appreciated. I want this to be a glorious event.”
I chuckle, grinning at her. “No wonder Mike wanted to propose to you tonight.”
“Yes… that was inappropriate of us, wasn’t it?” Ellen winces. “I guess we just got caught up in ourselves.”
“You asked and took no for an answer, so it’s just fine.” I shrug.
Ellen gives me a grateful smile. “Did you reach your target for the fundraiser?”
“Exceeded it. Not only did people buy tickets, but they also donated extra. By my reckoning, we have enough to help Castleton stabilize the several hills they’re concerned about.”
As I’m speaking with Ellen, my eyes are skimming the crowd. Did she come?
Finally, I spot Bella lingering under the moon hanging from the ceiling, close to the collage. I excuse myself from Ellen.
“I’m so glad you could make it,” I greet Bella, hugging her.
Bella grins back at me. “This is incredible! You really outdid yourself on this one. I’m glad I came.”
I grin, a flush rising in my cheeks. “I couldn’t have done it without everyone’s help. It’s been quite the eye-opening experience.”
“I’m going to need the name of your decorator. This is amazing, and I’d love to have something like this at my next show.” She smiles to herself.
“Next show?” I repeat, worried. “You didn’t cancel tonight’s show, did you?”
Bella’s eyes soften as she shakes her head. “No. I’m just getting in a half an hour here before I rush back to the last-minute chaos. Imogen was very understanding.”
“Good.” I relax again.
The music turns to a slow dance, and I hold my hand out to her. “Would you care to join me on the floor?”
Bella’s gaze flickered to the dance floor. It was already full of couples swaying to the music.
Was this too much? I almost rescind the offer.
Then she puts her hand in mine, smiling again. “I’d love to.”
We step onto the dance floor, and I gently place my hands on her waist as she rests hers on my shoulders. We begin to sway in a slow dance, her eyes sparkling beneath the twinkling lights above us.
“I’m sorry that I haven’t been very communicative these last few weeks,” Bella says.
“You needed time.”
Bella nods slowly. “I did. But that’s not why I stopped talking to you. The truth is, when you said you wanted to help me, I honestly didn’t believe you.”
I wince. My first instinct is to reassure her that I meant it from the bottom of my heart, but I know it’s not about me. I’m not the reason she felt it was a hollow gesture.
"Then, when I realized you were telling the truth, I convinced myself that I shouldn't need help. I thought, I can handle this on my own. Why should I bother Aaron?" She shakes her head and sighs deeply. "I've been drowning for so long that I thought it was normal."
“And now?” I ask.
Bella looks thoughtful. "Now? Now I'm beginning to understand what it truly means to ask for help."
I laugh as I spin her. “I’m glad. Because I really am here, ready and willing to help whenever you need me.”
As she grins back at me, I glance at the clock.
“How long do you have before you have to run away like Cinderella at the ball?” I ask.
“Not long,” she admits. “This dance, then maybe one more song. We’re going to be starting soon, and I don’t want to be any later than I promised.”
It didn’t give me much time.
“I have to say… I’m proud of you, Aaron,” she says, distracting me from my thoughts.
“Proud of me?”
She nods. “You put so much time and effort into bringing this all together. It will make a huge difference for the people in Castleton.”
My cheeks warm with her praise. “Thank you. I’m happy with the results, too. My time has been packed, but it’s been worth it.”
“There are so many other things you could do, though,” she says. “Why this? Why decide to dedicate over a month of your energy to helping people you don’t even know?”
She searches my eyes. What’s she looking for? I keep my expression open as I consider my words.
"The truth is, I don't know how to answer that," I finally say. "I have the means to help in this case, but it's hard knowing what I can do. There's always someone in need, and I can't help them all."
“And Castleton?”
“I knew what I could do, and I knew I could do it,” I answer simply.
That’s all there is to it for me.
“It’s the right thing to do,” I add.
Something shifts in her gaze. We come to a stop as I study her, trying to decipher the change I’ve just seen.
Her shoulders relax, and her smile grows softer.
“It’s the right thing to do,” she murmurs. “And you want to help others.”
I’m not sure how to answer. Yes, that’s the exact truth. So why is she looking at me as though she’s seeing me clearly for the first time?
Her hands move from my shoulders. At first, I don’t understand why, but then I realize the song has ended.
Bella still smiles, looking at me as though I’m brand-new and she likes what she sees.
“I should go,” she whispers. “Imogen is going to be stressed out.”
She starts to turn, and I grab her hand. “Wait.”
“I really should go,” Bella says.
“I know. There’s just one thing I want to do first,” I tell her.
Quickly, I spin on my heel and weave through the crowd toward the DJ.
My heart slams into my ribs, but I grin as I jump onto the stage.
Grand gesture, here I come.
The DJ gives me a quizzical look.
“I need to make a speech,” I say, reaching for the microphone.
He cuts the music, and I quickly step to the edge of the stage.
“Good evening, everyone,” I say. My voice echoes back. “I don’t have a lot of time so I’m going to make this quick. All of you have helped me do something special tonight. It would take too much time to thank everyone individually, so I’m going to focus on one very special person.”
I take a deep breath.
"Her name is Bella. She is an incredible, beautiful woman, inside and out. Despite her own busy schedule, she supported me with this event in ways she may not even realize. She was my inspiration, the person I thought of with every step. When we were at Castleton, we attended a barn dance. We agreed that I would dance with three women, even though I only wanted to dance with her, and she would meet three new people. But due to a misstep on my part, she left the dance too soon. So I wanted to give her a makeup dance. This is my first attempt. Next time, I’ll be hosting a dance to fundraise for another worthy cause, namely, a scholarship for underprivileged kids who want to get into fashion school. And this time, the only woman I will agree to dance with is my lovely Bella. Here’s to figuring things out together, one dance at a time."
The crowd starts to cheer.
Bella covers her mouth with her hands, her eyes glimmering with unshed tears.
My heart is full for her.
"Thank you all once again for coming," I say. "Unfortunately, I have to miss the rest of the event tonight. I have a special design show for a promising new designer to attend."
I put the mic back and hop from the stage.
As the music starts to play again, I make my way to Bella and grab her hand.
“Come on, Cinderella,” I say to her. “This time the prince is running away with you.”