18. Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Eighteen
Addy
I make it to the reception, relieved that my duties as a bridesmaid have finally come to an end. I straighten out my short purple dress—an outfit Aurora required all the bridesmaids to change into. She changed out of her mermaid-style wedding gown to a flowy knee-length white dress for the reception.
I spot Blaze in a corner and make my way through the crowd toward him. But a hand grabs my arm, stopping me. I spin around to see my great-grandma staring me down.
“Hi,” I choke out, forcing a smile. “Are you enjoying the wedding?”
She huffs. “I don’t know why I had to fly all the way to the beach just to sit in a church.”
I laugh. “It’s what Aurora wanted.”
“I know.” She sighs. “Don’t you do this to me. If we’re flying to the beach, I want to sit at the beach.”
That’s never going to happen for me, but… “Deal,” I tell her with a smile.
“I like your boyfriend.”
My jaw almost drops. “Really?”
“Yeah. He’s worked hard for himself, and that shows that he’s the kind of man who will stay through anything—not to mention, he’s been putting up with your antics for a long time now. I really like you two together.”
I blush as I realize that’s the biggest compliment she’s ever given me…
And it’s all a lie.
My heart sinks deep in my chest. “Um, thank you,” I finally manage to say, and then nod toward him. “I need to get to him, though. I haven’t really seen him all day.”
“Ah, don’t let him slip away.” She grins at me for the first time in forever.
I nod and jet off, swallowing the lump in my throat. My great-grandma never approves of anyone—Robert didn’t even make the cut for the first year. Needless to say, I was not expecting this type of reaction to dating Blaze from any of my family members, much less from her.
I try to breathe as the ocean breeze blows through the outdoor reception. Blaze is no longer wearing his jacket, his sleeves now rolled up to his elbows… And ugh , he looks so handsome.
“Hey,” I say, unable to force a smile.
He turns to me, the biggest grin growing across his face. “Hey, I was hoping you’d show up soon. I’ve been stuck talking to everyone, and you know how I feel about socializing.”
I try to laugh, but it comes out forced. “My great-grandma approves of you,” I blurt. “And she’s never approved of anyone before.”
His smile fades, and even if he doesn’t totally understand the gravity of what I’m saying, I think he gets it. “I’ve just been around a long time, Addy. That’s all. I’m sure…”
I nod as his voice trails off. “You’re sure that she’ll approve of the real one someday, right? That’s what you were going to say.” He nods, but there’s something in his eyes that causes me to pause. “ Is that what you were going to say?”
“Yeah,” he replies. “I’m sure it’ll all work out the way it’s supposed to.”
“That’s a good way to look at it,” I reason, grabbing a cup of punch. I’m not drinking any alcohol tonight. I did enough of that last night.
As I sip my punch, the DJ announces the cutting of the cake.
Blaze slides his hand around my waist, and I catch my breath, trying to hide the way it makes me feel weak in the knees. I swallow the feeling and let him guide me to a front-row view of the cake-cutting ceremony. I watch it play out before my eyes like a movie, my sister and Robert shoving cake in each other’s faces.
It’s adorable, and I can’t help but feel jealous.
Everyone around me thinks that I’m closing in on my happily ever after, and it’s not even remotely the truth. In fact, it’s far from the truth. I’m so freaking far from my happy ending that Blaze being here as my fake boyfriend only serves as a reminder of how alone I really am.
“It’s time to throw the bouquet!” Aurora yells and pumps her fist. “Come on, ladies!”
“Go ahead.” Blaze urges me forward. “Just dodge it if it comes to you.”
“Yeah, okay.” I roll my eyes at his comment, and he grins. I join the other women, a group of about twenty. I stare down at my sandals for the countdown, and only when she tosses it do I look up.
And it comes straight for me.
Just as I’m about to step back, everything seemingly in slow motion, I realize I can’t let those flowers hit the ground… It would upset Aurora… So…
I catch them.
And everyone goes nuts, cheering for me—for us . I make my way toward Blaze, whose eyes are on me. I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do. I hold the bouquet up in a little look at this gesture. But he doesn’t smile. His eyes are filled with something else.
Admiration.
I glance over my shoulder to see what he’s looking at, but there’s no one else there. Taking a deep breath, I make it to him, pressing the pretty white and purple flowers to his chest. “I caught it.”
“Yeah, you did.” His tone is deep and husky. So much so that I tilt my head up to meet his eyes. “Was that planned?”
I shake my head, butterflies fluttering as his hand lands over mine. “No. It wasn’t planned—not by me, anyway.” I feel eyes on us, and as I peer past him, I see my whole family watching our exchange. “Everyone is looking at us.” He purses his lips and traces his fingers along my jaw, threading them into my hair.
“What’re you doing?” I whisper.
He doesn’t answer.
Well, not with his voice.
In seconds, his lips are on mine. I don’t even process what’s happening before my mind goes blank, and I find myself melting into the kiss.
I drop the flowers to wrap my arms around his neck as our kiss deepens, his grip tightening as I part my lips for him. All the dreams, hopes, and desires I had for him in college pour out into our kiss, his tongue slipping into my mouth, igniting a fire within me that I never knew existed.
I cling to him in disbelief, my heart pounding so hard that I fear it might burst from my chest. I nip at his lower lip, desperate for more. He tastes like citrus and mint, a heady combination that only adds to the intoxication of his touch. His fingers trail down my spine, sending shivers through me as he pulls me closer.
This kiss is charged and explosive, and I forget we’re in a room full of people. All I can concentrate on is Blaze. His warmth, his taste, his strong fingers in my hair. His arm around my waist. His entire body pressed against mine. There’s no air between us.
It’s magical.
And it feels all wrong when he pulls away.
We broke the rules.
My mouth falls open with the realization, and I peer around us, but most of the family is back on the dance floor now. No one’s paying us much mind anymore.
“I’m…” Blaze’s voice trails off as he picks up the flowers and hands them to me. “I didn’t mean… I was just trying to react the way…”
I nod, trying to brush it off—like I didn’t just have the best freaking kiss of my entire life. I squeeze the bouquet and stare at him, waiting for him to say that he wants this to be real. My heart beats wildly in my chest.
Tell me you’re in love with me. Please.
“I shouldn’t have broken the rules,” he finally says, looking down at his feet. “It just felt like the right thing to do with everyone watching us. Most guys would’ve given their girl a kiss.”
“Like a peck on the lips,” I say flatly, disappointment hitting me like a freight train. “You just made out with me.”
“I didn’t mean for that to happen.”
I’m fighting back the urge to cry suddenly. “Kissing was against the rules.”
His mouth drops open, and I see regret on his face. “I know … I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”
I nod, trying to blow it off. “Right. Okay.” I paste the fakest freaking smile I’ve ever had on my face and make my way through the crowd. As I pass a deep trash can on the edge of the roped-off area, I look around to see if anyone is watching me.
And then I throw the flowers away.
I take off across the sand into the darkness, away from the party. No one will notice if I’m gone, and honestly, I need a break. I need to think over what just happened.
Why would he kiss me?
He was the one who came up with that rule!
Taking a step forward, I let the warm ocean water cover my bare feet. I stare down at them and then look back at the party, wondering what Blaze is thinking. Does he really think this is some noble cause?
“ I don’t know what came over me.” His words echo in my head as I reach up and touch my lips, the taste of him still lingering in my mouth.
I hate how much I like it.
I hate that I know it’s real now.
I have been trying to ignore it, but now I know I have feelings for him. And if he would’ve told me tonight that he wanted me as more than a friend, I would’ve agreed.
“Hey,” a voice cuts through the darkness, and I turn to see my dad walking toward me. Not Blaze. “What’re you doing out here in the dark?”
I laugh, quickly wiping the tears from my face as he drapes his arms around my shoulders. “Just getting some air. I don’t think I like weddings.”
“How come?”
“I don’t know. I guess they just remind me of the fact that I might not ever have one.”
He nods, letting out a sigh. “Well, does that have anything to do with whatever happened after you caught that bouquet? I wasn’t too busy to see something went wrong between you and Blaze.”
I peer up at my dad, wishing I could just tell him the truth. “It’s complicated.”
“Ah, do I need to go punch him in the face for you?” He chuckles. “I’m not above starting a fight for my girls.”
“No.” I laugh. “He’s just… He’s not good at this kind of stuff. He didn’t grow up with a family, and maybe it scares him.”
Or maybe he just sees me as a friend—one that he can make out with and then bail on.
“I remember when I first met Blaze years ago when you were in college,” Dad says, his gaze scanning the horizon. “Back then, I thought he was a handful, and a bit of a mess, really. He rode a motorcycle, didn’t have a family, and I don’t think the kid knew anything other than hockey, but…”
“But what?” I furrow my brow.
“But I saw how he treated you. He’s always respected you, long before you two became an item, and I think that shows a lot on his part.”
Oh .
I blink up at him. “Does this mean … you approve of Blaze? Because I wasn’t so sure what you guys were gonna think about all this.”
“I do.” Dad smiles. “If he treats you right and makes you happy, then that’s all that matters to me.”
I close my eyes, a mixture of shock and guilt pulsing through me. I never expected my parents to be so accepting of Blaze. I always thought they wanted me with someone more traditional, someone who followed all the rules and fit into our socialite family perfectly.
Too bad this relationship with Blaze is fake.
But … maybe it doesn’t have to be.
Dad reaches for my shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Maybe you should just tell Blaze how you’re feeling. If you’re ready for something more serious than he is, then you need to tell him, honey. Men can’t read minds like women can.”
Even though he’s way off about what’s going on, the basis is still the same.
I need to tell Blaze the truth about my feelings.