Five
Five
TWO WEEKS UNTIL CHRISTMAS
The room’s soft lighting made the brightly colored strands of twinkling bulbs stand out even more. Upbeat holiday music added to the happy atmosphere as people danced, chatted over the delicious spread of festive snacks, and laughed with friends old and new.
Wes had never been a fan of parties. When he and his brothers lived in New York, all of them working for their dad, Noah had taken on the role of being the face of their father’s company. That didn’t get Wes out of everything though, and he often found himself at cocktail parties or get-togethers, making connections and meeting new people. It felt like he never stopped working. It was pretentious and he didn’t miss it. There was a different vibe about the events he attended here, in California.
He and his brothers and their significant others had worked for weeks to pull off this celebration for employees, friends, community members, and clients. Everyone in the room was somehow connected to Squishy Cat Industries or their charitable foundation. It filled Wes’s chest with pride to see so many people enjoying and celebrating things that they’d all worked toward.
When he’d suggested a massive joint party would be more efficient than several little ones, Noah and Hailey had teased him, saying a party, by its very nature, shouldn’t be efficient. Wes’s gaze wandered the room until it landed on his beautiful fiancée. She wore a deep emerald-green dress that curved around her body, highlighting her features and making his heart beat faster. She stood with Grace, Noah’s wife, and Everly, Chris’s wife. Everly was even more uncomfortable with parties than Wes. Maybe it was easier when people you trusted and loved surrounded you.
“We did good,” Noah said, clapping Wes on the shoulder.
His brother wore black dress pants and a collared dress shirt with the first couple of buttons undone. Whenever possible, Noah skipped the tie.
“Everyone seems happy. Looks like efficiency and fun fit together well,” Wes said smugly before taking a sip of his gin and tonic.
Noah laughed loudly. “Way to prove us all wrong, big brother.”
Chris cut through the crowd, headed for them with their friend Rob close behind. No matter how much they all mingled, they always ended up back in a small group.
“Great party, guys,” Rob said, shaking hands with Noah and Wes. The brothers had happily invested in his gym business, helping him expand so he now had several locations in the state.
“Thanks,” Noah said, tipping a bottle of craft beer up to his lips.
They stood on the sidelines, watching and hanging out, and Wes couldn’t help but think, as much as he disliked large gatherings, he didn’t mind this at all. Soon, the women joined them. Rob and Stacey, Everly’s best friend, headed out to the dance floor. Chris tucked Everly beneath his arm, keeping her close as the two of them shared a quiet exchange. Wes’s heart was an overinflated balloon in his chest. His brothers were happy. He was happy.
Grace grabbed Noah’s hand. “Time to dance,” she said.
Noah didn’t need any more encouragement than that.
Wes linked his hand with Hailey’s. “Do you want to dance?”
She rested her head on his shoulder sweetly, the scent of her shampoo calming and invigorating his senses all at once.
“I’m good right here,” she said softly.
Wes twisted his head a bit to place a kiss on her forehead. It didn’t feel like she had a fever. Nudging her head up, he stood in front of her. “You feeling okay?”
She nodded, her eyes a little glassy. “I’m good. A little tired but happy for you. Tonight turned out wonderfully. You and your brothers should be so proud.”
Wes curled his hands around her waist, pulling her against his body. “You, Grace, and Everly did just as much as we did. Together, we all make a great team.” His brows furrowed when Hailey dropped her head to his chest, holding him close. He didn’t mind—being close to her, as close as possible, was his favorite thing in the world. But she loved parties and socializing. She loved celebrating and bringing people together.
“Sweetie, are you sure you feel okay? Have you eaten?” Wes asked, smoothing a hand up and down her back.
She gave a soft murmur of approval as he continued to stroke her back, nestling into him so tightly, he wished they were home, alone. It took him a minute to realize she hadn’t answered.
Arching back, he looked down at her. “Hailey?”
Hailey looked up at him. “I’m just really tired. I’m sorry.”
The music switched to something more up-tempo and the crowd on the dance floor grew.
“You don’t have to apologize. You’ve been running yourself ragged. Why don’t we head out early?”
Shaking her head, Hailey straightened her shoulders and pulled him toward the dance floor. “No way. We worked too hard for this. Let’s enjoy it.”
He enjoyed everything and nothing with her; a fact that continued to surprise him. He’d never expected to find a person who complemented him so well. Wes had purposely avoided deeply intimate relationships because he didn’t like the lack of control that came with falling in love. What he hadn’t known, until he met Hailey, was that falling wasn’t a choice. Her laughter and kindness, her sweet smiles and beautiful eyes, had reached in and grabbed hold of his heart.
They swayed slower than the beat of the music and, like it so often did when he was with Hailey, the rest of the world fell away. Everything but her became background noise, indistinguishable and distant. When she reached up to run her fingers along the nape of his neck, a shiver racked his body. Her touch was the purest form of magic.
Wes brought his hand to her cheek, intending to lift her face up to his to take the kiss he was craving. Her skin was hot to the touch. His brows furrowed.
“Hailey, I think you’ve got a fever,” he said.
“I’m fine,” she whispered, but she stumbled as she swayed, falling into him and sending him back a step.
She might not admit to feeling lousy but she didn’t fight him when Wes eased them off the dance floor.
“I think it’s time to go,” he told her as he led her toward where Chris and Everly were snuggled up together on a couch, chatting happily among themselves.
“Hey, guys,” Chris said.
Wes’s arm tightened around Hailey’s waist as she gave him more of her weight. Chris frowned and stood up. “You okay, Hailey?”
Everly stood as well. “You’re really pale.”
“I’m going to take her home,” Wes said, concerned when Hailey didn’t even argue.
Chris pulled Everly closer with an arm around her shoulder. “The flu that’s going around is brutal. I’ll text and have a car brought around for you two.” They’d each taken their own car service to arrive tonight. Thankfully, he wouldn’t be leaving either of his brothers or their wives stranded.
Thanking his brother and saying goodnight to him and Everly, Wes pushed down the worry snaking its way through his veins. Just the flu. He’d get her home, give her some medicine, and tuck her into bed. The problem with loving someone so much, he found, was the ever-present concern with their safety and well-being. The flip side of that, however, was knowing she’d take just as good care of him as he would her. That was something special.
After getting Hailey into the car, she seemed to be feeling worse by the moment; he pressed another kiss to her temple.
“At least you’ll be better by Christmas,” he whispered into the darkness of the interior.
Hailey mumbled something and dropped her head to his shoulder. Wes held her hand, already rearranging the next several days of meetings and plans in his head. Before Hailey, there’d never been a woman he’d upend his schedule or shift his life around for without a second thought. Her needs, her happiness, and her well-being were necessities for him. Hailey trumped everyone. There was absolutely nothing he wouldn’t do for the woman who he couldn’t wait to call his wife.