Chapter 19
CHAPTER 19
L evon
I joined the line of groomsmen that were clapping around the dance floor. We had just completed the first dance with Jen and Ryan officially married. The grin on my face could have cut right through my cheeks if I tried to smile any wider, but I didn't care.
It was my sister's big day and my heart swelled with happiness.
Jen approached and I embraced her warmly. “I'm so proud of you, sister.”
“I'm so glad you could stay, Levon. It means so much to me.”
She choked quietly and I hugged her tighter. “Don't work yourself up, okay?”
“I will do whatever I please.”
“That's my sister.”
She giggled and pulled away, wiping beneath her eyes carefully. She rolled her eyes and waved her hands. “What are you waiting for? Go dance! I have to do my rounds.”
“Don't get too drunk!”
She laughed as she wandered away from me to a group sitting at a table. As she embraced them, I turned to the dance floor. Clara was in the very center with a group of bridesmaids. They were wearing matching gowns that swept the floor. Even though they matched, Clara seemed the prettiest of all of them. Her curly hair fell over her bare shoulders and framed her gorgeous face. Her smile lit up the floor. Her eyes were sparkling.
Everything about her drew me toward her.
I found myself stepping in her direction before I could stop myself. The music ended and the girls cheered, turning around to find more dance partners.
Clara locked eyes with me. “Hey, stranger.”
“Hey,” I said with a smirk. “Could I join you?”
“I guess that depends on what song is next.”
A slow R&B song floated through the speakers and I shrugged. “How about a slow dance?”
“We could do that.”
She held out her arms and wrapped them around my shoulders. I took her hips and swayed with her, fitting just like a puzzle piece that had been lost from the box for far too long. We moved together like a ship might move with the ocean. Every part of us seemed to touch. I held my cheek to hers and she let me. I sat there, content with our skin connected, and listened to her breathing, to the rhythm of it picking up with the beat of the song.
She shuddered. I wrapped my arms tighter around her waist and held her close, vowing to myself that I would enjoy every second of this moment. There was nothing that could tear my attention away. Even the goofy way the other groomsmen were dancing around each other couldn't possibly steal my focus. She was everything and I was nothing.
And I think I was melting.
I nuzzled slightly into her cheek. She didn't complain or deny me. I didn't want to do much more than that because I didn't want to test her, but it was difficult to contain my reaction to the nearness of her body. She commanded me in every way. Even after years of being apart, it felt like we hadn't parted at all. I felt like I was right back at senior prom with her in my arms.
Back then, I thought we would last forever. I had pictured us getting married, having kids, and growing old on a beautiful wrap-around porch as our kids came to visit. Our kids would have kids and we would spoil them with all the affection in the world. And we would always be in love.
That was then—and this was now.
I hugged her tighter. “Today was amazing.”
“I couldn't agree more. I don't think I've cried that much since—” She took a sharp breath and exhaled a chuckle. “Well, in a while.”
“I'm sure.”
“I'm so happy for Jen.”
I nodded. “Me, too. She deserves this. And I'm glad I could be here.”
“I'm surprised you didn't take off.”
“Why would I do that?” I squeezed my eyes shut and exhaled hard, nodding into her. “You don't have to answer that. I know why I would have done that.”
“We didn't expect you to stick around.”
“Well, I'm here.”
I could hear her smile as she said, “And we're glad.”
“I would never miss Jen's big day. I wouldn't dare.”
“It's good to hear you say that.”
I sighed mournfully. “I know you wish I said that more in the past.”
“No, Levon. We don't have to—”
“I'm sorry for that. I let my job rule my life. I let it take me away from you. I should have been more mindful of your needs. I should have given you so much more.”
She sniffled. “I don't think now is a good time.”
I rubbed her back to comfort her. “I'm sorry. I just wanted to tell you. After all, this song . . . Do you remember what it is?”
She pulled back suddenly and met my gaze. “Yeah, it was playing during our senior prom.”
I stared into her eyes, getting lost in the haze of lights that flashed over them. I smiled warmly as her hands lingered on my shoulders. I could feel the warmth of her fingers through my suit. Even though it was warmer inside because of the amount of bodies packed into the room, she cooled me with her gaze.
It was what she always did.
I pulled her back into me. I swore I wouldn't let go until the song ended. And it seemed fate was on my side. The song appeared endless, stringing on forever into the future. We didn't say much more and we didn't need to. I didn't need to talk when the moment was pure.
We stayed in the center of the dance floor as couples floated around us. I heard laughter and silverware clinking against plates. I heard the pop of champagne bottles. I heard the way the chatter rose and fell around us between the rhythm of the music. All of the sounds combined created a bubble in which we continuously danced, floating over the floor like ghosts.
Her hands shifted. They drifted down my arms and clung to my elbows, reminding me of the way she would hold onto me after a fight. I swallowed hard. As much as I remembered the good times, I recalled the hard times, too. All of it made our relationship. And every fight that passed would break way to this particular position. It was her way of letting me know that she cared—that she would be around.
If I hadn't messed up so much, this might have been our wedding , I reflected. I mean, that was the next step for Clara. She would have wanted a marriage just like she had wanted with Gabe.
I smiled while pressing my cheek to hers. “I'm sorry things didn't work out with Gabe.”
“That's already old news.”
“And I'm sorry I keep saying sorry.”
She laughed. “I guess weddings make you feel things, right?”
“Are you feeling things?”
“I am feeling a lot of things.”
I chuckled nervously. “Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one.”
“Do you remember what we did after prom?”
“Did we go get burgers?”
She giggled. “We sure did get burgers. Then, we took your truck out to sit under the stars and talk about college.”
“We saw the foxes that night.”
“Oh, wow. We did!”
“They were so gorgeous. But they couldn't compare to you. Nothing compares to you.”
“Levon,” she sighed.
“Yeah?”
She wiggled away from me. “You're on my foot.”
“Oh, crap!”
I laughed while hopping back. She held her foot for a second while giggling, shaking her head. “Alright, how much champagne have you had?”
“Only one glass, I'll have you know!”
“Well, it sounds like you might need another. You've never stepped on my feet!”
I shrugged nonchalantly. “Hey, I guess my feet like your feet.”
Wow, what the hell kind of compliment was that?
I flushed red as I cleared my throat, shrugging away my embarrassment. I shifted between standing near Clara and walking toward the champagne table. I wasn't sure what to do. She hook her arm into mine and led me to the table, grabbing us two flutes before tugging me back to the dance floor.
“More dancing?” I asked playfully. “You're going to wear me out, Miss Downing.”
“You used to be so fit back in the day.”
“Oh, that was a hard hit.”
She shrugged and gave me a cute smirk. “What? You can't keep up anymore?”
“Another challenge, eh?”
“I guess I'm full of challenges this week.”
I laughed and accepted the glass of champagne from her. We clinked them together and then each took a sip, wavering in the center of the dance floor. I wanted to take her into my arms again, but holding the champagne at the same time would make that difficult. I downed the rest of my champagne, took her glass, and set both of them aside in favor of taking her hips again.
She chuckled. “Hey, I wasn't done with that.”
“Ah, there will be more later.”
“You seem eager to keep dancing.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
She shrugged and then nestled her head into my chest. “I guess not.”
I held her close. It was the most wonderful sensation I had felt all day. Seeing Jen get married brought me joy, but this was pure bliss.
And I really didn't want it to end.
I sighed with contentment. The music changed into another slow song and I secretly thanked the universe for allowing me more dancing time with Clara. Her heart was beating against my lower chest. I felt it catch rhythm with mine and I soared, knowing that our bodies were syncing together.
But another rhythm caught me off guard—that of my phone buzzing ceaselessly in my pocket.
I ignored it. Surely, it was my boss, but he could wait a night if he needed something done. I was sure it was about the Canada trip—the one he wanted me to skip my sister's wedding for—but I didn't want to hear about it. I didn't want to deal with it.
I was having the time of my life. Work could wait. And it was the first I had ever had such a thought. It seemed like returning to Oklahoma had changed something inside of me. I wasn't sure what it was, but I wasn't complaining either.
Work was what initially broke Clara and I apart. If I answered now, she would see that I hadn't made any changes to my behavior. She would see that I was the same jerk who had chosen business over happiness, work over her.
And I wasn't about to do that again.
I reached into my pocket and silenced my phone.
“Wow,” she whispered. “Are you sure you're not going to answer that?”
“It's not important.”
“I've never heard you say that before.”
I shrugged. “People can change.”
“I'm surprised.”
“Well, get used to it.”
“Being surprised?”
I chuckled. “Yeah, there's plenty of that going around, right?”
“I can't wait to tell Jen that you ignored a phone call for me.”
“Hey, who said that was for you? You're keeping me warm on the dance floor. I didn't want to get cold by pulling away.”
“Yeah, sure. That makes so much sense.”
I chuckled. “I'm all about being practical.”
“Yeah, practically annoying.”
I broke out into a hearty laugh and she joined me, shoving me playfully like she used to in the past. I took her hand and tugged her over to a table. When we sat down to rest, I let my hand linger in the center of the table near hers. She placed her hand over mine.
Just like before , I thought hopefully. And I hope it stays that way.