Chapter Eighteen Rose #2
I think of Lily and smile. She would love being the center of attention at her wedding. I imagine walking her down the aisle, giving her away.
William spins me. “Maybe that’s just because you weren’t with the right person.”
I try to catch a glimpse of my daughter through the crowd. When I finally locate her, she’s standing by the raw bar, sipping champagne by herself. I feel awful for ditching her.
“What about you?” I ask William, going through the motions. “Was your wedding like this?” I know he was married twice before, once to a girl he met in high school, and again, a few years ago, to a woman in her early thirties. Neither marriage resulted in kids.
“Of course,” says William. “I love a wedding. That’s why I’ve had two.” I can’t tell if he’s being sarcastic or not.
The bride makes her rounds around the room, her tight updo growing more unraveled as the evening progresses and the champagne keeps flowing.
Guests move out of the way to make space for her long, sweeping train.
I hope she doesn’t spot me. I’m starting to think this is a terrible idea again—that I’ve now become complicit in ruining someone’s carefully planned day. What if she sees me and gets upset?
William twirls me again, and the music changes, picking up speed.
There’s a ten-piece band on a large, elevated stage.
The crowd is closing in on us, gaining momentum.
The dancing becomes more frantic. I spin in William’s arms, this time faster.
As I’m spinning, I look for Lily again, making sure she’s still okay.
I’m peering through the moving bodies, searching the seafood station, when William jerks me once more, and this time, I lose my balance.
My heels, still sandy, slide against the slippery dance floor.
I sense myself pulled down, William’s hands losing their grasp.
For a moment, all I feel is the emptiness of air.
I brace myself for impact, and then… The next thing I know, someone is catching me.
A strong pair of arms wrap around my rib cage and stabilize me, so I’m standing right side up again.
At first, I think it’s William, but when I look up, I see an entirely different set of eyes staring back at me.
“Tommy?” I say, looking into his familiar face. He’s wearing a suit and looks devastatingly handsome in the candlelight. His expression is placid and unreadable.
“Apologies,” he says. “You bumped into me and I didn’t want you to fall and get hurt.”
I notice, with some embarrassment, that his hands are still around me. He seems to register this at the same moment and quickly lets go.
We remain like that for some time, held hostage to the moment, staring at each other. I can’t believe it’s him. Even still, I can’t believe he’s here, on the island, so close but also unreachable.
“Thank you for saving my date.” William appears between us, moving to offer Tommy his hand. In the process, I’m nudged away from Tommy. “I’m William, by the way, and this is my girlfriend, Rose.”
I wince at the term girlfriend, straining to read Tommy’s reaction, but he remains resolute. If it bothers him, he doesn’t show it. Besides, why should he care, anyway?
Tommy takes William’s hand, gives it a firm shake.
“Girlfriend?” he repeats. “Your date?”
I’m thinking of a good way to protest without hurting William’s feelings, when he jumps back in, interrupting. “That’s right,” he says. “I’m the luckiest guy here.”
William pats me roughly on the back, and I feel like an unloved dog sitting patiently by the door, like my loyalty is on display.
“I’ll say,” is all Tommy responds. “Well, enjoy your night.” He looks at me with intent. “And be careful.”
I can’t tell if he’s cautioning me about the slippery dance floor or about William.
As he’s walking back through the crowd, someone else spots us.
“Rose Elliot!” yells a tall, brunette woman in an elegant red dress. “I can’t believe it’s you!” Thin arms wrap around my neck, cold to the touch and strong.
When I extricate myself, I realize it’s Tommy’s sister, Rachel. She looks remarkably similar, even though the last time I saw her was when she was only a teen. I’m surprised by how easy it is to recognize her; despite everything, it’s like no time at all has passed.
“Rachel!” I return the hug. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m staying at the cottage for a few days,” she says. “Visiting my big brother here.”
William nudges his way forward again. “You two know each other?” He addresses the question to Rachel but his eyes flicker to Tommy, who is still lingering to our left.
“We go way back,” I say, forcing a cheery, nonchalant smile. “I met Rachel when she was only fifteen. Right?”
“Fourteen, actually,” Rachel says.
William eyes Tommy. “And you two, as well, then? You know each other, too?”
Tommy steps forward, composed as ever. “We do.”
“Huh,” says William. “What a happy accident this all is. To think, you started out by crashing and now you have all these old friends around.”
He speaks too loudly, and a few neighboring guests look our way with some curiosity. I wish he would be quiet before someone tells the bride and causes a scene. His movements are a little more languid than usual, and I wonder how much he’s had to drink tonight.
Rachel bumps my elbow and waggles her eyebrow. “A crasher, huh?” she whispers. “Bad girl.”
Luckily, Lily appears just then, saving me from responding.
“And this is my daughter,” I say, introducing her to everyone. She shakes hands with Tommy, and Rachel leans in to give her a hug.