Chapter 17 The Kline Wedding #6
“Greg, I’m happy to see you so well rested,” Veronica chirped as she nearly leapt to her feet to quickly meet him with a warm embrace. “I’m actually quite nervous about singing this wedding march,” she confided.
“Don’t be nervous, dear. You’re going to knock them dead.
The words speak volumes about how a bride is more than just a woman in love.
You talk about the hope and dreams that she’s carrying with her,” Greg assured her.
She drew back and he looked deep into her blue eyes.
“Your eyes are so radiant today, I could just get lost in them.”
“Then get lost in them Greg, and kiss me deeply,” she encouraged.
Greg didn’t hesitate to kiss her deep and passionately, and his right arm slowly slid down her back until it stopped just at her lumbar.
He pulled back quickly, separating from Veronica.
“I can’t do that!” he insisted and spun away from her.
“What, Greg? What can’t you do?" Veronica nearly insisted.
“Get so caught up in the moment that I almost started to treat you like my own bride. My hand was going too far in the wrong direction,” he admitted.
“Another few inches and I’d have been so filled with desire that I don’t think I could have stopped myself.
Veronica,” he stopped, searching for the right words.
“Were you really that aroused?” she asked, quite stunned. Greg just nodded. “How? Why?” she stumbled out.
“After looking in your eyes, then feeling your breasts press in against my chest, and tasting your lips, then pulling you closer to me,,,,” he paused as he took a breath.
“If Erica and I had never slept together, I don’t think feeling you close like that would have affected me so much.
” He ran his hand through his hair. “I want to encourage you, but if I don’t leave right now, I’m going to do something everyone is going to regret.
” He turned toward the door, but Veronica grabbed his shoulder and spun him back towards herself.
“I want you that way too, dear. If we had time, I would say yes right now. I can’t explain this.
Why do I feel that desire? My heart races, my body shivers inside; I feel it just like you do.
This moment is so right, but doing that would be wrong.
” She kissed him then pulled back. “I love you, and I’m glad you recognized it soon enough to stop it.
Next time it gets like this, please, please know I’m ready. ”
Greg departed the performer’s private office and quickly moved past James and Billy.
Billy noticed how shaken Greg looked and moved to the office door that Greg had left ajar in his rush out of the room.
Billy turned and saw as Greg moved past Katie and Wendy, pausing beside Carry and giving her a sad look before basically running out of the performers lounge.
He turned back toward the private office door where Veronica was now standing there stunned; a slightly confused look coming over her face. “Are you okay, V?”
“I think so, Billy. I’m not sure what just happened with Greg and I. I hope I didn’t just say the wrong thing at the wrong time,” she answered with sadness coming through in her voice.
“I think he’s just as confused as you are,” Billy replied. “I’ve never seen him so shaken or rattled. Should I go check,,” he was starting to ask when Veronica placed her fingers on his lips.
“Please, Billy. I love Greg with my whole heart, and if I screwed this up, I’ve got to know now,” she pleaded with him.
“I’ll go talk to Greg and find out what I can, then I’ll come right back.”
“Thanks, Billy. It means the world to me.” She smiled and shut the door. Billy turned and quickly started making his way through the lounge, pausing beside James. “I’ve got to check on Greg for V,” he said and James nodded in response. Billy moved past stopping beside Carry. “Are you alright?”
“I think so, but I’m pretty sure Greg looked like he was about to have a panic attack like he did during my last week at Pimico,” she said with concern. “Should we go check on him?”
“Veronica sent me to do just that. Why don’t you come with me since you know him so well.”
“Alright,” she said softly. “James!” she called back. “I’m going with Billy to check on Greg for V.”
“GO! And hurry up. We’ve only got fifteen minutes left!” James insisted. Billy and Carry quickly left the lounge looking for Greg. It wasn’t long before they turned the corner and found Greg squatting down on the floor with his head in his hands.
“Greg,” Carry said gently. “Are you alright?”
Greg snapped up and looked into her enchanting green eyes as tears were flowing from his own. “No,” he admitted. “I’ve lost all of my self-control. I nearly crossed the line with Veronica right now. If you weren’t here in my mind, I might well have.”
“WHAT?” Carry replied in a stunned loud whisper.
“The picture of your face smiling at me just before I entered the private office is the only reason I stopped. I didn’t want to hurt you like that,” he said and started sobbing.
Carry slowly lowered herself to the floor in front of him.
She had spent the last two weeks preparing herself to watch as Greg loved another woman.
But not just any other woman. Veronica. She had never prepared herself for the possibility that even now, after everything, Greg still carried her in his heart.
He was weeping slower now that she was in front of him, and suddenly Greg did something else she thought was impossible.
He suddenly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him in a tight embrace.
“I’m scared, Carry. I’m so completely broken that I don’t think I can even watch this wedding. ” He kept sobbing softly.
“Greg,” she whispered. “Are you trying to tell me that you,,,” she began then pulled back and looked into his eyes. “You’re torn apart right now, aren’t you?”
“Completely. My mind is in chaos, and so is my heart.” He leaned back against the wall, letting go of Carry and slumping down to the floor.
“How can I love both you and Veronica at the same time?” He looked as she sat there in front of him in stunned silence.
“Make it make sense!” he demanded in a low whisper.
“How can I love two different women at the same time?” Carry sucked in a breath as it fully hit her.
She tried to open her mouth to answer him, but no words came.
For the first time since she had walked away from him, she understood the true cost of her decision.
She had not just hurt herself. She had shattered the heart of the man she loved and left another woman holding the pieces.
“Can anyone make sense of this?” he pleaded.
“Greg,” Billy interjected as he could see the pain flowing over the face of Carry.
“We’ve got a wedding in just under ten minutes.
We don’t have the time to address this right now.
Later perhaps. Everyone needs you to pull it back together for the wedding.
Bill Kline is waiting for V to take the stage for his son’s wedding. ”
“Greg, you can do this,” Carry urged and heard him take in a deep breath.
“I know the man you are. This is the time you step up, like you always have,” she paused looking at him as the tears stopped flowing.
“Like I always have loved. You are the strong one, and we’ll help you through this.
Please, show me your strength of will one more time,” she softly pleaded.
Greg sniffed his nose then slowly his eyes cleared and determination filled his face.
He pushed off the ground to stand up, Carry following him to a fully standing position.
“Tell Veronica I’ll be right there, but I have to visit the bathroom before the ceremony, Billy,” Greg said firmly. “I’ve got to fix myself before I head out there.”
“Do you want me to accompany you?” Billy asked.
“No, Billy. You two have done enough for me, for now. Thanks for reminding me of who I am,” he said looking at Carry. “I’m sorry for any pain I’ve ever caused you. Just know that my heart is conflicted, but I still love you deeply.” She smiled and kissed him.
“I love you too, Greg. I knew you still had this strength in you,” she said. “We’ll let Veronica know. Come on Billy, Greg’s going to be fine now,” she said with firm confidence. “I’ve seen that determined look in his eyes before, and that tells me that he’s got this.”
“If you say so, Carry. Greg, we’re here if you need us, but don’t forget that we’re going to follow up on that question of yours after this is all over.”
“Thanks, Billy. I’m glad that you have come into our lives.
You seem to have such a strong faith that everyone around you feels it.
” He patted Billy on the shoulder. “I better clean up now. I’ll be right behind you.
” Greg quickly made his way toward the bathroom that was only fifteen feet away.
Billy and Carry turned and headed back to the performers lounge.
A few minutes later, Greg stepped into the performers lounge, ready for the wedding. “James, is our girl ready?”
“Ask her yourself,” he said as he stepped out of the way revealing Veronica in a white satin dress with sparkles, standing there sipping from a bottle of water.
“You look absolutely radiant,” Greg said as his mouth dropped open.
“Thank you dear. Girls, it’s time, please see to the guests. James, I’m going to have Greg escort me to the stage,” Veronica said firmly.
“Of course V. I’ll go tell the band to get ready,” James replied and ushered everyone else out. Billy stayed behind watching as Veronica stepped forward to take Greg into her arms.
“I love you Greg, and I hope that someday we’ll be the ones in a ceremony just like this,” she said then kissed him deeply. Billy watched as Greg’s arms naturally wrapped Veronica in his embrace, shook his head, then stepped out of the room.