Chapter 16
EVAN
“Here’s to the groom!” Evan raised his glass in a toast, and the other guys cheered.
It was the night before the wedding. Many of the other guests had arrived that afternoon and joined them for the rehearsal dinner earlier in the evening.
A few more would arrive tomorrow morning, in time for the wedding itself.
Now, though, the guys, both Luka’s family and his friends, had gathered for the bachelor party. It was being held in an enormous white tent on the lawn, which had been decorated with lights and a disco ball. There was plenty of champagne and beer, and people were already dancing.
“Here’s to me!” Luka echoed, lifting his glass and downing a gulp of champagne. He turned to Evan, his grin huge. “And here’s to you, little bro.”
“To me?” Evan asked, taking a tentative sip. He’d joined the bachelor party a bit late after attending a quick but important work call, so he was behind the rest of the guys on the inebriation front.
“To you.” Luka’s grin widened. “My little bro.”
“All right. Thanks.” Evan nodded. “Much appreciated.”
“Maybe we should go visit Sarah,” Luka said. His words were slightly slurred, and he was bobbing along to the music. He had a big, soppy smile when he spoke about his bride-to-be.
“No, come on. It’s your bachelor party,” Evan said. “Tomorrow will be all about you and Sarah. Tonight’s about you.”
Both men looked across the lawn toward the tent where the bachelorette party was being held.
Sarah, along with her friends and family, was there.
Neither of them could make out any details of the party, as the tent was all the way across the lawn, but in the pauses between songs, they could hear cheering and happy music.
Mia was over there, too. Sarah had invited her earlier that day, and she’d seemed happy to go.
She was always happy.
“Nah.” Luka shook his head. “Nothing can be about me without being about Sarah, too. We’re in love, you know. She’s the light of my life!”
Evan chuckled. “That’s great, bro.” Before, he might have pointed out that his brother should make sure to keep his focus on his career, but he didn’t say that now. He’d let his brother celebrate tonight, because some part of him could understand, now, how he was feeling.
“She’s amazing!” Luka continued. “Like, she makes me want to be a better man, you know?” He took a sip of his champagne and slung his arm around Evan’s shoulders. “Yeah, you know. Because of Mia.”
Evan’s stomach dropped. He didn’t want to talk about Mia right now. She was in his mind, always, but speaking about her would make things too real. And he wanted too badly for things to be real.
“Sarah is pretty great,” Evan said, trying to circle back to his brother.
“She is. So is Mia!” Luka grinned broadly. “I love the effect she’s having on you, bro. Because of her, you’re partici—patricipa—”
“Participating,” Evan filled in.
“Exactly, participating in family activities for the first time in forever!” Luka squeezed Evan’s shoulders. “You seem happier. More relaxed. You’re having fun! You’re to-o-o-tally in love.”
“Oh, come on.” Evan shook his head. “Let’s not talk about this right now. This night is about you, not me.”
“Admit it.” Luka looked at Evan, his eyes intense. “Admit you love her.”
“Luka…”
“Come on, I know you do. Just say it.”
“I love her.”
Evan said the words to make his brother happy, but when he spoke them aloud, he realized how true they were.
In some way, he did love Mia. She was unlike anyone he’d ever met before.
As Luka had said, she made him want to be a better man.
She made him realize that there was value in putting aside his work and embracing the fun side of life.
She inspired him. When he was with her, she was like the sun, bright and warm and pulling him in with her gravity.
And that was scary, because Evan knew what happened to people who fell in love. He didn’t want to give up his work, not even for Mia. He couldn’t. He shouldn’t even want to.
“Woo-hoo!” Luka cheered. Just then, a few of his friends came over with shots, and Luka allowed himself to be pulled away. He gestured for Evan to follow, but Evan shook his head.
He slipped away from the party, alone, and walked across the fields in the darkness.
As he got further from the flashing lights and loud music of the party, he could see stars overhead and hear crickets chirping.
Despite the peace of the evening, his mind raced with thoughts of Mia.
It would be hard to leave her at the end of this week.
And he didn’t even want to imagine what his family would say when he turned up without her at the next event. He didn’t want to turn up without her.
“Hey.”
Startled, Evan turned and saw Mia standing in the moonlight. She wore a tight dark-colored dress and had her hair down in curls around her shoulders. She looked gorgeous, as she always did.
“Mia?” Evan put his hand to his chest, calming his heart. “What are you doing here?”
“I needed a little break from the party.” She smiled. “Sarah is great, and so are her friends, but they have so much energy. And so many questions. I’m not even drinking, because I’m sure that if I do, I’ll reveal that we aren’t really together.”
Evan chuckled. “I get that. That’s why I took a break from Luka’s party, too.” He glanced at her. “Nice dress.”
“Sarah lent it to me.” She laughed softly. “Finally, I didn’t have to think about what I was going to wear.”
They stood together in silence for a moment, looking up at the stars.
The air was fresh and cool. Evan was aware of each of Mia’s small movements as she shifted on her feet or brushed her hair back with a hand.
It was as though they were connected by an invisible thread that made him in tune with what she was doing all the time.
“Evan,” Mia said, her voice low, “we’re leaving the day after tomorrow.”
“That’s right,” Evan said. He tilted his head back, looking up. “Thank you again for coming.”
“Thank you for having me.” The words sounded overly formal. “Do you think… do you think we’ll see each other again after this? I mean, if you need my help at another wedding or family event.”
There was hope in her voice and something else, something that tugged at Evan’s heart and made warmth pool in his limbs. The idea of a future with Mia, even if that future was time together at weddings and events, sounded wonderful. Before he could think twice, Evan found himself nodding.
“I’d like that.” He turned to look at Mia. She was looking back at him, her eyes sparkling in the darkness. “You’re really something, Mia. You know that, right?”
She laughed softly. “I’m not so sure.”
“No, you’re amazing. I…” There was more Evan wanted to say. He wanted to explain that if things were different, if he didn’t have his company, he would want something real with her. Yet he knew that whatever he said would fall flat.
“I think…” Mia trailed off too, biting her lip.
They stood without speaking, looking at each other, as the moment stretched.
Evan felt as though the invisible string that connected them was pulling him closer.
He knew he was tipsy. He was saying more than he should, even though he was hardly saying anything.
She looked so beautiful in the moonlight, her lips slightly parted, her eyes round and bright.
And then, suddenly, they were kissing. Evan wasn’t sure who’d leaned in first, but it didn’t matter.
As their lips brushed, it was as though all the feeling that had been building up since the moment they met swelled between them.
His hands were on her waist, pulling her closer, as her hands slid into his hair.
He bit her lip, and she sighed softly, a sound that filled Evan with heat.
He traced the curve of her spine as the kiss deepened. She tasted like chocolate and sunshine.
As they kissed, the world around them fell away.
They were no longer guests at a wedding.
They were no longer standing in a starlit field.
They were no longer a high school teacher and a CEO.
They weren’t even Evan and Mia anymore. The kiss was all that existed, all Evan could think about. All he cared about.
Then, as suddenly as it had started, they both pulled away at the same instant. Mia’s cheeks were flushed, and her lips were red. Her hair was messy where he’d run his hand through it. Evan knew he looked disheveled from only a few moments of kissing. The world spun again. What had happened?
“I—” Evan said. He wasn’t sure where he was going with this, but it didn’t matter because Mia spoke up first.
“I’d better get back to the party,” she said quickly, words spilling over each other.
“Sarah will be wondering where I am. See you later.” Without giving him a chance to speak, she turned, hair swishing over her bare shoulders, and hurried back toward the bachelorette party.
Evan was left standing alone in the darkness, watching her disappear.
He was still reeling. He hadn’t intended to kiss her.
Yet it had been earth-shattering.
What did this mean? Evan knew what it couldn’t mean. Even though he cared about Mia, even though he felt something for her that was dangerously close to love, he couldn’t have a relationship with her. He simply couldn’t. It would mean giving up everything he’d worked for all his life.
Yet the thought of not kissing Mia again was almost as painful.
Evan ran a hand through his hair. He should never have come into the fields alone.
He should never have invited Mia here, even though this week had been one of the best he could remember.
Everything was changing too quickly. Things were spinning out of his control.
And he had work to do.