Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
"You know, weddings aren't usually my thing," I said, staring out at all the people dancing, eating, chatting, and generally having a wonderful time, "but you really managed to pull this off."
"We pulled it off," Stacia replied and held her fist out to me.
"What's that?"
"Just bump it."
"I don't think so," I said.
"Freya, come on."
Stacia raised her brows, fist still lifted.
"Fine." I rolled my eyes, tapping my fist to hers which made her whoop. "But only because it's Mom's day, and you really did knock it out of the park."
"Thank you." Her whole face sparkled when she smiled like she was now. "And again, I couldn't have done this without you."
"I'm pretty sure you could have."
"Hey, you made some of those party favors too, sis."
I gave a quiet sigh at that. "Yes, the imperfect ones."
"Please, sis, they're all perfect. I made sure of it."
"Stacia, we've talked about this. I thought we agreed to stick to real names only. 'Sis' sounds too happy family. Don't you agree?"
"Totally," she said.
I nodded.
"I got you. It's all good, queen."
Stacia liked to call everyone that, so I didn't object. I thought of it as her way of giving each person she met an imaginary crown. And who wouldn't want that?
The outdoor space was green and lush. Glancing up, I took in the white tent and draped fabric above our heads.
The pink, white, and gold flower arrangements that served as centerpieces for each table were understated but lovely.
And I saw a lot of smiling faces as well as several flower crowns resting on guests' heads.
"Looks like the crowns are a hit," I commented.
"Mmm"—Stacia reached over to adjust mine, made sure my hair fell right too, before leaning back—"yes, I think people like them. You look gorgeous by the way."
"Thank you. You look beautiful too—but you know that already," I said.
"Believe it or not, I don't. It's always nice to hear the good, so thanks."
Stacia, I was learning, was one of those beautiful people who genuinely didn't know that they were beautiful.
It was a sad thing really. I wanted her to see herself as everyone else did.
But it wasn't like she had low self-esteem.
She wasn't totally unaware. She simply had self-doubts like every person I'd ever met—including myself.
"Why do we do that?" I asked.
"What?" she said.
"Need other people to tell us we're awesome."
"I don't think we need it. But it's nice to be appreciated."
"I appreciate me," I said. "You appreciate you. Shouldn't that be enough?"
Stacia barked a laugh. "Freya, we are at a wedding right now. We can't solve self-doubt in one evening."
"You're right, queen."
She stared at me, looking very pleased with herself. "I think I'm rubbing off on you."
"I think"—I linked my arm with hers—"that we should go dance."
"We will, Freya, but later. Right now, I have to go check on the cake and make sure no one has gotten into the sparklers."
Glancing at something behind me, her smile turned mischievous.
"And I think there's someone else who's been waiting to dance with you."
I turned around and locked gazes with Tolliver, standing on the other side of the dance floor.
"Go get him, sis," she said before patting my shoulder and disappearing into the crowd.
I raised a brow.
And waited.
Getting the message, Tolliver shook his head and smiled—then he started to walk toward me.
Glided might've been a better word.
He moved so smoothly, stared at me so intently, I couldn't look away.
At some point, Tolliver had rolled up his shirt sleeves.
The sun was only starting to set, and the day had been a hot one.
I couldn't blame him for ditching the black suit jacket—though it had looked amazing on him.
He'd left the top two buttons open on his white collared shirt.
Again, not mad about that. At all. But the sight of those toned forearms, the way he tucked his hands nonchalantly into his pockets, and how that accentuated the muscles living there.
Tolliver had no idea what he was doing.
Forearms were a body part beloved by historical romance readers everywhere.
And his were stunning.
He stopped by my side and stared down at me.
"What were you just thinking?" he asked.
"Nothing," I hedged.
"Freya, I know something was running around in that head of yours. Your face is still pink."
As he caressed my cheek, I swatted his hand away.
"I thought we agreed to be honest with each other from now on."
Huffing out a breath, I said, "Fine. You have nice forearms."
"What?" He laughed.
"Your forearms," I repeated, feeling even more heat rush to my cheeks. "They're very strong, defined, and stunning—Tolliver! I'm not going to be honest if all you're going to do is laugh at me."
The hockey player shook his head, getting himself back under control.
"Sorry," he said, wiping what I suspected was a tear from his eye. "I wasn't expecting that."
"Well, you asked."
"Did it make you think of Mr. Darcy?"
My jaw dropped as I met his gaze. There was a definite twinkle in those sky blues.
"Or maybe the Duke of Falconbridge?"
"You—oh my God, you knew exactly what you were doing," I accused.
"I did," he admitted. "It was worth it to watch your face."
"Jerk." Jamming my shoulder into his side, he pretended like it hurt when I absolutely knew it didn't. "Oh please, you're fine."
"I don't know," Tolliver said, still rubbing his ribs. "With hits like that, you might need to give up violin. Start playing hockey instead."
I laughed quietly, went to knock into him again, but he caught me around the waist and turned me to face him.
"Hi," he said softly.
"Hi," I replied. "Did you want something?"
"To dance with my girlfriend. She's been playing most of the reception, so I've barely had a chance to talk to her."
In my stomach, butterflies took flight, but I pretended to look around. "Do you see her anywhere? Because I think she may still be mad at you for the stunt you just pulled."
"No, you're not," he said.
No, I wasn't.
"But if you are, maybe now's the time to give you your presents."
My ears perked up at that. "Presents?" I repeated.
Tolliver grinned and pulled something out of his pocket. He handed me the folded piece of paper with a shy grin. As I opened the page, taking note of the dates and locations, every one of which was either at our local rink or what I assumed was a rival school's, I knew exactly what it was.
"This is your hockey schedule," I said to which he nodded. "You printed it out for me?"
"I want you at my games," he said then ran a hand through his hair. "That is if you want to be there."
"I do, Stone. You know, I do."
"Cool."
"I'll make it to as many as I can," I promised.
The joy in his expression made me want to swoon. Refolding and tucking the schedule into the front of my dress, I looked up to find Tolliver watching me. His eyes were still glued to my cleavage, so I tipped his chin up to look into my eyes.
"You said presents. As in more than one?"
"Ah, yeah," he said, shaking himself out of it. "Here you go."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out—
"A bear," I said, smiling. "And she has a little bow and violin!"
"Mmm, she's also wearing a flower crown—which I know isn't always what you wear. But—"
"I love her."
"Really?"
"Yes!" Hugging the bear to my chest, I said, "Does she have a name?"
"Mrs. Bear." He laughed at the same time I did. "And her first name is Treya."
"Do you think Mr. and Mrs. Bear will be happy together?"
"I hope so," he said.
Perfect.
This was so perfect, I couldn't even find the words.
"Thank you, Tolliver," I said.
"You're welcome."
He held out his hand.
"Freya, will you dance with me?"
"You know I will."
After placing my bear in a safe place (i.e. Tolliver's discarded suit jacket pocket), Tolliver smiled as he led me out to the center of the floor. He placed one of my hands on his shoulder and held the other up to his chest. His left hand curled around my waist, and I took an unsteady inhale.
My mom, who was sitting at the main table chatting with her new husband Eric (aka Stacia's dad and my new stepfather), smiled and waved to me.
Dad was around here somewhere too. I scanned the room and spotted him talking to a woman I'd never seen before.
She was pretty, and she laughed at something he said, which made him grin.
I caught his gaze, waggled my brows, and Dad merely rolled his eyes.
Several couples danced beside us, and maybe it was a trick of the light, some kind of wedding haze, but every face I saw looked happy.
"There's so much love in this room," I said.
"Yeah," Tolliver replied. "There is."
The tone of his voice made me look up.
His eyes were already on me.
"Freya, I need to say something."
I nodded for him to go on.
"I know a part of you still thinks that what I said to you in my room was because I was sick or out of it from the medicine," he said. "But that's not true."
"I don't think that."
Tolliver arched a disbelieving brow, and okay. Maybe a teeny, tiny part of me thought that. But it was only because he hadn't said those three little words to me again. Not in all the time we spent together in the weeks leading up to the wedding.
I hadn't wanted to bring it up.
Was content to simply be with him. To know I had said my piece.
But here was Tolliver, staring down at me with so much genuine affection. I could do nothing but listen and wait.
"You are beautiful," he said, "so beautiful, sometimes it steals my breath."
I couldn't have interrupted even if I wanted to. What he said and how he said it stole the air from my lungs.
"Your music is just like you. That violin is magic in your hands. I don't know how you do it, but every note makes me see you. Makes me see that fire inside you so clearly. Again, you're magic, Freya."
My eyes started to fill, but I refused to let the tears fall and ruin this moment.
"My high school years were spent hoping I could find some way to run into you. Not literally. I'm still sorry about what happened with the basketball." He took a deep breath. "I knew that, if you'd only look back at me, I would make you fall for me."
"So confident," I said.
"You know it."
"Almost cocky."
"Maybe a little bit, but you like it."
I did.
Confidence bordering on cocky looked damn good on Tolliver.
"Anyway, what I'm try to say is...I was into you then. I thought that was love. But now that I know you, I can say, without any doubt, I love you, Freya Kent."
Tears started running in rivers down my cheeks, and Tolliver wiped them away gently with his fingers.
"I'm in love with you," he said quietly as we swayed to the music. "I'm going to cheer you on at all your concerts, watch you beat all those other violinists' asses." A watery laugh escaped my lips, and he smiled. "Like I said, I want you at my games. And you can be as loud as you want."
"Careful what you wish for," I warned.
"I'm not scared."
He sent me another one of those heart-stopping smiles.
"And you shouldn't be either. Because I love you," he said.
Tolliver waited for my reply, but I had no words. I was gone, so gone. From what he told me, he was too, though. So like he said, hopefully, we were in this together.
"Say something, Kent. I'm dying over here."
I bit my lips on a grin. "And they call me the dramatic one."
"Freya."
"That was a beautiful confession," I said. "One of the best I've heard."
Tolliver arched a brow. "One of the best?"
"Well yeah, Stone, I've read tons of them. You've seen my bookshelves."
"I've reorganized them too. Multiple times," he grumbled.
Turning his face to mine, I said, "Yours was my favorite."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," I said, moving closer. "Now, would you kiss me already? I feel like I've been waiting for this moment forever."
"Love when you tell me what to do," he murmured.
Tolliver's lips touched mine, and I pulled him closer, kissing him with all the love in my heart. Warmth filled me from where our lips connected. It felt like my body was made of sparks. They ignited whenever he was near, and I loved every second of it. Loved him so fiercely.
It was the only happy ending I wanted.
And the best I could've ever wished for.