Chapter 52 Javier
Fifty-Two
Javier
Deke and Davina’s wedding was food for the soul for many of us. I had never seen my best friend smile so much, or seen him look at a woman with so much adoration in his eyes. Davina was perfect for him.
During the reception, I watched the bride and groom share a dance, holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes. Deke said something that made Davina throw her head back and laugh. I prayed they’d continue laughing like that together for the rest of their lives.
They swayed to “Saving All My Love for You,” and as Whitney Houston belted out her lyrics, my eyes shifted to Octavia, who was sitting at one of the tables, with Aleesa on her lap. Both of them watched the newlyweds with stars in their eyes.
I smiled, and as if Octavia could feel someone looking at her, her eyes swiveled my way. Her lips quirked up, and she raised a hand to her lips to blow me a kiss. I caught it and tucked it into my pocket.
The dance came to an end, and everyone cheered for the couple. Then the DJ produced livelier music for everyone to join in.
Octavia placed Aleesa on her feet before grabbing her hand. “I’m going to run her to the restroom,” she said.
“Okay.”
She walked past me, but not without pushing up on her toes and laying a kiss on my cheek.
I watched her walk away, her hips swaying in that orange dress.
Seriously. She looked good. If Aleesa weren’t here, I’d have run her back to the main house, found one of the empty rooms, and had my way with her.
“You’re so smitten.” Catalina stood at my side.
I glanced sideways at her as she sipped from a champagne flute.
“Who even says that?” I laughed. “Smitten.”
“Um, you’re dating a bookworm. You might want to embrace that word.”
I couldn’t help my smirk. “Sure.”
“I’m going to take Aleesa to the hotel so you and your girlfriend can have some alone time.”
“You do not have to do that, Cat.” I waved a hand. “It is fine. Aleesa will probably not be tired for another hour or so.”
My sister turned her head to pin her eyes on me, planting a hand on my shoulder. “I wasn’t asking. Octavia deserves to enjoy her sister’s reception, and you deserve to have fun with her and your best friend without worrying about Leesa. You’ll thank me later.”
“But don’t you want to enjoy the reception?”
She scoffed. “I don’t think I’ve ever told you this, but I’m not a wedding person. In fact, I don’t even really like them. I just tolerate them. They’re overrated.”
“So why’d you come?” I laughed.
“Because only a fool would deny an invitation to one of the most famous basketball players’ weddings.”
“Understandable.”
“I’ll run to the ladies’ room to let Octavia know I’ll be taking Aleesa.” She gave my cheek a squeeze. She knew I hated when she did that, and I started to say so, until she said, “I love you, hermano. Have fun, okay?”
My face softened. “Te quiero, Catalina.”
She downed the rest of her champagne before placing the empty flute down on a nearby table. I watched her go until she rounded the corner for the restrooms.
I stopped by one of the open bars for a neat whiskey before making my way across the room to where Deke and Davina were speaking to a few of their guests.
Deke spotted me and excused himself from one of the people he was talking to, then he pressed a hand to Davina’s back and led her my way.
“Big J.” Deke greeted me with a dap and a brotherly hug. “You enjoying yourself?”
“I am. You did not have to stop your conversation for me, you know?”
“Oh, trust me, that was not for you,” Deke said. “That couple would’ve talked our heads off all night.”
“Really?” Davina asked, glancing over her shoulder at the older couple.
“Oh, yeah. They’re friends of my mom’s, and you know that woman can talk.”
“I can’t wait to tell your mom you said that.” Davina pretended to walk off, but Deke caught her by the arm and reeled her back in.
“You’re my wife now. You can’t snitch on me.”
She laughed as he hugged her around the waist and kissed her.
“I would never.”
They kissed again.
“Should I give you two some space or . . .”
Davina giggled, playfully pushing Deke away so he’d stop trying to kiss her.
“Deke Bishop!” someone called, and Deke peered over his shoulder to see his manager, Arnold. “Congrats, big guy!”
Arnold made his way toward us.
Deke sighed. “Let me chat him up really quick.” He dropped a kiss on Davina’s forehead this time. “I’ll be back for you, wifey.”
When Deke took off, Davina let out a dreamy sigh and shook her head.
“Congratulations, Davina.” I raised my glass her way.
“Thank you, Javier.” She faced me, clinging to a half-empty glass of champagne. “I’m really glad you’re here.”
“Of course. I would not have missed it for the world.”
She continued a smile, darting her gaze to Deke. “I just hope I can keep him happy, you know?”
“Why do you say that?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” She inhaled, then exhaled. “He’s such an amazing man, but he has his battles, you know?”
“I do.” I nodded. “But now that he has you, he will not face those battles alone.”
“That’s true.” She turned her eyes to the ceiling. “It’s just so crazy how life happens, you know? One minute you feel like the saddest, most hopeless person on the planet, and then it turns into this.” She lifted a hand, gesturing to the entire venue.
“It is bittersweet at first,” I admitted.
“Yes. And I will never say that to him, but I can confess this to you because you get it. It’s not easy moving on.”
“No,” I agreed. “It is not. Some days I feel like I do not deserve to move on.”
“Same,” she murmured. “But we do deserve it. You deserve it.” She grabbed my hand and gave it a friendly squeeze.
“Octavia is head over heels for you, and she loves you so much. And one thing about my sister is that she’ll be there no matter what.
You can count on her for anything. So take care of her, okay?
” Davina’s eyes watered. “Because she deserves to be loved too.”
“Yes. She does.” As I said that, I looked to my right, and Octavia was making her way to us. Her face was calm, and she was so beautiful beneath the dim gold lighting. “Your sister will be taken care of, Davina.”
“Promise?”
I looked into her eyes. “I promise that and more.”
“Good.” She released my hand and sniffled. “Let me blink these tears away before she starts acting like my mama.”
I chuckled as she turned a fraction, and Octavia finally made it to my side.
“Cat has run off with your daughter,” she informed me, hooking an arm through mine.
“Has she?” I pressed my lips. “I guess that just leaves you and me, then.” I leaned down to kiss her cheek.
“Vina?” Octavia tilted her head to look at her sister.
“Hmm?” Davina was avoiding looking at her.
Octavia pulled away from me to step in front of her sister. “Were you crying?”
“No! What are you talking about? No one’s crying.”
“Yes, you were!”
She unleashed a laugh. “Okay, fine, but it’s because today has been so amazing.”
“Aww, sis. Was it everything you dreamed it would be?”
“Oh, it was more, Tavia. Definitely so much more.”
Octavia hugged her sister.
“Oh, Lord.” Davina looked past Octavia, and I noticed she had her attention on Deke, who was now surrounded by several people. All of them seemed to be asking questions at the same time. He looked at Davina with wide eyes that screamed Help me, and she covered her mouth to suppress a laugh.
“I’d better get over there and whisk him away.” She was already walking away. “Enjoy yourselves! I’ll catch up with you in a bit.”
When she was a good distance away and Octavia had returned to my side, I said, “She looks very happy.”
“She is. Deliriously so.”
The music changed to a slower tempo, and Octavia squealed before snatching my drink out of my hand and placing it on a nearby table.
“I love this song.” She grabbed one of my hands and tugged on it. “Dance with me—wait, you do know how to dance, right?”
“Absolutely not. But I will learn for you.”
She grinned as she led the way to the dance floor. I placed one hand on her waist while holding the other, then brought her closer so we were chest to chest.
In my periphery, I saw other couples find their way to the dance floor, but I kept my focus on the woman in front of me. I leaned down just enough for my mouth to graze her earlobe.
“I am not sure what my life would be like right now if you were not in it.” My voice was low and softer than usual.
I leaned back again, just in time to see she was blushing.
“You’d probably have some other woman on this dance floor with you.”
“I doubt it.”
“Yeah. I doubt it, too, actually. You’re way too stubborn.”
We laughed.
She reached up to hold one side of my face, caressing her thumb over the apple of my cheek. “I love seeing you like this.”
“Like what?”
“So . . . free and happy.”
“Is that really what you see?”
“Yes. When I first met you, your eyes were so cloudy, and I’m not kidding when I say I worried for you. I hardly knew you, but I did worry because I could only imagine how hard your life was.”
I shrugged. “It has not all been so bad.”
“No. But it hasn’t been kind to you either.”
“Well . . . life isn’t very kind to anyone these days. But the beauty of it is that with the right people around, there is a balm to smooth out those rocky days.”
“I love that. You know, sometimes I think . . .” she started, but clamped her mouth shut just as quickly and lowered her gaze to my chest. “Never mind.”
I tipped her chin back up with my forefinger. “Tell me.”
She stared into my eyes a moment, then sighed. “Sometimes I think I won’t be able to live up to what you had with Eloise.”
That shocked me to hear. “Octavia . . .”
She pursed her lips.
“I do not expect you to live up to anyone or anything. It does not matter what I had with her. What matters is what I have with you right now and in the future.” I gripped her chin between my fingers and leaned down to place a soft kiss on her lips.
“That is all I care about right now. Us. I am hopeful for what is ahead—excited, even. I am ready to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Her mouth quivered as she held on to the hand I had on her cheek. “Please don’t tell me this only to change your mind about me later.”
“Would you stop?” I pleaded with a small laugh. “I love you, Octavia Klein. I love you, and I want only you. If I have to repeat those words to you every single day in order for you to believe me, I will.”
A breath of relief left her while she nodded.
The song transitioned as she raised both her arms to hang them over my shoulders. Our mouths met at the same time. Her lips were so supple and sweet.
“Okay,” she said between kisses. “Do it. Tell me you love me every day so I can repeat the same words to you.”