Promised Gifts

by Elena Aitken

  Nick smiled, the decision made. “I just can’t wait to show you our moves. We’ve been practicing, haven’t we, Missy?”

  She looked as if she might cry, but she nodded instead. “We have,” she agreed. “And I think you’re going to be impressed.”

  Nick gave her shoulders a squeeze, wishing desperately he could just pull her into his arms right there and kiss away all the pain he’d seen in her eyes, and the hurt—that despite her best efforts—was all over her face for anyone to see if they weren’t too busy looking at the happy couple.

  But it wasn’t the right time.

  Not yet.

  “Well, I can’t wait,” Jenny said moments before their quiet moment was over. The blonde, loud, and totally in control wedding planner appeared and directed them all toward the photographer. Reluctantly, Nick released Missy’s shoulders and walked in the direction they’d been ordered to go, following behind the women.

  Jake grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “Did you need to tell me something, man?”

  Nick shook his head.

  “It seemed like you might have something to say. Don’t tell me your dad called and—”

  “No way.” His best friend knew him too well. “It’s nothing,” Nick said. “And don’t worry about my dad, or China, or anything else. I wouldn’t miss tonight for anything.”

  “Good.” Jake slapped him on the back. “I’m really glad you’re here, man. You’re my brother.”

  Nick nodded. His brother.

  Hopefully he’d still feel that way by the end of the night.

  Chapter Ten

  “It was a beautiful ceremony, wasn’t it?” Marissa’s Aunt Caroline greeted her at the reception with a hug and a smile. They had a few minutes after the photos to grab a drink, before the bride and groom were announced and the reception would start. It had been a busy day, and Marissa was looking forward to a quick glass of wine before her speech, but she hadn’t even made it to the bar before getting stopped by her family. “I just can’t believe little Jakey is all grown up and got married. I remember when you two were just running around naked in the sprinkler.”

  Marissa laughed. “I know it’s hard to believe,” she said. “And it really was such a perfect day.”

  “And you look gorgeous, dear.” Aunt Caroline squeezed her hand. “Maybe soon it will be your wedding we’re attending?”

  Marissa forced a smile. It hadn’t been the first comment from her extended family. “Maybe someday,” she said. “I really should be—”

  “Oh, Marissa, you have to meet Bert Wallace’s boy.” Her aunt started to drag her away from the bar and in the direction of a group of people, presumably one of them Bert Wallace’s boy, whoever that was. “I think he’ll be just perfect for you. Maybe it will be a match.”

  “Oh, Aunt Caroline, I really—”

  “Nonsense,” she interrupted. “You need to put yourself out there if you’re ever going to—”

  “There you are.” Nick’s voice saved her, followed by his hand on her back, a touch that sent heat racing through her. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Gently, he pulled Marissa away from her aunt and when she turned to give him a grateful look, he placed a glass of white wine in her hand. “I thought you could use this.”

  Grateful, Marissa took the glass and immediately took a sip.

  “I’m so sorry,” Nick said to her aunt, “but I really need to borrow Marissa.”

  She shrugged apologetically. “The duties of a maid of honor are never done.”

  “Absolutely. You go, dear. We’ll catch up later.”

  Marissa gave her aunt a quick kiss on the cheek. “Of course.”

  “And don’t forget about Bert Wallace’s boy.”

  “I...ummm...”

  “We really should get going.” Nick gently steered her away.

  When they were a safe distance away, Nick leaned down to whisper in her ear. “You’re welcome.”

  “For what exactly?”

  “Saving you, of course.”

  Despite herself, she laughed.

  “And don’t worry,” he added. “I’ll make sure to personally deliver you to Bert Wallace’s boy.”

  She smacked his arm. “You wouldn’t.”

  Nick stopped and spun her so she had no choice but to look at him. “Only if you wanted to,” he said with sincerity. “I just want you to be happy.”

  She could see there was so much more that he wasn’t saying. But before either of them could say anything, the lights blinked, which was their cue. The bride and groom would be ready to enter the reception anytime, which meant their rest time was over. They both still had more duties to attend to, including delivering their speeches, and of course, the dance.

  “We should go.” Marissa pulled away and adjusted her dress.

  “Wait.” He reached out to stop her and Marissa turned.

  She was immediately struck by how hard it was to look him in the eye. It hurt her heart to look at him and know that somehow she needed to be able to move past whatever feelings she had or thought she had for him.

  It was time.

  “We have to go,” she said again, and turned quickly to slip from his grasp.

  * * *

  He should have told her right then and there how he felt about her, but he couldn’t find the words. And finally when he thought maybe he could just say it, it was too late and she was gone.

  The day had completely gotten away from him, but there was no way he was going to let the night end without knowing one way or another whether she felt the same way that he did.

  He’d given up his career for her, not that it mattered. It had taken him way too long to realize it, but Nick knew with no uncertainty that he would give anything for Missy. Anything at all. And he was going to tell her that, too.

  But first he needed to find the right time.

  He managed to focus on the wedding long enough to clap and cheer and raise a glass in toast at the appropriate times, and then finally it was his turn to get up and say a few words.

  Nick was no stranger to public speaking. In fact, his job required him to make presentations almost weekly. At least it used to. Whether he had a job to go back to or not wasn’t the point and he couldn’t worry about it. Not when he needed to focus on making the best speech of his life.

  Jake deserved it.

  He walked slowly up to the podium, taking the time to compose himself and gather his thoughts. Speaking in front of large crowds might be old hat, but that didn’t mean he was any less nervous.

  Because all of his corporate presentations lacked one thing.

  Missy.

  He didn’t even have to look to know she was watching him closely. He could feel her eyes on him and that made him nervous as hell.

  Nick cleared his throat and tapped the microphone, a move he immediately regretted as the speakers squealed in protest. There were a few snickers around the room but he ignored them. He pulled a folded piece of paper from his suit jacket, unfolded it carefully and looked up.

  Right at Missy.

  He smiled and forced himself to focus on the matter at hand.

  “Good evening,” he started. “Today I had the great pleasure of standing next to this man while he married the love of his life. And let me tell you, it was a pleasure to watch, because there were times when I wasn’t sure this day would ever come.”

  That comment brought laughter, and he knew he had the crowd. After a few more jokes about Jake, it was time for Nick to get down to business.

  “With all seriousness though,” he said, and waited for the room to recover from his last story about the two of them in high school. “I really did hope this day would come for Jake, because even though I’m the one standing up here as the best man, it’s Jake who truly is the best man I know. It’s been my privilege over the years to grow up with him, get in trouble with him, and watch him turn into one of the strongest, most successful men I know, with the kindest heart.” There were a few aw’s from
around the room. Nick turned to look at his best friend and continued. “I’ve never been able to define our relationship with the simple word of friend. It just doesn’t seem like enough to describe what we share together. You’ve always been more of a brother and I’m proud to call you that.” Nick turned to Jenny. “It was always going to take a special woman to be worthy of my brother, and I knew the moment he introduced me to you, Jenny. You were it. Not only are you beautiful, smart, kind and loving—you can put up with him.”

  More laughter.

  “Seriously. You two are amazing and I wish you all the love and happiness this life has to offer you. It’s my hope that one day...” Nick’s eyes locked with Missy’s. He caught himself before it became obvious that he’d gotten lost in her and cleared his throat before he continued. “That one day I’ll experience the same,” he managed to finish. “If you’ll join me in raising a glass to the happy couple. To Jake and Jenny.”

  “To Jake and Jenny!” everyone chorused. But Nick didn’t notice because he was too busy watching Missy, who was staring at him. She smiled when she caught him looking. But it didn’t reach her eyes and that killed him.

  * * *

  After Nick, it was Marissa’s turn. She didn’t know Jenny nearly as well as Nick and Jake knew each other, so there were far fewer personal stories, but the sentiment was the same and when Marissa raised a glass in a toast to her new sister, more than a few people shed a tear. Including Marissa.

  The day had been an emotional one for so many reasons. And it was far from over. The hardest part was yet to come.

  The dance.

  She’d done a good job not thinking about it for most of the day—at least not too much—but it couldn’t be avoided forever. And with the speeches over and the first dance about to start, the time was quickly approaching.

  “Are you ready for this?”

  Nick appeared next to her side as if he’d read her mind.

  She nodded.

  “We don’t have to do it if you really don’t want to, you know?” Marissa turned to give him an “are you completely out of your mind” look. “Okay, you’re right. We have to do it,” he conceded. “It is Jake and Jenny.”

  She turned back to where the newlyweds were walking out on the dance floor. “Exactly,” she said. “And it’s about them. Not us.”

  “It’s kind of about us.”

  Had he really just said that?

  She gave him a confused look but he only shrugged and said, “You know it is.”

  “I don’t know that, actually.”

  But she did. At least a little bit. Her favorite movie had always been Dirty Dancing but not just because of Patrick Swayze’s moves that had every teenage girl swooning. It was mostly because of the one night when she was fifteen, sick with strep throat, unable to go to the school dance, and feeling sorry for herself. She’d curled up on the couch and turned on the movie that always made her feel better when Nick had walked in. He’d come to pick up Jake to go to the dance, but he’d taken one look at her and plopped down on the couch right next to her.

  Jake had gone to the dance on his own that night and despite the fact that she’d had a fever and it hurt to swallow water, Marissa had the best night of her life.

  It was the night she’d officially fallen in love with Nick Slater.

  But there was no way Nick could know that and there was definitely no way Jake and Jenny could know.

  Could they?

  But there was no time to ask Nick or say anything else because the music was starting and the happy couple started moving around the floor.

  They were beautiful and the way they looked into each other’s eyes brought a tear to Marissa’s eye.

  And then another.

  It didn’t take long before she couldn’t stop the stream of tears rolling down her face.

  “Hey.” Nick put his arm around her and pulled her close. She tried not to but she inhaled his scent and leaned into his touch. How was it that everything about Nick felt so right when it was still so wrong? It didn’t seem fair. “You’re not supposed to cry.” He leaned in and whispered in her ear. “It’s a happy day.”

  “It’s the happiest.” Marissa wished she believed those words just a little bit more. At least as far as she was concerned. “I’m not sad.” Another lie.

  “I’m glad to hear it.” He squeezed her shoulder a little more in a brotherly jostle. It was enough to jar her into reality. Because the reality was that her teenage dreams about being with Nick Slater were never going to come true. He was never going to see her as more than a little sister.

  But the way he kissed her.

  She shook her head and pulled away from him. The kisses didn’t matter. No matter what she’d managed to tell herself, they weren’t real. All she had to do was get through the dance. She only had to survive a few minutes of being close to him, letting him hold her in his arms and spin her around the dance floor. She could do it.

  Marissa took a deep breath and focused on Jake and Jenny. They had practically stopped moving and were simply staring into each other’s eyes, swaying to the rhythm of the music. Marissa couldn’t help the little smile that tickled her lips because she knew how long Jenny and Jake had practiced their dance so it would be perfect. Another tear came to her eye when she realized that all of the practicing in the world couldn’t have prepared them for that moment. The way they were looking at each other, so much love in their eyes, their dance was perfect.

  A moment later, it was over and the DJ was back on the microphone, announcing Nick and Marissa.

  Nick took a step back and extended his hand gallantly. “Missy? May I have this dance?”

  She couldn’t help but giggle a little as she wiped the last trace of the tear away from her eye. “You know you can.”

  She might as well try to enjoy herself. After all, it was Nick and they were at Jake’s wedding. Despite everything that had happened between them—and not happened—there was no one else Marissa could imagine dancing with in that moment.

  Her knees shook as they walked to the center of the dance floor. Nick stood behind her and reflexively she leaned back into him a little bit. When they’d rehearsed the dance a few nights earlier, they thought it would be funny if they started the dance the same way Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey did in the movie, so when the familiar strains of the song floated through the air, Nick lifted her arm and traced his fingers up her bare skin.

  Marissa thought she might come completely undone. Fortunately, when he reached her hand, Nick clenched it tightly and spun her out quickly to a cheer from the audience.

  Neither of them were talented enough dancers to replicate the entire famous dance from the movie, but they moved together easily and before long, Marissa was completely lost in the moment, in the song, the dance, and in Nick.

  The song began to wind down and Nick spun her out one more time before he pulled her in tight. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

  “Missy, I need to—”

  “No.” She shook her head. It had been a perfect dance. The best way she could think of to close that chapter of her life and move on. “Please don’t say anything. We’re dancing.”

  He didn’t loosen his grip. “I need to tell you—”

  “Let’s hear it for the gorgeous maid of honor and the best man!” The DJ’s announcement caused the distraction she needed and Marissa slipped out of Nick’s arms just as the dance floor began to fill up with wedding guests who were more than ready to get the party started.

  The party might only just be getting started, but the last thing Marissa felt like doing was celebrating.

  Chapter Eleven

  “You looked great out there.” Audrey had managed to corner Nick when he’d tried to go looking for Missy. “You’re quite the dancer.”

  “Thank you.” He tried to look around Audrey’s shoulder, without appearing too rude, but he needed to find Missy. Holding her in his arms on the dance floor had felt so right, as if his bo
dy had been made to be with hers.

  He needed to tell her how he felt. And he hoped like hell it wasn’t too late.

  “Maybe we could share a dance this evening?” She batted her eyelashes and popped her hip out to the side.

  It’s not that she wasn’t an attractive woman. She was.

  But she wasn’t Missy.

  Damn. It had always been Missy. It always would be.

  “Maybe,” he said hesitantly. “But I really do have to...” He spotted her. She was seated at a table with her parents and a few other relatives. She was nodding at something someone was saying, but the smile he so loved to see on her beautiful face was nowhere in sight.

  He needed to change that.

  “Would you excuse me?” Without waiting for a response, he slipped away and made his way first toward the DJ booth. With the party just getting started, Nick knew it wouldn’t be an easy sell, but he was prepared to do whatever it took. As it turned out, it only took a twenty dollar bill and a quick explanation as to what he was trying to do in order to have his request heard.

  Next, with his eyes locked on his target, Nick walked directly to the table where the family he’d always thought of as his own was sitting. What he was about to do could potentially destroy everything, but it was a risk he had to take.

  “Excuse me.” He interrupted the conversation. “I’m sorry to interrupt.”

  “Nick.” Alan stood and grabbed an empty chair, dragging it over. “Sit with us. Your speech was excellent.”

  He ignored the extra chair and continued to stand.

  “It really was,” Patrice chimed in. “What a lovely tribute to your relationship with Jake. You two really are like brothers. Always have been.”

  Nick swallowed hard, but the lump in his throat wouldn’t budge.

  “You should know, Nick,” Alan said. “We’ve always thought of you like another son.”

  He again attempted to swallow before abandoning the idea. “Thank you,” he said instead. “You all are so very important to me as well.” His gaze landed on Missy. She blushed, and something that looked like pain crossed her face.