by Kelly, Amber
“Myer, look,” Beau calls when he spots him. “I have on a tie too!”
“I see that. You look sharp,” he says as he reaches our seats.
“I know,” Beau agrees.
Obviously, I have not done well at teaching him modesty.
“You look beautiful,” he says as he leans in and kisses my cheek.
“Thank you.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Henderson,” he greets my parents.
“Hello, Myer. Have you seen that wayward son of mine?” Momma asks.
“I believe he pulled in behind us. He should be here any minute.”
“That boy will be late for his own funeral,” Momma complains.
The DJ starts to play “It Had to Be You,” the Harry Connick Jr. version, and calls Sophie and Braxton to the dance floor.
“Oh, I bet he’s gonna love this,” Myer says.
He folds his arms across his chest, and we all watch them make their way to the floor.
Braxton takes her hand, quickly twirls her, and pulls her into him, and then they start slow-dancing to the music.
“Damn, he looks like a natural out there. He’s been holding out on us,” I say in astonishment.
“Right?”
I look up to see Charlotte standing beside me. I guess I know what was keeping Payne.
My brother is behind her with his eyes on the happy couple too.
“Ha, he just never wanted you girls drunkenly pulling him on the dance floor at Fast Breaks and pawing all over him,” Payne says.
“That was probably smart,” I admit because I would have done just that.
“I’d better go join the family and eat before the beer starts flowing,” Myer says as he slaps Payne on the shoulder. Then, he looks back down at me. “Save me a dance,” he says with a wink before walking over to his seat.
I let out a breath.
I have no idea how to act or feel around him.
I reach for my glass and take a gulp. I guess I’ll just drink this fancy wine and let whatever happens happen.
Dallas
After dessert is served, the waiter brings around glasses of champagne.
We’re all mingling now, mixing, sitting, and chatting at all the tables.
I sit down beside Vivian and introduce myself to Sophie’s stepdad, Stanhope, who footed the bill for this shindig, before he excuses himself to take a phone call.
“I’ll be right back, sweetheart,” he says as he kisses her cheek and walks out of the tent.
“That man is always working,” Vivian says with a shrug. It doesn’t seem to bother her in the least. “What do you think of the champagne?” she asks.
I look down at the glass in my hand. “It’s really good. Not as sweet as I’m used to, but I think I like that, and the bubbles are tickling my nose,” I say.
She smiles. “The bubbles are the key to a good champagne,” she educates me.
I look down into my glass. “Hmm, good to know,” I say before taking another sip.
To everyone’s surprise, Braxton walks up to the DJ and takes a microphone.
This should be good.
“Is he that drunk?” I ask Walker, who is sitting beside Elle across from us.
“Maybe. We have had him drinking all day.” He shrugs.
“Oh, Jesus.” I start to stand, but Vivian puts her hand on my knee.
“Let him talk, dear,” she says as she watches Sophie.
Sophie has a look of unbridled love and expectation on her face.
“Um, hey, everyone,” he starts as he nervously looks around the crowd. “I’m not one to give toasts or speeches. I even refused to write my own vows because I didn’t want to have to share that in front of a bunch of strangers, but I have just enough shine in me tonight.”
He grins, and we all laugh. Damn, he is beautiful, especially when he lets his guard down.
He waits for us to settle and continues, “I’m not good with words, so instead, I’m going to quote one of my favorite movie characters, the ever-eloquent Rocky Balboa.”
More laughter.
“When Rocky decides he wants to marry the love of his life—the lovely Adrian—her brother, Paulie, asks him why he wants to marry his sister. Rocky answers his question with—fills gaps. Paulie doesn’t get it, so Rock explains. He says that she has gaps and he has gaps and together, they fill gaps.’
He takes a drink from the glass in his hand and continues, “I understand those words because that was me. I was walking around as a man full of gaps for a long time. I’ve had good people come into my life who have loved me and tried to fill them, but it wasn’t until a beautiful, sexy, pain-in-the-ass princess in ridiculous shoes came waltzing into my life that I felt whole again.”
He raises his glass in Sophie’s direction. “You fill my gaps, baby, and I’m going to spend the rest of my life trying to fill all of yours. I love you.”
As we all raise our glasses in toast with him, Sophie stands, runs, and leaps into his arms.
I look beside me, and tears are streaming down Vivian’s face, just like they are on mine.
“Well,” she says as she wipes at her cheeks, “that was unexpected.”
“Yep, that boy can surprise us sometimes. Sophie is very lucky,” I agree.
“He is very much like Jefferson. He loved me like that,” she muses.
I turn to face her, and she has a bittersweet look on her face as she looks in Jefferson and Madeline’s direction.
“My Sophia, well, she’s not like me at all. She’ll be able to appreciate that and hold on to it. Give it back to him and not destroy it the way I did.”
“You’re not the only one to royally mess it up the first time. I think some of us just aren’t meant for marriage,” I confess.
“Oh, Dallas, that’s not what I’m saying at all, sweetheart,” she says as she grasps my hand in hers. “I loved Jeff, and I tried to put myself in a box to be what he wanted me to be in order to hold on to that love. I just never really fit in there. I was suffocating. Then, Sophia came along, and instead of making things better, the box just felt smaller. While we were filling Jefferson’s gaps, mine got bigger and bigger.”
I know how that feels.
“That’s me. I’m one big, cavernous gap. I don’t think happily ever after is in the cards for some of us,” I say as I down my glass.
“No, ma’am. You listen to me, Dallas. You are a free spirit, just like I was, and that man you married tried to put you in a box you weren’t meant to be in. You have to find the one who lets you be you.”
She nods toward Braxton and Sophie, who are now holding each other and slow-dancing. “That’s what they have. He lets her be herself, and she lets him be himself. They aren’t pretending to please each other. I found that in Stanhope. He’s a wonderful man. He dotes on me. Makes sure I have everything I could want or need. I can be me with him, ridiculous as I am, and he accepts me. He has his businesses and his career, which demand a lot of his time and attention, and he thrives when challenged; I accept that. It takes all the pressure off of me to be the perfect wife. I am but a splash in the pool that is his happiness.”
I wrinkle my nose. That doesn’t sound all that great to me.
“I know. It’s not the relationship for everyone, but it’s the one that suits us. That’s what you have to find. The relationship that lets you be unabashedly you. I think it might be closer than you realize,” she says with a grin just as I feel a tap on my shoulder.
I look up to see Myer standing there with his hand outstretched.
“Dance with me, Dal?”
I turn back to Viv, and she gives me a wink. Then, I take his hand, and he leads me to the dance floor.
“I didn’t know you danced,” I say as he twirls me.
“I do tonight. Besides, you looked like you needed rescuing.”
“She’s not so bad. She loves Sophie,” I reply. Seems I have softened to Momma V.
“And she throws one hell of a party,” he points out.
“She sure does.”
He pulls me in tighter.
“Are you having a good time?” I ask.
“I am now,” he answers.
He nods his head toward Braxton. “Making sure the groom makes it home okay and doesn’t get too inebriated. We have to be out at his cabin bright and early to get tar paper on the roof before the roofing guys show up to lay shingles.”
“You’re a good friend, Myer Wilson. I don’t know how you fellas do it. You work so hard,” I say, admiration clear in my voice.
“Says one of the hardest-working humans I know,” he replies.
“I might work two jobs, but they aren’t as physical, and they aren’t from sunup to sundown.”
“Maybe not, but yours are more mentally demanding than wrangling cattle all day; plus, you are raising a little man, and that is a twenty-four/seven job,” he says as he pulls me in close. Then, he whispers into my ear, “And you are a rock star at that.”
I melt at his praise.
Just as the song ends, Beau comes rushing up to us, Hawkeye on his heels. He is covered in chocolate icing. It’s on his fingers, his chin, the front of his shirt, and Hawkeye is jumping up, trying to lick it from his face.
“Mommy, can I have another cupcake? Hawkeye stole mine,” he asks sweetly.
“Then, why do you have chocolate all around your mouth?” I ask.
“I licked the icing off first, and then he snatched the cake out of my hand.”
I look at the overgrown puppy, who is hopping at our feet.
“Hawkeye,” I call to him.
He stops and sits, panting up at me.
“Did you steal Beau’s cupcake?”
He yaps up at me.
“See,” Beau says as he throws his hands up in exasperation.
I give in. “Okay, one more. One.”
He grins and takes off toward the dessert table. Momma walks over, watching him as he goes.
“Your daddy is getting tired. I think we are going to head home. Beau can come with us. I’ll throw him in a bath and get the sticky off of him,” she offers.
“I can come,” I start.
She waves me off. “No, no. You stay and enjoy the party. We’re gonna curl up and watch one of his Disney DVDs. He can stay with us tonight.”
She tilts her head and looks past me. “Myer, you’ll give her a ride home, won’t you, dear?” she asks.
“Yes, ma’am,” he answers.
“Thank you.” She looks back at me. “Have fun, sweetheart.”
Then, she disappears.
Real subtle, Momma.
I never realized my mother had such a sneaky streak.
Dallas
We spend the next two hours drinking, dancing, laughing, and enjoying the night.
Sophie, Charlotte, and I are all on the dance floor, wrapped in each other’s arms, and they’re both crying.
They are happy tears, I think. Drunk tears for sure. We shot right past the drunk-girl I love you so much stage about an hour ago. Now, we are in the staggering, holding-each-other-up-so-we-don’t-fall stage.
“You guys are sloppy drunks. Neither of you can hold your liquor,” I complain as I’m stuck in the middle of their emotional sandwich.
“You’ve drunk as much as we have,” Charlotte accuses.
“Yep, but you city girls are lightweights.”
“You love us,” Sophie slurs.
“Yeah, I do,” I admit.
They have me locked in between them as they are swaying.
“The song ended, like, five minutes ago, y’all,” I inform them.
“So?” Sophie hiccups as she snuggles in deeper.
I look off to the side of the dance floor and Braxton, Walker, Payne, and Myer have gathered, watching us.
Help, I mouth to them.
Four wide grins flash at me.
Great.
They find this amusing.
Finally, Braxton breaks away from the pack and heads our way. He wraps his arm around Sophie’s shoulders and tugs. “Come on, Princess. Time to get you home,” he says as he turns her into him.
“I’m tipsy,” she whispers at him.
He smiles down at her. “I’d have never guessed. Let’s go tell the rest of the guests good night,” he suggests.
“Okay. Bye, girls. I love you,” she says as he leads her away.
I walk over to Myer. I look up at him and pout.
“Are you ready to go?” he asks.
I nod as I step into him and lay my forehead against his chest.
“My feet hurt,” I whine. “I don’t know how they wear these dang shoes all day. My toes hate me.”
“Take them off,” he suggests.
I grab his arms to balance myself and kick them off to the side one at a time.
“Ahh, relief,” I moan as I move up and down on my toes and stretch my aching arches.
I bend and pick the offending footwear up.
We say our good-byes to everyone and head out to his truck.
“Ouch,” I cry as I try to gingerly walk on the gravel.
Myer reaches around my waist, scoops me up into his arms, and starts carrying me.
“My hero,” I sigh and lean in to kiss his cheek.
He tilts his head, so my kiss lands on his lips instead. I melt into him, and the kiss turns from a quick thank-you to something passionate. I wrap my hand around the side of his neck and hold him to my mouth.
I wondered if the second time would feel as fiery as the first. I worried that I wouldn’t respond to his touch again. That last weekend was a fluke, but all I want in the moment is his mouth on mine.
A clear whistle floats through the air from behind us.
I break from the kiss and look over Myer’s shoulder to see Walker and Silas carrying boxes.
As they pass, Walker casually remarks, “It’s about damn time.” Then, he looks back and grins at us.
“Why do people keep saying that?” I ask out loud.
Myer just laughs and carries me to the truck.
This time, on the way home, I don’t even try to fight my anticipation. I practically sit in his lap the whole time, and my mouth is on his neck and nipping at his ear while my hands roam.
He bursts from the door before the truck comes to a complete stop in my driveway and plucks me from the driver’s side.
I get the door unlocked, and then we are all hands. I pull his shirttail loose from his pants as he guides us to the couch.
He sits down and tugs me into his lap. I lean back on his thighs and continue my efforts to unbutton the shirt. Once it’s open, my mouth finds his chest, and I run my hands over his sides and around his back. He is solid and warm, and he tastes so good. He lets me explore his skin, and I can feel him growing hard beneath me. I start to move my hips against him, and he lays his head back against the couch and groans.
I love that sound. It’s a deep, guttural reflex that lets me know he wants this as badly as I do.
One second, my tongue is climbing the column of his throat as I writhe in his lap. The next second, he laces his hands under my ass and hoists me up as he stands to his feet.
“What are you doing?” I ask breathlessly.
“Taking you to bed,” he growls as he heads toward the stairs.
He takes them two at a time, and once we are in the loft, he deposits me on the bed and quickly strips his shoes and slacks and tosses them on the floor. He crawls up the bed and kisses me again.
I wrap my legs around his hips, the hem of my dress riding up to my waist. He is hard and ready against the silk of my panties.
He takes a finger and tugs aside the plunging neckline of my dress so his mouth can reach my breast. As he takes my nipple between his teeth and gently bites down, I cry out his name.
I plant my feet, raise my hips, and circle them. Oh, yes, sweet contact. I don’t think I’ve ever been this turned on before. My body is coiled tight and screaming for release.
I feel the vibration of his chuckle agains
t my sensitive skin.
“My impatient girl,” he says as he sits up on his knees.
My legs fall open for him.
He sits there, looking down at me almost reverently.
He hooks his fingers into the sides of my panties and gently slides them down my thighs.
I’m totally exposed to him and so damn ready.
His finger glides through my wetness before he comes back on top of me.
I rake my fingernails down his back as he finds my entrance and slowly moves inside me.
Finally.
We keep a slow-building pace. His eyes never leave mine until his control snaps, and he can no longer hold back. I lock my knees to his sides as his powerful hips move urgently. I raise to meet his thrusts, chasing the burning sensation that’s crawling up my spine, till an explosion of pleasure sweeps me up. I score my nails down his back, and he covers my mouth with his and takes my muffled cries until I’m panting and sated.
I’m in trouble.
I think I might love him, and it’s both terrifying and exhilarating.
Like jumping off a cliff and free-falling.
Myer
I wake to a tangle of strawberry curls tickling my nose. Dallas has her arm slung over my chest and her face under my chin, and she’s snoring lightly.
Sunshine is bleeding in from the windows downstairs.
I have no idea what time it is. This is the first time the sun has beaten me up in years. Nature calls, but I like the feel of her wrapped around me so much that I don’t want to disturb her sleep.
The sound of a text message alert starts chirping from the closet and causes her to stir. It takes her a few tries before she’s able to blink her eyes open.
“Is that my phone or yours?” she mumbles as she snuggles in closer.
“Yours.”
She grudgingly untangles herself from me and the sheets, and I watch as her beautiful, naked form stumbles sleepily into the closet to retrieve her purse.
“It’s from Momma. They’re on their way to church with Beau,” she says as she lies back down and closes her eyes.
I brush her hair from her shoulder and start kissing a trail down her spine.
“Mmm,” she hums.
“You need to get up, sleepyhead,” I say as I reach the dip in her lower back.