Wright Rival (Wright)

His eyes were on mine as he equally gaped. I was the girl who loved blue jeans and boots. I wore skirts and dresses sometimes but nothing fancy. This was next level, and he was admiring me in the same way that I was admiring him.

When I didn’t move, Peyton smiled and took the flowers. “They’re beautiful.”

He cleared his throat. “They’re actually for Nina.”

My grandma put a hand to her chest. “For me?”

“Yes. I thought you deserved them,” Hollin said with a wink.

I grinned at him slyly. The little charmer. “That’s nice of you.”

“Well, thank you, Hollin,” Abuelita said. She tried to stand, but Peyton stopped her.

“I’ll put them in water for you.”

“Come give me a hug before you go.”

I hugged Abuelita. She felt smaller than before. I pressed a kiss to her cheek and told her that I loved her.

“Have fun,” she told me sincerely.

“We will.”

I waved good-bye to the rest of my family and followed Hollin out to his truck. “What? No motorcycle?”

He slid an arm around my waist and dragged me tight against him. “God, you’re beautiful.”

I laughed. “Me or the fact that I suggested your Harley?”

“Both.” He kissed me long and hard, and I forgot the entire world existed in that kiss. “But mostly, I was worried about your hair.”

I touched the perfect updo that Peyton had worked into my hair. He was probably right. It had taken forever to get my hair to cooperate. But maybe it would have been worth it. “Fair.”

Hollin opened the passenger side door for me and helped me and all the layers of my dress into the truck. It was an effort in a million layers of tulle and satin and four-inch-high heels, but we managed. He got into the driver’s side and turned for downtown and the new Buddy Holly Hall.

“Have you been inside the new building yet?”

He nodded. “I went once with Jordan and Julian, but it was during the day. You?”

“Just the ballet studio.”

Peyton’s company had their own studio space inside the building. It was stunning and reminded me so much of the space she’d had in New York. I was sure that made her feel more at home.

“You’re in for a treat.”

Hollin parked out front, and as we headed inside the building, I saw how absolutely right he was. The hall was beyond impressive. Everything was mile-high ceilings with a giant, circular glass staircase and tiered balconies. A long bar had been set up on either end of the hall. And a string quartet was playing from a small stage, filling the room with music. It was modern, sleek, and stunning. I loved everything about it.

I found Annie, Blaire, and Jennifer as soon as we entered.

Blaire squealed at the sight of my dress and flung her arms around me. “Look at you!”

I laughed. “Thanks. It’s all your doing.”

“Psh, I found the perfect dress. You’re the one wearing it.”

All of my friends looked incredible. From Blaire in a powder-blue dress that clung to her with a thigh-high slit, to Jennifer in a more modest pale pink number with a full skirt, to Annie, ever daring, in a sleek forest-green dress that had cutouts on both sides.

Hollin kissed my temple and then went to get drinks.

“Y’all seem happy,” Annie said.

“We are.”

“I love to see it,” Jennifer said.

“We all do,” Blaire chimed in.

“Where are the guys?” I asked to take the focus off of me.

“Jordan and Julian went to schmooze the team owner,” Annie said with an eye roll.

“Sounds like them.”

“They’re up there with Jensen and Morgan,” Jennifer said, pointing to the front of the room, where the CEOs of Wright Construction and Wright Architecture stood with the owners of Wright Vineyard. It was a big Wright-fest.

The rest of the Wrights were scattered around the room. Austin and Julia stood with Landon and Heidi, laughing at each other. Morgan’s fiancé, Patrick, walked up to his best friend, Austin, and punched him in the arm. They leaned in to talk to one another. I didn’t see Emery, but that was unsurprising. It had only been six weeks since Easter. She was probably home with baby Logan. I’d never been involved with the Wrights until Jordan and Julian moved into town. Now, I felt like part of their royal circle in some way. They’d even invited all of us to Jensen’s lake house out at Ransom Canyon for Memorial Day weekend. I didn’t think Hollin and I would make it back from the award ceremony in time, but it was a nice gesture all the same.

The team owner stood up to make a speech, thanking everyone for coming and for their support. Hollin came back with my drink—a Bombay and lime. He handed one off to Blaire, too, and she thanked him profusely.

“This is the stuff,” she said, taking a sip.

Afterward, we relocated to the auditorium for a special performance by the Lubbock Ballet Company. Peyton was effervescent. It had been a while since I’d seen her onstage. She reprised her role as the Sugar Plum Fairy during The Nutcracker each year, but that had been months ago. Watching her dance brought me right back to my childhood. I’d spent more hours watching my own sister take flight than I’d put into any kind of sport or event that I was interested in. Well, besides the winery…and that had ended well for me.