Chapter 12
Grant
I wasn’t expecting the emotions that hit me during the ceremony. Watching Grace and Harlan make their vows to each other filled me with longing and other things that I had a hard time naming.
Equally emotional was seeing Cori in the audience, tears misting her eyes. Her gaze—her expression—was full of the same longing. And given everything she’d been through in the last week, seeing this must have been harder for her.
I felt her gaze on me at the end of the ceremony, and I looked. Locked eyes with her. If I were a scientist, I would have tested the air surrounding us, because I swore that it changed.
Something passed between us. Something deep and electric that didn’t have a name. I had no way to put it into words, but all I knew was that when I was around Cori, I felt better. There was less pain, or I noticed it less. She brought me out of my head. And I intended to enjoy tonight. Thoroughly. No matter how slow we needed to go.
Seeing her standing on her porch… I felt stupid for not expecting how incredible she looked. The dress and the hair. It took all my control not to kiss her right there. The one concession I made was lifting her down from the cab.
If I weren’t careful, I wouldn’t be able to take it slow. As it was, I already felt like I was hurtling toward her at full speed with no regard for the safety rails.
We were still staring at each other, and the eruption of applause startled me back into the moment. I looked over to find Grace wrapped around Harlan as he dipped her back and kissed her thoroughly. I’d never seen either of them look so happy.
I couldn’t help but look back at Cori and notice the way her eyes were shining. Or the way that now she wouldn’t meet my eyes.
The bride and groom made their way out of the tent, and the rest of us followed. The transition to the reception was smooth and easy, with the bridal party retreating to the house before we were announced.
Technically, Grace and Harlan were already married, and this was merely a celebration of what they’d done out of desperation and necessity—what should have happened years ago.
“Is everyone ready?” Lena asked. “The MC is ready for us.”
She arranged us in a line outside the reception tent and stopped by me and the bridesmaid on my arm. She was nice enough, and pretty, but my thoughts were occupied by someone with turquoise streaks in her hair. “Meredith,” Lena said. “When you get to the head table, your seat is on the end, okay? You’ll see your place card.”
“Okay,” Meredith said.
Lena just winked at me before she swept away to be announced with Jude. That was odd…
The party was announced, and we all took our seats at the head table, waiting for the happy couple. The seat next to me was empty, and the small place card read Cori Jackson in delicate script.
Jude was seated next to me, but Lena was on his other side. “You did this?”
“You didn’t honestly think I’d let you sit without your date, did you?”
Grinning, I inclined my head. “Thanks.”
The announcer spoke into the mic. “And finally, without any further waiting, let me introduce to you, Mr. and Mrs. Young!”
They came through the door to the tent with beaming smiles on their faces. On the way to the table, they gave the crowd what they wanted. Harlan dipped her back in another kiss. That was probably going to happen a lot more. Glasses were already clinking in order to get them to do it again.
Lena leaned forward and stared at me. “Well? Go get her.”
I scanned the room and found Cori on the far side of it, standing against the wall of the tent. She looked anxious and out of place. Not what I wanted her to be feeling. I was out of my chair and moving to her before I’d fully formed the thought.
She looked relieved when I approached. “I can’t find my seat. I think they forgot about me.”
“They didn’t forget about you,” I said. “They put you next to me.”
“At the head table?” Cori paled a little. “That can’t be right.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m not in the bridal party! I don’t match. It will look weird if I’m up there.”
I extended my hand. “Lena made it very clear that’s where she wants you. And she said there was no way in hell she was going to make me sit without my date.”
“She really said that?”
“In so many words.”
Her color returned in the form of pink cheeks. “All right.” Setting her hand in mine, she let me guide her up to the head table, and I pulled out her chair for her.
“There you are!” Lena said with a smile.
“Lena, are you sure I should be here?”
She made a face. “Yes. Obviously.”
“Okay.”
In her lap, Cori’s hands fidgeted. She was still nervous. “I won’t force you to sit here if you don’t want to,” I said, lowering myself into my own chair. “I’m sure we can find somewhere else.”
“No,” she said quickly. “No, it’s okay. I just feel weird.”
“Don’t feel weird.” Lena leaned forward so she could peek past Jude’s massive frame. “There’s no reason you should feel weird. We all want you here.”
Cori blushed again and looked down. But I spotted her hidden smile. She was happy to be wanted. However, I understood her hesitation. Definitely in our community, but sometimes on the edge of it. She didn’t want to overstep. Hopefully, this would help her learn that she never would.
“Can I get you a drink?” I asked quietly.
“White wine would be lovely.”