“You look gorgeous, Charlotte,” I told her. She grinned.
“What? This old thing?” She grinned. Charlotte looked like she had just stepped out of a fashion magazine. She circled me, evaluating my dress and appearance. She reached up and adjusted the comb in my hair. “Sebastian’s going to lose his mind when he sees you.”
“You're sure he'll be happy to see me?” I pressed my knuckles against the lace at my stomach. The butterflies inside of me were going mad and for a moment I thought I might be sick. What if he didn't feel the same way about me?
Charlotte sighed. I'd asked her this at least a dozen times while getting ready. “He's been the moodiest, most grumpy man I've ever had the misfortune of being around since you left. He hasn't even gone out paddle-boarding in the mornings. Just keeps talking about the dark.”
My heart ached for the pain I had caused. “I'm just nervous. I don't want to screw this up again.” I bit my lip and promptly tried to stop. It would mess up the lipstick Charlotte's makeup artist had just spent twenty minutes perfecting.
Charlotte came over and took my hands in hers. “He has been a mess without you. A broody, heartbroken, love-sick mess. He's going to be overjoyed to see you. I promise.”
“You know Bastian and I had a fight, right?”
Charlotte reached up and carefully fixed a stray strand of hair. One red lock kept falling out of my up-swept hairdo and falling across my forehead no matter how much hairspray we used.“Yes. I know.”
She took both my hands in hers. She smiled gently, her eyes meeting mine and making sure I heard her words.
“I said some terrible things...” My lower lip quavered.
“He loves you,” she stated. “I know Sebastian. And I've never seen him the way he was with you. He was happy. And this past week...” she shook her head and grimaced slightly. “This past week has been a nightmare without you.”
“How could I have been so stupid?” I whispered. My eyes started to water. I had let the man of my dreams go because I hadn't believed in myself. It was the stupidest thing I had ever done. I just hoped he could forgive me.
“Don't you dare cry,” Charlotte admonished. “It may be waterproof mascara, but I will not have you messing up all the work we just did.”
I sniffed and looked up, forcing the tears back up. “Sorry.”
“Sebastian Belrose loves you. I think he was smitten from the moment he saw you,” Charlotte said with a smile.
“I don't think it was that fast. The first moment I was kind of a jerk,” I replied.
Charlotte laughed. “This is going to work out. I promise you. Just come downstairs.” She smiled and checked the delicate silver watch on her wrist. “You ready?”
I looked over at the movie star in the mirror. No, I wasn't ready. I closed my eyes and thought of Bastian. How he had said I was beautiful. And now I looked it. I could do this.
I nodded, not trusting myself to use words. There was a very good possibility that if I opened my mouth I would try and back out. She took my hand and led me out the door.
The hallway was dark and quiet. I could hear the murmur of a lot of voices and music downstairs. If this went poorly, I didn't think I would survive. I was already planning on how to walk out into the ocean as my backup plan, and I knew that didn't bode well for me.
“Show time,” Charlotte whispered as we came to the top of the stairs.
I nodded and let go of her hand to wipe my eyes before she could yell at me for ruining my makeup again. I went to the top of the stairs and looked down at the party.
I saw Chad first. He was standing in a cheap suit trying his best to ingratiate himself with a woman twice his age and wearing a diamond mine around her throat. It was easy to see that he was angling for her money, and by her fluttering eyelashes she was falling for his slimy charms. At least I wasn't the only one. I wanted to back out and run. If Chad was here, I wasn't sure I could do this. Luckily, Charlotte was standing right behind me and had her hand on my shoulder.
“No running. Bastian's right there,” she whispered, nudging me in the right direction.
I saw him and my heart stopped. I had missed him more than I could have ever thought possible. He was by the door, standing with Leo and who I assumed must be Gabe. He hadn't seen me yet, and I let myself admire him for a moment. He was so beautiful.
His suit was crisp and straight and made of some sort of black that seemed to absorb the light. It of course fit perfectly, highlighting the broad strength of his shoulders and his trim waist and even the perfect curve of his ass. He was stunning.
But there was something different about him. He smiled at his guests, but the smile never touched his eyes. If anything, he looked more withdrawn and wound tighter than usual. Leo and Gabe appeared to be carrying the conversation without him.
Charlotte gave my shoulder a gentle pu
sh. It was now or never. I took a deep breath, more to remind myself that I should breathe than for actual oxygen, and grabbed onto the bannister. I took one step and then another, my eyes not watching the floor, but instead watching Bastian.
He looked up at the stairs when I was at the halfway point, his blue-gray eyes going directly to mine. A thrill went through me as he did a double take and then a triple take. His mouth slowly opened and hung that way for a good minute.