Page 76 of Tangled Up In You

With Gavin in full social mode, Sophie was left to observe the party, but she didn’t mind. She enjoyed watching the little ones form their own dance routines, the older folks drink a bit too much and show off dance moves that should never otherwise be seen, and the utter contentment on Martin’s face at it all. Not even seeing Gavin chatting briefly with Julia bothered Sophie.

When Gavin disengaged from his conversation with Julia, Sophie watched him scan the room. He located Shay who had retreated to a table at the far corner of the room and looked miserable on his own. Shay brighten when Gavin pulled him toward the bar.

She had early on recognized the dynamics in the band— Gavin looked up to Conor, Conor tried to appear like he needed no one, Shay worshipped Gavin, and Martin was just happy to be in the mix. All of that was on display here.

Turning her attention to Conor, she watched as he danced with Sondra, and intuitively knew there was something missing with their pairing. They had made a splash with the local tabloids, as they were a gorgeous couple. The contrast of his height and dark hair with her curvaceous but petite frame, combined with their own areas of fame, was appealing. But there was something needy in the way she clung to him, and Sophie suspected Conor wouldn’t tolerate it for long.

The two separated on the dance floor and Sophie lost track of them. She was sitting at a table with the boyfriends of Celia’s sisters, who were also part of the wedding party. Her thoughts drifted to Felicity, their old school friend. Felicity had hoped to come to the wedding but ultimately had to decline in deference to her university obligations in Toronto, where she had moved a couple years back. Sophie imagined the good time they would have had, and was sad that they wouldn’t have the chance to catch up.

“Dance with me.”

She looked up to find Conor holding his hand out to her.

“Sondra’s gone off for a ciggie. I need a partner,” he explained when she hesitated.

Then he made the decision for her by pulling her by the hand to the feet. On the dance floor, he held her close and led her in slow movements. She could smell just the barest trace of cologne on his skin and was surprised to find herself leaning even closer to him to inhale deeper.

“So, what do you think of my girl?” he asked.

She focused on his deep blue eyes. “You two seem pretty serious.”

“In what way?”

Smiling, she watched him for a moment. “Well, I guess because you’re living together. And she talks as if having a future with you is a forgone conclusion.”

“She wants to marry me,” he said.

“Does she know you’re not going to?”

Conor raised his eyebrows with a small smile. “And how do you know that?”

“It’s obvious looking in from the outside. She’s not the one.”

The smile left his face. “And who says there is just one, anyway?”

“I do,” she replied matter of factly. “And you will too, one day. When you find her.”

“You and Gavin are really something with your romance and drama. Not everyone operates the way you two do, you know? It doesn’t have to be the be-all and end-all with another person.”

Sophie shook her head a little as she looked at him. “Don’t you know, Connie, that love is all there is?”

He was struck dumb for a moment, then scoffed. “You’re drunk, honey.”

“I’m not,” she replied, though she probably was. The champagne had been delicious.

“Drunk on love if nothing else, then.”

“Yes, definitely that.”

“The lyric is ‘All you need is love’ anyway.”

“Now you’re talking.”

With her heels on they were at eye level and he met her gaze with a small smile again. But there was something more than amusement in it now. It was obvious he was charmed by her, and that fleeting moment from the New York rooftop came to mind. He had teased her with his touch then, and she knew he’d been playing games with her. This was different, though. There was such warmth in his eyes. Then the expression faded as the music abruptly segued into something fast-paced, and he excused himself to go find Sondra.

44

CONOR

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