Page 69 of Stay With Me

CHARLIE

I felt Emily’s eyes on me during Ben’s best man’s speech, but when I looked at her, it was like she was looking past me in a daze. Ben’s voice faded into the background as I focused on her, worrying about whether she was okay. Wondering if this is all too much for her.

My jaw clenched and it took everything in me not to get up and go make sure she was fine. Instead, I waited, and breathed a sigh of relief when the speeches were over and it was time for Annie and Jack’s first dance—Emily would be near me soon.

It only took me seconds to get to where we needed to stand and wait to be announced, and I kept my gaze on Emily the entire time as Shayna walked her over to me. It was clear Shayna was concerned, too.

Emily assured us she’s all right, but I haven’t been able to loosen my tensed muscles until just now, when I feel her body relax, leaning slightly against mine.

Our names are called so I lead Emily out to the dance floor and pull her close to me and we sway to the music.

I move my mouth near her ear and ask, “Are you sure you’re okay, sunshine?”

“Yeah. I’m fine.” She looks up at me. “I know you and Shay are worried being at a wedding is too much for me, but I promise it’s not that.”

“Then what was it? Because you were definitely lost in your thoughts.”

She smiles up at me and it’s the sweetest thing I’ve seen all night. “Can we talk about it after all the dances are done? I promise I’ll tell you before we leave here, okay? Right now, I just want to enjoy dancing and the celebration.”

An hour and a half later, I’ve danced most of the slow songs with Emily except for the ones Mr. Donley and Jack stole her for. And I’ve watched from my chair as she danced to the faster ones with our friends, laughing and smiling.

I’m on my way back from the bar when the deejay announces it’s time for the Chicken Dance. Emily shakes her head at the other women and she walks to the edge of the dance floor and looks around, her brow furrowed.

As I approach from her left, I ask, “Looking for someone?”

She startles and whips her head to the side to look at me. “Jesus, Charlie. You scared the shit out of me.”

I hand her the chardonnay I got for her, and she looks up at me through long, black lashes. “You got this for me? How’d you know?”

She’s so damn gorgeous right now with her cheeks a rosy red from the exertion of dancing and pieces of her hair coming loose from her updo.

I shrug. “I figured you’d be pooping out soon, and you’d want a glass of wine when you finished dancing.”

She smiles. “God, you’re the best. A girl could get used to this treatment.” She fans her face with her free hand. “It’s freaking hot in here. Do you want to go out to the deck for a bit?”

“Sure, lead the way.” I follow behind her and when we reach the French doors leading outside, I step in front of her and open the door before she gets to it.

“Such a gentleman tonight, aren’t you?”

“Hey,” I feign offense, “I’m always a gentleman. Not just tonight.”

A smile graces her face. “Yeah, you actually are.”

We find a table for two off to the side and sit, the lanterns strategically placed around the outside area provide just enough light to illuminate her face. She looks damn near angelic.

“So, are you really doing okay with all of this?” I gesture toward the reception hall.

“Yeah, I am. I know you’re all worried about me, but you don’t need to be.”

A subtle breeze brushes by us, and I watch as a loose tendril of her hair moves. “If you’re okay, what was going on with you after dinner?” My voice is quiet. I’m shit at communicating, but she’s too important to let my discomfort stop me from making sure she’s all right.

“Honestly, at first I just got caught up in looking at everyone in our friend and family circle and thinking about how much I love you all, what each of you means to me.” She pauses and looks down at her wineglass. “Then I was thinking about my therapy this year.”

She peeks up at me, biting nervously at her lower lip.

“Your therapy? What got you thinking of that?”

Her gaze meets mine. “Truth?”

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