Page 77 of Midnight Wishes

Zoe rolled her eyes—Alex considered that in a different timeline, he would like this woman—and cocked her head to the door, giving them a minute’s head start before she moved to leave the sitting room too.

Then, for the first time in almost a week, Alex found himself alone with her. Even with six feet between them, he could smell the sandalwood that for a brief time he’d imagined would make a permanent home in his senses. He nodded at her, that smile full of nothingness returning, and began to stroll towards theexit, desperate for a hot shower and a fluffy pillow after what suddenly felt like the longest day of his life.

‘Alex.’

Her voice was quieter than he’d expected, maybe because one of the venue staff had come in to clear their tables. Alex raised an eyebrow, giving her room to continue. She shifted her weight between her legs, that small sketchbook now held loosely in her hands. Her perfect, petal-pink lips parted. Shut again. And he wished he didn’t know what other parts of her were exactly the same colour. Every second in her presence had his body warring with itself. The compulsion to grab her, touch her, kiss her, fighting his need to get the hell away so he could stop controlling his face in front of the one person he’d learned to relax around.

When she finally opened her mouth again, she said, ‘I know he wants to see her before the ceremony. Make sure he doesn’t ruin her makeup, okay?’

A humourless laugh broke from Alex’s chest. ‘Yeah. Yeah, I’ll do that.’ As if he could have hoped for better. As if he should be hoping for better.

So shaking his head at his own idiocy, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and kept walking, leaving her alone behind him.

Chapter 37

SARAH

Alley Rose | Conan Gray

Abby was themost beautiful she’d ever looked.

Which was saying something, because Sarah generally thought her best friend was one of the most beautiful people she knew. But with her long blonde hair tumbling down her back in glossy curls, bronzed makeup offset by brick red lipstick, and her lightly tanned skin glowing against the white fabric of her dress, she was utterly radiant.

‘What do you think?’ Abby asked, smoothing the front of her skirt. Her mother, Susan, and Erik’s mother, Nora, had disappeared to procure more champagne, leaving Abby, Sarah, and Zoe alone for the moment.

‘I think you look amazing for someone who didn’t get nearly enough sleep because she spent two hours canoodling in the garden last night,’ Zoe said, plucking a chocolate-covered strawberry off the tray in front of her.

Sarah snorted, recalling the leaf she’d found in Abby’s hair after Erik glumly deposited her at their door. ‘Ithink it’s a goodthing you decided not to get married in a church,’ she said. ‘Your fiancé is going to lose his fucking mind.’

The dress was stunning in its simplicity. Sarah’s mum had really outdone herself. The bodice fit snugly across Abby’s chest and hips, dipping low in the back and leaving a long expanse of skin exposed. Tiny straps rested delicately on her shoulders, and the whole thing was covered in a layer of delicate tulle embroidered sporadically with tiny daisies.

Sarah and Zoe’s dresses were simple too, the same design—a crossover bodice leading into a skirt that poured itself over their hips before falling to the ground—looking phenomenal on both Sarah’s curves and Zoe’s petite frame.

‘You look beautiful, hun,’ Zoe said, more seriously.

Before Abby could respond, a knock pulled their attention to the door. Sarah bounded to get it, expecting mothers and champagne, not thinking about the one person they were anticipating coming to look for the bride.

‘Alex,’ she breathed, as she opened the door and found him looking devastatingly handsome. Gold hair swept back from his face in the gentle waves she was used to. He’d trimmed the sides, and she was desperate to run her fingers over it. To let the soft ends brush her skin. Seeing him with stubble the night before had knocked the breath out of her. Before, it hadn’t seemed possible he could become more attractive, but that one concession to dishevelment had ruined her. Combined with the sharp cut of his tux now, it was lethal.

He glanced up from his phone at his name, something like hunger flashing across his face as he took her in, top to bottom. When he met her eyes again, that polite, detached expressionsome might mistake for warmth was back in place. ‘You look gorgeous,’ he said, voice flatter than she was used to. Certainly a world away from the last time he’d used that word to describe her.

‘Thanks,’ she murmured. It wasn’t the time, not when the wedding would start in less than an hour, and it wasn’t the plan, but she was desperate to fling herself at him and make him listen while she told him she was sorry and she cared about him and she might even—

‘What about me?’ Abby asked, drawing up next to Sarah, one hand tossing an errant curl back over her shoulder.

Alex’s eyes softened, a flicker of his real smile teasing at his mouth. ‘Breathtaking, Squirt. Come on. He’s been driving me crazy waiting to see you.’

Sarah again resisted the urge to call after him. Each time she saw him, saw how he had slipped away, it was harder to wait to put their plan in motion. But she held her mouth shut, watching him disappear down the corridor instead.

The ceremony wasbeautiful. Sarah tried, really tried to be present for her friends and not spend the full duration staring across the aisle at the best man.

She mostly succeeded.

The photos after were somehow not as awkward as Sarah had anticipated. Titan—embodying the name in all his tall, blonde, well-muscled glory—was either remarkably adept at reading interpersonal connections, or Alex had filled his friend in on their situation. Alex and Sarah were coordinated to perfection,orbiting each other and the happy couple, but never quite coming together. And between posed photos, it was a blessing to be near enough to Alex to see the joy radiating off him as he joked with his brother or teased Abby, even if she wished it was directed at her.

The beginning stages of the reception passed in a haze, as Sarah anxiously waited to implement the initial phase of the plan to win Alex over. She barely heard Abby’s father’s welcome toast, although not being fully present for that felt forgivable. The lasagne and focaccia served for mains proved to be the first time Sarah had been confronted with a plate of carbs and not felt any joy. Erik’s speech became a blur of compliments to his wife, and many repetitions of that word.

And then,hestood up.

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