Page 12 of One More Shot
I bring my camera up to my face, intent on capturing the moment, but then Dane suddenly looks over in my direction. Through the viewfinder, I watch as his gaze zeroes in on me, and those thick brows furrow again. He steps out of the little circle the five of them have made and I take a reflexive step backwards.
The intent is clear on his face. He’s on his way to talk to me.
Panic floods every single one of my senses but I’m saved, momentarily at least, by Cash, who suddenly drapes an arm around Dane’s shoulder and drags him towards another group of friends nearby.
I bite my lip, genuinely considering telling Bailey and Cash that an emergency has come up and I need to leave. But then I spot them again, effortlessly finding each other in the crowd of loved ones surrounding them, and my heart softens just a tiny bit. I can’t bail on them.
Not now anyway.
Because they’re going to be disappointed enough when I tell them I can’t photograph their wedding.
I spend the best part of the next hour clinging to the shadows and sticking to the dark corners of the restaurant. It’s all very dramatic, but it works. For the most part. I have one near miss when Bailey flags me down to get an impromptu photo of her parents and Cash’s mother seated together. As I’m lining up the shot, I can see Dane in my periphery perking up slightly as he glances over at me. I manage to get the photo before he has the chance to cross the room, helped in part by the screeching group of children who try to tackle him to the ground whenever they spy the right opportunity.
I say a silent thank you to the horde of screaming children. They make it very easy to keep an eye on where Dane is at all times, making sure I can avoid him with relative ease. I can’t tell if he minds having his own personal alarm system following him around, but it’s easy to see that he’s clearly the favourite cousin amongst the little ones, and he seems to slip into the role without any complaint.
The end of the night is rapidly approaching and I suppose what happens next is my fault for letting my guard down. I take the opportunity to dip into the bathroom while there’s nothing particularly exciting going on and, when I emerge, I’m immediately prevented from darting back into the shadows by a form blocking my path.
It’s in that moment that I decide I truly must be the most unlucky woman in the world. Because I’msoclose to the finish line and this just isn’t fair.
My breath catches in my throat. My heartbeat becomes a glacial patter. And Dane –fucking Dane– looks down at me and grins.
‘I was hoping to bump into you.’
Chapter FourDANE
For one horrible moment, I wonder if I’ve made a mistake and just accosted some poor woman as she leaves the bathroom. Because I don’t see any kind of recognition towards me flare up in her eyes. Only wariness.
In hindsight, I probably could’ve handled this in a much less creepy way. One that doesn’t scream ‘I’ve been watching you all night’. But here we are. Can’t be undone.
I shoot her what Ihopeis an easy smile and take a step backwards, surveying her properly. It’s been about two years, but I’m pretty sure it’s her. Her hair is longer, her hips are fuller, her skin is slightly flushed and her plump lips are twisted into a frown. But you don’t forget a face like that.
She still looks just as gorgeous as she did that night.
‘Eliott, right?’ I ask.
Her eyes narrow slightly and I can only describe theexpression that rolls across her face as one of pure irritation. ‘Do I know you?’
She practically spits the words out and her voice is sharp and curt, completely void of the warmth and laughter I remember from our almost night together two years ago. Not what I’d been expecting, but fair – maybe she doesn’t recognise me yet.
‘Dane,’ I tell her before waiting a beat to see if I get even a flicker of recognition in her eyes. Nothing. ‘We met two years ago at an event. I think your friend was DJ-ing it.’
‘Doesn’t ring a bell,’ she says quickly. Too quickly.
‘I’m sure it was you.’
She shrugs. ‘I guess I just have one of those faces.’
‘It’s a gorgeous face.’
Eliott blinks. Her mouth starts to fall open in what Ithinkis surprise, before she catches herself and rolls her eyes. ‘Smooth.’
I flash her a grin. ‘Pretty sure that’s what you liked about me last time around.’
She looks me up and down slowly, and when she meets my gaze again, there’s a shadow of the girl I met two years ago. Her caramel eyes hold mine and her lips twitch into an almost smile. ‘Pretty sure it wasn’t just that.’
My grin widens and her face drops as she realises the implication of what she just said. ‘So youdoremember me.’
Regret spasms across her face and she scowls at me. ‘Yes.Fine. You win. I remember you.’ She says it through almost gritted teeth, like it pains her to get the words out. ‘Honestly? I remember you were a lot better at a taking a hint two years ago.’
