Page 115 of Where Wild Hearts Dance
“Don’t say it,” Trilby blurts out, holding up a hand.
“Please,” Papa says, his eyes watery. “I have to.” He takes a long, strengthening breath. “Your mama would be so proud to see you all now.” An enormous tear rolls down my cheek and soaks into the carpeted floor. “There’s something of her in each of you, and it makesme so proud to see the women you are all becoming. I wish she were here to see it too.”
Allegra loops an arm through Papa’s and kisses his shoulder through his tux.
“I wish she were here.” Sera turns to Trilby, her cheeks wet. “I wish she could see you now. So happy and so radiant.” She sniffs and wipes the back of her hand across her cheek. “She’d be fussing around us, remember how she used to do that? Fluttering around like a butterfly, making sure we each had our shoes on, faces washed, teeth brushed.”
A hard lump forms in my throat and no matter how much I swallow, it doesn’t shift.
“I do.” Trilby nods, her gaze liquid.
Allegra sniffs and Papa blows his nose.
I need to do something before this descends into a water bath.
“You should be saving those words for when you get down the aisle.” I hope the joke masks my croaky voice. “Come on. We’re so late already.”
“Quick sister hug?” Trilby spreads her arms and we all pile into them.
With our eyes dried and happier memories touching our lips, Papa opens the door to let us three bridesmaids through. Bambi swishes her skirt around playfully, while Sera smooths down the bodice of her dress, repeatedly. I pass them both, taking care not to let mygown drag on the floor, when my gaze takes in a pair of Italian leather shoes heading towards the function room.
I stop short and look up into bronze irises.
Benito stops too and for a long, delicious second, I see everything in his eyes. Our dark truths colliding, our renewed commitment effervescent in the air around us.
As if time hasn’t just stood still, Benito continues toward the function room with my flushed cheeks and addicted gaze watching him go.
Then Sera’s face appears in front of me, blocking the view of Benito’s solid back disappearing through the door. “Pray tell?” she says, a smirk playing across her lips.
“I’ll exchange my truth for yours,” I shoot back.
Her face falls. “I walked right into that one, didn’t I?”
I take my place behind her, ready for the doors to open. “You sure did.”
A few seconds pass and I watch her shoulders rise and fall. “Fine,” she acquiesces. “I’ve been seeing someone.”
“I knew it,” I grin, smugly. “Who?”
“No one…” She shakes her head softly. “I mean, no one you know.”
I tip my head to the left. “Is that important?”
She turns to the side a little, so I can see her flushed jaw and fluttering lashes. “It is to me.” She lowers her voice. “He’s just anormalperson. Works in business—not in… well, you know.”
My tone dips. “Yeah, I know.”
“But he’s kind, and sweet, and…”
“Hot?” I ask.
“Oh, extremely.”
“Nice. Is he here? In the hotel?”
She turns back around to face the door. “Not today. Said he wants to give me space to spend time with my family. It’s definitely too soon for him to meet you all.”
I laugh softly. “Yeah, we can be a pretty scary bunch.”
