Page 4 of The Weight Of Falling
Two glasses of champagne buzzing through my veins gives me enough courage to say, “You don’t need to watch out for me.”
Sofia points her glass at me. “Kenzie Anne Ellis, you get way too emotional and sentimental at weddings. And because this isKate’swedding, there’s a strong possibility you’ll get swept up in all the romantic sentiments and end up with Bobby again.”
Aaron’s lips set in a grim line. “I thought I saw him loitering around.”
“You know, he wasn’t all that bad—” I start to say.
Sofia is swift to cut me off. “Yes, he was. He stifled you. He never got you.” She wrinkles her nose. “And having any kindof conversation with him is like sitting in the middle seat on a fourteen-hour flight.”
A waiter appears bearing a tray of canapés. After selecting a goat’s cheese soufflé, Tess asks, “Tell me the story again of how you and Bobby met.”
I smile at the memory. “We were walking on opposite sides of the street to the mailbox. It was a windy day and my letter flew out of my hand to land in the middle of the road. Bobby didn’t hesitate to run out into the road to retrieve my letter.” I sigh. “It was a brave, romantic gesture.”
Sofia rolls her eyes. “It’s not as if he risked his life.”
“There was some risk,” I argue.
“Holly Close is one of the quietest streets in Brown Oaks,” Sofia states. “His only risk was tripping over a mobility scooter.”
“Looks like they want us to take our seats,” Aaron says, motioning in the direction of the guests slowly filing into the banquet room. “And for the record, I think Kenzie is perfectly capable of taking care of herself.”
He winks at me and I flick him a grateful smile. “I’ll see you guys in there. I need to head to the ladies’ room.”
The three of them wander into the banquet room and I make my way slowly down the hallway. An ache of loneliness expands in my chest. I don’t need the restroom, but I want a moment to myself. Sofia is right. I’m feeling restless and overly emotional. With Gideon and Kate now married, all my friends are paired up. Although Matt’s not at the wedding due to an overseas business trip, he and Sofia are another madly-in-love married couple. My friends have all found their happy endings. I’m twenty-nine and more than ready to settle down with my own forever love story.
“Hey, Kenzie.”
My footsteps falter. Blinking rapidly, I push away my swirling emotions and turn around. “Hey, Bobby.”
He looks tall and handsome in his suit, his dark hair styled carefully and a little longer than he usually wears it.
I watch him glance furtively over his shoulder, and I know he’s looking for Sofia. When he doesn’t see her, relief snaps his spine straighter.
“You look lovely,” he tells me.
Bobby’s gaze is filled with admiration and my heart swells at the compliment. “Thank you.”
I put a lot of effort into my appearance today. I’m wearing a sunshine-yellow dress that hugs my body in all the right places. My blonde hair tumbles down my back in long, loose waves. I’ve squeezed my feet into nude heels that Tess insists makes my legs look a mile long. My lips are painted a pale pink, my eyes have more mascara than usual, and rose-gold studs decorate my ears.
Bobby can’t keep his eyes off me.
“You look like summer,” he says finally.
I try not to deflate. It’s not the most eloquent remark, but Bobby likes things simple. His favorite season is summer.
We parted ways nearly two months ago after dating for three months. It was a mutual decision, although I allowed Bobby to officially sever the relationship, which had been flatlining for a while. Neither of us had said “I love you” and Sofia is totally justified in slapping a DO NOT RESUSCITATE label on us.
“Are you still illustrating greeting cards?” Bobby asks.
“I am.”
We slip into easy small talk as I give him a brief update on what I’m working on and he fills me in on what’s happening at his office. Conversation was never a problem with us. Although our talks don’t venture into deep topics, at least there are no awkward pauses.
And then Bobby touches my arm. “Do you want to talk somewhere more private?”
I catch the nervous shift of his eyes down the hallway, as though he fears Sofia might suddenly appear like some avenging angel. I know he’ll feel more at ease talking to me in private, especially since I have it on good authority (Tess) that Sofia threatened Bobby with dismemberment to a strategic body part. But I also recognize that look in Bobby’s eyes. My ex-boyfriend is hoping not just to talk. That look says he wants to kiss me.
Nois on the tip of my tongue. After all, there’s a wedding dinner that will start in about half an hour and my friends are waiting for me.
