Page 14 of One Night Only
“On it.”
“My godfather Peter, cousin Sally…and then there’s my brother.” He says the last bit as if it’s a surprise and I turn to see Annie talking to a dark-haired man with his back to me. “Who I didn’t know had arrived.”
I take a sip of my drink, trying to remember all the names and faces as I follow him across the room. “Paul?”
“Sarah?”
“You wouldn’t by any chance have a recent picture of Connor, would you?”
Annie looks up at his laughter and we reach them just as his brother turns, a wide smile on his face.
And that’s when everything goes to hell.
My glass slips from my grasp as our eyes lock, crashing to the floor in a delicate shatter that has Paul throwing out his arm to stop me from stepping on it.
“Careful! You okay?”
I don’t answer him, too distracted by the person in front of me.
The man from the other night. My one-night stand.
For one flicker of a second, he’s as surprised as I am, but he masks it much quicker. I meanwhile don’t know whether I’m on some kind of terrible prank show or if the world really is falling out from under me.
“Not to worry,” a cheerful waitress says as she hurries to my side. “Happens all the time.”
“I’m sorry about that,” Paul says seeing as I’ve lost the ability to speak.
A million alarm bells go off in my head. All I want to do is grab Paul’s arm and march us out of the room so we can start this over again.
“Mind your step now,” the waitress says, gesturing us in a wide circle around the broken pieces. “I’ll get you another one,” she adds, mistaking the expression on my face.
I drag my gaze to her and nod numbly as Paul breaks from my side. “Who’s this stranger?” he asks, oblivious to my inner panic. The two brothers embrace as Annie pulls me further away from the glass.
“You look lovely,” she whispers.
The not-quite-a-stranger doesn’t take his eyes off me, staring over Paul’s shoulder with an expression I can’t decipher.
“Sarah,” Paul says as they break apart. “This is my brother, Declan. Declan, this is Sarah, Annie’s best friend and maid of honor.”
They all look my way and I feel like I’m in one of those dreams where you’re naked in public. A long second passes before I remember they’re all waiting for me.
“Nice to meet you,” I choke out, trying to communicate telepathically with him. Please go along with it.Please. I stick out my hand, less for a handshake and more in a silent plea. He grasps it without hesitation, his grip strong, and for a moment I think he’s going to play ball.
And then he smiles.
I know instantly I’m in trouble.
“Likewise,” he says. “Sarah, is it?” He’s still shaking my hand. I pull it from him, wiping my palm nervously on my dress. He doesn’t miss the movement. “Have we met?”
Shut up shut upshut up.
“I don’t think so.”
“Are you sure?” His smile widens at the warning on my face. “You look very familiar.”
“Just got one of those faces.”
“It’s possible,” Annie says, oblivious. “Declan’s in New York at the moment. He—”
