Page 3 of Beach Cottage Kisses
He wasn’t completely sure she couldn’t. The woman had a way of seeing things that no one else caught. Usually behind the lens of her camera.
Not while standing in a luxuriously decorated, romantically lit room, with only inches between them.
“I was just thinking about the long road Sage and Gray took to get here,” he ad-libbed. Pulling out a thought he’d had while on the dance floor.
“Yeah, but I’m guessing that if you asked either one of them, they’d say the destination was worth the trip.”
Sage and Gray had both grown a lot since Gray had broken off their first engagement years ago, just a couple of days before the wedding. Remembering his sister’s brokenness, he’d never have believed that she could be put back together again with a wholeness that surpassed what she’d been. Still couldn’t quite wrap his mind around the depth of her happiness.
“I wish my father had lived to see this day,” he said, lifting his glass to his lips as the band struck up another number and the dance floor filled. Randolph Martin III, wealthy, demanding, strict widower father of the twins he’d adored, would be so proud of Sage.
He’d have no doubt that he’d succeeded with at least one of his offspring. He’d be extremely pleased with Scott’s courtroom successes, too. But Sage, she’d conquered both the personal and professional worlds.
Iris moved toward a table farther back in the room, away from the band, talking as she walked, so Scott went with her and heard her say,“I think she was happiest having you walk her down the aisle.” She slid onto a stool at the high top she’d chosen. “She loved your dad, but it’s clear that he intimidated her. With you, it’s just unconditional love and acceptance.”
Scott glanced at his sister, on the dance floor again, with both Gray and sweet Leigh, and hated himself for the envy he felt along with the joy.
When it had just been single mother Sage, and him as Uncle Scott, his own life had felt full. But with Gray there…
He took another sip of champagne. Needing to get over himself. And saw Iris watching him again. “It’s harder than I thought…watching her leave the nest, so to speak,” he said. Because she was Iris. Friend to both of them. Almost like a member of the family.
Something he had a sudden need to firmly establish after his little episode moments before.
But as he said the words and saw the deadpan look that passed over Iris’s lovely face, he wished he’d held his tongue. Her gaze darkened, and for a second, it looked as though she might cry again before she blinked, took a sip of champagne and said, “Just wait until Leigh gets married…”
Leigh. And the new baby on the way. Gray would be there to give both away. Or to stand beside his son, if the baby turned out to be a boy. Scott would be the doting uncle in the background.
He was generally good with that. Outside Sage’s wedding.
Sitting in the midst of it, while feeling like an outsider, watching from the sidelines… Scott took another sip of champagne.
And concentrated on showing his and Sage’s friend Iris a completely platonic fun time.
* * *
The music was slow. And loud enough to engulf you if you closed your eyes and sank into the words of deep, undying, forever love.
The cake had been cut. The garter thrown. Leigh had gone up to bed in her room in the bridal suite. Had a sitter with her for the rest of the night, before the three Bartholomews embarked on their month-long family-moon.
And Iris had… Scott. Leaning against him as they danced along with a dozen other couples, she wanted so badly to lose herself and be a woman who believed in happily-ever-after. Who had the capacity to love forever. Just for a little while.
Until she could get back behind the camera lens through which she viewed life. Saw beautiful things. And found deep emotion.
As the only two in the wedding party without dates, Scott and Iris had been dancing partners for the past couple of hours.
She hadn’t had a horrible time.
“The crowd is thinning,” Scott’s voice sounded just above her ear. “Shouldn’t be too much longer.”
She nodded. Glad to be almost done. And yet, oddly reluctant at the thought of going up to her room alone. “You want to go outside for a few?” she asked him. The fresh air would do her good. Being on the beach, even a public one, was the panacea for pretty much all her pains.
Taking off her shoes, she felt easier inside as her toes slid into the sand.
The only thing that would make the moment better would be having Morgan and Angel with them. Scott’s corgi and her miniature collie.
Come to think of it…as they walked…a few inches between them as always…she said,“I think this is the first time we’ve been on a beach without the girls.”
Or on any beach together that wasn’t the mile-long private stretch on Ocean Breeze, where they both lived.
