Page 21 of Rescued Hearts
“It wasn’t my brightest idea, but Delilah told me they made me look—” She stopped abruptly. I thought maybe something was wrong with her shoe until I glanced down at what she was looking at that made her stop talking.
Our hands.
They were still together.
I couldn’t bring myself to pull away first, realizing how natural it felt to hold her hand like this. How…nice they looked together.
She pulled away like she’d been burned, and kept her eyes locked forward. I knew it was for the best, even though I had to shove my hand in my pocket so I didn’t reach for her again. But I didn’t miss the subtle flush in her cheeks or the way she kept flexing her fingers.
We found seats at the end of the aisle towards the middle, and the ceremony was beautiful, something out of a movie. Watching Colt tear up when Brittany walked down the aisle, and hearing their voices shake as they said their vows, made mychest ache. It made me wonder what my wedding would be like, and who would be standing there with me. Not just the bride, but the groomsmen, too. I’d been a loner most of my life and had a few friends from law school scattered around the country, but that was about it.
A part of me wondered if I’d ever have what Colt and Brittany did, or if I’d always be stuck in this never-ending place of longing for things I didn’t have.
But now I was alone, nursing a beer near the dance floor while the wedding party did pictures. Henry and Luke were being menaces, making silly faces standing in front of Colt and Brittany while Anna and Weston stood beside them since they were matron of honor and best man. Anna and Tess had already gotten onto them for it, but the boys were lost in their own world, having the time of their lives.
“Lucas Watson!” Tess scolded, kneeling in the grass in front of him. She took his hands in hers. “You need to smile nicely for the pictures.”
It was the most stern I’d seen her since we’d met, and she was still the least threatening thing I’d ever seen. I loved it. Loved how sweet she was.
“Tess doesn’t really know how to lay down the law,” Claire said beside me with a warm smile directed at her sister. I hadn’t even heard her come up to me.
I cleared my throat, a little embarrassed for getting caught watching. “No, it doesn’t look like it.” Claire was probably the person I’d spent the least amount of time with over these last few weeks, but I remembered her from when we were kids. She was bossy, headstrong, a mother hen type, so I knew this talk likely had a purpose.
“But I do,” she said, the warmth in her voice gone.
I turned to look down at her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Her eyes were sharp, fierce as she said, “It means I see the way you look at my sister, and if you hurt her, you’ll regret it.”
I didn’t bother pretending not to know what she was talking about. Claire was too no-nonsense for it. “I’m not going to hurt her.”
“Good. She’s been through hell, and she’s running on fumes. One wrong move and she could fall apart.”
While I respected Claire’s need to protect Tess, her saying that didn’t sit right with me. Shifting on my feet, I faced her fully. “You need to give her more credit, Claire.” Her eyes narrowed at me, head tilting like she wanted to kick my ass.
“Tess isn’t a child; she’s a grown woman,” I continued, my voice low but steady. “Just because she went through something awful, it doesn’t mean she’s seconds away from shattering. It makes her strong. Resilient. The fact that she’s even here after the nightmare that monster has put her through shows just how incredible she is.”
Claire blinked quickly, speechless. She looked back at Tess. “You’re right,” she said eventually, her voice hoarse. “I just want to protect her.” Her voice was nothing more than a weak whisper.
“I do, too. But smothering her isn’t going to help her stand on her own two feet or make her believe that she can.”
She nodded. Her eyes were glassy when she glanced up at me. “I’m glad she has you. You’re a good guy, Levi.”
I nodded once, bringing my beer bottle to my lips, knowing that wasn’t true. Good guys didn’t constantly think about their clients the way I thought of Tess. But I was a Hollis after all, and none of them were good.
It was that thought that had me saying bye to Claire and draining my beer to go out onto the dance floor, where Tess and Luke were dancing. Consequences and boundaries be damned, I wanted to dance with the most beautiful woman here tonight. Itapped Luke on the shoulder, squatting to his level. “Can I dance with your mom?”
He let go of her hands instantly. “Yeah. She wikes to spin.”
“Luke!” Tess whined, glaring at him as he ran off, giggling. She sighed, shaking her head. “He is wearing me thin today, I swear.”
“Spinning, huh?” I grinned, taking her hand in mine as I twirled her slowly. Her dress fluttered around her legs, her hair flowing along her back.
Spinning just became my favorite, too.
She rolled her eyes, pressing a palm to my chest when I brought her close. “Not you, too.”
I laughed, letting my hand settle low on her back. “But it’s so fun to see you all flustered.”
