Page 13 of The Marriage Pact
Kaitlyn shook her head. “Neither do I. And since my mom died, well… I’ve started feeling more alone than ever.”
It made Alex sad to hear that. Sad to think she was sad. He wondered what he could do to help. There was surely a way to make her feel better, to cheer her up and make her forget the sadness of her situation.
“You’re not alone. You have lots of people around you. I’m sure Rachel hasn’t let you have a moment’s peace since she started planning all this,” Alex said.
Kaitlyn smiled. “You’re right… I’ve gotten into a bad habit of feeling sorry for myself. I need to get on with things and stop feeling so miserable all the time.”
“It’s understandable. You’ve been through a lot. There’s no set time for recovery from grief. You have to go at your own pace.”
Alex knew he was repeating what other people had surely said. In truth, he knew nothing about it. He’d never lost anyone in that sense. But he could see Kaitlyn was grateful for his words.
Taking a deep breath, she nodded. “I know. But I don’t want to be mired in misery for the rest of my life. Why don’t we dance? Everyone else is.”
Alex had been too busy concentrating on what Kaitlyn was saying to notice what was going on around them. With the speeches made, and Sean and Rachel having stepped forward for the first dance, the other couples had joined them. The music had gone from ballad-like romantic rhythm to fast and pacey, like something from the high school prom. Alex couldn’t remember the last time he’d danced. It was probably at the prom when he and Kaitlyn had danced to just this sort of music. It felt right, as though no time had passed at all.
“Come on, then,” Alex replied, taking Kaitlyn by the hand.
As they joined the throng, it was as though the years melted away. Alex took hold of Kaitlyn’s hands, trying not to step on her toes as she danced back and forth, smiling at him, as they whirled and twirled, bumping into others as they did so. As Alex turned, he caught the eyes of Sean and Rachel, both of whom smiled at the sight of him and Kaitlyn together.
“It’s just like prom night,” Rachel called out.
“Except you’re not wearing a crown,” Kaitlyn called back.
“I’ve still got it at home somewhere. I might wear it to the shoe store next time I go in. That’ll give Felicity something to scowl about,” Rachel replied.
Alex laughed. “Is Felicity Baxter still around?” he asked.
“She works in a shoe store in town. Her and Joel split. It was all very acrimonious, apparently. My mom used to have her hair done at Macmillan’s Salon on Market Street. Felicity’s mom worked there. My mom told me all about it,” Kaitlyn said.
Alex shook his head and smiled. The intrigues of a small town. That was why he liked New York. It was far easier to disappear. He’d never met any of his neighbors. His friends were from his own world. What happened outside his bubble was of no consequence. It was different in Cedarhurst, very different.
“How the mighty have fallen,” he said.
“I don’t think any of the Pinkies ended up being particularly happy,” Kaitlyn said. “I think Lauren Hoskins ended up in jail, something to do with her husband’s finances.”
Alex shook his head. “I think the mathletes all avoided jail. For now,” he replied.
Kaitlyn smiled. She had such a beautiful smile. Being with her felt easy, far easier than Alex had anticipated. It was as though they’d picked up where they’d left off, and Alex was amazed at how relaxed he felt in Kaitlyn’s company. He was beginning to realize how much he’d missed her, and what a fool he’d been to let her slip away.
“Let’s hope it stays that way,” Kaitlyn replied as another song began and the dancing continued.
CHAPTER 5
KAITLYN
The evening had passed in a whirl, and not just because of the champagne. Kaitlyn’s head was spinning. She was feeling all sorts of emotions, caught up in memories of the past and the possibility of what might’ve been. Seeing Alex again had brought to the fore all those things she’d thought were lost. It was the strangest of feelings to be on such familiar terms with a man who was really now a stranger. They’d once been best friends, but circumstances had pulled them in different directions. It wasn’t that either of them had forgotten the other, but that the journey through life had proved very different for each of them. Meeting again, crossing paths, brought with it a sense of possibility. Kaitlyn had a lot of questions, but more so, she had a lot of feelings, too.
It must be the champagne talking.
But it was more than that. This wasn’t just about an old flame rekindled. It meant something, certainly to Kaitlyn. She’d thought Alex had forgotten her, but it seemed the opposite was true. He’d thought about her, just as she’d thought about him. It was a strange feeling.
“Have you had enough?” Kaitlyn asked, for they’d danced every dance since the first.
He nodded, taking her hand as they stepped out of the throng. The tables had been cleared, and the staff were setting up a buffet on a long table at the side of the room. The wine was still flowing freely, and Alex took a bottle from an ice bucket, asking one of the waiters for two clean glasses. The sun was beginning to set, and some of the guests had stepped outside onto the wooden terrace, looking out over the garden. The room where the wedding breakfast and dancing had taken place was getting stuffy, and Kaitlyn was glad of Alex’s suggestion that they step outside for a moment to get a breath of air.
“That’s better,” he said.
It was pleasantly cool outside, with the scent of summer flowers perfuming the air. The clubhouse was set in magnificent grounds, with a small boating pond surrounded by weeping willow trees as its centerpiece. Swans were swimming elegantly across the shimmering surface of the water, and Alex led Kaitlyn down from the terrace and along a small jetty to where a boat was tethered.
