Page 60 of Lost Love Found

elaina

Adam’s speech left me a little shaken up. It was so earnest, and when he said To find the love of your life in your best friend is an incredible gift, well, I lost it. Each time I’m around Adam, I discover something new about him and I can’t help but be drawn in. My chest tightens knowing that whatever this is between us can’t last. I can’t handle another broken relationship. I can’t handle being left again. I don’t think I’d survive that, not with Adam. But try as I might, I can’t stay away from him. No matter what the outcome, I need to savor every moment we have left.

I’m glad for the bit of space to process this while he goes to hug Ashley. She really is such a sweet and beautiful bride. Garrett does a great job of snapping me out of my deep thoughts.

“Need me to dry your tears while Riv’s gone, Elaina?” Garrett is looking at me with that shit-eating grin of his. He is equal parts charming and annoying. I’m not sure what to make of him yet but I’m thankful for the distraction.

“I think I’ll be OK, but if you can tell me whether or not I have makeup running down my face, that’d be great!” I lean in closer to him and he grabs my chin, inspecting my face with squinty eyes and I see his are the same sparkly blue as Gramps’ and Adam’s.

“Nah, you’re all good. Beautiful.” I manage a weak smile at Garrett as he relaxes in his chair. Adam's hand gently moves the hair away from my neck as he takes a seat and kisses me softly in the area where my shoulder and neck connect.

My heart beats faster as I lean in close to him. His warm breath tickles my cheek, and the beard on his jaw line brushes my skin. My pulse quickens when my lips graze his ear. “I really like it when you do that,” I whisper, before pressing a soft kiss beneath his earlobe. I pull back and dare to meet his gaze, feeling a bit brave. His lips curve into a smile, and his eyes sparkle, letting me know he enjoyed my bold move.

Dinner goes by in a flash, and we have lots of laughs with everyone at our table. I excuse myself to go to the ladies room and when I leave the stall to wash my hands, I catch Adam's mom's eyes in the mirror.

"Oh, hi, Bethany," I say with as much warmth as I can muster, which is about the equivalent of the ice buckets with champagne sitting at each table.

"Hello, dear. Having a nice time?" Her smile reminds me of the Grinch as it slides up higher and higher on her face.

When I look back up to dry my hands, I see her reach for the lock on the bathroom door and I still my movements in shock.

"I wondered if perhaps we could have a little chat? Woman to woman?" She slithers closer to me as I clutch the paper towel in my hands.

"Oh. Sure."

"I know this little performance with my son might look real to everyone, but I'm his mother. I know it's all for show." Her gaze moves over my face and the air suddenly feels chillier. "I also know River needs to move attention away from his relationship status and back to his career, so I'm hoping you'll be willing to help me with that."

"What exactly does that mean?" There's a bowling ball in the pit of my stomach. This feels all kinds of wrong.

"I think that if we can create a scandal big enough, the magazines will get what they want and River can move on, and so can you." She must read the look of confusion on my face because she keeps going. "Nothing too shocking, of course. Perhaps you’ll be caught with another man… or woman… sometime after shooting is done for this film. It’ll keep people interested in him, gain some sympathy. He can choose not to speak about the heartbreak," she says the word with a scoff, “and when the film is released, no one will need to bother asking about why he’s not dating. They’ll just assume he’s still getting over you and the focus can be back on his acting career.”

"No." My voice cracks. It sounds so small as the word leaves my lips, but all I can hear in my head is no, no, no, no, no.

"I'm sure you realize this would be completely staged, so you don't have to actually do anything you don't want to do, Elaina." I'm shaking my head, trying to wrap my brain around what she's saying. "And I understand now that money may not be an incentive for you, but I am very well connected in Hollywood. I'm sure we can come to an understanding and help escalate your careen even fur--"

"No!" The sound echoes in the empty bathroom. "Stop. Stop it!" The paper towel in my hand is turning to dust, I'm clutching it so hard. "This conversation is over, Bethany."

She stands impossibly straighter. "I'm sure you can't mean that, dear. Everyone has a price. And I’m nothing but a concerned, loving mother. This is just how things are in this business. I did it once and I’ll do it again for him without any regrets." I ignore her last quip, biting my tongue. Understanding sets in that Bethany set up the situation with Tiffany, making my stomach turn. “Surely you can appreciate where I’m coming from. If I don’t look out for his career, no one will. I only want what’s best for my boy.” The serpentine smile on her face surely wouldn’t win her any acting awards. She is the furthest thing from a loving mother.

"How could you…? Adam deserves so much better than this. So much better than you." I look down at my white knuckles and back into her soulless brown eyes. "I'm going to walk out of here now and pretend this never happened. Not for you. For him." I crumple up the paper towel with more force than necessary and hurl it into the wastebasket. My hand shakes as I turn the lock and open the door with a creak. I step outside, my vision blurring from the angry tears threatening to spill. I stumble down the dimly lit hallway and lean against the wall for support, my chest rapidly rising and falling as I try to control my breathing. I cannot believe that just happened.

With the resolve not to cause a scene or ruin a happy day, I wipe my face and head back to our table. Ashley and Ryan are having their first dance and the lights lower as I take my seat. Adam looks at me and immediately takes my still shaking hand into his, bringing it to his lips.

"Everything OK, Tornerose?" I take in a shaky breath, but I can't quite meet his eyes yet.

"I guess weddings make me emotional." I attempt a laugh, but the sound comes out screechy and forced. "I'm sorry."

He pulls me close and brushes a gentle kiss on my temple, and I feel all the tension evaporate from my body. His arm stays wrapped around me as we watch his cousin and her new husband, spinning around the dance floor in blissful adoration. I try to push away the memory of Bethany's cruel words, focusing instead on the warmth emanating from his embrace.

Once the couple’s dance and dances with parents have ended, the lights lower further and the DJ starts to play some top 40 hits. Despite my attempts to get Adam on the dance floor, he seems very against the idea. I don’t push it, but that also doesn’t stop me from dancing with his cousins. I need to blow off some steam and perhaps this is the best way for me to do that without Adam catching on that something is wrong.

I’m in a group with Garrett, Ashley and Ryan when the DJ slows it down, playing ‘Change the World’ by Eric Clapton. I smile, wanting to walk back to sit with Adam, but Garrett quickly pulls me into him, one hand on my back and the other holding my hand. “Let’s see how quickly Riv gets here when he sees me with you, shall we?”

“I don’t like playing games, Garrett. If he doesn’t want to dance, that’s fine with me. I won’t resort to making him jealous for a dance.” I give him a stern look as I watch him glance over my head, no doubt looking for Adam.

“Listen, I don’t want to piss him off, but he should be out here dancing with his girl. I’ve never seen him like this with anyone. You’re the real deal, Elaina. I’ve seen Riv like girls before, but this? What you two have? It’s way more than that and the quicker you both realize it, the better.” He meets my eyes then, and I see that he’s, for once, serious. “Gramps called it. And Gramps is never wrong. About anything.”

I smile at the mention of Gramps and then feel a hand on the back of my neck. I’d know that touch anywhere and when I turn, I see his scowl pointedly directed at Garrett. Huh. So Garrett was onto something. This did make him jealous! Weird.

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