Page 140 of Stolen Moments

Follow my heart.

Her words strike a chord. If I listen to my heart, I could end up hurt again. But if I don’t follow my heart, I might regret it even more.

Chapter forty-five

Emery

I’ve been to afew weddings before, but none of them compare to watching Jace and Rylann promise to love and cherish each other. It was heartbreakingly beautiful to listen to how much they have endured to get to where they are now. Listening to them speak about their past struggles and finding each other again broke my heart, and mended it together at the same time. It’s clear they were always meant to be.

I’m not ashamed to say they had me shedding a few tears and gave me hope for the same someday. I couldn’t stop myself from fantasizing about Mason and me standing at the altar, making our own promises and vows.

I make my way to the bar, where Graham is waiting for me with a glass of wine. The ceremony ended a few minutes ago, and the bride and groom slipped away to take pictures with their family while the rest of their guests gathered in the banquet room, waiting for their return. I slide in beside Graham as he hands me a glass.

“Thank you. I need this.” My nerves are jittery.

Lifting my glass up for him to clink, I see that he ordered me red, and while I don’t hate it, it’s not what I like, so I take a tentative sip and place it on the bar.

I turn to my friend, checking him out in his all-black suit. Very monochromatic, but he pulls it off. “You look good tonight.”

“Thanks,” he easily takes my compliment, grinning and popping his collar at me. “You look beautiful tonight as well.”

“Thanks.”

“No, thank you, for the invite.”

“Oh no, that was all Jace and Rylann. You helped out, and as soon as they learned you had no family besides your grandmother, they insisted you be here to celebrate. Besides, who can decline a kickass New Year’s Eve wedding designed bymoi?”

“Ah, angling for compliments. I get you.”

I gasp in mock horror. “I would never.”

Graham chuckles, sipping his whiskey. “The place looks amazing. You did a fantastic job, Emery.”

“You really think so?” I know Rylann said she loved it, but taking compliments for my work is still hard to accept. Years of being told your efforts aren’t good enough will damage a girl’s self-esteem.

“Absolutely.”

“Thanks, I appreciate you saying that.” I take another sip of my wine. Ugh.

“I saw that. What’s wrong?” my friend asks.

“Honestly? I don’t love red wine.”

Graham throws his head back and laughs. “Of course you don’t. Let me get you a new one.” He calls the bartender over to take the red away as I ask to replace it with white.

The bartender, dressed in what I’d call a hipster tuxedo—black dress slack, a white long-sleeved dress shirt rolled to the elbows, and black suspenders—obliges with a healthy pour.

“So?” Graham probes.

“So, what?” I ask, taking a sip of my wine. The cold liquid hits my tongue with the perfect balance of tart and sweet. Perfect.

When I look up, Graham’s eyebrow is arched at me.

“Nothing to report. I saw him at the ceremony, but he was sitting with his family. We haven’t spoken.”

The hair on the back of my neck prickles, and I know without looking that Mason has entered the room. My body is still tuned to his channel. I look over my shoulder, and sure enough, Mason is watching me with no trace of emotion, and it’s a little unsettling. Is he happy to see me? Angry? I have no idea.

Ripping my eyes away from his, I take another sip of my wine.

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