Page 136 of One More Chapter

“I’m doing good.” And I truly am. “What can I do for you?”

“I’m actually calling with some bad news. I completely forgot that we booked someone to stay in the house over Valentine’s Day. I’m so sorry, Penelope, but you guys have to be out by the end of the week so we can get the cleaners in.”

I knew this day was coming, but I didn’t expect it to be so soon. Not only had Inotanticipated moving during the school year, but in the middle of winter, no less. My place is still in the middle of renovations, and while Icouldmove back in, something is holding me back.

“Oh. Oh, okay. Yeah, I’ll start looking into?—”

“You could always come stay with us! We have plenty of room to keep your things, but you’d have to deal with Ed and I. Or, you could bunk with that son of mine.”

“I don’t think I want to be woken up every morning to Grant’s incessant partying,” I tease, knowing damn well she isn’t talking about her youngest.

“Anthony’s got the room, sweetie. All you have to do is ask.”

We hang up, and the peace boat within me rocks just a little. I don’t like change, not after I’ve worked so hard for my stability. There have been too many upheavals within the last year, and though this one certainly isn’t the worst, the time table is a little short. Now, I get to worry about moving all of my stuff in the middle of a school week,andthe week of Lucy and Aaron’s wedding. Luckily, we have a hotel for the night of the wedding. I’ll just extend my stay.

With every box I move over to storage, I think back on Ant’s invitation, back when he was encouraging me to quit teaching. He offered to stay at the townhouse so that I wouldn’t have to worry about a mortgage, so that I could focus on writing. Debbie’s mention of staying withthat son of hersmakes me think about his house with five bedrooms, and of his hand in mine when we’d knitted hats and talked about our next chapter. Could it really be just a few pages away?

“Luce…”

Tears well all the way to my waterline, gathering in big bunches that I refuse to let spill over and ruin my makeup.

“You look gorgeous,” Juliet echoes, dabbing at her own eyes.

“Like a Disney Princess,” Claire adds. “Did Aaron plan that?”

“It’s my little gift to him,” Lucy smiles. So at ease. So happy.

Juliet and Claire both busy themselves with finishing hair and makeup touches, leaving me with Lucy.

“You know, it took me a while to believe I deserved this,” she starts.

Tears well up in my throat. After all that she’s been through, that is a feat in and of itself. She turns to me and takes both my hands in hers.

“You deserve yours too, Pen. Don’t let your fears get in the way of facing them with the love of your life by your side.”

I pinch a watery smile and flip my hands to squeeze hers.

I never thought about it that way—that I was holding myself back from believing I deserved something because I didn’t want the idea of losing it. But the idea of not having Ant altogether is far worse than being alongside him while we fight our battles together.

I register little moments from the wedding.

Aaron’s watery smile as I walked toward the altar, and his fist catching against his chest to ease the sob that wracked through him when his bride entered to an instrumental version ofI See The Light. Their rushed kiss, halfway through the priest’s instructions, and the crowd’s laughter when he said, “I just couldn’t wait any longer!” Her dad gave a gut wrenching toast about getting to be by his daughter’s side for herfirsttrue love, andthatmade a tickle climb up my own throat.

The dance floor opens after the initial bride and groom festivities. I dance with my friends—and an entire Italian mob—to old 2000s hits until sweat stains my forehead. Now, as the slow songs start to lull couples into one another’s arms, I scoot myself onto the sidelines with my champagne, watching the happily ever afters that don’t happen on the pages of books. The ones that happen in real life, and stick around throughout all the hills and valleys.

“I believe you promised me a dance to atleastone of these ‘cheesy slow songs,’” interrupts the day dream I was having of the same man. The one whose gaze I’ve been avoiding all night long, simply because I knew that once I caught it, I wouldn’t be able to let it go.

I swallow, blink rapidly, and try to focus on the Anthony in the here and now. The one wearing a tuxedo tailor made to his frame in all the right places. My lips part and my mouth instantly becomes the Sahara. He smirks, but when he tries to lift one brow at me, both go up, and I can’t help but break into a laugh.

“I suppose I did,” I say extending my palm to his waiting hand. The moment our hands touch, the rocky swells within me cease.

Ant leads me out onto the dance floor, and though we are a little stiff, my body chemistry seems to settle being in his arms.

“So…” Ant begins. “They walked down the aisle to a Disney song.”

“The cake pops were Mickey-shaped,” I smirk, shaking my head.

He tilts his head back, wearing a wide grin.

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