Page 33 of Alistair

She didn’t hold his gaze because she didn’t want to look at him. But the pit in her stomach at knowing he was actually there made her want to leave.

“You okay, sweetheart?” Alistair asked softly.

“My ex is here,” she said with a sigh. “I didn’t see him at the ceremony, but just now, I felt like someone was staring at me and that’s when I saw him.”

Alistair’s eyes seemed to flash to that odd amber color again. This time, she was sure she’d seen it. But it happened so fast.

“I’m sorry. Do you want to leave?”

“No, they haven’t even cut the cake yet. I’m not going to let something from my past keep me from enjoying the present. Plus, I’m with you and you’re pretty damn special.”

“I think you’re special too.”

He dipped her gently and then kissed her when he pulled her upright. She felt like a heroine in a romance movie, enchanted by the handsome hero.

“You know how you said earlier that you were crazy about me?”

The song ended and another one, faster and not meant for slow dancing, started. They stopped swaying to the music and simply held each other’s gazes.

“Yes,” he said. “It’s one hundred percent true.”

“I’m crazy about you too. It doesn’t feel like it’s only been a week; it feels like it’s been a lot longer. Like I was meant to be at the park that day and meet you.”

“Like soulmates,” he said.

She held his gaze for a long moment, remembering that she’d been feeling like he was holding something back from her, but she pushed that thought aside and said, “Yes, that’s the perfect word.”

He cupped her face and kissed her, then took her hand and led her from the dance floor.

“I’m going to use the restroom,” she said.

He nodded and sat back down at the table, greeting her family, while she made her way to the hall where the restrooms were.

When she’d used the facilities, she walked out of the restroom and nearly collided with someone.

She gasped as she realized it was Seth.

Attempting to simply walk away from him, she stepped to the side, but he mirrored her.

“Hello, Maggie.”

Ugh. Had he always sounded like that? Grating, like nails on a chalkboard?

“Seth.”

“It’s been a while.”

“I’m not interested in making small talk with you. I need to get back to my date.”

His eyes narrowed. “Yes, I can see that. You know, I was quite embarrassed to see I’d been relegated to a table where I didn’t know anyone. When I spoke to Brian about it after the ceremony, he said you refused to sit with me.” Seth’s upper lip curled. “You embarrassed me, and that was entirely uncalled for.”

“I don’t owe you anything. Go to hell.”

She turned to walk away and he grabbed her upper arm and drew her back, making her stumble on her heels. She nearly crashed into him, but someone pushed between them, quickly disengaging Seth’s hand from her arm and protectively securing her behind them.

Alistair!

Alistair watched Maggie as she made her way through the ballroom to the hall, then turned his attention to her dad, who was talking to him about a shed he was building so he could actually use the garage for their vehicles and not for storage.

---