Page 50 of Keeping Happily Ever After

And she was. She’d been dreaming about this since she was a little girl, and everything was finally coming together. The day before, a studio-appointed stylist had visited her with a rack of dresses for her to try on. Each more beautiful than the last. It was like something from a movie as she twirled and spun in front of the mirror while her stylist—stylist—had fussed with jewelry and shoe choices. There had been a hair and makeup consult in preparation, and everything was in place for the big day.

Except her date.

More than anything, Bella wanted Jeremy to be there with her. She had dreamed of him walking her down the red carpet, looking dashing in a fitted, black tux. He wouldn’t be in the audience, no. But he’d be backstage, where it would feel like he was right there with her. Supporting her.

Not asking her to give up all her dreams and live a small-town life in Glacier Falls.

Not that there was anything wrong with small-town life. Not at all. But it wasn’therlife. It wasn’t herdream.And she still couldn’t believe he’d stood there and asked her to make a choice.

Well, he hadn’t outright asked her. He never got the chance because the chief had called. And the chief always came first. Even if he hadn’t been calling about his sister, Charlotte, it wasn’t lost on Bella that Jeremy still would have interrupted that important conversation to take that call. He still would have chosenhiscareer over her. Yet he was asking her to choose him over her career.

“Stop it.”

Steph’s voice, followed by a gentle nudge in the ribs, jarred Bella out of her thoughts. She looked at her friend, who was shaking her head.

“Stop thinking about it. You deserve to be here. In this moment. You’ve earned this, Bella. Soak it all in.”

“You’re right.”

“I know I’m right.” Steph laughed. “Besides, we’re going to do karaoke.”

“Karaoke? Haven’t I done enough singing?”

“Oh no,” Bryan chimed in. “This isn’tsinging. This is karaoke. You aren’t trying unless you’re reallynottrying.”

Bella couldn’t help herself. She laughed. “So, the worse I sing, the better I’m doing?”

“Exactly.” Bryan jumped up from the table. “I’ll go first. Watch and learn, ladies.”

Bella liked Bryan. He was a genuinely nice guy and he really cared about making her experience a positive one. Only a few years older than her, he felt like a brother to her, and he’d made her comfortable almost from the very beginning.

A waitress came by, and Bella ordered another drink as her cell phone rang.

“Put it away!” Steph cried.

“It’s probably my mom.” Bella laughed as she pulled her phone out from the bottom of her purse. She’d turned it back on a few days after arriving in the city because Lewis almost continually needed to get hold of her. Not that she should have been worried about being distracted by Jeremy. Besides a few very short text messages, he hadn’t called.

She flipped her phone over to look at the caller ID.

Until now.

“Oh no.” Steph sat up in her seat and reached for Bella’s phone. “I know that face, Bella. Don’t answer that. Remember, you deserve this. No distractions, right?”

“No distractions.” She looked up at Steph apologetically.

There was no way she wasn’t answering it.

Resigned, Steph groaned and turned her attention to the stage, where Bryan had started very loudly, and very badly, belting out “Ice, Ice Baby.”

Before she could change her mind, Bella pressed the button. “Hello?”

“Bella.”

His voice washed through her and sent a warmth to every part of her, like a hug she didn’t know she needed. How was it possible that one word from the right person could do that?

“Jeremy.” She worked hard to control her voice. Next to her, Bella heard Steph mutter something. She turned her back to her friend. “How are you?”

“I’m sorry I haven’t called.”

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