Page 47 of Could Have Been Us
“If you say so.”
He exhales deeply. “Are you ready for the business?”
“Yeah, I appreciate you guys bringing me into the fold.”
“It was Stella’s idea.”
At that, my eyes cut to Josh. “It was?”
“Yeah, she said offering something like wilderness training would give us an edge to start. We’ll help bring new clients to you, and your clients will stay at the inn once they’re done with your weird wilderness shit. It’s kind of a great scenario on both sides. Plus, you’re like a brother to us, so it makes sense.”
Right. “Well, I appreciate it.”
“Of course.” He looks back at his brother. “I never really thought I’d be moving back to North Carolina.”
“You’ve been gone a long time.”
Josh took the New Orleans location the second he could and hasn’t spent much time here since. That is going to change.
Soon, they’ll all walk away from their jobs at the same time, leaving their father in a position he’s not prepared for. He’s relied on his kids needing to remain in his good graces, too caught up in his own hubris to see what is coming. He’s about to be slapped with a healthy dose of reality that they’re not kids anymore.
To be honest, I’m going to enjoy every second of his discomfort.
He looks over at his mother, who is standing on the fringes. “I do feel bad for her.”
“She gets half of everything.”
Josh lets out one laugh. “But half of nothing is nothing.”
“I can’t imagine your father was stupid with money.”
He shrugs. “Maybe not, but he’s going to need to come up with a lot of money to buy us all out.”
The song ends, and we all clap. Josh sets his glass of champagne on the table. “If you’ll excuse me. I’m going to dance with the bride.”
It’s as though the universe is trying to kill me because Jess dances with Alex, Delia and Oliver pair up, and Winnie and Grayson are taking a turn. It leaves Stella on the side, staring at me.
She’s so stunning that it’s hard to breathe.
When she gives me a small smile, I dip my head toward the dance floor and she lifts the hem of her dress, walking toward me.
We are at a wedding, filled with family and friends, so there is no hiding. We have zero privacy, and yet, it feels as though we’re alone.
It’s us, two people with baggage that would sink a ship, moving toward each other.
I extend my hand, and she places hers in my palm. Her other hand rests on my shoulder, and I pull her close.
No words are spoken because we’re saying it all as we move as one.
The music is slow, and Stella and I watch each other the entire song. This is our dance. It’s where there’s no past or future, only now.
I’m holding her, and no one will ever think twice about it. They don’t know that I never want this song to end. They don’t understand that the melody will never leave me. They can’t see that each second that Stella’s body is against mine is the most painful and wonderful feeling.
They don’t see that I love her more than any man has loved another woman.
And yet, I can’t have her.
The music stops, and we linger for just a heartbeat on the dance floor. “Thank you for the dance.”
