Page 84 of Ski You Later
He slowly approaches me, grabbing both my hands in his. “No, it’s the woman in the dress who’s steals the room.”
Looking up to meet his eyes, the softness I find there threatens to crush me. “Roman, thank you. For everything,” I say and try to keep the emotion from clogging my throat.
“Any time, gorgeous,” He smiles widely, and then wastes no time leaning down for a kiss. Before I get the chance to feel the press of his mouth on mine, a loud bang sounds from the front entry way.
“Rhodes Langley! We have called you fifteen times! We have to go. Now!” My mother’s voice echoes through the house, and it couldn’t have ruined the mood more.
“Mom! That key was for emergencies only!” I scream back at her, giving Roman an apologetic smile as I walk to the door.
As we make our way into the hall, the feel of his hand on my back does nothing but help steady me for the event to come. I smile up at him and promptly jolt as I hear the loudest gasp that has ever left a woman’s mouth.
We both break eye contact, shooting our gazes to my mother standing five feet away, with her hands over her mouth in shock. Her long pink gown stops just shy of her sparkly heels, her bag and earrings complementing both of them nicely. She basically looks exactly like I will in thirty years, but with the difference of being ten times louder than me.
“Rhodes Jayne Langley! He’s absolutely gorgeous!” She quickly strides over to us, not warning Roman before wrapping her arms around him.
“Mom! Get off him! This is not how normal people introduce themselves,” I say with a healthy dose of embarrassment. Luckily, he just laughs as he lightly pats my mother’s back, a chuckle escaping him before he can stifle it.
“Oh, hush. I carried you around for nine beautiful months, I can introduce myself however I want,” she says happily. “Where’s our dear Aurora?”
I intercept her before she can barge into Aurora’s room, and I quickly lead the group back to the front door. “She’s in class still, how about we all just head over to the church, huh?”
“Well, I’m so thankful you both were able to skip class today. Thank you both,” she says kindly.
I don’t mention that we’re both probably going to have to skip training tomorrow as well, but there’s no chance I would say that in front of her. Roman doesn’t need to know my mom’s opinion on how we have too many training days and never a rest.
As my mother makes her way to the car, I reach for my jacket, only to have it already extended towards me. Roman holds it up as I slip my arms through, and I put both my palms on Roman’s chest.
“This will be your last moment of peace for a minimum of ten hours. I hope you’re ready.” I give him an intense gaze and frown when he has the gall to laugh.
“I think it’ll be alright. Remember, you’re getting my best behavior.” That hand runs through his dark hair stops short when he remembers it’s all been gelled down.
With one last tap on his chest, I interlace our hands as we walk out the door. “Oh, Huxley. They’re going to eat you alive.”
It took around fifteen minutes for me to notice the first sign that Roman was sweating. That was after both my parents and brothers grilled him in the car on why he wasworthy enoughto date me. Honestly,surviving more than ten minutes of that torture before the first sweat broke is an achievement.
The church is a beautiful structure, stained glass in every window that casts a beautiful glow onto the space below. Entering the main doors, my little nieces stand with their moms and hold bundles of flower pedals for everyone to take. We thank them kindly, but then shuffle into the room so we don’t hold up the traffic.
Entering the churches main area, we find the entire place packed with family, and soon to be family. My relatives are sprinkled around everywhere, half mingling with the bride’s guests and the others reuniting with the long-distance family members.
I don’t manage to make it five steps before the nosiest of my aunt’s barrels into me, grabbing both my arms as she looks at me with the most fake pity she can muster. “Oh Rhodes, look at you trying to wear such a happy colour. This day must be so hard for you. But don’t worry, us gals can stick together all night.” She leans in close as she says the last part, as if everyone’s eyes aren’t currently on us.
My mom starts to make her way to us, but I decide to intervene before they start a fight in the middle of the area. “No Aunty, I’m not sad at all. Julian’s gettingmarried today, and I have the privilege of attending with my boyfriend.”
It’s almost humorous how half the conversations in the room sputter out and their attention moves from me to the six feet of man at my back. He leans around me and extends his hand out to my aunt, who’s almost too busy ogling him to return it.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Roman Huxley.” He gives her one of his sweetest smiles and I promptly excuse us both before she tries to steal my date.
Everyone comes in waves after that, family members from all over the place coming and having quick words with the Langley clan. It ranges from cousins I’ve missed over the years, to snippy comments from relatives that think I’ve embarrassed Jasmine by bringing someone.
I couldn’t wrap my head around that logic, but luckily Roman stood by my side through it all. A comforting hand on my waist and polite dismissals when he saw fit.
After half an hour of mingling, we finally manage to take our seats and I can’t help but expel the breath I’ve been holding in.
“That was, a lot,” he says with exhaustion in his tone. “Are you alright?” He asks with concern as he interlaces our fingers.
Turning to look up to him, I lean into his neck and whisper so that no one can overhear. “The only reason I’m okay is because you’ve been by my side. For real.” I quickly pull back and smile, so he knows just how grateful I am.
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, Langley,” he whispers into my hair and then places a firm kiss there. Warmth floods me at his actions, but even more so when he reaches across and slides me closer towards him.
