Page 104 of Five Alarm Love
She pressed her lips together.He’d left.It didn’t make sense.He had been on track to becoming a full-time firefighter.Nearly done with his probationary period.
There was no room in her heart for extra empathy or inquisitiveness today, so she went with another benign topic.“It was a beautiful day.”
“Sure was.Maybe one day you’ll have a wedding day like this.”Why did his statement sound like a taunt, not a wish?
When she tugged her hand, he didn’t let go.His other hand had locked around her waist.She was trapped in a smiling prison.
The wedding photographer appeared and snapped a picture.
She ducked her head, but it was too late.
“Why are you so shy?You’re beautiful in pictures,” he said.
These were the words she wanted to hear, but not from her cousin.
“Um, thank you.”They danced for another minute until the music changed to an upbeat tune.“I’m going to sit with Gordy for a for a while.”
The corners of his mouth dropped for a split second.“Sure.I’ll join you soon.”
It wasn’t what she wanted, but Lou shrugged.Then she worked her way to their table and sat next to Gordy.“Doing okay, bud?”
Gordy grinned and looked at the half-eaten plate of food and the punch poured into his adaptive cup.“Love Lou Lou.”The communication tablet company had rushed the repair and returned it yesterday.He had been typing away ever since then.
“You always know the right things to say.”She shot him a smile.
Lou snagged the cloth napkin off the table and wiped a bit of food that had fallen onto his vest.Several guests came up and said hi to him.Gordy smiled each time and waved or fist-bumped.Folks knew to wait for him to type a reply, which warmed her heart.Gordy loved people.He loved the attention.
He also loved the extra snacks people brought over.
She had made an effort to avoid Tuli all evening.At some point, they would have to work together, and she would need to be professional.Tonight wasn’t about being professional.She spied Deirdre and Calvin laughing with friends, even as they kept their arms around each other.
Tonight was the view of a future she would never have.
She patted her purse, with her cell phone in it.That picture Tuli had taken.
Her sigh caught in her chest.No more anger remained, only sadness.It wasn’t that she didn’t believe his excuse for why her picture got out into the world.She believed him.For real.He had always been careful to exclude her from posts and seek permission from others before uploading pictures.
But the more she thought about his social media livelihood and dreams, the more her chest ached.Yet another chasm between them.
Sure, Lou could ask him to change who he was.Ask him to stop doing the social media.Ask him to discard his dream of a family.
A sob lodged in her throat, and she patted Gordy’s hand.Knowing Tuli, he’d do all of it and more.
She couldn’t be that person who asked for him to change.He was her friend.
At the end of the day, she wanted him to have the life he had always hoped for, and on his terms.She wanted him to have choices.
With a sigh, she turned to her brother.Having a mostly one-sided conversation with Gordy, she chatted about the wedding and the people present.At one point, she whispered about one of the aunties’ bobbing double chin, and Gordy barked out a laugh that turned multiple heads.
“Shh, you’re going to get me in trouble.Again.”
He laughed, utterly unrepentant.Then he accepted a plate of cookies when Lou’s paramedic colleague Hilda stopped by.
Lou pointed at the plate.“You’re going to be ninety percent dessert before the night’s over.Good for you.”
She scanned the crowd, briefly catching a glimpse of Tuli.Her breath caught.That was who she wanted to dance with, even after everything.Damn her illogical heart.
Tuli glanced at his phone, raised his brows, then stowed the device in a pocket before striding across the gathering to her.“Hiya, Gordy,” he said, fist-bumping her brother, much to his glee.“Lou.”
