Page 77 of Shy Girl
“Calm down, calm down. I'm not making any moves. It's just been obvious for a while that the two of you would be a great fit. Dagny was always checking you out.” He sent me a mischievous grin and Jayson muttered something unintelligible under his breath.
“You s-survived,” I said to Vikram.
He grimaced. “Justseeingthe altar made me want to vomit. Standing next to it is a bit too close for comfort.”
Bastian whistled low. “Too close for comfort.”
“W-w-where’s your c-computer?” I asked, and realized this was one of only a few times that I saw him without it. An adorable little blush appeared on his cheeks.
“Excuse us,” Jayson said before he could reply. “But I have a sunset to watch with my girl. We’ll be back”
Jayson squeezed my shoulder, then led me out of the atrium and into the cool, fresh air outside. The sun had almost disappeared into a watery horizon, leaving ripples of color on a calm ocean. Wordless, he led me farther down the beach until we stood with our feet in the gentle surf. Water played at our ankles with a gentle hiss.
“P-p-perfect,” I whispered.
The shifting colors of the sunset, and the star-studded sky that followed, sent my heart into a little twist of disbelief. The gentle breeze cooled my skin as we stood there, close to each other in the quiet roar of the surf.
“Just like you,” he murmured.
He pressed a lingering kiss to my cheek. Behind us, the wedding party collectively laughed as the dancing shifted into a brighter song. Jayson had already finished a hilarious and historic Best Man speech. Most participants were warmed with champagne and wine. A buffet dinner would be served soon, and the night’s festivities would continue uninterrupted. Meanwhile, my pattering heart held onto every moment as the most cherished memory.
Goodbye, Anthony Dunkin,I thought. He didn't deserve my hope. Nor did he deserve Helene, Alison, or the accolades of his peers. But most importantly, he didn't deserve me—and he'd never have me. That honor was reserved for people like Jayson, who earned it through his compassion, care, and openness.
This was the perfect ending to the old Dagny. To my old hopes, dreams, and life. No more clinging to a man that didn’t want me in his life. Now I had Jayson Hernandez, and I had a wide open horizon at my feet.
The best new beginning.
The stars thickened overhead. A brisk wind shuffled by. Jayson held me closer, talking quietly about things that didn’t matter, but the rumble of his voice in my ear was like a song. I sank into him, grateful that the dream had come true. Even though I'd just closed a big door, a brighter future awaited.
And I couldn'twaitto see what it would bring.
20
Dagny
Serafina:Isn’t it great when Prince Charming finally comes?
Her text put a huge smile on my face.
Dagny:Definitely.
Serafina:Just wait. It gets better every day.
The tinkle of a closing door filled the Frolicking Moose.
I glanced up, then grinned a second before a warm pair of thick arms wrapped all the way around me. Hernandez swallowed me into my favorite bear hug. The force of it slammed my back into the closest wall, but he cradled the jarring motion with his hands. Then he pushed the hair out of my eyes with one hand and kissed the breath out of me. Before I could give as good as I got, he nuzzled my neck, then sighed. His weight sagged against me like a bag of sand.
I set my hands on his back, grateful to feel his warm, reassuring heat against mine. “Bad day?” I asked against the rough skin of his neck. Happiness streaked through me as I drew in a deep breath from his shirt. Even though he’d just gotten off a shift, he still smelled like that spicy mix of outdoors that I loved.
“No.”
“T-tired?”
“Not really.”
“N-need a little love?”
He growled into the hollow of my neck. “From you? Always.” He leaned back, eyes bright. “Oh,abuelawants me to ask when you're going to be back. She's making her favorite tamales for you.”
