Page 154 of Grand Love

He watches me intently; his hand drawing circles on my shoulder. “What song did you play?”

I feel stupid for remembering, but he doesn’t judge me for it. “The Goo Goo Dolls, ‘Iris’.”

His lips brush my temple, then he spins me.

I step back into him, lifting my leg and leaning into him. He moulds to me, following my lead.

I get lost in our movements, our bodies swaying to the sound of our own heartbeats. For the first time in over a year, I dance, and not in the conscious way I move around a dance floor with my girls. I dance how I always used to dance. Freely.

“You were the most beautiful woman in the room tonight.”

I laugh as he dips me back, kissing my jaw. “I’m serious. Vinny said it too. You looked phenomenal in that dress. And when you came to me with Ellis.” His eyes are glazed and far off, as if he’s right back in the moment. “I don’t know how I ever went a day without seeing you.”

My throat is thick with emotion; My love for this man is boundless.

“I’m so sorry, Mason. For what I put you through. I didn’t trust you when it mattered and I don’t know how to fix that.”

“Shh.” He brushes his finger over my lip. “We’ll figure it out.”

We continue to float around the dance floor, his hands lingering on my body for longer than necessary at every opportunity he gets.

I don’t know how long we have been dancing for when we finally slow, rocking back and forth with my head on his chest. “I’m glad you came tonight,” I whisper.

He doesn’t say a thing. His response delivered with a soft kiss to my head.

I frown, then think out loud. “I’m so proud of you, Mason Lowell.”

After a moment, he runs his hands up my arms, pulling away from me and looking down at me pensively. Every emotion inside him is bared to me in the reflection of his eyes.

“They would be so proud of you.”

His eyes drift to the ceiling before coming back to me, a small smile playing on his lips. “Come with me.”

Taking my hand, he leads me from the marquee. But instead of taking me to the house, we round the side of the property, and towards the fields that lead to the meadow.

“Mase, I don’t have any shoes.”

It’s not overly cold out but the grass is getting dewy as the morning draws close, coating my feet in wet slush. “Anything to have me carry you.” For what feels like the one hundredth time tonight, he lifts me into his arms. Striding through the grass, and over to the open gate. The last time we were in the meadow together was the day that Anthony died. I know this must bring back difficult memories.

I love him so much for being here, and all the more so for being here with a grin on his beautiful face.

He stops when we finally get to the top of the hill, dropping me down and looking out over the estate. We stand side by side, taking in the eerie silence.

“You haven’t been out here in a while.”

His throat bobs on a swallow, not taking his eyes from the estate. “Maybe not as long as you think.”

What does that mean?

I’m about to ask him when he continues.

“Dad used to come sit here on the hill while we played on the lake.”

He’s someplace else right now; I don’t say a word.

“They both did, every day from the day I was born they would walk around the grounds, until Mum got sick. I don’t remember a lot, but I remember her shouting, telling me to slow down when I would race to the lake as fast as my legs would let me go.” He sniggers. “Dad would tell her I was fine, but she always worried.” He pauses for a moment. “It was always sunny!” He looks to me in question, a frown marring his brow, as if it’s the most ridiculous thing in the world for the sun to shine. “As a kid, do you feel like it was always sunny?”

“Uh…”

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