Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 64966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
When Felix and his best man took their places, that was my cue, and I began to play the song for the processional. I thought it was cute and delightfully corny that she’d gone with Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.” And why not? It was Joy’s day, after all.
After a few moments, the matron of honor walked in and hit her mark opposite the best man. A minute later, my sister joined her groom. She was radiant and beautiful in her cream-colored gown, and I was glad to see the pure adoration in Felix’s expression.
After all that stress and all that worry about things that ultimately didn’t matter, Joy looked happy. That was all I’d ever wanted for her, and seeing her smile brought a tear to my eyes.
20
Daniel
My new friend Paul whispered, “The bride looks gorgeous,” as Joy took her place on the platform with Felix and the wedding officiant.
She really did. She wore a heavily beaded, off-white gown with a matching fitted jacket, and her hair was swept into a glamorous up-do. Best of all, she was smiling. I was so happy to see she’d managed to let go of all her panic, stress, and anxiety, and that she was letting herself enjoy the moment.
I was so glad I didn’t have to miss this. In fact, Paul and I had a perfect view of the ceremony from our spot on a third-floor balcony. Ramon had given us access to an unused room, and we’d spread out a blanket and settled in on our bellies, so we could watch through the railing without being noticed. I’d told Paul I was dodging my ex, and he’d been very excited about the idea of watching the wedding in secret.
He and Ramon had also been thrilled about the thank you gift I’d put together for rescuing me the night before, which contained wine and chocolate and other delicacies. There’d been a lot left over after the gift baskets were assembled, so I’d asked Joy if it was okay to give them to the staff who’d been working so hard to pull the wedding together. She’d been all for it. I made sure every staff member got something, but Paul and Ramon got a whole boxful of goodies for going above and beyond to help me.
While the bride and groom took their vows, my gaze shifted to Malcolm. He stood beside a piano, looking like a movie star in his tuxedo. Every few seconds, he dabbed his eyes. I thought it was so sweet and touching that he’d teared up as he watched his sister get married.
I’d barely seen him all day. I didn’t even have to come up with any excuses, because we’d both been incredibly busy helping out in any way we could. There’d been a million last-minute tasks to complete and issues to address, and none of Joy’s inner circle, including her matron of honor, had been willing to step up. I thought that was a real shame, but despite the lack of support, we’d managed to pull off something beautiful.
The ceremony was short and sweet, and soon the officiant pronounced the couple husband and wife. The guests applauded as the newlyweds kissed, and Paul whooped so loudly that a few people looked around. We ducked down so no one would spot us, and by the time we peeked through the railing again, the couple had gone inside.
A lot of guests were still milling around on the deck, and Malcolm was playing something gorgeous on the piano. As the music drifted up to us, Paul said, “Your boyfriend is absolutely incredible.”
“Yeah,” I murmured dreamily, as I watched Malcolm play, “he really is.” Then I added, “Not that he’s my boyfriend. He might not even be speaking to me after I finally confess that I used to date his son.” I’d filled Paul in on all the sordid details while we’d waited for the ceremony to begin.
“Which one’s your ex?”
I scanned the crowd and pointed. “That tall, douchey-looking guy with dark blond hair.”
“He doesn’t look like a very nice person.”
“He isn’t.”
“Then why did you go out with him?”
“I didn’t know he was a douche at first. And I guess I was flattered that someone like him would be interested in someone like me. He was ambitious, successful, and career-driven, and those were all things I admired. Most guys my age aren’t like that, so he seemed really mature to me. He seemed like marriage material, you know? But since then, I’ve realized that’s not even sort of what I want or need in a partner.”
Paul sat back on his heels and asked, “What do you want, then?”
“I want love and passion. I want someone who believes in me, and in my dreams, even if they seem far-fetched. I want someone I can take care of, and who takes care of me in turn. I want a partner, in every sense of the word—someone I can root for and encourage, while they root for and encourage me.” I sat up and pointed at Malcolm, whose back was to us as his hands flew over the keys. “I want that man. Him. Right there. He’s everything, absolutely everything, and I’m terrified that I doomed us from the start.”