After Ever Happy (After 4)

“You two are the most stubborn people I’ve ever met,” Vance says while ordering a water for Kimberly and a glass of wine for himself. “Have you seen your brother?”

I look around the room for Smith and find him sitting a few tables down from Tessa, alone. I point to the boy, and Vance asks me to find out if he wants something to drink. The kid’s old enough to get his own damn drink, but I would rather not sit and talk to Smug and Smugger, so I walk over to the empty table and take a seat next to my little brother.

“You were right,” Smith says, looking over at me.

“About what, this time?” I lean back against the decorated chair and wonder just how Landon and Tessa can justify calling this wedding “small and simple” when they have some curtainlike shit covering each and every chair in the damn place.

“About weddings being boring.” Smith smiles. He’s missing a few teeth, one of them a front tooth. He’s sort of adorable for a brainiac kid who doesn’t care for most people.

“I should have made you bet money.” I laugh, settling my gaze on Tessa again.

Smith looks at her, too. “She looks pretty today.”

“I’ve been warning you off of her for years now, kid; don’t make me cause a funeral at a wedding.” I gently hit his shoulder, and he smiles a crooked and gap-toothed smile.

I want to walk over to her table and push her nearly-a-doctor friend out of his chair so I can sit next to her. I want to tell her how beautiful she looks and how proud I am of her that she has been excelling at NYU. I want to watch her get past her nerves, and I want to hear her laugh and watch her smile take over the entire room.

I lean toward Smith. “Do me a favor.”

“What kind of favor?”

“I need you to go up and start talking to Tessa.”

He flushes, shaking his head rapidly. “No way.”

“Come on. Just do it.”

“Nope.”

Stubborn child.

“You know that customized train you wanted that your dad won’t get for you?”

“Yeah?” His interest is piqued.

“I’ll buy it for you.”

“You’re bribing me to talk to her?”

“Damn right I am.”

The kid gives me a side glance. “When will you buy it?”

“If you get her to dance with you, I’ll buy it next week.”

He negotiates. “No, for dancing it has to be tomorrow.”

“Fine.” Damn, he’s too good at this.

He looks toward Tessa’s table, then back to me. “Deal,” he agrees while standing up. Well, that was easy.

I watch as he walks over to her. Her smile for him, even from two tables away, knocks the breath straight from my lungs. I give him about thirty seconds before I stand and make my way to the table. I ignore the guy sitting next to her and find joy in the way her face lights up as I stand next to Smith.

“There you are.” I rest my hands on the boy’s shoulders.

“Will you dance with me, Tessa?” my little brother asks.

She’s surprised. Her cheeks glow in embarrassment under the lighting, but I know her, and I know she won’t turn him down.

“Of course.” She smiles at Smith, and what’s-his-name stands and helps her to her feet. Polite bastard.

I watch as Tessa follows Smith out to the dance floor, and I’m thankful for Landon and his new wife’s love for slow and sappy songs. Smith looks miserable and Tessa looks nervous as they begin to dance.

“How’ve you been?” Doctor asks me as we both watch the same woman.

“Fine, and you?” I should be nice to the guy—he is dating the woman that I will spend my life loving.

“Good, I’m in my second year of medical school now.”

“So what, only ten left to go?” I laugh, being as nice as I can be to a guy who I know has feelings for Tessa.

I dismiss myself and stride over to Tessa and Smith. She sees me first and freezes when her eyes meet mine.

“May I cut in?” I ask, tugging at the back of Smith’s dress shirt before either of them can refuse. My hands immediately move to her waist, resting on her hips. I follow her lead and freeze, feeling overwhelmed by my fingers touching her.

It’s been so long, too long, since the last time I held her. She came to Chicago a few months ago for her friend’s wedding, but she didn’t invite me as her date. She went solo, but we met after and had dinner. It was nice; she had a glass of wine and we shared a massive mound of ice cream, topped with chocolate candies and too much hot fudge. She asked me to come back to her hotel for another drink—wine for her, club soda for me—and we fell asleep after I made love to her on the floor of her hotel room.

“I thought I would save you from dancing with him, he’s a little short. Terrible dance partner,” I finally say when I can pull my head out of my ass.

“He told me you bribed him.” She smiles at me, shaking her head.

“That little fucker.” I glare at the traitor as he sits back down at a table, alone again.

“You two have gotten pretty close, even since I last saw you,” she says with admiration, and I can’t stop the blush rushing to my cheeks if I tried.

“Yeah, guess so.” I shrug. Her fingers tighten on my shoulders, and I sigh. Literally fucking sigh, and I know she can hear it.

“You look very well.” She stares at my mouth. I decided to put my ring back in a few days after I saw her in Chicago.

“?‘Well’? I don’t know if that’s a good thing.” I bring her closer to me, and she lets me.