Wish for Love

by Daria White

  “Saved.”

  She heard the double clicks as he saved her picks. By the time they had finished, Leah had picked thirty photos.

  She smiled. “How many did we take?”

  “About a hundred.”

  Her eyes bugged, but then her lips curved upward. “I’m proud of you. The photos are great. I can’t wait to upload them.”

  “I’m glad you approve.” He cleared his throat. “So… I wanted to ask you something.”

  “Okay?”

  “Nothing wrong, but I’m photographing Holly’s wedding. I don’t have a plus one, so… I wanted to ask you to go with me?”

  She tucked a hair lock behind her ear. “I got an invitation to her wedding. In fact, I designed her wedding dress.”

  “You’re kidding?”

  “No.”

  “Leah, you’re amazing.”

  She shrugged her shoulders. “I do okay.”

  His eyes turned serious. “Never downplay what you do. Your work is incredible. I’m as proud of you as you are of me. And…” He leaned in closer, with his eyes gazing at her. “You still didn’t answer my question.”

  “Sure.” Did I say that?

  Cole’s eyes twinkled with clear satisfaction. “Great.”

  She pointed at him. “But it’s not a date. We’re two friends going together.”

  Cole raised his hands in a surrendered gesture. A smile tugged at his lips. “Not a date. Two friends hanging out.”

  She eyed him but her smile gave her away. “Okay. I’ll go with that, but when they bring the cake out, I get first dibs after the bride and groom.”

  “You have such a sweet tooth.”

  She shrugged her shoulders. “It is what it is.”

  Cole rubbed the back of his head. “I uh…” He blew out his cheeks. His forehead furrowed. “I don’t know how to ask this. It probably doesn’t matter, anyway.”

  She tilted her head toward him. “Something wrong?”

  “It’s um… Seth mentioned about asking you, and I wondered…”

  “If there’s anything between us?” “We’ve been hanging out lately.”

  “Seemed close when he hugged you at the movies. I’m sorry. I know you can take care of yourself. I like… being there for you.” His eyes glowed with affection.

  “I know.” Her fingers ached with the need to touch his face, but she held them in place in her lap.

  “Anyway. The wedding starts at two on Saturday. I’ll be arriving an hour early to capture scenery shots along with the incoming guests.”

  “That’s fine.”

  “Pick you up at twelve thirty?”

  “Wouldn’t it be easier to meet you there?”

  He rubbed his palms together. “It would, but I would rather have you with me. It’ll be like old times. Us hanging out.”

  “Okay. Twelve thirty is perfect.” Leah, what are you doing?

  ****

  “I don’t believe you when you say you’re eating,” Cole’s mother said.

  He kissed the top of her head. “I am and if you tell me what’s on the menu tonight, I’ll eat that too.”

  She clasped his hand and led him to the kitchen. “Your father and I already ate. Seth is running late, but you’ll see him later, anyway.” She clapped her hands. “I get my baby boy all to myself.”

  “Not a baby anymore.”

  She pointed to him. “To me, you always will be. Now what do you want on your plate?”

  “Mom, I can make my plate.”

  She dismissed his response with a wave. “Nope, as long as I’m here, I’m taking care of you. That is until someone else takes my place.”

  “Take your place?”

  She served his plate with green beans and salmon. “All mothers know that with their sons. Until you take a wife, I’ll be the only woman in your life.” Then her eyes gleamed. “I don’t mind passing the torch to another woman, as long as she loves you for you.”

  Cole wrung his hands together. He made the first step in asking Leah to be his date for the wedding, but what would happen afterwards? His forehead creased.

  “Does she know?” his mother asked.

  He swallowed. “What are you talking about?”

  His mother’s eyes narrowed at him. “You can’t fool your mother. I know my sons like the back of my hand. As for you, I’m referring to Leah. Does she know that you’re in love with her?”

  A chill went through Cole. “Mom, Leah and I have been—”

  “Friends, I know.” She bobbed in her head in plain agreement. “You used to hang out after school and study here in my living room. Not to mention you would sneak some of my chocolate chip cookies.”

  “Her idea, not mine.”

  She set his plate on the kitchen island. “All I know is I’ve never seen you light up before the way you do around her.”

  The pit of his stomach fell along with his gaze. “Seth still has feelings for her.”

  “Does Leah know?”

  “She says they’re friends, but I know Seth. If he wants her, he won’t relent. I’ll lose like I did the last time.”

  His mother reached over and patted his hand. “Why don’t you tell her? See how she feels.”

  “I wanted to so many times. Even when she came by for her photos today, I…”

  His mother tilted her head toward him. “She’ll never know unless you tell her.”

  “Hopefully, I can do that this weekend.”

  “This weekend?” her eyes sparkled. “You mean at Holly’s wedding?”

  “I asked Leah to go with me. I don’t know what will happen, but I want it to be a start.”

  “Your father and I were planning ongoing, but he has a surprise for me.”

  Cole folded his arms across his chest. “Still the romantic, huh?”

  “He’s a little challenged in that department, but I love him. I’ve gotten some interesting gifts over the years from your father.”

  “He hasn’t been back by my studio.” Cole’s shoulders tensed, and his mother gave him a comforting pat.

  “I’m proud of you. I always wanted you to be happy.”

  “And Dad?”

  “That’s his way. He needs time to get used to the idea.”

  Cole rolled his eyes. “How much time does he need? I’m almost thirty.”

  His mother’s eyes narrowed at him.

  He sighed. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”

  “I know, but you two will find some common ground soon.”

  “And if we don’t?”

  His mother tapped her fingers to her lips. “I’ll protest.”

  “Protest?”

  “I won’t cook.”

  Cole’s eyes widened. “You not cook? Dad will starve.”

  She squinted, eyes lit with an inner glow of mischief. “He knows how to make a grilled cheese sandwich.”

  Cole rose from his seat and walked over to hug his mother. She rubbed his back.

  “I love you, Mom.”

  “I love you.”

  Chapter 16

  Leah faced her mirror and smoothed the front of her emerald green sleeveless dress, pirouetting to look at the cutout back. While the gold pumps completed her look, she had a pair of ballet flats stuffed in her clutch bag. Her head jerked toward the door when she heard the doorbell.

  When she opened the door, Cole stood in his black tuxedo, his eyes gleaming. “You look… incredible.”

  Warmth spread through Leah. “Thank you. You look good too.”

  Cole extended his hand. “Ready to go?”

  Grateful her neighbor agreed to watch Chip, Leah pivoted to grab her purse. “Ready.” She placed her hand in his hand. Sensations danced through her fingers and heat coursed in her veins. She quickly released his hand and slid into the passenger’s seat of his truck.

  “Nervous?” Cole asked.

  “Why should I be nervous? I’m not the one getting married.” Disappointment sagged through her. “Sorry that came out wrong.”


  “I’m here if you want to talk about it.”

  Leah shrugged her shoulders. “It’s weird going to a wedding, and I… thought I’d be married by now too.”

  “Is that what happened with your ex?”

  “I got dressed up for a romantic dinner, and next thing I knew, Brian tells me he’s moving to Chicago. He broke up with me, and I left.”

  Cole looked at her, a rueful smile on his face. “He must not have known what he had.”

  Leah gave half a smile.

  “So… I’m guessing this has to do with your dating… what was it?”

  “Hiatus.” She shrugged her shoulders. “It’s nothing set in stone. I wanted to take some time for me.”

  “So, if a man was interested in you, would you give him a chance?”

  “If I liked him back, but I would still want to take things slow. The last thing I need is a rebound relationship.” She raised an eyebrow, tilting her head toward him. “Why do you ask? You’re not going to chase away my prospects, are you?”

  “I have to make sure we keep the ‘heartbreakers’ away.”

  “You were always protective of me.”

  “Still am.”

  Leah’s eyes scanned Cole once again in his tuxedo. A smile tugged at her lips.

  ****

  Cole checked his watch. The ceremony would begin in less than fifteen minutes. By the time he and Leah had arrived, the bride and groom’s friends and family all gathered at the Florence Resort two miles outside of Piedmont Valley. Cole’s eyes twinkled when he spotted Leah mingling among the other guests. Her smile shone across the room, and when they made eye contact, she grinned extra wide. His mouth turned up into a smile, but his forehead creased when he noticed a woman talking to Leah. Based on the woman’s arms flinging in the air, something was wrong.

  Cole scurried to the scene with his camera in hand. “What’s going on?”

  Leah tilted her head toward him. “The bride is having a wardrobe malfunction.” She patted his shoulder. “No worries. I’ll be back.”

  He gave her the okay sign, but a slap on his back diverted his attention.

  “Good to see you here.”

  Cole chuckled at his friend Jeremy. “Same here. Is April in the wedding?”

  Jeremy smiled at the mention of his girlfriend. “Yes. Ever since April volunteered at the animal shelter, I can’t keep her away. She and Holly grew close, and I think she’s talked April into adopting a puppy.”

  “I think that’s how Leah adopted hers. Holly is an advocate for the animals.”

  Jeremy folded his arms over his chest. He raised an eyebrow. “Leah? Did you two come here together?”

  Cole cleared his throat. “Yeah, she’s my plus one. I couldn’t show up here without one.”

  “Uh, huh? Are you still crushing on her?”

  “J, man—”

  His friend gave a dismissive wave with his hand. “You don’t have to say it. I already know.”

  Cole held up his camera. “I got a job to do, so I’ll see you later.”

  “See you later.”

  Cole explored the venue, taking pictures. Leah hadn’t returned, so he hoped everything was all right. He would photograph the bride and groom after the ceremony.

  “There you are.”

  He turned to see Leah staring up at him. “How did it go? Holly okay?”

  “Yes. Everything is fine.”

  He held up his camera. “One more shot?”

  She waved her hand. “No, I’ve had enough photos of myself. How are the pictures coming along here?”

  “Good. Having fun yet?”

  She rubbed her forearms. “I am, but I can’t wait for the ceremony to start. It’s my favorite part.”

  “Why’s that? Let me guess, the bride walking down the aisle and all the people admiring her dress.”

  Leah wagged her finger. “No, Mr. Parsons, that’s not my favorite part. I look at the groom.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “The groom?”

  Her eyes danced. “I love how he looks at his bride to be. You can see in his eyes how much he loves her. My dad told me when he saw my mom, she stole his breath. I guess that’s…”

  Cole wasn’t able to peel his gaze off her. “What?”

  “It’s silly.” She lowered her eyes.

  “Leah?”

  Her eyes brimmed with warmth. “What I want is… for a guy to look at me the way a groom looks at his bride. Brian never looked at me like that. He loved me, but I wasn’t enough for him.” She rubbed her forehead. “I can’t believe I said that.”

  Cole reached out and raised her chin. “You’re more than enough, Leah.”

  She clasped his hand, giving a half smile. “Thank you.”

  Longing whispered through him. “Leah,”—

  “Okay, everyone. We’re getting ready to start the ceremony. We ask that you all take your seats.”

  Cole nodded at the wedding planner. Leah released his hand, and his spirits fell.

  “I’ll see you inside,” she said.

  “I’ll see you.”

  Cole captured the moments of Holly and Josh’s ceremony. He even photographed Josh’s expression as Holly strolled down the aisle with her father. Leah was right. The way he looked at his bride-to-be was heartwarming. Cole spotted Leah with a hand to her chest. Her emerald green dress for the night was perfect.

  His heart nearly stopped when she gripped his hand. He’d come close to sharing his feelings. Could he risk telling her? Was tonight the perfect moment to tell her? He blew air out of his cheeks. He clutched his camera and resumed his photos. When Pastor Hill pronounced Holly and Josh as husband and wife, he caught their first kiss.

  Family and friends cheered and applauded, and Cole followed the couple to the reception area. From there, he photographed the bride and groom, along with the wedding party. During the couple’s first dance, Cole circled the couple, catching the romance.

  Round tables covered in tablecloths strewn with confetti decked the ballroom. Cole captured it all: the floral centerpieces, china place settings arranged with place cards, champagne glasses, and twinkling strings of lights. Waiters maneuvered through the crowd with appetizers and drinks, and the small table held the wedding cake, the focal point of the room. Applause and whistles filled the room as Holly and Josh kissed while on the dance floor.

  Then Cole caught glimpses of Leah circulating the room, her demeanor relaxed and her smile brighter than he had ever seen. She settled in her seat at one of the round tables as the waiters served dinner.

  “Take a break,” Holly said.

  Cole hugged the new bride. “Congratulations.”

  “Thank you, but take a break. We won’t need you until I toss the bouquet.”

  “The wife has spoken so have a seat, Cole,” Josh said. His eyes lit up as he hugged his new wife’s waist.

  “I will take a break, and congrats again to you both.” Cole then walked to Leah’s table. He sat in the chair next to her and sat his camera down. His mouth watered at the sight of Dijon chicken, sautéed medley vegetables, and golden mashed potatoes. He rubbed his hands together. “I’ve been waiting for this.”

  Leah flashed a huge grin at him. “Me too. My second favorite part of a wedding is the food.”

  Cole swallowed and spotted his Caesar salad. “And I’ve worked up an appetite.”

  Leah slid her cleared salad plate toward his; a few croutons sprawled in the center. “Go ahead.”

  He glanced at her for a moment, but then he transferred his croutons from his plate to hers. “You remembered that I don’t like croutons.”

  “You would have done the same for me.” She took another bite from her Dijon chicken.

  Leah nudged his shoulder, and his heart skittered. Being so close, he yearned to touch her. Would she shrink back if he draped an arm around her shoulder? Did she know how much she affected him?

  Even in high school, Cole wanted to be around her. He never turned away her friendly affections. S
he would wrap her arms around his waist in an embrace. Then he would tease her about her petite stature, only for her to pinch his arm. He had it all planned, but her eyes glowed with happiness when Seth had asked her out. Sorrow had shredded Cole’s insides like a blade.

  “You’re quiet,” Leah said. “Tired?”

  He pushed his empty plate to the side. “No, a lot on my mind.” When he heard Nat King Cole’s “Fascination” in the background, he leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Want to dance?”

  She faced him and her eyes lit up. “Sure.”

  He rose from his seat. Clasping her fingers, he led her to the dance floor. He twirled her, and she giggled. He then embraced her hand and placed the other at her waist, drawing her closer. At first, his stare remained on her full lips, but then he led them into a simple waltz. The pleasant tune surrounded them like a breeze. Leah followed his moves, flowing with him across the dance floor.

  Cole cracked a grin. “Are you taking more dance classes besides salsa? You’re good at this.”

  Her lips curled upward giving her away. “No, maybe I’m a natural. You’ve improved though.”

  He led her into another turn. “I try.”

  Cole then dipped her to one side. When he brought her back to his chest, he heard Leah’s breathing hitch. His hand brushed her mid-back, and he closed his eyes to savor the experience. Sensing a fluttering in his chest, he inhaled deeply, but he only caught the fresh scent of her perfume.

  He paused their waltz for a moment. The others danced around them, but the affection glowing in Leah’s eyes captivated him as her hands rested on his shoulders. He then bracketed her waist and resumed to sway her back and forth to the music. The sensation of being flooded with warmth overcame him.

  “You keep surprising me,” she said. Her delicate fingers grazed the nape of his neck.

  He smirked, but unconsciously parted his lips. “Is that good or bad?”

  “I don’t know yet, but I can tell you one thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I’m glad I’m here with you.”

  Cole lowered his head and rested it against her forehead. “I said you were beautiful tonight, right?”

  Leah tucked a loose curl behind her ear. “I don’t mind you saying it again.” Her hands inched closer, her arms coiling around his neck. “Cole…”