“Please welcome, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Welch!” the DJ’s voice boomed through the speakers. Wild applause and cheers drowned out the first strains of Stevie Wonder’s “For Once in my Life” as they moved to the center of the dance floor to share their first dance as husband and wife. Michael gazed down at Carly as he held her in his arms, his expression one of a man completely and utterly consumed by love. Lily couldn’t hear what they murmured to one another, but she knew it was sweet. It was amazing to see her friend find someone so perfect for her.
Ford pulled Lily close, and she laid her head on his shoulder as they watched Carly dance with her new husband. A lump formed in her throat, and she swiped a single tear from under her lashes, determined not to make a mess of her makeup tonight. How many first dances would she watch before her first thought wasn’t of Nathan? Ford kissed the top of her head, and they parted to clap for the couple as the song ended. Carly had planned an elaborate sit-down dinner, so Lily and Ford wound through the crowd to the head table to take their seats. Ever the gentleman, he pulled her chair out for her and helped her push it under the table before chatting with the other wedding party members.
Carly and Michael arrived at the table, flushed with happiness, and took their seats in the middle, with Carly sitting beside Lily.
Lily leaned over and gave her friend a hug. “Everything looks absolutely perfect, Mrs. Welch.” Carly’s huge grin was proof that she was over the moon. “Be sure to eat at least a little of every course before you get back out there and circulate. You won’t get another chance once you leave this table.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem. I’m starving.” Carly sat back and accepted her salad from the uniformed waiter. Laughing the whole time, she let Michael feed her a forkful of leafy greens.
Courses came and went on exquisite china: there was a green salad, creamy tomato bisque, filet mignon paired with asparagus tips and herbed potatoes, and finally an elegant scoop of perfectly smooth lemon sorbet. Lily indulged herself in the decadent meal, just this once. She’d been blessed with the fast metabolism that made it possible for her to eat like a normal person while building a career in modeling, but she knew better than to push her luck. At twenty-seven, a slower metabolism could be lurking around the corner, waiting to knock her out of modeling and into something that would make her glad she’d gone ahead and finished college. Transitioning to full-time work at Soldier On was something she wanted to do on her own timeline rather than be forced into it because she needed a job.
A waiter swept by the table, giving every guest a cut crystal flute of bubbly, and Lily reviewed her maid of honor toast in her head. She’d promised herself she wouldn’t cry, wouldn’t say anything stupid, and wouldn’t embarrass the congressman. She wasn’t technically his girlfriend, but when they were on dates she responded to an unspoken pressure to present herself a certain way.
She looked out into the sea of faces, seeing familiar friends and family interspersed with celebrities from music and television and plenty of industry professionals from Michael and Carly’s life she had never met. Lily didn’t care about connections one way or the other, but Ford was likely drooling from the possibilities. Celebrity endorsements would be like gold for his re-election campaign.
She stood to give her speech, eyes already welling up before she’d uttered a single word. So much for not getting too emotional. Carly was the best person she knew, and no words could do their friendship justice, but she’d try. Dozens of hours spent at her laptop had finally resulted in a speech that conveyed at least some of the immense love and gratitude she had for her best friend.
“Carly and Michael, my heart is so full for you today. America watched you fall in love on television, and the real thing is just as beautiful as what they saw on screen.” She took a deep breath to steady her nerves before continuing, and Carly took her hand.
“Carly, I’ll never forget the day we met, in ninth grade biology class. You were already great with a knife, and I was well on my way to relying on you to catch me when I fall. I know you weren’t expecting your lab partner to faint beside you, but I was so glad you were there. And you’ve been there for me ever since.
“Michael, I know that if Carly chose you, then you must be someone very special. Carly deserves the very best of everything in life, and for her, you’re just that.” Her voice caught in her throat as Michael draped his arm over Carly’s shoulder and pulled her closer. “I know that the rest of your life together will be as beautiful as today has been, and I wish you nothing but happiness. Finding your one perfect match is a rare gift, and I’m so glad it happened to you two. Congratulations.”
She raised her glass and sipped her champagne, swallowing past the lump in her throat. Carly’s eyes shone with tears as she stood and took Lily’s hand. “Thank you, Lil. That was beautiful.”
“I love you guys so much.” Lily pushed the words out. Perhaps she should have left the part about how rare the perfect match was. Sometimes she wondered if she’d ever be able to let go of Nathan and find love again. Most of the time, she didn’t even want to try. Michael stood and leaned over to kiss her cheek, and Lily gave Carly a hug before handing over the microphone to the best man for his decidedly less emotional speech. It felt great to laugh along with his jokes and let the emotional weight lift from her shoulders.
Ford’s hand found her knee under the table when she took her seat, and he squeezed. Leaning against him, she enjoyed the strength of his solid frame. His familiar black pepper and cinnamon scent drifted over her in a ribbon of warmth as he dipped his head to whisper in her ear as the best man concluded his toast.
“Can we dance? Or do I need to wait a little longer before I get you all to myself?” His thumb traced a lazy circle against her knee.
She turned into him, shivering a little at the light brush of his stubble against her cheek. “I’d love to dance.” With her maid of honor duties complete for the time being, she was free to enjoy her handsome date.
Ford took her hand and led her through the crowd on the dance floor, cutting through without hesitation. The song ended as they found their spot, and “Dream a Little Dream of Me” spilled from the speakers, the sultry love song winding around them as he pulled her into his arms.
“Did I mention how gorgeous you look tonight?” Ford’s breath was gentle against her skin, softly flowing across her neck.
She dipped her chin and gazed up at him through lowered lashes. “Yes, but I don’t mind if you say it again.”
Lily closed the gap between them and laid her head on his shoulder, enjoying the weight of his chin against the top of her head. They moved effortlessly, as though they’d danced together a thousand times, and her eyes drifted closed. He was strong, solid, beneath her touch, and for the few moments they were on the dance floor, she let herself forget that she’d ever been broken by loss. In Ford’s arms there was comfort, as temporary as it may be. She knew the weekend of nonstop wedding activities was making her sappy and romantic, that she and Ford weren’t moving forward, but it was fun while they were there. As the song ended, they stepped apart, and he kissed her forehead. A popular ballad began, and he pulled her back into his arms for another slow dance.
“You know, this is really nice. We should dance more often.” His voice rumbled beneath her cheek, and she smiled. He was the perfect height, and they had a natural rhythm together that couldn’t be denied.
Lily leaned back to look into Ford’s eyes, the piercing blue enchanting her, and agreed. “I think you’re right. You should invite me to more fancy parties before you head back to D.C.”
“I knew I loved coming home during our recesses for a reason.” He pulled her closer and hummed as they swayed together. Manufactured romantic feelings or not, being in Ford’s arms felt right.
The sultry music ended, and the DJ’s voice cut through the noisy crowd. “You know what time it is! All the single ladies, please come to the dance floor. The beautiful bride is ready for the bou
quet toss.” The single female guests flooded onto the dance floor as the men headed for the sidelines, and Lily grumbled. At least Carly had nixed Michael’s idea to have “Single Ladies” play during the stampede. The last thing she wanted to do was scramble for the bouquet with the other unmarried women, but she wouldn’t ruin her friend’s fun.
She’d married Nathan after a whirlwind courtship, barely catching her breath between the heady early days of infatuation and their simple wedding she’d thrown together with her best friend Carly. They’d been young and impulsive, but they were perfect together, and she’d never felt that with anyone else. It was irrational, but trying to find love again felt a bit like erasing the past. Her marriage had been short-lived but blissful, marred only by the rift between her and her parents that cropped up when they objected to her getting married so young. Having both experienced and lost perfect, all-consuming, life-completing love was almost too much to bear.
She dragged herself into the throng of single women and shot a quick glance at Ford, who was studying his fingernails as though there would be a test later. He seemed to be as commitment-averse as she was, and that was just fine with her. She was lucky to find a man she enjoyed that didn’t push for more, so she never questioned why he was so willing to keep the distance between them. Carly stood in front of the gaggle of giggling girls and threw a devilish grin over her shoulder at Lily. No, please no. Not me. Anyone but me. But Carly expertly winged the bouquet directly into Lily’s hands and looked so pleased with herself that Lily couldn’t be angry. The flowers couldn’t have weighed more than a pound, but they might as well have been a ton of bricks. She pasted a bright smile on her face and joined her best friend for a picture of her raising the bouquet while they linked arms. Carly meant no harm, she knew that, but she wondered if it was a subtle hint that it was time to move on and find a husband. Again.
• • •
Guests lined the walkway that ran from the hotel to the couple’s waiting limousine, faces glowing from the happy occasion and generous amounts of premium alcohol. Ford watched Lily in the moonlight, still surprised at her seemingly effortless beauty, as she waited for her friend to rush by through a cloud of bubbles and well wishes. Even after a full day of maid of honor duties, the wedding, and the reception, she looked perfect. Still luminous, still animated, and most incredibly, still wearing those torture devices she called shoes.
He took her hand, lacing his fingers through hers, and squeezed. Her big brown eyes shined with genuine warmth when she looked up at him. He pushed a rogue tendril of chocolate brown hair behind her ear and was rewarded when she pressed her cheek against his hand, just for a second. The intimacy in that fleeting moment sent a jolt down his spine. “Thanks for inviting me. Your friends seem really happy together.”
“They are.” Lily looked away and took a shuddering breath. “I’m so happy for Carly. She waited a long time for her perfect man.”
The couple burst through the door, hand in hand, wearing identical dazzling smiles. Their photographer and videographer hustled along the walk ahead of them, navigating the pebbled terrain as they walked backwards to capture both the reveling guests and the departing couple. Friends and family blew bubbles and shouted their congratulations as Michael and Carly made their way through the crowd, and Carly stopped by Lily to pull her into a quick, fierce hug. She whispered something in her ear while her new husband stood by, smiling fondly.
The couple disappeared into their limousine and drove off, empty soda cans rattling behind them. The crowd dispersed quickly and without much further comment as the taillights grew dim, and just like that, the party was over.
“I’m dead on my feet, but you look like you could stay up all night,” Ford murmured to Lily as he texted the driver to bring their car around.
She laughed. “This is all an act; believe me, I’m completely exhausted and can’t wait to kick these shoes off. This is only possible because I’ve had years of practice. I’ll be lucky if I get out of this dress before I collapse into bed tonight.”
Unbidden, thoughts of helping Lily out of her dress popped in his head, and he wondered if she was having similar thoughts. He shouldn’t be reading more into his date’s casual affections and wondering if something real could ever develop between them. They had a good time together, they enjoyed a spicy chemistry, but he wasn’t looking for anything serious, not after what happened the one and only time he’d come close to getting engaged. If not for his mother’s interference, Ford had no doubt that he’d be happily married today, probably a father several times over. At eighteen, he’d known he was ready to commit to his girlfriend before they went off to college, but Mother put a stop to it. Courtney Simons hadn’t been good enough for Jessica Richardson’s son, and there was no way in hell she would marry into the family. As one of the five students attending Ford’s prestigious private school on financial scholarship, Courtney was little more than an opportunistic gold digger as far as Mother was concerned.
Ford hadn’t yet grown his backbone and let her convince him to end the relationship, let her chase his girlfriend away while telling himself that Mother was right, he needed to concentrate on his education. Now Courtney was married to another man, someone who deserved her a hell of a lot more than he ever did, and Ford was alone. Over the years, his love for Courtney had indeed faded into fond affection, but the thought of getting close to marriage again made bile rise in this throat. He couldn’t consider marriage without remembering the spineless boy who couldn’t find a way to stand up for himself. Between frustration that his mother would interfere in such a way and his disgust at himself for allowing it, he’d sworn off serious relationships. Until he could look in the mirror and not see the man who’d let his mother dissuade him from marrying the woman he’d loved, he wouldn’t chance it.
One of the things he enjoyed about dating Lily was that she never asked for more from him—never called first, never asked to define the relationship, never pushed for more time together. Being with someone who seemed as averse to commitment as he was freeing. Lily was perfect for him: quick-witted, polished, and stunning. They had a good time together, definitely enjoyed a mutual attraction, but she was content to keep him at arm’s length, and he liked it that way. Since swearing off serious relationships and marriage, Ford found that most of his relationships didn’t last very long; most women wanted their relationships to go somewhere, not continue endlessly without ever progressing. In Lily, he’d been able to enjoy everything he loved about dating without the possibility of disaster.
“If you’re that tired, maybe we should get a suite here. I’d hate for you to collapse from exhaustion.” He grinned and pretended to head back into the hotel. Now that he’d imagined helping her out of her dress, getting a room together seemed like a great idea. He had to stop.
“Not tonight. Take me home, Congressman. I’m beat.” She nodded toward their car as it pulled up at the curb.
Their driver opened the car door, and he watched Lily slide inside before the door closed behind her. Ford followed the driver around and let himself in the opposite side so she wouldn’t be forced to scoot across the seat in that tight pink dress. The interior was cool and quiet, welcome after the lively chatter of the crowd. With the privacy screen closed, he and Lily were ensconced in the hushed shell of the Town Car’s backseat.
Being home for the short fall recess meant that they’d seen each other more in the last several weeks than in the previous months since they’d met and started dating. Ford didn’t know if it was the frequent togetherness, the intimate environment of the quiet backseat, or the exhaustion after sharing in her friend’s emotional day, but Lily scooted close to him and snuggled into him when he draped his arm over her bare shoulders. With her head resting on his shoulder, he only had to turn his head to press a kiss into her hair before inhaling her floral shampoo. She fit there, at his side, in his arms.
“Sunday fun day, tomorrow?” he asked, though he wasn’t sure she hadn’t drifted of
f to sleep, lulled by the gentle hum of the tires on the street.
She started at his voice, probably close to nodding off. “Not for me, I’m afraid. I’ve been so wrapped up with Carly’s wedding that I’ve neglected my own stuff. Everything’s starting to catch up with me.” She sounded sleepy, the sexy rasp of her drowsy voice making it harder to imagine saying goodbye forever. All he could picture was hearing that voice murmuring from the pillow next to his in the darkness. He had to stop before he said or did something foolish.
“You have vital model business to attend to?” he joked, giving himself a mental shake and lightening his tone.
“Yeah, I have a crucial tanning appointment tomorrow. It just can’t wait another day.” She laughed. “No, actually, I have another meeting with our team about the nonprofit organization I’m trying to get off the ground on Monday. My dad offered to come over tomorrow to catch me up on everything I’ve missed.”
“On a Sunday? You are some dedicated people.”
“I want to be on the same page as everyone else, especially since they’ve all been so nice about the time I spent helping Carly with the wedding. Plus, we just got word on some important funding coming through, so we’re eager to stay focused.”
“This is the group that’s going to help military widows, right?” He knew Lily had gone to college, and anyone who spent any time with her knew that she was more than just a pretty face, but he never would’ve expected her to be so heavily involved with starting a nonprofit. It was a refreshing surprise.
“That’s the one. It’s called Soldier On, and of course we’re still working out exactly what’s practical for us to offer. The primary purpose is to provide services for military widows and widowers who are having trouble reintegrating into civilian life.”
“Wow. That’s a big task to take on, but you know, I can’t think off the top of my head of any group around here offering the same thing.” They rarely talked about Lily’s first husband, but he knew the basics. No doubt she’d gotten the idea for her organization from her personal experience. She was remarkably well-versed in the needs of military widows and seemed passionate about her cause. Why hadn’t she talked about it more before tonight? Because he’d never asked? Not for the first time, he realized how much of their time together was spent doing what he wanted and talking about himself.
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