“She’ll want to say goodbye to you. Will you wait to leave until I find her, please?”
“Sure. I’d bet money she and Ellie are together anyway.”
I smiled apologetically. “Probably right.”
I wandered through the crowd, acknowledging people I knew and stopping only to chat briefly to Dr. Brighton’s wife, Cynthia, before finally finding Julia and Ellie in the hallway outside the ballroom. They were leaning against the wall with their heads close together and Ellie was clearly upset, her face pinched and red, her cheeks damp with tears. Julia reached out to her friend and hugged her close, causing Ellie to sob into her shoulder.
I hesitated, wondering whether or not I should interrupt. Scenes like this were weird and I stopped a few feet away to consider it. Some of the other guests milling around on their way to the bathrooms or in and out of the hotel were casting curious glances in the women’s direction.
Julia noticed and whispered something into Ellie’s ear. She nodded and moved out of my wife’s arms to begin wiping at her eyes with both hands. I moved forward and pulled a handkerchief out of my front right breast pocket and held it out to Ellie wordlessly, my left hand skirting down Julia’s bare back to rest on her hip.
Ellie’s expression was embarrassed but she took the hankie and dabbed at her eyes. “I’m sorry I’m such a mess. I should be inside with Aaron and Jenna and here I am blubbering like an idiot!” she sniffled.
Julia’s arm was around my waist and she leaned into me slightly. I knew her heart was breaking for Ellie when her head tilted and rested on my shoulder. I resisted the urge to turn and place a kiss on her forehead, knowing I needed to focus on Ellie.
I released Julia and hugged the other girl close to me, but Julia’s hand remained on my lower back, rubbing slightly and maintaining the connection between us.
“Ellie, what can I do? Can I get you a stiff drink? Do you need to go up to your room? Should we come with you?”
Ellie shook her head. “No. I can’t take you away from your brother’s wedding, Ryan, but thank you for being so sweet. Harris should be out here with me, but obviously, he doesn’t care where I am.”
I sighed. “I don’t think that’s true, honey. I just spoke with him. He’s upset, too. You two should talk.”
I glanced down at Julia, whose eyes met mine and she bit her lip. I could read the look I found there. This was bad.
“We have talked. What did he tell you?” Ellie asked, still trying not to cry.
“Uh… I think you should talk to him about it.”
Ellie’s face hardened and she pulled away abruptly. “Look, Ryan, I know he’s been screwing those groupies. They all do it; the rest of the band, too. I’m not cut out for the life of a traveling rock star and Harris’s solution is that I quit my job and follow him around the world. My job! Then, if he leaves me, where the fuck will I be? I can’t do that. I won’t,” she snapped.
My hand slid down her arm and I took her hand. “I don’t think he’s cheating, Ellie. I really don’t. I can see that you’re hurt, but so is he. He’s devastated that you won’t marry him.”
“I’ve seen those girls hanging on him. I surprised him on the road and I saw how they are with my own damn eyes! I can’t possibly marry him after that.”
I stiffened. Harris hadn’t told me that part and maybe it was worse than I thought. I felt helpless to ease her pain. “I’m… Did you see him doing anything or just some woman hitting on him? Ellie, think about it.”
“She was all over him, and he didn’t stop her.” Fresh tears filled her dark brown eyes and spilled over on to her cheeks. She used the handkerchief to dab at them.
“I see. I’m so sorry, Ellie.” It seemed pointless to continue the conversation when the one she needed to have it with was Harris.
Julia was silent and I could see the resignation on her face. The deep sadness meant she’d tried to have this same talk with her friend and Ellie obviously wasn’t in a place to listen. “Why don’t we go say goodnight to the bride and groom and then I’ll take you upstairs. If you don’t feel like staying with Harris tonight, Ryan will stay with him and I’ll stay with you.” She looked up at me apologetically and I nodded shortly.
“Of course.” I was disappointed to lose the last night of this time alone with Julia, but Ellie’s situation was more important, so I agreed without hesitation.
“Thanks for being so sweet, but I wouldn’t want to do that to you. I can deal with it one more night. He’s flying out very early anyway.”
“You’re not even traveling together?” I asked incredulously.
She sensed my trepidation and rushed to clarify. “We’re not going to the same place. He’s meeting up with the band in Toronto and I’m going back to Los Angeles,” Ellie explained.
I put one arm around Ellie and the other around Julia and turned them back toward the ballroom. “I see. Well, before you go upstairs, you owe me a dance, little bit.”
“Yeah, my feet hurt anyway,” Julia interjected with a smile.
I laughed and Ellie’s lips lifted in a smile.
“Yeah, right. If you’re trying to make it seem like I’ve stepped on your feet, wife, you’re lying. She’s the one who steps on my feet, Ellie,” I teased.
“Shut up, Matthews. You know what they say; if your feet get stomped on while dancing, it’s because you didn’t move them out of the way fast enough.”
Julia reached out the hand that was behind Ellie’s back and squeezed my arm that was resting around Ellie’s waist. It was more of our silent communication.
We all laughed softly as we made our way back to the table where Harris was waiting. He stood up as we approached. “Ellie, would you like to dance?”
“Uh… I was… sure, okay.” She looked reluctant, but took Harris’s proffered hand hesitantly. Harris’s expression softened and I felt Julia relax next to me, a deep sigh expelling from her lungs.
As we watched them move off toward the center of the parquet dance floor, I turned Julia into my arms. “What about you, Mrs. Matthews? Would you care to dance with your husband? I promise not to step on your exquisite feet.”
Her arms slid around my waist and she tilted her head up to look into my face. She had on ridiculously high heels, but I was still inches taller. I loved it. She seemed so fragile and perfect; so magnificent. Her skin was translucent and glowing and her full red mouth called to me in silence.
“Mmm… I only said that…”
Our bodies worked well together and dancing was no exception. I bent my head and took her mouth with mine, placing a gentle kiss on her luscious lips.
“I know, my love.” I released her slightly and took her hand in mine, our fingers twining together as was our usual habit. Her head fell to my shoulder and her other hand clasped around my bicep as we made our way to the dance floor.
I pulled her close and sucked in the sweet scent of her perfume as she snuggled into my shoulder, her head coming to rest just below my chin. I rubbed it back and forth on the top of her hair a few times because I couldn’t resist.
“You feel so good,” I said softly as we swayed to the music. The lights were low and the dance floor was crowded. Paul and Marin had left earlier and Gabriel and Elyse were still dancing a few feet away. My mother smiled at me when she saw the way Julia and I were wrapped up together and I grinned at her over the top of Julia’s head. She nudged my dad and had him glance in our direction. He shook his head at us and smirked.
I shrugged slightly and mouthed some words for their benefit, but so Julia wouldn’t hear. “I can’t help it.” They both smiled again before he twirled my mother around quickly at a tempo too fast for the music, eliciting a high-pitched laugh.
I turned my attention to the soft woman in my arms and bent my head to kiss the bare skin of her shoulder. She moaned softly as my tongue pressed down between my open lips. The sound caused an immediate reaction in my body. She had so much control when she wasn’t even trying. I still found it mind-bog
gling.
“I’m sorry, baby. Being away from you tonight is the last thing I want, but if Ellie needs me…” she said softly, one hand running down the front of my shirt to fist in it.
I continued my trail of kisses and moved aside a small tendril of hair so I could kiss the curve where her shoulder met her neck. “Mmmm… I know. It’s okay,” I murmured against her skin.
“Is it?” She pressed her body closer and slid the fingers of both hands into the hair at my nape. I fucking loved it when she did that and Julia was well aware of her affect on me.
“Not really, but I’ll live. I understand, sweetheart.”
She turned her head and kissed my jaw, her sweet breath rushing hotly over my skin. She smelled of wine, perfume and Julia. Utterly delicious.
“Kiss me, Ryan,” she whispered softly and my arms pulled her closer, sliding up over the bare skin exposed by the backless dress.
“You don’t have to ask me twice.” I turned my mouth to hers and it opened hotly underneath mine, both of us pulling the other closer. The kiss was slow and hungry, probably more than we should have allowed in the crowded room, but it was dark and I hadn’t kissed her like this for several hours.
“Mmmm,” she moaned again as I lifted my head and stroked her cheek with the back of my knuckles. “I want you.”
“Do you, now?” I said softly as I nuzzled her cheek with my nose. I pressed the evidence of my desire into the softness of her stomach. “You drive me crazy with it. It never goes away, Julia,” I whispered against her skin as I dragged my mouth back toward hers.
“Uhhhh, Ryan. Always.” We kissed again, a series of soft, open-mouth kisses that left me aching and hungry for more.
“I could swear you have a room, dude! Why the fuck aren’t you using it?” Aaron’s jubilant face suddenly appeared a few inches away from my wife’s and mine, intruding on the intimacy. We both smiled as we abruptly broke apart. A beautiful blush flooded the apples of Julia’s cheeks and I still held her close to my body. Aaron’s arm was around Jenna’s waist and she was laughing out loud, her face flushed with happiness. She looked every bit the radiant bride. “I thought I was the horn dog around here, and it’s my wedding night!”
“Hey!” Julia moved out of my arms to hug my brother and his new wife, wrapping one arm around each of them, careful not to pull Jenna’s very full veil from her head. She was beautiful, but very, very fluffy. So different from the glistening, simply elegant bridal gown that Julia had worn. My heart still skipped a beat whenever I thought about it. At times, I was even grateful for Mike Turner because of the breathtaking photos he’d taken of Julia and then of us together right after we were married. I loved looking at them and I enjoyed it immensely when I caught Julia doing so.
“Yeah? So what in the hell are you still doing here, then?” I teased. “Don’t you have a plane to catch?”
“Yes! That’s why we’re interrupting,” Jenna took Julia by the arm and started to pull her away.
“All the women are coming up to help me change and I want you to join, too. Will you?” Her eyes were sparkling when Julia nodded in the affirmative.
“Of course!” The two of them had become even closer since Julia’s accident and I was happy to see it. They’d been friends a long time, but now they were more like sisters. “I wouldn’t miss it!”
“Where’s Ellie? She seemed upset earlier,” Aaron observed.
“Yeah, she was,” Julia’s face fell slightly, before she tried to mask it; she wouldn’t want to take the sparkle off of Aaron and Jenna’s night. “She and Harris were dancing a minute ago. I’ll get her and meet you upstairs, okay?” Jenna nodded as Julia took my hand and glanced at my face, an intimate smile meant only for me lifted the corners of her full lips. “I’ll see you a little later, handsome.” The fingers of her right hand reached up to brush along the now slightly scruffy line of my jaw and my own hand closed around them so I could kiss the tips.
“I’ll miss you,” I said softly and bent to kiss her mouth softly. “Love you.”
When Julia left us to go find Ellie, I turned to find Jenna and Aaron watching me intently. Jen’s expression was deadpan and Aaron was shaking his head.
“What?” I knew what he was thinking, but I pasted an incredulous expression on my face.
“What? Are you fucking kidding me?” Aaron shot back. “She’s not going to the moon, dude. You’re pathetic.”
I chuckled in response, the rush of love I felt for my beautiful wife must have been very evident in our exchange. “We’re still newlyweds, too, so shut it!” I retorted with a grin and pulled Jenna into a hug and twirled her around. “You’re looking very stunning, sister. Good thing I’m already married or I’d have to steal you away.”
Jenna’s laughter tinkled through the air and Aaron joined in with her. “As if!” she giggled. I sensed she was slightly tipsy and was still holding a half full glass of champagne. She leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on my mouth. “We’re so glad you’re here, Ryan. We miss the shit out of you.”
“Yeah, even though it is nice to have the apartment to ourselves,” my brother nudged me and smiled before turning to Jen. “Babe, get your sexy ass changed so we can get the hell out of dodge.” She nodded and left us to go up to her room. Anna and my mother were waiting at the door to the ballroom to go with her, and Mom wrapped a hand around Jenna’s waist to lead her from the room.
“You’re still the consummate romantic, Aaron,” I teased. “Shit, where did I go wrong?”
“Not all of us can be sappy asses like you, Ryan.”
“Whatever. Have you talked to Dad about Christmas yet?”
“Yes. He knows that we may not be able to make it since we’re taking time now to go to Hawaii. When are you taking Julia on a honeymoon?”
We were sitting at a table and I glanced around the room. Harris was speaking to my dad and he looked somber. He nodded his head in agreement to something Dad said and shook both of their hands.
“Uh…I think I’ll try to surprise her with a trip soon.” I longed to tell my brother that Julia and I had agreed to start a family and so I needed to get her away before she got pregnant, or maybe on a quest to get her that way, but couldn’t since we’d agreed to keep it between the two of us. “I could really use some uninterrupted time with her. Don’t get me wrong, this weekend has been wonderful, but we don’t have enough time to just focus on each other these days.”
“You deserve to get away, but will you be able to? It was almost impossible for me to get away and it was for my honeymoon. The hours are just ridiculous.”
“We knew they would be,” I agreed, “but it sucks more than I anticipated. It’s worse than med school. I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it, but I’ll try like hell. I’d sacrifice Christmas in Chicago for one-on-one time with Julia.”
“Mom will be disappointed if neither of us can get there,” he stated the obvious.
I shrugged slightly. “She’d understand. She knows we’re both working like dogs. She lived through it with Dad.”
I was watching Harris come toward us and both Aaron and I stood. Aaron threw his big arms around the smaller man in a light embrace. “Glad you could make it, dude. I hear you’re heading to Canada tomorrow.”
“Yes. Congratulations, Aaron. Jenna looks stunning. I have an early flight so I’m going to turn in, if you don’t mind. Have a wonderful honeymoon.”
“Thank you. We will,” Aaron said goodbye to Harris and then turned back to me. “I should go change and say goodbye to the parents. We’ll see you again as soon as we can get time off, but it might be a while.”
After filling Aaron in on the conversation I’d had with Harris earlier in the evening, I said goodbye to him and wandered up to the room to wait for Julia, or not wait for her, whichever the case may be. If Ellie was still upset, there was a good chance I wouldn’t see her before I fell asleep. Seeing everyone had been wonderful, but the late nights partying weren’t helping my exhaustion. Julia was sad be
cause her best girlfriend was in such emotional turmoil, so I wouldn’t be surprised if she didn’t reappear.
I loosened my tie as I entered the room and threw it on the suitcase along with the jacket of the tux. The room smelled like Julia’s perfume and I inhaled the familiar scent, saddened slightly that tomorrow we were going back to the New York rat race.
Julia had a trip to Europe coming up in two weeks, the second in three months. She was usually only gone a week to ten days, but combined with my work schedule that racked up our time together right before and after, it would be more like fifteen days without each other. I ran my hand through my hair, then unbuttoned my shirt, pulling it from the waist of my pants at the same time. Julia’s make-up and hair brushes were scattered all over the vanity in the bathroom—the mess left in her hurry to get ready. She did look amazing and I told myself once more how lucky I was.
My phone was on the table in the entryway where I’d left it with my keys and I heard it vibrate from the other room.
“Hey, babe,” I answered on the third ring.
“Hi. Where are you?”
“I just got back to the room. Are Jenna and Aaron gone? I wasn’t there to see them off, but Aaron isn’t big on pomp and circumstance and I’m wiped.”
“Mmm huh, they left a few minutes ago.”
“Are you still with Ellie?”
“Yes. Although I think I’ve talked her into speaking with Harris, or at least letting him back in their room tonight. She just called him.”
“It sounds like a fucked up mess to me. I talked to Harris but I’ll tell you about it tomorrow on the plane.”
“I’ll try to get back before too long. Don’t wait up, honey. Get some sleep.”
“Will you wake me up when you get here?” I asked softly, not able to bear the loss of any time in her arms.
She sighed into the phone. “Ryan, you need sleep so badly. Tomorrow night you have to work and I want you to be rested.”
“I can sleep when I’m dead and the flight isn’t until two in the afternoon so we can sleep in a little. Even if it’s just to talk to you or hold you, I want you to wake me up. Please don’t argue. Fighting is the last thing on my mind tonight,” I murmured and I could picture the soft smile lifting the sides of her luscious mouth. “I want to kiss you goodnight.”