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She looked at me for a long moment, her whisky gaze unreadable. “I guess you’re not.”
Before I could think of a reply, the music changed, meaning the bridal dance was over. It was our turn now, as the best man and maid of honor. I took Stef’s hand in mine and led her onto the dance floor, slipping my arm around her waist.
“Sorry, I’m a bit shit at this.”
“You’re doing fine.” She wasn’t really, though. It felt like she was wearing concrete boots, with how heavily she was moving her feet. The only reason she was still standing was because of me. It was when I felt her tremble that I said, “Enough, Stefania. I think you need medical attention.”
She raised panicked eyes to mine. “No, please Grayson. It’s one more hour. I can do one more hour.”
“You got through the wedding, isn’t that?—”
“If I go to the hospital now, Esme will cancel the honeymoon to stay with me.”
Maybe a stronger man would insist, but it turns out I was weak as water. Seeing me give in, Stef dropped her head to my shoulder and drew a deep, shuddering breath.
All I could do was hold her up while we swayed slowly to the music, hoping I was doing the right thing.
CHAPTER 18
Stefania
The dancing part was done, and Grayson led me from the floor to a big, soft couch. I registered, vaguely, that there was no way I could have got through this weekend without him. Gratitude was an odd feeling when it came to him, but I’d take it. For now, at least.
I let out a sigh as I dropped onto the plump cushion. “Thank you.” Everything ached. My back. My hips. My legs. On top of that, my muscles felt like Jello, so even walking normally took a monumental effort. Took energy I couldn’t really spare.
Grayson sat next to me.
“Don’t you have people to schmooze with?”
He shrugged.
“Come on, you’ve been glued to my side for hours. It can’t be fun for you.”
“I’m not a fun sort of guy.”
I wasn’t really sure how to answer that, so I just rested my head back and watched the party. Man, I’d love to be out there,dancing with Esme and the kids. It made me smile to see Wolfe dancing with Ariel, then picking Belle up and whirling her around. Aaw, there was Florian, trying to dance with Esme and Tiana at once. Their happiness made me happy.
Then it got too much for Belle. Fair enough, since she looked like she’d been up for a week straight as she came off the dance floor to where I was sitting.
“Tired, huh, my little jam drop?”
She nodded, yawning again. “Can I sit with you?”
“Of course you can.”
She climbed into my lap and snuggled right in, giving me the perfect excuse to stay put and not brave the dizzying dance floor.
The party was in full swing, the bright disco lights making my eyeballs hurt, and the beat of the music hit the base of my skull like a fucking axe.
Grayson was watching everyone, and it made me wonder what he was thinking. And why he was staying with me.
“We’re fine here, if you’ve got something you need to do. Your mom is eyeing me off something fierce.”
“She’ll get over it.” I sensed the moment the tension hit him and he shot me a look. “Would you rather I leave?”
I raised my eyes to his, to find him watching me closely. What was this? A moment of insecurity? If only my brain wasn’t three-day-old gruel, and I could think about what that meant. For now, I just shook my head. We were quiet after that, and it was weird, like, really weird, how comfortable that felt.
What was very uncomfortable, though, was Belle’s weight against me. She was like a sack of potatoes, her head like a bowling ball, pressing into my shoulder. She hadn’t moved for ages. “Is she asleep?”