Page 149 of Release

Wroooong.

Yes, we planned this with the triad, who were more than tickled to help.

I walk Declan over to George, who turns. Before Declan can balk, I pass him over to George and start dancing with Carter, while Owen and Susa dance, and the band launches into Jason Mraz’s “Quiet.”

Declan still looks shocked as he watches me. I blow him a kiss and spin away from him with Carter, so Declan and George are dancing in the middle of the floor next to Aussie and Ashleigh.

Carter chuckles and speaks with his mouth near my ear. “He looks terrified. That’s so damned hot.”

“I know, right?”

Halfway through the song, Susa and I switch, so I’m dancing with Owen.

George and Declan are still dancing, and then George kisses him.

Full lips, more than a couple of Mississippis in length.

Aussie takes the opportunity to kiss Ashleigh, too.

Owen and I start applauding and loudly cheering, as do Carter and Susa, the boys, George’s brothers, Ashleigh’s parents, and others who pick up on what’s going on.

Fuck anyone who doesn’t like it. And I’m sure there will be plenty of people screaming they don’t like it, based on how many members of the media are here covering this, and how many cell phones are currently recording it.

For the second song, Ashleigh ends up dancing with Ryder, while I end up with Declan and George and Aussie dance to Ellen’s favorite song, “Sunday Morning,” by Maroon 5. I find myself blinking back tears because it finally hits me why she loved that song so much, why it was the song she picked for her and George’s first dance at their wedding, even though it had been one of her favorite songs when we were together.

I don’t know why it took me so long to realize it.

It was her love song to me.

“Did you know he was going to do that?” Declan asks.

I smile. “Yep.”

He rolls his eyes but pulls me tighter against him as we dance. “Love you, Ma’am.”

“Love you, too, boy. You can’t complain life with him isn’t interesting.”

He snorts. “No, Ma’am. I can’t say that at all.”

For the third dance, me and George, he’s slipped in a surprise for me. Another Jason Mraz favorite, “Best Friend.”

Okay,nowthe motherfucker made me full-on cry.

He pulls me in to slow dance with me. “I love you, Case.”

“Love you, too.”

“He’s going to kill me for that, won’t he?” he teases.

“Probably.” I sigh. “I’m going to have to put out a press release tomorrow morning to shut down the bullshit, won’t I?”

He chuckles. “Probably. You’d kill me if I kissed you right now like I kissed him, wouldn’t you?”

“Probably,” I drawl.

He laughs and we dance. “You’ll want to kill me and him both a lot over the next four years, won’t you?”

I snicker. “Probably.”

And yet, here I am.