Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 111400 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 446(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111400 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 446(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
I wish Cole could be mine.
Then I shook my head, blinking away tears. I really needed to stop doing that—wishing on stars was for kids. I was fucking thirty, and that wish was never going to come true. Taking deep breaths of icy air, I shivered and pulled my stole tighter around me. But I didn’t want to go in yet—I wanted to get so cold I felt numb.
“Cheyenne?”
At the sound of his voice, I turned. “Cole. Hey.”
“What are you doing out here? You’re going to freeze.”
“Nah.” I looked up at the sky again, at the traitorous stars. “I’m just getting some air.”
“Blair said you were out here—I said I’d come get you. It’s about time for the dance.”
“Oh. Okay.” Glancing at him, I tried a joke. “Ready to bust a move?”
He laughed a little. “I’m just hoping I don’t bust your toes.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll try to keep them out of your way.” I moved for the door, but he reached for my arm.
“Cheyenne, wait. I was hoping we’d have a chance to talk.”
“Maybe later, okay?” I said, gently shaking his hand off me. “We’d better get inside. I can hardly feel my feet, which won’t help us on the dance floor.”
Nodding, he pulled the door open for me without another word.
Inside, I dropped my stole in the coat room and made my way toward the edge of the dance floor, where I saw the rest of the wedding party waiting for the music to start.
Blair looked relieved when she saw me. “You’re back.”
“I’m back.” I could feel it when Cole took his place beside me.
“So when the song begins, we’re all just going to go out there,” Blair said, addressing everyone. “No announcements or anything.”
“Got it.” I nodded, a shiver moving through me as Cole placed a hand at the small of my back. I remembered being in his arms last night, the way his body had felt on mine, the way he’d kissed me. The song began, and he gently nudged me forward onto the floor.
I held my breath as he slipped one arm around me and took my hand in his. Placing my left palm on his broad shoulder, I made sure to keep my body several inches from his, so that our chests were not pressed together. We swayed a little awkwardly to the music, like middle schoolers at their first dance, afraid to get too close. My stomach jittered with nerves. Eventually I had to inhale, and when I did, the scent of him filled my head.
Oh God, how long was this song going to go on?
Over Cole’s shoulder, I saw Griffin holding Blair tight, Beckett and Alexis laughing at something, and Frannie grinning as Moretti turned her beneath his arm. Everyone was having a better time than we were—was it obvious?
Glancing at the guests, I saw my mother dabbing at her eyes, Charlie Frankel smiling fondly, Mariah shifting her weight from side to side, impatient to have her turn on the dance floor. It gave me an idea.
“You should dance with Mariah,” I said.
“Yeah, I promised her I would, at some point.”
“No, I mean during this song. Like, trade me for her, so she can be part of this. After all, she’s in the wedding party too.”
Cole was silent a moment. And then, “I don’t want to dance with Mariah right now. I want to dance with you.”
“I really don’t mind,” I said, suddenly desperate to make an escape before I broke down. “In fact, I insist.”
“Cheyenne.”
“Let’s move that way.” I took the lead, maneuvering us over to the side where Mariah stood. “Hey sweetie,” I said, smiling at her. “Want to dance with your dad?”
Her eyes lit up. “Can I?”
“Of course,” I said, letting him go. “He’s all yours.”
“Yay!” She spread her arms, and Cole embraced her the way he’d held me, dancing her back out onto the floor without another glance in my direction.
I stood next to Mrs. Mitchell for a moment, a smile pasted on my face, laughing a little despite myself when Mariah tried executing a few fancy twirls. When the song was over, I applauded along with the rest of the guests, then watched as Griffin brought my mom onto the floor, and Blair asked Charlie Frankel to dance.
Cole and Mariah ended up on the other side of the room, but I felt his eyes on me. Careful not to meet them, I watched my brother dance with my mom and missed my dad with a ferocious ache in my heart. I wiped away tears when the song ended.
At that point, the DJ played an up-tempo oldie and invited everyone to the dance floor. I saw Mariah begging her dad to take her back out there, and Cole arguing before finally giving in. Feeling like I could use a drink, I made my way to the bar.