“Settled with their respective spouses at the moment,” Ethan assured her. “At separate tables. I switched a few place cards around to make sure they were nowhere near each other.”
“Cora Jane may kill you if she finds out about that,” she told him. “It took her weeks to settle on the seating arrangement.”
“I’ll take my chances. Better a lecture from Cora Jane than a debacle at the groom’s family table.”
She laughed. “You have a point.” She gazed at him expectantly.
“What?” he asked, pretending not to know why she’d sought him out.
“I was hoping for that dance you were supposed to save for me,” she said.
“Now?” he said warily, scrambling for a believable delaying tactic. “We should probably do the toasts, get our official duties over with before we start enjoying ourselves.”
She grabbed his hand. “Then let’s do that,” she said, leading the way to the front of the tent where the bridal party had been seated, at least until some of them had wandered away to evade prying eyes.
To Ethan’s dismay, she picked up a crystal champagne glass, beckoned for the waiter and had it filled to the brim before tapping on it to get the guests’ attention.
She turned and winked at her sister. “You know, when I was a little girl and Emily came along, I was just old enough to read her fairy tales. In the ones she liked the best, the handsome prince always came along to capture the heart of the beautiful princess. I think those stories shaped the woman she became, because when her prince came along, he stole her heart forever. Emily and Boone didn’t fall into each other’s arms and live happily ever after at first glance—they were only fourteen, for heaven’s sake—but I think that’s what makes their story so incredible. Their love never died, and when they got a second chance, they grabbed it.”
She lifted her glass. “To my sister and her prince. May your future be as joyous as you dreamed. To Emily and Boone!”
“To Emily and Boone!” The toast echoed around the room.
Ethan smiled down at the woman beside him. “And now I have to try to top that,” he said, drawing laughs. “I’ve known Boone for most of my life, from the first time his parents came over to visit mine with this scrawny little bundle in their arms. I have to admit, I wasn’t impressed.”
“Thanks, pal,” Boone said, lifting his glass in a mocking salute.
“Just wait,” Ethan scolded. “It didn’t take long for me to discover that this kid who was soon shadowing me everywhere was a talented athlete and a good friend, and he grew up to become an amazing man. He became the kid brother I never had, and now he’s one of my best friends, one of those who never shies away from the truth, even when it hurts.”
He lifted his glass in Emily’s direction. “At the very core of who he is, at his soul, there is Emily. From the moment they met, it was evident that they were meant to be together. Now, just about everyone in this room knows I’m not a big believer in love everlasting, but I can’t deny this truth. Theirs has lasted. And I can only stand here today in awe and respect and wish them years and years of the same emotions they’re feeling right at this moment.”
To his surprise, he actually felt the sting of tears in his eyes as he held his glass high. “To Boone and Emily. May you find all the happiness you deserve.”
“Already found it, pal,” Boone shouted. “Now it’s your turn.” He glanced pointedly toward Samantha, then grinned at Ethan’s discomfort. “Just saying.”
A cheer erupted from the guests, or maybe it was just from the Castles, but all Ethan heard was people chanting, “Kiss her, kiss her.”
Maybe it was meant for Boone and Emily. Maybe it was directed at him, but he couldn’t seem to draw his gaze away from Samantha’s upturned face, her expectant expression. What the heck? he thought, giving in to long-overdue temptation.
He pulled her into his arms and captured her lips, aware of nothing else but the way her mouth opened for him, of the way she molded her body to his, the heat and desire that were suddenly all-consuming. She was everything he’d anticipated, and then some.
He’d known it would be like this. He must have. That’s probably why he’d fought against his feelings for so long. He’d known that once he let her in, even a little bit, he’d be lost.
And right now, with both of them pouring heart and soul into that kiss, he knew his fight was over. He’d done the one thing he’d vowed never to do. He’d fallen hopelessly in love.
* * *
Samantha regarded Ethan with a dazed expression as he eventually released her. “Boy, when you fall off the wagon, you really take a tumble, don’t you?” she whispered, her voice breathless.
He smiled. “If you’re going to do something, you’d better give it your best shot,” he confirmed. “That’s always been my motto.”
“Want to go somewhere less public and do it again?” she asked hopefully. “You did say that once our official duties were complete, we were free to enjoy ourselves.”
She saw him waver for just a heartbeat, clearly tempted, but then that stoic resolve of his kicked in one more time.
“Maybe we’d better have that dance now, instead. If you and I get caught making out, speculation will run rampant. We’ll steal Emily’s thunder. She’ll never forgive us.”
“Or she could cheer,” Samantha told him. “This is what she wanted.”
“True, but probably not in the middle of her wedding reception.” He held out his hand. “Let’s dance. It’s a slow song. I can hold you close.”
“If that’s your best offer, I suppose I have no choice but to accept,” she said, following him to the dance floor. When she was settled in his arms, she
