Before I could stop myself, the words I would live to regret flew out of my mouth. “Even without a significant man in my life at the moment, I promise you by the time I turn thirty, I will be married.”
Oh my God, did I really just say that? “With that, I’ll end by saying Mazel Tov, Seth and Emily. L’chayim!” I held up my empty glass of champagne.
Everyone clapped as I returned to my table. I hoped the videographer could edit my speech out of the wedding video, or ’I’d never live it down. My brother would play it at every holiday just to torture me.
Missy gave me a sympathetic smile. “That was a great speech until you blew it by admitting you were jealous and swore to marry by your thirtieth birthday.”
I groaned and put my head in my hands, terrified to think the night just started.
The waiters brought some rolls to the table and I grabbed one, eating greedily to soak up some of the alcohol in my system. After the salad, I began to feel normal again.
The bandleader asked the bridal party and their partners to join Emily and Seth on the dance floor. I get the privilege of slow dancing with Goldman. This should be fun.
Since Goldman didn’t bring a date and Emily considered it inappropriate for me to dance with Missy, she requested Goldman and I dance together.
As we met on the dance floor, the band began massacring the Bangles “Eternal Flame.” Goldman placed both hands on my waist, and I hung my arms limply around his neck.
He tightened his grip and pulled me closer. My head rested against his chest, just as it had all those years ago. His hand moved up and down my back and I swear he sniffed my hair. I started to get tingly all over as his hard body rubbed up against mine. I cursed myself for letting him affect me that way, when I should have known better.
Goldman encompassed all my favored physical attributes. Even though my mind understood he was a jerk, my body lusted after his. I wanted to run my fingers through his dark brown wavy hair, stare into those deep chocolate eyes, and strip off his clothes. That’s why I usually stayed at least five feet away from him at all times.
Under the circumstances, I wouldn’t be able to follow my own rules.
The longer we danced, the faster my pulse raced. I swore I felt his own heart beating quicker, too, and his breathing seemed deeper, as if he couldn’t get enough air.
His lips brush my ear. Oh my God, was he going to kiss me?
“I liked your speech, Sara. All your talk about beshert.”
I didn’t dare raise my eyes to meet his. Instead, I kept my gaze focused on his chest.
“Thanks, Goldman. That’s nice of you to say.”
“Do you really think you’ll find someone to marry you within the year?”
I pushed him away from me, angry at myself for believing for one moment there could be anything between us.
“You are such an asshole, Goldman.”
For a moment, I thought I saw hurt in his eyes. Then, I reminded myself Goldman would have to have feelings in order for me to hurt him.
I stormed away from him, intending to return to my table to eat dinner and complain to Missy. Before I managed to leave the dance floor, someone tapped my shoulder.
I spun around expecting to find Goldman with another one of his so-called compliments.
“Would you care to dance?” Caleb asked.
Although I really wanted to eat, I couldn’t turn down a dance with the one handsome eligible bachelor I didn’t hate.
“Sure, I’d like that,” I said, moving back onto the dance floor.
He put his left hand on my upper back and his right hand in mine. I felt like Elizabeth dancing with Mr. Darcy.
“Doesn’t your date mind you dancing with someone else?” Even an overweight, frizzy haired one like me?
He shook his head and smiled. “Staci and I are just friends. She has family in Detroit. She came with me from New York so I wouldn’t have to go stag to the wedding.”
Hmm, single and available. Too bad he lived in New York and I lived in Michigan. Or was that a good thing?
We could have one of those romantic long-distance relationships. One where we talked for hours on the phone, learning each other’s secrets and typed explicit emails about what we planned on doing to each other when we finally reunited. Build up everything, so that when we were together, the reality couldn’t possibly top the fantasies we’d created. Spend lots of money we didn’t have on airfare.
Okay, maybe a long distance relationship wasn’t such a good idea.
“You give a good speech by the way. I agree. It isn’t easy finding someone.”
I waited for the ridicule and the criticism, but it never came. He gave me a compliment!
“Thank you. I’m sure you don’t have any problem getting a date though, do you?”