“You better head out before your mom or my brother come here looking for you and get more than they bargained for.”
“Uh-huh,” I agreed dazedly.
“Go on, baby doll.” He turned me around and gave me a little swat on my butt. “I’ll be right behind you.”
The rest of the day flew by in a whirlwind of activity. I made about a million phone calls, making sure everything was in order for the rehearsal dinner tonight and the wedding tomorrow. I answered just about as many questions since everyone knew I was the point person instead of the bride. My mom wasn’t quick to make decisions, so it was easier for me to handle stuff for her since I knew what she liked.
Luckily, the rehearsal went off without a hitch—unless you considered me staring at Harrison the whole time a hitch. It had been impossible for me to pull my eyes away from him as he stood next to Stanley on the opposite side of the aisle from my mom and me. With his whiskey colored orbs locked on mine, I listened with half an ear to the directions the minister was giving. It wasn’t until my mom flung her arm around my shoulder to lead me forward that I even realized the rehearsal was over and it was time to head to the restaurant.
I’d requested a private dining room when I’d made the arrangements at the restaurant where Stanley had taken my mom for their first date. It was a quaint little Italian place that served the most amazing pasta in town, and since I’d gone to school with the owner’s son since Kindergarten, I knew they’d make it super special for my mom. And boy, had I been right. Our group was seated at a long table covered with a crisp white cloth. There were three centerpieces filled with a wild array of colorful flowers, and each place setting had a deep purple charger plate in front of it. Mine and my mom’s favorite color.
“It’s perfect!” she squealed, settling into her seat in the middle of the table. Stanley was to her right, and I was to her left. As the best man, Harrison was seated next to his brother, two too many seats away from me.
The waiter came around with a bottle of champagne, filling everyone’s glasses, including mine. “A toast!” Harrison called out, rising to his feet and moving to stand behind my mom and his brother, with his hand resting on the back of my chair. His fingers brushed against my neck, making me shiver as I lifted my glass in the air along with everyone else.
Stanley’s eyes shot to my glass and then to my mom. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, and she reached out to snatch the champagne away from me. She took a big gulp out of it, drinking about half the contents, and then handed it back to me. “There, a tiny bit won’t hurt now that you’re eighteen.”
Harrison leaned low and whispered in my ear, “I’ll make sure one of our first stops is France so you can have all the champagne you want.”
I leaned back, my eyes on him as he made his toast and moved back to his seat. Through the appetizers, the main course, and dessert, I found my neck craning in his direction often, so I could catch a glimpse of him. Each time I did, it was as though a sensor went off and he looked right back at me. After a couple of hours, dinner was finally over and I was following my mom and Stanley out of the restaurant, with Harrison right behind me, when I heard my name called out. Turning to look to the right, I caught sight of a familiar face before I was wrapped up in a hug that lasted only about a half of a second before Enzo, the owner’s son and a childhood friend, was ripped away from me.
“What the hell?” he grunted.
“Get your hands off her,” Harrison growled, holding Enzo by his collar.
A quick glance over my shoulder showed me that my mom and Stanley had already made it out the door. I heaved a deep sigh of relief before focusing on the situation at hand. Laying my hand on Harrison’s upper arm, I stepped forward until I was right next to him. “It’s okay. Enzo’s a friend from school.”
Harrison narrowed his eyes, flicking a glance between the two of us and I shook my head no. “Friends,” I repeated. “Nothing more.”
Enzo held his hands up. “Dude, I didn’t mean anything by it.”
Harrison let go and dropped his arm around my waist. He didn’t apologize, and I had a feeling it was because he didn’t think he’d done anything wrong. I only had time to flash Enzo a brief smile and a wave before Harrison hustled me towards the door. As he pushed it open for me, he lowered his head and confirmed my suspicions—he wasn’t the least bit sorry. “Nobody touches what’s mine, baby doll. And you’re very much mine.”
Chapter 5
Harrison
I spent the majority of the night in my hotel room tossing and turning. Bunny and Stanley had decided to follow tradition and spend the night before their wedding apart. Leaving without kissing my girl goodnight was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. At least, I’d thought so at the time. I soon discovered that I wouldn’t sleep well without her near.