OUR BROKEN BEGINNINGS

CHAPTER FIVE

The rest of the reception was filled with laughter, so much laughter. I hadn't laughed that much since before my father passed. Noah kept doing stupid shit, like the worm, and twisting Charlotte around in circles until she could barely keep from falling over. Charlotte and I hadn't laughed and danced like this together since college. It was nice to see her happy.

During the cake cutting, Noah came up from behind Emerson with a handful of cake and rubbed it into his face. It was all over his mouth and nose and cheeks. I laughed so hard that I actually thought I would pee on myself.

Emerson simply shook his head and doubled over in laughter with his best friend. He was radiant and relaxed, and I allowed myself to think for only a moment—before mentally reprimanding myself—that I would do anything to always see him that way. I wouldn't allow myself to entertain thoughts like those for long because he was still a stranger to me as I was to him, and I wouldn't be deluded to think that it was going to be happily ever after when we left the reception.

When the reception ended, Emerson and I ran through a tunnel of sparklers toward our limo, laughing and holding hands the whole way. I didn't want to admit it, but a hidden part of me knew that my laughter wasn't part of the act or for the pictures that Eric was taking. I couldn't tell if Emerson was being genuine, but I was too tired to mull over it. I knew the moment a bed was in sight I was going to be out.

I didn't say goodbye to my mother, and she didn't say goodbye to me. I hadn't seen her again since I had, essentially, run off the dance floor. We reached the limo, and Emerson opened the door for me. I slid in and let out a big sigh. All the eyes were gone, and I was finally alone. That was until I felt a larger body slide in next to me.

"Oh. Let me switch to the long seat so we have more space."

I shuffled over to the longer seat across from the minibar filled with champagne and soft drinks. I looked over at him and gave him a gentle smile. The dim colorful lights made him look even more beautiful than he had under the sunlight if that was even possible. He returned the smile.

"You didn't have to move."

I shrugged and looked towards the minibar.

"I want us to be comfortable."

I turned my head back towards him in time to see him give me a curt nod and look out the window. His passive expression disappointed me, and my disappointment angered me. It mostly confused me, though. I didn't know why I cared if he was no longer laughing. What I did know was that I shouldn't have cared. That it did not concern me. That I should have been focusing on matching his expression, but I couldn't get myself to. I was still buzzing with excitement from the prior hour.

I decided to stop evaluating his behavior and leaned forward to grab one of the glasses filled with champagne. I brought the cool glass to my lips and enjoyed the way the alcohol slightly burned my throat when I swallowed. I hummed quietly as I took my second and third sips. When I lifted the glass to finish it off, I heard a voice.

"Do you like it?"

I looked towards Emerson to find his hazel eyes observing me. His right elbow was propped on the handle of the door, with his head leaning against his index finger. I kept eye contact as I swallowed the last of the champagne. I licked my lips and put the empty glass back into the same holder where I had taken it from. I was sure that the fuzzy feeling in my chest was caused by the series of different drinks I had already consumed.

I nodded and replied. "Mhm. It tastes exquisite."

"We had it imported specifically for you. Charlotte knew you would want something to take the edge off today, so she told us about a trip to Italy where you guys tasted the best champagne of your lives."