All This Time

44 ⦿ in which i'm happy (part 2)

The ballroom of the five-star hotel Graeme selected for the wedding reception is strung up with fairie lights and festive florals that match the ones from the cathedral. Amber chandeliers bathe the room in warm light, illuminating the wooden floor and the vaulted ceiling. The French windows are drawn with thick cream and yellow drapes, skimming the floor just-so.

"Not tired yet?" Levi teases as I spin out of his arms. Our hands are still joined and I laugh as he pulls me back in.

"Exhausted," I say, making a face. "I think I danced with all your single cousins and uncles tonight, Levi. And all of Xander's. There's not a single relative who hasn't asked me to dance yet."

"Except one." His voice is deep with meaning, hinting at the man who's standing with his mother and her new beau with a thunderous expression on his face.

With a shrug of nonchalance, I resume the dance. The band is playing a lively acoustic version of The Fray's How to Save a Life and I swear I can hear every word. "What has he been up to since I left?"

Levi gives me a baffled look. "Why are you asking me?"

As Levi spins me once again, I snatch a glance at the man in question. Wolfram. He sees me looking at him and his expression clears. One side of his mouth pulls up in a smile and he sends me a silent toast of his fourth flute of champagne. It doesn't even bug that I've been keeping track.

Xander and Graeme are energetically dancing in some weird approximation of a boogie. I wince, reminding myself to duck out the ballroom the second they start doing the chicken dance.

"Why didn't you bring a date?" I ask Levi in a breathless rush. "What about the girl in the picture you sent me?"

His lips twist and his cheeks flush, which is all the answer I need. "I didn't...I thought it was too soon. This is a wedding, not a get-together. I didn't think Graeme would like it if someone was in the wedding photos who wasn't going to be a permanent part of our lives."

"True," I acknowledge. "Plus, if you really like this girl, you don't want to introduce her to your crazy family until you've got a ring around her finger. Wolf and Graeme have the tendency to make people want to run away, especially if they tag-team."

He throws back his head and laughs. "My crazy family? You realize that since you're pretty much Xander's sister, you're now related to all of us, right?" At my flabbergasted face, he only laughs harder.

Another spin. Another glower from Wolf.

She goes left and you stay right streams through my mind in tempo with the piano music and it hits me so fast. What are we doing, pretending to be friendly strangers? Like all we share is a best friend?

Some song lyrics make you forget everything. Others make you remember them. "Levi," I say, halting my legs and hips. "Would you excuse me?"

"About time," he says, smirking. He takes a step back and gives me an encouraging grin.

I march over to Wolf and I see his eyes go wide, like he didn't expect me to actually come over. "Charlotte," he says, voice rumbling in a way that makes me go a little weak at the knees.

Rhona smiles. "Wolf, give me your glass."

"What?"

"Give it here." She snatches it before he can protest.

"What—"

"Walk," I say, looping my arm through his.

I navigate him past the doors of the ballroom, through the hallway, and into the lobby. I catch our reflection in the mirrors lining the hall - Wolf looks good in a tux, just as good as he did in jeans earlier.