Aching for Adam

Chapter 5

ADAM

I made my way through the crowd, scanning faces under the pretense of seeing who had arrived. Who was I kidding? I was looking for her. I knew she was coming—my sister had confirmed it. But was she here yet?

The ceremony had been quick, and I'd had a clear view of everyone present. She hadn't been among them. Did she change her mind?

I turned the corner just as the band began to play. Our song.

"Really?" I muttered under my breath.

My stomach twisted into knots. Why did I feel like this? I had moved on. Plus, she was the one who left me, and these were my people, my family. I shouldn't have been the one nervous. But I was.

I followed a waiter carrying a tray of champagne toward the gardens, desperate for a drink. He passed beneath the ridiculously expensive—albeit beautiful—arch of white flowers my sister had insisted on. She'd wanted "magical" and "over-the-top." Check and check.

I grabbed a champagne flute, and as I raised it to my lips, I saw her.

The most beautiful woman I had ever known stood framed in a burgundy dress, the last rays of sunlight brushing across her face, haloed by the arch of white roses. She turned, light catching her hair, her skin glowing.

It was her.

My heart stopped.

_________

ELLE

I turned around, hoping I'd have more luck inside.

And there he was. Adam.

He was right there, staring at me—frozen. My heart lurched into overdrive. I could feel it hammering in my chest, in my throat, in my temples. I was sure everyone else could see it too, desperate to break free from my body.

Adam lifted his champagne glass and downed it in one swallow. His eyes were wide, like a deer caught in headlights. His whole face rigid.

Then he pivoted sharply, practically running away. He stumbled into two guests and nearly toppled a cocktail table on his way out.

"Holy crap. Holy crap. What am I doing here?" I whispered, squirming in place. I darted toward the nearest bathroom, slipped inside, and locked the door behind me.

Breathe.

"Fuck, he looks so good," I thought, pressing a hand to my forehead. Panic and longing tangled inside me.

I hadn't had time to take in much before he bolted, but what I had seen was enough. The pale blue suit, crisp white shirt, no tie—simple, effortless. His hair was combed neatly back, except for a few rebellious strands across his forehead. He used to run his hands through it whenever he got nervous. Apparently, he still did.

And his eyes. Those beautiful green eyes that had once stared into me like they could read every hidden thought. One glance and it felt like a thousand unspoken questions had passed between us.

That man... that man was everything.

"I don't think I'll survive the night if I have to keep looking at him like that," I admitted silently, heat coiling low in my belly. 

If I was going to make it through this night, I had to pull myself together. Refocus.

I stepped back out of the bathroom just as a waiter passed. Without thinking, I snatched two glasses of champagne, flashing him a grateful smile. He frowned when he noticed I was alone. I downed one glass in a single gulp and set it, empty, back on his tray.

"Happens at every wedding," the waiter sighed, wandering off.

I laughed under my breath and decided the only way to steady myself was to find Suzie. She was the reason I was here.

I crossed the doorway into the gardens. No sign of Adam. I exchanged a few polite greetings with people I recognized—wedding small talk, surface-deep—and then kept moving.

The gardens unfolded before me like something out of a fairytale. The mansion's manicured grounds bloomed with flower bushes, the lake glinting beyond, the trees standing sentinel at the edge of the property. Round tables circled a dance floor beneath a tall beam structure draped with cascades of white flowers and strings of soft lights.

The sun had just slipped below the horizon, leaving the sky glowing with dreamy hues. I swayed unconsciously to the slow jazz drifting through the air.

And then I saw her. Suzie—radiant, surrounded by her mom, dad, and a cluster of bridesmaids. Relief flooded me, and I headed toward her.

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Hey guys!

I hope you're enjoying Adam and Elle's story! We're going to get to the juicy part in a chapter or two :)
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