Authors: Nikki Rittenberry
“Landon… this isn’t the proper time or place to start that discussion. We can talk about it later tonight, okay?”
He brushed his hand against her cheek and smiled. “Okay.”
* * *
The bridal party arrived back at the arbor just as the sun receded beneath the horizon. The florid sky was invigorating, appearing as though a higher being had meticulously created a watercolor masterpiece in the heavens above.
Darkness was looming and the calm breeze was now beginning to
gain momentum. The photographer rushed to get the remaining group shots in front of the arbor before the vibrant sky fell black.
When the photographer announced that the bridesmaids and groomsmen were no longer needed, Jacob walked to the end of the aisle and spotted Cassie and Landon standing by the railing on the deck. Landon’s arm was settled along the small of her back, holding her petite body close to his. A grueling ache expanded within Jacob’s chest, engulfing his physique and smothering his lungs.
Aside from his first encounter with Landon at his hospital room in Chicago last fall, he’d never seen the two of them interact. The thought of another man’s hands on her perfect little body had been inconceivable up until this point, and witnessing it firsthand infuriated him. He wanted more than anything to strike his fist against Landon’s jaw and then snatch Cassie in his arms; take her inside the cottage and make sweet love to her. He wanted her all to himself for the rest of their lives.
He could tell that Landon loved her; it was obvious in the way he looked at her. He couldn’t fault the guy for that—she was without a doubt easy to fall in love with. However, witnessing their interplay was torturous.
Tanner approached from behind and gripped one of his shoulders with his hand. “How’re you holding up? I saw Landon sitting in the back row when we came up the aisle earlier.”
Jacob exhaled loudly. “Well, I’ve been better”, he replied.
“I thought Cassie said he wasn’t coming”, Tanner stated confusedly.
“Yeah, that was the impression I was under, too.”
Tanner stared at his best man, then Cassie and Landon, and then back to Jacob again. “Oh no”, he mumbled softly.
“What?”
“Look, I think you should stay clear of them tonight.”
Jacob kept his eyes focused ahead on the deck. “Can’t do that—I need to talk to her.”
“Want my advice?” Tanner asked.
“Not really”, he replied dryly.
“That’s too
damn
bad. You need to back off and give her some space. The last thing you want to do is make her feel like she’s backed into a corner. Give her some time to sort through everything before you charge over there and demand any answers or explanations.”
“Is that your subtle way of asking me not to make a scene?”
“No—I trust your discretion.” Tanner slapped Jacob on the back and squeezed his shoulder. “Besides, Em
would take care of you if that were to
happen.” Jacob looked down at the ground and let out a soft chuckle. “Seriously, think about what I said, okay?”
Jacob briefly clenched his teeth. “I’ll
try.
”
Tanner rejoined the group, leaving him at the end of the aisle. He watched as Cassie turned her head, their eyes meeting for the first time since the end of the ceremony. He wanted to take Tanner’s advice; he wanted to do the right thing, but truthfully, he’d never been any good
at impulse control. This unexpected twist
changed everything and he didn’t know how much longer his restraint would last
.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“Good evening, if I could have everyone’s attention for just a moment. The cocktail hour has concluded. If you would please, make your way to the tent for the reception. The bridal party will be joining you shortly.”
The crowd slowly filed down the steps opposite of where the arbor stood and scattered underneath the grand canopy in search of their assigned table. The overall ambiance was impeccable, a far cry from the mundane appearance from the day before. Lights were strung along the ceiling of the canopy, reminiscent of a starry night, illuminating the white table linens with a modest glow. Tall, cylinder vases were centered on every round table with an assemblage of lavender wildflowers spilling over the rims. Each place setting contained simple, white china with a platinum-edged rim and a deep violet napkin that had been meticulously folded into the shape of a heart. The chairs were covered in a plain, white fabric and the backs of the chairs were embellished with a satin, violet sash similar to the one adorned to Emily’s wedding dress.
Cassie and Landon located their reserved table adjacent to the fabricated dance floor and the head table. Moments after they were seated the DJ took control of the event, introducing the parents of the bride and groom, as well as the individual members of the bridal party. Jacob and his escort, Kara, were the last to be called before the newlyweds made their grand entrance. They all stood evenly spaced around the perimeter of the rectangular dance floor, and either purposely or by chance, Jacob stood directly across from her.
“Ladies and gentleman, it is my pleasure to introduce to you for the very first time the new Mr. and Mrs. James!”
The crowd welcomed Emily and Tanner with cheers and applause. They held hands as they weaved around several tables, finally coming to a halt in the middle of the dance floor. They turned toward one another, embracing their new life partner as Ingrid Michaelson’s version of
Can’t Help Falling in Love with You
began softly in the background.
Jacob stood as the music played, the lyrics resonating with him; he couldn’t help falling in love with Cassie either. From the moment he’d laid eyes on her on that bench of front of the fountain back in New Orleans, he’d known she was
different. He’d been with
countless women before her and since, yet none of them made him feel the way she did. They’d planned a life together; one that challenged them, yet seemed attainable. He’d purchased a ring, hoping she’d accept his invitation to spend the rest of her life with him, and then upon learning of her acceptance to the Denver Therapy Institute, foolishly convinced himself that his deceitful ploy was for her own good.
He’d walked away from his first love—his only love. He had suffered six, painful years without her. He’d tried to move on—to forget about her, but she was… a part of him; a part of his body—just like his leg or his arm. He couldn’t forget about her any more than he could amputate one of his limbs and forget it existed. No, he couldn’t help falling in love with her and every time he saw her he plummeted faster. Deeper.
Cassie sat sideways in her chair watching Tanner and Emily. She’d told herself to keep her focus on them, but halfway through their first dance her eyes strayed toward the best man. Her gaze began at his feet and slowly ascended until she was helplessly staring into his hypnotizing, green eyes. A wave of despair rose from deep within her. Unable to hold back, tears begin to fall, moistening her cheeks as the song came to an end. She turned herself back around to face the table, reached into her gold clutch, and retrieved a tissue.
“Honey, why are you crying?” Landon asked in a concerned tone.
She gently blotted her dampened skin. “I’m… I’m just really happy for Tanner and Em. They’ve fought hard to get to this point. Their road to happiness wasn’t an easy one.” It wasn’t entirely untrue. Tanner and Emily had endured a lengthy, long distance relationship and she was incredibly happy that they’d accomplished their happy ending, but she wasn’t crying happy tears. The reasons for her tears were more complicated than that.
The music blended into the background as white-coated waiters served the first course: spring mix salad with a citrus vinaigrette. Next was the main course: beef wellington, sour cream and chive mashed potatoes, and roasted asparagus. Cassie had remained quiet during much of dinner and Landon decided to spark a lighthearted conversation to fill the awkward silence.
“How’s the weather been here?”
“Perfect.”
“Yeah? What have you been doing all week?” He asked curiously.
“Um… I attended a cocktail party here the first night. Thursday we went sailing—”
“You went sailing? How was that? I’ve always wanted to do that.”
“You would’ve loved it, although I must admit—it’s not as easy as it looks.”
“One of these days I would love to learn—of course, I’d have to manage lessons around my busy schedule.” Landon took a sip of champagne and placed his crystal flute back onto the table. “What else have you been up to?”
“After we went sailing Tanner, Emily, Jacob, and I went to dinner at a restaurant a few blocks from the bed and breakfast, and yesterday was the rehearsal and bachelorette party.” Cassie shrugged her shoulders. “That’s basically it.”
Landon placed his silverware down and grabbed his napkin. He wiped his mouth before setting it back in his lap and stroked the stubble on his chin with one of his hands.
“Is something wrong?” she asked. “
You obviously seem bothered by
something I just said.”
Still stroking his chin, he answered, “The four of you together at dinner sounds a lot like a double date.” he turned his head, studying the disapproving
glare Cassie was giving him.
“Well, if you’ll remember correctly, your name was listed on the invitation as well and had you not backed out at the very last minute, it would have been the
five
of us at dinner.” Jealousy had never been an issue in their relationship before. In fact, he’d concocted the idea of her and Jacob meeting in New York last fall. It was a foreign emotion; one that she was unaware that he was capable of feeling until now.
“Trust me—I remember. Look… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply anything.” Landon leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers before pulling away to glance into her hazel eyes. “It’s just—I’ve seen the way he looks at you… I guess the idea of you and Jacob
together
does seem kind of… comical.”
“Why do you say that? Jacob’s a nice guy.”
“Yeah, he’s a great guy—a hell of an architect too, but he’s not your type.”
Cassie tilted her head in bewilderment. “Okay—now I’m curious. What
is
my type?”
Landon licked his lips and inched forward. “Well, I was kind of thinking it was… me”, he explained. He smiled and Cassie returned the gesture, grinning back at him. “You need stability—that’s something that a guy like Jacob can’t offer a girl like you.”
Cassie was caught off-guard by his last comment and she secretly wondered who Landon was trying to convince: her or himself? “Really? Well, I’ve known him for years; you’ve known him for what—ten months? What makes you think you’ve got him all figured out?”
Landon gestured with his hand. “Two words: personal observation. Back in January I traveled to New York, remember?”
“Yes.”
“After our meeting, several of us stopped and had a few drinks and let me tell you what, women flock to him and from what I could see—he wasn’t putting up a whole hell of a lot of resistance…”
Cassie’s mind wandered. She
thought about the night she’d traveled to New York after receiving his text six years earlier. She thought about how he’d managed to bring home another woman and she questioned how a man who’d purchased an engagement ring a day earlier, could end things so abruptly and find comfort from intimacy with another.