Her head tilted back then, tears glistening in her eyes. To her credit, they did not fall. “Really?”
“Really.”
He could have cursed himself. Sarah had just suffered the worst sort of evening. Perhaps the worst of her life. He remembered exactly how he’d felt, and he’d gone and made it worse.
“You don’t have to. I shouldn't have…” Her words trailed off as her chin dropped again.
Reaching down, he placed a finger lightly under her jaw, lifting her head back up to the jaunty angle that suited her perfectly. “Don’t apologize. Or apologize tomorrow when we’ve both had time to put this in perspective and I’ll apologize too.”
“For what?” she asked, her eyes crinkling in confusion.
He gave a shrug and a wry smile. “Most likely just for being myself.”
That made her laugh. A tinkling sound that echoed through the dark night like a bell calling out into the darkness. The sound was so good to hear, and he relaxed at the sound. She did too. Her muscles loosened in his hug. Giving her one more squeeze, he eased back.
Her hands, now steady, slipped off his coat and held the garment out to him. “I’m ready to go back in now.”
He nodded. “Good.” Then he swung his crumpled coat onto his shoulders and offered her his elbow. “I’ll be right next to you the entire time.”
And he kept his promise.
She, in turn, gave a marvelous performance. She laughed, she talked, she deflected several attempts for partygoers to engage Marigold in uncomfortable conversation.
And she never glanced at Stallworth.
She was the picture of social grace.
The same could not be said for that excuse of a man. He spent the entire evening staring at Sarah with an intensity that made Theo want to hurt something or someone. Fine. He wished to hurt Stallworth specifically. A good hard punch in the nose would likely do the trick.
Twice her fingers had tightened their grip on his biceps as Stallworth had passed, but no one else would have suspected a thing.
Well, except for Max. Max watched them like a hawk the entire evening.
But his friend’s suspicions were entirely wrong.
Because Max kept grinning at Theo and Sarah as if he knew some secret that amused him terribly. Max, the egit, was playing matchmaker. How did Theo tell Max that once again, he was chasing after a woman who did not share his feelings?
But this time was different, he reminded himself. This time he knew where he stood. This time it was only for show.
Sarah was not manipulating him, he was offering himself up.
And this time he knew better than to fall in love.
An ache throbbed from somewhere in the vicinity of his chest. Too late, it seemed to say. But he shoved the thought aside, along with the ache in his chest. His heartache could come later. This evening was about nursing Sarah’s broken feelings, not his own.
But after tonight, he’d have to put some distance between them.
Because he’d made a promise not to allow that ridiculous organ to do the thinking for him and he’d keep that promise himself no matter what.
Theo spent the rest of the night convincing himself he wasn’t falling in love. The lectures lasted well into the night, long after he should have been asleep. By the next morning, as he prepared for Max and Marigold’s private ceremony, he’d lectured himself into submission.
He was her brother’s friend. Her stand-in guardian. He was not her love interest, never had been and he didn’t wish to be.
He wasn’t giving his heart away.
But another voice argued back, the one he’d been trying to quiet all evening. Too late. The organ was already gone.
And as he walked into the chapel, that voice grew louder.
Because Sarah stood at the back of the church, in the airlock between the inner and outer door, a halo of incense around her, a beautiful smile gracing her lips, and his heartbeat stalled in his chest.
Her dress of pale blue silk shimmered in the candlelight as she held Marigold’s hands in the vestibule of the church.
Whatever weakness, she’d experienced yesterday, she’d banished today. She looked happy, excited for her brother and his bride.
She fussed over Marigold’s dress. “You look stunning, Marigold. Are you excited?”
The other woman gave a tremulous smile. “Yes. Nervous too.”
Theo knew all too well how Sarah felt this morning. Hurt and angry didn’t even begin to describe her emotions and yet, she gave Marigold a quick hug. “Don’t be. You and Max are perfect together. Would that I could find a man as well-suited to me.”
Pride and suffering warred inside him. She was incredibly strong and selfless. Still, he ached at those words.
Shaking his head, he reminded himself of his lecture.
He didn’t want love, therefore it didn’t matter that she would never return his affection.
But watching her like this, the words rang hollow.
He swallowed a lump as she looked at him and then dropped her gaze again, her smile slipping from her face before she firmly planted a happy expression on her face again.
If she could feign happiness, then he certainly could.
With a nod, he moved past her and into the chapel, passing by the pews that already held their guests.
The number was small.
A man in uniform sat with Max’s mother.
On the other side, an older couple, Marigold’s parents, and a small group of Marigold’s friends.
He moved past them all to greet Max, who stood next to the priest at the front of the church.
Max gave him that look again. Like there was a secret. “Did you enjoy last night’s festivities? You seemed to. A great deal.”
Theo raised his brows. “Today, we’re focusing on you. Remember?” Which was the truth but also… he didn’t want to discuss Max’s not-so-subtle hints that Sarah was a good candidate for Theo.
Or that Sarah might return any feelings Theo harbored.
Max shook his head. “Why? In the marriage department, I’m complete. I’ve met my match and I’m about to marry her. It’s you who needs to be settled. And...” He dropped his voice to a whisper. “Sarah.”
Theo closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath. “Max,” he started, holding up his hands. “Don’t get ahead of yourself.”
Max chuckled. “You’ve known me since we were boys. Do I seem like a man who acts rashly?”
No. No, Max did not. But he also didn’t know what was in Theo’s heart. Or, perhaps he did. But he definitely didn’t see Sarah for what she really was. A strong, capable woman. And Max was only trying to match them because he thought Sarah needed to be cared for.
“Can we please focus on your nuptials that are happening momentarily?”
“Fine,” Max replied, pulling up straighter. “Thank you for participating in this additional ceremony. It means the world to Marigold and me.”
Theo looked back at Max’s mother, who currently wore a rather obvious frown. “And how does your mother feel about this impromptu ceremony?”
Max chuckled. “She’s adjusting. Luckily, she’ll have another wedding to plan soon enough.”
Theo’s chin pulled back, as the realization that Sarah would marry soon enough slammed into him.
Stallworth was just a minor bump in her road to marriage.