Chapter 1 - At The Wedding Hall

Val

July 28, 2018

Belle Ballroom, SW Marriot Hotel have never seen Monica so happy. Her smile is so wide, and it makes me tear up. My best friend is getting married.

We’ve been inseparable since college—me, the nerd, and her, the wild party girl. She taught me how to loosen up and live, and I kept her grounded enough not to self-destruct. I’ve bailed her out of more than a few disasters, like the time she switched the sugar and salt in Professor Anders’s coffee. He was crankier than usual for a week.

Seeing her now, in full makeup, glowing in white silk, nearly breaks me.

“Please don’t tell me you’re crying,” Monica teases, catching me off guard.

“Nope,” I sniff, smiling. “Just admiring how your dress fits. All those workouts paid off.”

She laughs, nerves sparking through the sound. “Two months of hell. Worth it though.”

“Are you nervous to see Steve in a tux?” I ask.

“I’ve seen him in plenty of suits,” she says, her eyes softening. “But the thought of him waiting for me in that tux… yeah, my stomach flips.”

Monica’s been with Steve since high school. He’s her one and only, the safe harbor she never doubted. The way she talks about him makes me ache for something I’m not sure I’ll ever have.

Her mom, Mary, bustles in then, glowing with pride. “Don’t make the bride ridiculous on her big day, Val.”

“Not my fault she once thought salt was sugar,” I tease.

Mary laughs, dabbing her eyes. She takes Monica’s hand, ready to lead her down the aisle, when Monica stops.

“Wait. Val, here.” She presses a hotel room key into my palm. “Just in case you’re too tired to drive later. Promise me you’ll use it if you need to.”

“You don’t have to—”

“I insist.” She winks, then squeezes Mary’s hand and heads toward her future.

By the time the priest announces, “You may kiss the bride,” I’m a mess. My mascara wasn’t cheap, but it betrays me as tears spill anyway. Steve’s eyes shine when he looks at Monica, and the love between them nearly crushes me. I’ve never had anyone look at me that way

\~\~\~

At the reception, I found myself seated next to a stranger with light brown hair and storm-grey eyes. He offered me a polite smile, the kind that lingered a second too long.

When the bruschetta arrived, I nearly moaned at the first bite. My stomach had been empty since last night’s breakup with a man who had specialized in tearing me down piece by piece.

The stranger chuckled. “You look like you’ve just discovered religion.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks. “It’s amazing,” I admitted, mouth still half-full.

“Take mine too, if you want.”

I shook my head quickly, swallowing. “No, no. I’m Valerie. Just call me Val.”

“Chris,” he said, extending a hand. Then with a crooked grin: “Hello, Just Val.”

I shot him a glare, but his laughter was warm, unguarded. “Relax. I was joking. You’re cute, by the way.”

Cute. With watery eyes, greasy lips, and a body I’d spent years being told wasn’t enough? He had to be kidding.

Before I could respond, Monica and Mary appeared. Mary’s sharp gaze landed on me. “Val, where’s Andrew? Didn’t he come?”

Heat spiked in my chest. I froze, but Monica cut in. “He’s gone, Mom. Didn’t even bother to treat Val right.” Her tone was edged with steel.

Mary softened, squeezing my shoulder. “His loss, sweetheart. Better men are out there.” Her eyes flicked, not so subtly, toward Chris.

He gave a courteous smile, but Monica leaned down to whisper in my ear. “He was one of Mom’s favorite students. Now he’s teaching at some university. Total catch.”

“Why are you telling me this?” I muttered.

She winked, already drifting away.

Chris and I locked eyes, and then we both broke into laughter. Somehow, conversation flowed easily, like we’d known each other longer than a few stolen minutes.

“So, Econ professor, huh?” I teased when he mentioned teaching. “If I were still in school, you’d probably be grading my papers.”

“Maybe,” he said, sipping his drink. “But I stopped at Stanley a few months ago. I’m heading to UPenn tomorrow. First day.”

My jaw dropped. “Okay there, Ivy League professor.” I gave him a mock salute.

He laughed, the sound low and warm. “Don’t professor me. Tonight I’m just a guy, and I say we should be on that dance floor.”

“No way. I can’t dance. My body’s stiff, and I’ve got two left feet.”

“Then follow my lead,” he said, tugging me toward the music. His hand closed around mine, and something fluttered in my stomach.

Chris moved easily, confident in the rhythm, while I stumbled awkwardly at first. “Loosen up a little, Val,” he coaxed, twirling me until I laughed in spite of myself.

“That’s it,” he said approvingly, drawing me closer.

Song after song blurred together. By the time we stepped off the floor, flushed and breathless, he was grinning like we shared a secret.

“You’re not stiff at all. You were beautiful out there.”

The compliment hit deeper than I expected. “My ex always said that was why he never took me dancing.”

Chris’s expression hardened. “Sounds like a jerk.”

“He was.”

“Mary’s right, you know? He’s missing out on an amazing woman.”

The words stunned me into silence. Before I could respond, he leaned closer, eyes on mine, then on my mouth. The world seemed to hush around us as we closed the space.

The kiss was soft, tentative, and yet the cheers from the surrounding tables made my face burn. Embarrassed, I hid my face against his shoulder, but he only held me closer, smiling like he’d won something.

\~\~\~

Later, unsteady from champagne, I used Monica’s key to find the room she’d pressed into my hand earlier. Chris was walking the same way, jacket draped over his arm.

“Where are you headed?” I asked.

“Couple of hours of sleep before the long drive to UPenn tomorrow. If the hotel still has a room for me.”

I hesitated, then held up my key. “If it’s just a few hours… maybe you should crash in mine. Monica gave it to me anyway. You can take the couch.”

His mouth curved into a mischievous grin. “Are you inviting me to your bed, Ms. Val? Didn’t take you for the naughty type.”

Heat shot straight to my cheeks. “Forget I said anything,” I joked, turning to walk away.

But Chris caught my hand, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “Too late.” His voice dropped, teasing but heavy enough to make my pulse skip. “Let’s go.”

The elevator ride felt endless. We didn’t say a word, just stole glances and stifled nervous smiles, each second thick with something unsaid. By the time the doors slid open and we stepped into the quiet hallway, my heart was pounding so loud it drowned out everything else.

And when I slipped the key into the lock, I realized I wasn’t just letting him into the room. I was letting him into something I didn’t fully understand yet—something dangerous, reckless, and impossible to resist.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***