You and I Forever (28 page)

While I really am having a wonderful time being out with them, I am also exhausted and have been waiting for my opportunity to make a graceful exit for the last hour. I know they say being tired is one of the side effects of pregnancy but I never dreamed just a few weeks in, that I would be this tired.

My biggest problem is that I rode with Shira who has had a handful of drinks and while still within her right mind, is in no shape to drive. Considering Andrea and Lo are also intoxicated, I am assuming I am going to have to drive them all home when this is all over.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, pulling me from listening to Andrea and Lo rate the guys around the bar on a scale of fuckability. Sliding it from the back of my jeans, I smile when I see Bentley's name flash across the screen.

“
Well hello there husband of mine.” I say, holding the phone to my ear.

“
Hello wife.” I can hear the smile in his voice. “Are you enjoying your night out?” He asks.

“
I am. I miss you though.” I say, dropping my voice low so that the other girls can't hear me. They are so wrapped up in their current debate over where the bartender falls on their scale, that they don't really even pay attention to me.

“
That's what I like to hear.” He laughs lightly. “When are you planning to leave?”

“
I don't know. The girls are all drinking and I think I'm their ride.” I pout into the phone.

“
Well I guess it's a good thing I'm here then huh?” He laughs when I spin around and immediately spot him leaning against the far wall next to the door watching us, a wide dimple filled smile across his impossibly handsome face.

Shaking my head at him, my stomach immediately bursts into butterflies as he pushes away from the wall and starts walking towards me, clicking off his phone in the process. Even after all this time, he still makes my heart hammer in my chest at the sight of him.

“
Ladies.” He smiles the moment he reaches the table. All three woman immediately fall silent when they realize he's here.

“
Damn it.” Lo smacks the table and pins her eyes on Bentley. “You had to show up and ruin our good time.” She slurs, waving her arm through the air.

“
Actually, I came to steal my wife. You are more than welcome to continue on with your evening.” He says, leaning down to kiss the top of my head. “Ethan is on his way. He's going to hang out with you and drive you all home when you're finished.” Bentley says to Shira.

“
You mean we can put shy guy on the spot and ask him a lot of embarrassing questions and really fuck with him?” Andrea bounces excitedly in her chair, clearly feeling the effects of her drinks.

“
Okay, on that note.” Bentley laughs. “Shall we?” He asks, leaning forward and offering me his arm. Linking my arm through his, I allow him to pull me to my feet before turning my attention back to the girls.

“
Shira, do not let her go home with anyone. No matter how much she tells you she's got this, she doesn't. And I promise, the longer the night goes, the less picky she becomes.” I say, ignoring Lo's objections. “You.” I say, pointing my finger at Andrea. “Don't forget you have a boyfriend and yes, random hookups are considered cheating.” I remind her playfully. She crinkles her nose at me and fakes innocence.

“
Go home Anna. You old married pregnant hag.” Lo hollers at me playfully before blowing a kiss in my direction.

“
Thank you for tonight.” I say to the group of them. “I love you. Be safe.” I turn towards my amazing husband and pull him into a hug, my lips finding the crook of his neck. “Take me home Mr. Reed.” I breathe.

“
With pleasure Mrs. Reed.” He laughs, wrapping an arm around my shoulder as he leads me out of the bar.

Chapter

Twenty-Seven

The studio is quiet. Quieter than I ever remember it being. Everyone has already left for the day and I can't help but feel an eeriness being here alone at this late hour. The sun has already set and darkness fills a good portion of the studio.

I make my way down the hall, turning off the remaining lights as I prepare to leave for the day. When I reach the last studio room, the one I always used to dance in, I can't resist the urge to step inside. Looking around, I try to wrap my head around everything that has happened.

I step further into the room, remembering all the times I spent in here. The hours of practice and the fair share of emotional meltdowns that I experienced within these very walls. The most recent, when I thought I had lost Bentley forever. Little did I know then where I would be now.

I close my eyes and let my mind drift to the past. The sound of the music flowing through the space. Patty's voice as she corrects my movements and makes suggestions to my routine. The laughter, the tears, the knowledge and experience I walked away with after years of being here.

I can only hope that one day I will have as much impact on a young dancer as Patty had on me. She taught me to live through my dancing. Something I have carried with me from a very young age. Something I still carry with me today. I may not be able to dance like I used to, but that doesn't mean that I still don't use dance as my outlet.

Crossing the distance to the far wall, I flip on the speaker system and scan through the digital log, a new system that Bentley had installed for me just days ago. Sliding my finger along the touch screen, I hit the random button and flip through a few songs before finally finding one I like. I take a deep breath as
“
Autumn Leaves” by
Ed Sheeran
fills the space.

It's a mournful tune and so painfully beautiful. The words immediately remind me of Patty. Of what I lost when I lost her. Closing my eyes, I reach my arms above my head and let the music guide me.

I keep my movements slow and controlled, not wanting to push my body too hard but simply wanting to
feel
the music. Lifting to the tips of my toes, I do a full spin, extending my left leg out and then up, grabbing my ankle with my hand as I pull my leg into a full standing split.

Releasing it seconds later, I continue to move across the floor, utilizing the entire space of the room as I go. For the first time in a very long time, I don't feel the anger or the pain. Instead, I feel happiness. I feel love. Because no matter how much I miss Patty, especially when I dance, I have also realized what a blessing it was to have her in my life, even if our time was cut short.

I keep my eyes closed for most of the song. It helps me focus on the music and the way it makes my body feel rather than how it looks. Coming out of a slow twirl, I open my eyes just as the last note sounds through the speakers and the room falls silent again.

“
I don't think I will ever get used to the way it makes me feel to watch you dance.” Bentley says, breaking into the moment.

“
Shit.” I jump and scream at the same time, startled by his unexpected appearance. “What is it with you and standing in doorways like a creeper? You're likely to give me a heart attack one of these days.” I laugh.

“
Well let's not do that.” He shakes his head, crossing the space towards me. “Sorry for startling you.” He gives me a dimple filled smile and leans down to place a gentle kiss against my lips.

“
I think I can forgive you.” I smile, pulling back to stare up at him.

“
Hows my baby?” His hands immediately go to my stomach and rub gently across my small bump. “And my other baby?” He looks up to meet my eyes.

“
Better now.” I smile up at him.

“
What were you working on just then?” He asks, referring to my dance.

“
Nothing. I was just messing around.” I swipe my hand through the air.

“
Well it was a pretty incredible nothing.” He smiles sweetly at me. “One of these days you are going to have to teach me some moves.” He laughs lightly when I wrinkle my nose at him, clearly finding the thought very humorous.

“
What are you doing here anyways?” I switch directions.

“
I wanted to see if you were interested in taking a ride with me.” He says, resting his hand on the top of my shoulder and then letting it trail down my arm before finally closing it around my fingers.

“
Where to?” I ask.

“
You'll see when we get there.” He smiles, releasing my hand as he starts to back out of the room. “Are you coming or not?” He laughs when I make no attempt to move.

“
Give me a second to finish closing up. I'll meet you in the lobby in about sixty seconds.” I say, smiling brightly at him when he winks in my direction and then disappears through the doorway.

****

“
Where are we going?” I ask, being so wrapped up in our conversation that I am just now realizing how far from the city we have traveled.

“
You don't know?” He eyes me curiously before turning his attention back to the road.

“
Should I?” I ask on a laugh, straining my eyes out the window to get a look at our surroundings. All I see are fields and trees everywhere but it's too dark to really pinpoint our location.

“
Yes.” He chuckles lightly beside me. Like a light bulb going off, I finally realize where we're headed.

“
The house?” I question, seeing the wide smile stretch across his face.

“
Bout time you caught up.” He shakes his head on a laugh.

“
It's finished?” I question, turning excitedly towards him in my seat. I have known that they were getting close but with everything that has been going on and how busy I have been at the studio, I haven't made it out here since Bentley brought me here the first time.

“
It is.” He confirms.

“
Is that what you've been doing these past couple of days?” I ask, having gotten to see very little of him this week.

“
It is.” He repeats again. “I wanted to make sure that everything was perfect before I brought you here.” He flicks his eyes towards me for a fraction of a second before landing them back on the road.

“
How long until we get to move in?” I ask, not hiding my excitement in the least.

“
Tonight.” He laughs. “Everything is done. Everything.” He repeats. “The furniture is already here, everything is set up. Your clothes are even here and put away.” He smiles, slowing the car to a near stop as he turns down another dark two lane road.

“
Shut up?” I question, laughing when he hits me with a stern look. “I mean, you're kidding.” I say sarcastically, not able to contain my smile.

“
You ready?” He asks, slowing to a stop as he turns onto a paved driveway blocked with a large, rather fancy looking, steel gate. He reaches up and hits a button on his car panel that causes the gate to swing out allowing us to pass through. I try to see beyond that, eager to get a look at our new home but my view is blocked by the trees that line the entire driveway leading up to the property.

I am practically bouncing out of my seat by the time the house comes into view. The moment I lay eyes on it, I am utterly speechless. The trees open up to a circle driveway that wraps around a fountain sitting at the front of the house.

Bentley stops about half way through the circle portion of the driveway and puts the car into park. Killing the engine before climbing out of the car, he immediately crosses to my side, holding his hand out to help me from the car the moment my feet hit the pavement.

I straighten my posture and look up at the amazing house in front of me. It's perfect. It's more than perfect. A two story brick home that looks big enough to house a family of twenty but still small enough that it seems more like a normal house than a mansion. Though honestly, it looks just as nice as one.

“
What do you think?” Bentley steps up next to me, entwining his fingers with mine.

“
What do I think?” I breathe, letting my eyes travel the exterior of the home, trying to process everything I am seeing. There is not one thing about this house that isn't perfect.

Everything is exactly as I wanted. When Bentley and I first sat down and reviewed the blueprints and floor plans, I knew that I wanted something spacious but not too much. I wanted a full wrap around porch and I wanted brick. With everything that happened with Patty, I never got to see the finalized plans.