“Come here,” Whimsy commands, already rifling through her clutch. “Let me fix you up.”
I hold still and let her dab at my face where I’ve no doubt smeared my makeup. She swipes a gloss over my lips and gives me a smile. “Good as new.” She gives my arm a reassuring squeeze. “You’re not in this alone, Ebba. Remember that.”
I pull her into another hug and squeeze her tight. Whimsy has an infinitely kind heart. “Thank you.”
“Always.”
Outside of the bathroom I’m surprised to find Fisher leaning against the wall across from the restrooms. Though, maybe I shouldn’t be that surprised.
Whimsy glances back at me. “Are you okay?”
I nod. “I’m good. You can get back to the reception.”
She hesitates for a second longer before she leaves the two of us alone in the hallway outside of the reception space.
Fisher meets me in the middle, holding my cane out to me. Some of the rhinestones I glued onto it are beginning to fall off.
“Thanks.”
He clears his throat, sliding his hands into the pockets of his pants. He looks so sinfully good. I’ve done my best to avoid looking at him over the years, because I always knew I wasn’t immune to him.
“I want you to know I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad or anything like that with what I said. I just…” He runs his fingers through his hair until it’s mussed and standing up slightly in the front. “I thought you should know. I don’t want you to have any doubts about my feelings and where I stand with us. But I also don’t want you to feel any kind of pressure that if at the end of this, you choose to leave, that you’re ruining my life somehow.” He steps closer to me, and he pulls one hand from his pocket, reaching up like he wants to touch me, but he lets his hand drop back to his side. “I’ll be okay, Ebba.”
I wet my lips. “Are you sure?”
He shrugs. “At least I’ll know I got a second chance and won’t have a what if hanging over me.”
I don’t want to take this conversation any further right now and find myself blurting out, “Sabrina suggested I try therapy.”
He cocks his head to the side. “Do you think it would help you?”
“No. Yes. I don’t know, maybe?” It comes out as a question. “I suppose it couldn’t hurt.”
Silence descends between us, and I hate that after the past month it suddenly feels awkward again.
Fisher’s shoulders fall slightly. “Things are winding down in there, but I was thinking I might go for a walk before bed.”
“Do you want company?”
A small smile ticks up the corners of his lips. “I always want your company.”
Darkness has fallen outside, and it’s a beautiful clear night with no clouds in sight. The temperature has dropped, and Fisher takes note of my shiver and immediately shrugs off his tux jacket.
“Don’t you need it?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “I’m fine.”
There’s a crowd of locals gathered in a grassy area, watching a band perform.
“I like it here,” I muse.
“It’s a cute town,” he agrees, his arm brushing mine as we walk.
It’s pure instinct that has me reaching out and lacing our fingers together. He glances down at our joined hands and gives a small smile.
We walk along the street; down a way we haven’t gone before.
“Do you see what I see?” he asks.