Here Comes the Light (Cambrooke #1) (21 page)

“I am kind of nervous.” I admit.

His large smile keeps those butterflies a flight. “Just look at me the whole time I’m sure with my amazing good looks that won’t be hard for you to do.”

“Oh
my gosh, D, you are so full of yourself.” I playfully slug him in the arm as I giggle. He chuckles and pretends I hurt him by rubbing the spot.

“I’m serious though. You will do fine out there.” He says as he takes my shoulders and leans forward, planting a small kiss on my forehead. Okay, I think the butterflies are now on crack. He smirks at me before making his way outside, leaving me here speechless, breathless with crack head butterflies in my stomach.

Chapter 19

T
he wedding is short and sweet. I haven’t seen my dad this happy in I don’t know how long. Standing in front of everybody every time I begin to feel a little nervous I look at Declan who makes a funny face almost making me laugh out loud.

I am surprised Penelope went with such a small wedding.  She seemed like the type that woul
d be into elaborate things. I feel guilty for judging her. The wedding party is only her twenty four-year-old brother Brody and I.

After the wedding and the reception the tables and chairs are pushed aside to make a dance floor.
The sun has started its descent casting an orange glow on everything.  The live band, which consists of some of my dad’s old college buddies begin to play a slow song. My dad and Penelope dance.

“You survived.” Declan smiles as I lower myself into the chair beside him, letting out a sigh of relief.

“I was so nervous, and you and all your faces what was that about.” I smack his arm with my bouquet of white daisies. He chuckles.

“It isn’t like anyone was looking at you.” He flinches away from me; still wearing a smirk.

“That makes me feel so much better.” I say sarcastically.

“What?” he holds his hands up palms
out. “It’s a wedding, everybody was looking at the bride.”

“You weren’t.” I laugh. Just as the song ends and the lead singer says it is now time for the father daughter dance. Penelope’s dad makes his way to the dance floor and I turn back to Declan to continue our conversation. When the music doesn’t start I look ahead to see Penelope talking to the guy with the microphone. Ste
ve… I can’t remember I have been introduced to so many people today my brain is just about fried. He nods at Penelope and stands up.

“Miley,” he says in the microphone. No, my face flares. “We need you here to dance with your dad.”

My eyes widen at Declan and he laughs at me.  I scowl back at him as I trudge to the dance floor, all eyes on me yet again today. The band begins to play Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman. I place my hands on my dad’s shoulders and he picks me up, sitting my feet on his like we danced when I was little. Good thing I took my heels off already.

“I’
m proud of you today.” He whispers in my ear.

I look up at my dad. “I’
m proud of you too.”

“You know we’
ll be doing this at your wedding not too long from now.” He smiles at me as he slowly moves us in a circle.

I laugh at this. “It is not going to be that soon, I don’t even have a boyfriend, remember?”

“What about Declan?” he tilts his head toward him. He is sitting at the table smiling at us. He waves when I look at him.

“He is just my friend, Dad.”

“You might want to tell him that.”

“What do you mean?” W
hat is it with everyone today?

“I mean that boy is
twitterpated.”

“
Twitterpated?” I laugh, “What the heck is twitterpated?”

My dad’s face grows serious after his lit
tle laugh. “I can tell he cares about you. That is the kind of boy I would love to give you away to.”

“Whoa, Dad
don’t get too carried away now. You will not be giving me away to Declan. Since it will be me that will be spending my life with him shouldn’t I be the one to choose who you give me away to?”

The last few cords of the song fade out and my dad leans down and kisses me on the cheek, “Love you, sweetheart.”

“Love you too, Dad.” I reply before I turn to head back towards my seat. Most of our audience has tissues they’re dabbing their faces with. Before I can make it to my seat Declan meets me on the dance floor as couples make their way up here.

“Let’s dance.” He says with a smile that makes my knees a little weak. The next song is already starting, a slow one.

“I don’t know, D.” dancing with him to a slow song seems like it would cross a line I am not ready to cross.

“Come on.” He gently tugs my arm with one hand sending my crack head butterflies a
flight again. “It’s your dad’s wedding and I’m your date.”

“It’s not a date.” I whisper like somebody is listening.

“Okay.” He says sarcastically as he wraps his arms around my waist. I think my breathing stops when he pulls me close.  His arms wrap all the way around my waist and there goes those butterflies again. He hasn’t had his arms around me since the night he found me cutting, but it feels so right. I know he isn’t going to take no for an answer on the dance and if I’m honest with myself I don’t want him to take no for an answer. I slide my arms up around his neck, making him bend slightly when I link them together because of our height difference.

Suddenly the only thing I am aware of is being wrapped in his arms.  I lay my head down on his chest and relax, smelling in that clean soapy scent of his. It feels so right here in his arms like this is where I belong. His can hear the rhythm of his heart and
it is beating just as fast as mine is.  He lowers his head a little bit more so his mouth is right by my ear.

“What are you thinking?” the warmth of his breath in my ear makes me shiver. I slowly tilt my head upwards towards his face. I don’t move from his chest, I don’t want to. He leans back just a little to make eye contact with me and for the first time in a long time I am completely honest with him and myself.

“I don’t want this song to end. I feel like right here, right now is exactly where I am supposed to be.” I wait for him to pull away and tell me he doesn’t feel the same that we are just friends.

Instead he just stares his piercing blue eyes into mine this time I don’t look away. I want him to see everything. Everything I try to hide from everyone else. I want him to see all the way down into my soul.

His face slowly moves towards mine my heart speeds up, his heart speed matching mine as well. Our lips finally meet and it is like an explosion goes off around the crack butterflies. I feel this simple kiss from my lips all the way down to my toes.

I never felt anything like this with Hudson. Here I am thinking about Hudson again as
Declan’s lips are attached to mine. What about our friendship? This could ruin everything. If I lose Declan it would be a lot different than losing Hudson, Hudson was just a boyfriend. Declan is one of my best friends.

Fear bubble
s up inside me at the intense feelings for Declan that are finally surfacing. I quickly pull away and cover my mouth. “I can’t do this.” I whisper through my hand tears threaten my eyes as I run off the dance floor and straight through the house.

“Miley, wait.”
I hear him call out but I don’t respond. I don’t know where I am running to. I am just running away. The tears finally pour from my eyes when I reach the front door and he catches me. His hand touches my shoulder and pulls me around. “Why are you crying?” his voice is concerned as he brushes a rough thumb against my cheek wiping my tears away.

My heart thuds against my chest as I turn away from him. “I can’t
do this, D.” I sniff. “I care about you a lot.” I barely get the honest words out. I have never been this honest about my feelings with anyone. I finally turn back to face him. “Why start something if it isn’t going to last?” I say hugging myself.

His eyes look pained when I say this. “Why do you think it won’t last?” he asks with hurt in his voice.

I lift a hand in the air. “God is going to choose your wife, remember?” I lean my back against a post. “Not that I expect to marry someone I date in high school, but I don’t see this ending well for the either of us.”

“How do you know God didn’t tell me it was you?” He steps towards me and brushes his rough hand against my cheek. I look up at his confused face and keep my arms across my chest as a barrier between us.

“Why would it be me?” I try to keep my voice from cracking. “I am not good enough for you.” I wave a hand in the air. “You need to be with a good Christian girl.” I turn from him and look at the busy street before the tears begin. People are on their way to the fireworks on the lake. I place my hands on the railing and feel his body up against me, he isn’t taking the hint. His hands settle on top of mine. His breath on the back of my neck sends goose bumps all over my body.

“It has nothing to do with how good you are, Miley.” He whispers in my ear. I chew on my lip I can’t think straight with him standing this close to me. I don’t even resist when he turns me around
to face him. His blue eyes are more intense than I have ever seen before as they penetrate mine. “Miley, I love you.” He breathes out. I don’t know how I am standing right now, my legs feel like Jell-o.

“Don’t say that.” I say barely above a whisper, my heart beats like crazy. “We are at a wedding it is romantic… we just…we just got caught up in all of the magic of it. We are just friends.” I think I say this more for me than for him. “Just friends.” I repeat with a nod.

He shakes his head, his eyes never leave mine and I can’t bring myself to look away. “It is not the wedding I promise. I knew I was in love with you before I even spoke to you.”  I finally take a deep breath his soapy scent does little to help my concentration. I close my eyes trying to stay focused on the consequences of exactly what will happen if we don’t work out.  His warm breath is in my ear again slowly melting my reserve. “Please open your heart to me.”

“You realize everyone who has ever told me they love me has abandoned me?” My breath hitches as he steps a little closer.

“I’m not like everyone else. I promise I won’t break your heart.” He takes in a deep breath as he taps his hand over my heart. “God won’t either.”

“I don’t want to lose you, D.” I say finally opening my eyes to look into his blues.

“You won’t.” He says with all seriousness. “I’m here for you, I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”

I shut my eyes and pull my lips into a thin line. “I want to believe you.” I whisper. I barely have the words out when his lips are colliding with mine. Here comes the volcanic explosion in my stomach sending hot
lava up to my ears and falling back down to my toes. Declan pulls away from me and smiles down at my face. “You don’t know how long I have waited to do that.” His voice is husky as he rests his forehead against mine. I close my eyes fighting the fear that has started to creep back in. “You don’t have to be scared.” He whispers like he can read my mind. Really, how does he do that?

I open my eyes and look back up at him smiling down at me. I think I just fell and am not getting back up anytime soon. He always says the right thing at the right time. And after that kiss, all I can do is smile back. “What do you think? Hudson had a thousand chances, you think you can at least give me one?” he asks.

I nod lightly. “My mind was made up during that kiss.” I laugh.

He smirks. “So that means I can kiss you again?”

“Anytime, anywhere.” I reach up and hook a hand around his neck pulling his face down on mine our lips collide again. The butterflies are having a ball in my stomach. I think I could get addicted to kissing him.

Declan pulls into the field beside the lake. He talked me into coming to the fireworks right after he talked me into being his girlfriend.
“Stay there.” He tells me as I reach for the door handle. What is he doing? I have to get out of the truck. He hops out and runs around the front of the truck he opens my door. Sweet I know but then when I go to climb out he grabs my waist and helps me down.  He holds a hand up. “Hold on.” He says jumping in the bed of his truck he unfolds a blanket and lays it out before jumping back down. “I can’t have you getting your dress dirty in the back of my truck.” He says as he lifts me up yet again. I just think he likes lifting me. I toss my heels off and tuck my feet under my bottom. He sits behind me and wraps his arms around my middle resting his chin on my bare shoulder. A passerby looks at us a little funny.