Mouth still hanging open, Penelope watched as Finn strode towards the stage. Picking up his guitar with a confidence she’d always found sexy, he spoke into the microphone.
“If I could have everyone’s attention. The groom has asked me to play a song for their first dance. My cousin may kill me for this because it is not the one she requested. But, to be fair, I think he deserves it.”
Felix extended his hand to his now wife.
Bonnie’s eyes flashed back and forth between the two men, who were obviously enjoying themselves.
“Love you, Von,” Finn said before he began playing the opening notes of Etta James’s "At Last” to resounding applause from the guests, mingled with laughter.
Penelope had to force her eyes off Finn. Knowing she could stare at him for the night if she let herself, she turned her gaze to the bride and groom, feeling her heart swell with the love she had for them as well as the love they had for each other.
Felix’s eyes were twinkling with delight. Bonnie had managed to maintain a pout for the first verse before melting into her husband’s arms. Her head pressed firmly against his chest as they moved to the music.
Penelope’s eyes traveled next to take in all the guests, those she knew and those she didn’t, all coming together to celebrate this couple. She noted that her parents had been swallowed up by Bonnie’s dad and Finn’s parents, surrounding them in a way that felt both lovely and a little concerning. She tried picturing them all together for Christmas or Thanksgiving. Would they all get along? She stopped when she realized she was getting ahead of herself.
Then came the moment she’d been waiting for, as the song slowly came to an end, and Finn turned his full attention on her.
Leaning into the microphone, he cleared his throat. “Sorry about this now, folks; ye’ll have to indulge me for a moment. I’m sure by now many of ye’ve heard of the little adventure my cousin Siobhán had for herself before this wedding. As any Irish girl might, she needed a taste of home before she was ready to commit herself to a life stateside. However, on that little escapade, she decided to drag along her best friend, the gorgeous maid of honor, Penelope.” Finn stopped here, making a show of pointing her out to anyone in the audience who might not know her. “And while she was on this little trip, I was fortunate enoughto meet Ms. Penelope North. And not only that, but to have her steal my heart completely. So, if ye don’t mind, I’d like to take a moment to play one song, not for the bride and groom, but for my girlfriend, Penelope.”
It took everything in her not to look away, knowing all those eyes were on her. Instead, she stared steadfastly into his eyes, letting them hold her and become her haven.
Finn proceeded to play “Just Say Yes” by Snow Patrol, singing each lyric with love and conviction, his eyes never leaving hers. Penelope felt her heart swell as her head nodded her yes. Her lips moved to whisper it to him as a tear broke free, running down her cheek.
Chapter 21
Penelope stared out over her classroom full of new faces. It was the third day of school, and already everyone was exhausted. Including herself, which was exactly why they only had a three-day week their first week back. It was as much as the students could handle.
Already, she felt the budding of relationships—the possibility of pulling these little people together into a cohesive unit. What didn’t feel fair was that she wasn’t quite as devoted to it as the previous year.
Now, the word “author” floated around in her head daily. It had been her hidden dream for years, so hidden she’d barely managed to acknowledge it to herself. And now, it might just be coming true. And if she could make that happen….
Not now, she caught herself. Because right now her rug was filled with little people, backpacks on, ready for dismissal.
Everyone was waiting for her when she got home, which was more than a little unusual, considering her dad didn’t usually finish work until after she did.
“Hey,” she greeted the gathered bunch, feeling a bit startled. “Sorry, I got out of there as fast as I could. Let me change real quick, and we can get started.”
“No need.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
Bonnie and her mother spoke at the same time.
“What do you mean? I don’t want to get all sweaty in this.”
“No,” Teddy explained for them. “What they’re trying to say is that if you go upstairs to change, you’re going to find it really difficult, as we’ve already moved all your stuff.”
“What?”
“Surprise!” Bonnie yelled.
Instead of being excited, Penelope just looked confused.
“Why would you take the day off to do that, Dad? We have the whole weekend. You’re the one who convinced me not to move in on Monday because it didn’t make sense. I mean, I really appreciate the gesture, but….”
“I told you it would be a lot more exciting if she saw it all at the apartment,” Bonnie complained.
“And how exactly were we supposed to explain going to the apartment without any stuff?” Felix countered, for what Penelope guessed was not the first time.
