Play with Me (With Me in Seattle, #3)(77)

“I don’t remember a time in my life that Jules and her family weren’t in it. You have shared everything that has ever mattered with me, even the birth of my baby. When Jules and Nate got together,” Natalie turns to the audience and smiles. Will takes my hand in his and kisses my knuckles. “I was astonished to watch the change in her. Jules is a kick-ass girl. She’s not big on public displays of affection, which she reminds me of almost daily.”

“Seriously, you guys are gross,” Jules rolls her eyes, but I can see the tears threatening to spill over.

“But Nate brought out that soft side of her. He makes her better. And I think she does the same for him. I just couldn’t have found anyone more suited to you, my friend, if I tried.” Nat raises her glass and we all follow suit.

“So, to my new brother-in-law Nate, and my sister of the heart, his Julianne. May your love continue to grow every day.”

“To Jules and Nate!”

Even I wipe a little tear away from the corner of my eye and laugh when Will smirks at me. Gosh, I love those girls. I understand what it is to have a sibling of the heart. Mine is in the next room.

Holy shit.

“Are you nervous?” He asks me, sensing my tension.

“To sing?”

“Yeah, are you okay?” He wraps his arm around me, resting it on the back of my chair. I grin up at his handsome face.

“I’m fine. I don’t usually get stage fright. And I’ve been practicing a lot.”

“I love the arrangement you’ve done with the song,” he murmurs and kisses my cheek. “You’re going to knock them dead.”

I smile and lean into him. “Thank you. I hope so.”

“Are you okay with Leo being here?” he whispers down at me.

The mention of Leo makes my heart stop. God, I’m going to have to talk to him. I don’t think he even knows I’m here.

What will he say? How will he react?

“I don’t know,” I whisper back.

“Hey,” he pulls my face up with his fingers so he can look into my eyes. “It’s going to be okay. I’ll kick his ass if you want me to.”

I laugh and cup his cheek in my hand. “That’s okay. The time for that was about three years ago.” God, I love this man. He’s always so ready to protect me.

“I love you, sweetheart.”

I smile softly and kiss his lips, tenderly. “I know.”

“And now, ladies and gentlemen,” Jules’ dad, Steven, announces, “I am proud and pleased to introduce you to a very good friend of Jules, and the woman who seems to have snagged my son, Will’s, heart. Megan McBride is going to sing the song for the first dance. Meg? Where are you, honey?”

“Here goes nothing,” I murmur at Will and he smiles widely and follows me, along with everyone else, into the ballroom.

And there by the stage is Leo, his mouth gaping open, watching me cross the dance floor to him.

“Can I please borrow your guitar?” I ask, cutting to the chase.

“Meg-pie,” he murmurs, shocked to see me. The old knick-name almost brings me to my knees.

I lock them.

“Leo, I just need your guitar, please.”

He can’t move. He’s just staring at me. God, he looks good. He’s tall, about six feet. His light brown hair is cut short on the sides, and a bit longer on top, styled into a faux-hawk. He has a small guage in one ear with a hoop through it. His lip and eyebrow are pierced. He’s covered in tattoos.

And his sweet, soft dark-gray eyes are pinned to mine.

“Leo,” I say again, a bit stronger, and he blinks.

“Meg,” he clears his throat. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

“Same here,” I reply with a grin. “I need to borrow your guitar, please.”

“Oh, sure.” He holds it out to me, and offers me a half-smile. “You’ve played it often over the years.”

I learned to play on this guitar.

I bite my lip as I loop the strap around my shoulder and back, and look up at him. “Thank you.”

I climb the stage and move the stool that’s been set in front of the mic for me. “I don’t think I can gracefully sit on that thing in this dress,” I say to the audience with a smile, earning laughter and applause.

“So,” I begin, “Jules and Natalie and I have been friends since college, so they knew me back when I used to play with a local band here in Seattle.” I smile out at them. All the guests have gathered in a semi-circle around the stage, Jules and Nate and the rest of the family and bridal party up front. Will is gazing at me with warm blue eyes.

I look to my left to see Leo standing by the stage with his arms crossed over his chest, watching me intently. I swallow hard and focus on the task at hand.

Just get through this one song, Meg.

“I was a bit surprised when she asked me to sing tonight because I haven’t sung in front of an audience in quite some time, but I’m honored to sing for Jules and Nate’s first dance together as a married couple.” I smile again and strum the guitar, making sure it’s in tune.

It is, of course.

“The song they’ve chosen is I Won’t Give Up.”

I begin to play the intro as Jules and Nate take the dance floor. Nate pulls Jules into a firm embrace and moves her effortlessly across the floor.