Picking Up the Pieces (Pieces, #2)(101)

As happy as I was for her, I’d never been so envious of anything in my life. I wanted that: what Amanda and Shane had. Whatever that was. What they had was more than attraction, it was more than compatibility, and it was even more than love. I couldn’t put my finger on what they felt as their lips touched, but a part of me felt it too. And I didn’t want to let it go.

Sadly, that moment was only that: a moment. A fleeting, vicarious glimpse into whatever true love feels like. I felt like a drug addict coming down from a high, willing to do anything for her next fix.

And in an effort to get that feeling back, I surveyed the guests for Adam, spotting him a few rows away almost instantly. Like my own had been, Adam’s attention was solely focused on Shane and Amanda, until he must have felt me silently urging him to look my way. When his eyes locked on mine, I made out the subtle movement of his lips. “I love you,” he whispered.

I felt a calm overtake me and I returned his sentiment with a sheepish smile. I love you too, I thought.

***

I’d ridden in the limo with the bridal party from the church to the reception, and with all of the chaos of the morning, I hadn’t seen Adam much at all. So when I stepped out of the car, I took a moment to let him envelope me in his strong arms as I breathed him in, slipping my hands around his waist.

“You look beautiful,” Adam said when we finally got a few minutes alone.

“Thanks. You don’t look so bad yourself,” I teased, keeping my hands on his hips while I pulled back a bit to admire him. His broad shoulders filled his jacket nicely, and the soft pink of his shirt created a nice contrast to his dark gray suit. “It was a beautiful ceremony, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah, good weather too.”

“It was crazy. We almost didn’t get Amanda out there in time. She was a little panicked.”

“Sounds about on par for Amanda,” he laughed as we held hands up the escalator. “Well, I’m glad everything turned out well. And this place is incredible.” Adam stopped in his tracks as we arrived at the entrance of the reception area. “I had no idea they had rooms like this here,” he said, pointing to the two-story venue. “What a great idea.”

When Shane and Amanda had decided to have their reception at Lincoln Financial Field, I knew that it would be perfect for them. The Eagles stadium provided a flawless combination of their tastes. Casual with a bit of class, the long rectangular industrial-style room showcased floor to ceiling windows along one wall, looking out onto another stadium and the parking lot. The venue had a loft feel with exposed ductwork and a modern color scheme of gray and deep reds. The main floor held the dinner tables, which were elegantly decorated with black tablecloths, cream napkins and small green and white bouquets.

The DJ was stationed in front of the windows, and a long bar lined the opposite wall below the second story balcony. At either end of the expansive space were various buffet stations: salmon, lobster risotto, and shrimp cocktail at one; cheeseburger sliders, buffalo chicken eggrolls, and a taco bar at another, along with a few assorted soups and a salad bar. There was no formal sit-down dinner, no strict schedule to adhere to. People could eat, dance, snap pictures, and relax at their leisure. I laughed at how appropriate the whole setup was for Shane and Amanda. Neither one of them was ever any good at being told what to do or when to do it.

Upstairs, on the balcony overlooking the main dining room, were several flat screen TVs tuned to local games, high top tables near the railing with a view of the main seating area, and tall red velvet semi-circle booths along the outside wall.

Adam and I took our time strolling through the facility, reading about various athletes on the plaques and photographs that hung on the walls, and munching on a few of the appetizers. “I can’t believe Shane agreed to have bar food here,” Adam said, taking a bite of his eggroll. “Not that I’m complaining.”

“No kidding. And I can’t believe Amanda let anything healthy in here. I mean, arugula salad and tilapia? I’m not even sure she knows what those are.”

“I’m sure she knows what they are,” Adam added. “She just knows she hates them. And I can’t really blame her. Arugula belongs in a field somewhere, not on people’s plates.”

We made our way past the cozy booths upstairs and through the outside exit, which led to the stands in the football field. A few of the other guests had also decided to enjoy the fresh air or take pictures with the field as a backdrop.

Adam and I stayed outside for a while, until most of the guests had gone back in and the sun had almost set completely. Even though it was May, and Adam’s arm draped over my shoulder to keep me warm, I couldn’t help but feel a little cold.

“There the two of you are.” Kyle’s voice startled me. And I turned to see Kate smiling sweetly beside him. I was happy to see the Atlantic City drama was behind them. “We’ve been looking for you everywhere. Your best friend’s celebrating her marriage and you’re sitting outside being all antisocial and shit?”

“Be nice,” Kate scolded Kyle in jest. “You really should come in though. They’re getting ready to do the first dance I think.”

Adam and I rose to follow Kate and Kyle inside, making our way downstairs. Shane wasn’t much for dancing, so it didn’t surprise me to see him sitting to the side of the dance floor at one of the tables. He was probably working up the nerve to dance in front of over a hundred people.