Tend To My Heart

34

Tristan

Another unnecessary event for an unnecessary occasion. I never really cared for my birthday. I often used it as an excuse to get plastered with my friends and hook up with mothers models.

This year, only one thing came to mind when thinking about what I wanted.

One person.

But I stood here, for the sake of my family. The sake of my mother, in a suit, sipping champagne and making boring conversation.

One hour, that's all I'm giving her.

"T" a voice filled my ear. One I'm not particularly fond of due to birthday number 21.

"Vanessa" I offer her a polite smile.

"Happy Birthday" she grins, wickedly, before her hands rests on my upper arm and sneakily tries trailing up to my neck.

I gently grab her wrist and lower her hand, my smile still polite and small.

"Thank you" I nod and don't miss the flash of disappointment in her eyes.

"I've missed you" she pouts and I find it very irritating.

"It has been a long time" I tell her instead of giving her any satisfaction that this could spark anything other than conversation to pass the time.

She continues to speak about herself and her intentions with me while I do my best to seem interested but not too interested.

I'm really not. I'm bored and tired and would much rather spend my night in tonight.

I smile softly at something Vanessa says when a single sound catches my attention.

I'm taken back to the night Evangeline slept in my home and snap my head in every direction, searching for her.

I hear it again and all things around me seem to move in slow motion when I finally spot her.

My chest tightens and my suit suddenly feels suffocating at the sight of her.

The dress. The men at her sides. Her.

"Tristan!" Vanessa snaps me of the trance caused by the woman across the room.

"It was lovely seeing you, Vanessa, please excuse me" I mumble and leave her in one swift motion.

My eyes remain on Evangeline, her smile bright, damn near lighting up the entire room. Her head falls back with laughter and she doesn't even realize the hold she has on the people around her.

Henry and Nate are beaming at her, engrossed with conversation as well as the people around them, just as interested.

What on earth are they talking about? Why is she laughing? What made her laugh that way?

It was a secret I wanted for myself, I wanted her laughter and attention.

As if she sensed me, our eyes meet and just like that, her smile falters.

Not in a bad way, in way that tells me she's nervous, a way that makes her cheeks tint that shade of red I enjoy all too much.

I do my best not rake my eyes over her, but I do, once, twice.

She looks beautiful. The kind of beautiful that could bring a man to his knees.

God, I could go on forever about all of the kinds of things Evangeline is and when I finally approach the trio, they all come to mind.

"Finally! We've been looking everywhere for you, Little Brother" Henry beams, a knowing smirk on his face.

"You came" I said, to her specifically and she gives me one of those hearting breaking smiles.