“And what’s that, exactly?” Her faith in me was so misplaced, it wasn’t even funny.
“Shine, sweetie. Just give him one of those gorgeous smiles, and he won’t be able to resist you.”
A laugh bubbled up inside my chest, but I stopped it from escaping. Where did her misplaced confidence in me come from?
The valet walked around my truck and reached for the door handle.
“I’ve got to go. Wish me luck.” I grabbed my phone from the holder and pressed it to my ear. “This better work”
“It will. Henry’s got a good heart. He’ll find a way to help.”
“Henry?” I’d been so flustered at the idea of going on a date, I hadn’t even bothered to ask her nephew’s name. My heart seized, literally stopped beating for several seconds while my mind filled with an image of the boy I’d fallen head over heels for all those years ago.
I shook my head. Henry was a common name. Maybe not as common in Texas as Justin or Cody, but still common enough. And my Henry—scratch that, I meant the Henry I knew way back then—didn’t have any family. That’s why he’d grown up at Mama Mae’s with a whole houseful of foster brothers.
“Have fun, Devyn. I can’t wait to hear how it goes.”
“Yeah, me too,” I muttered.
Houdini put his front legs on the window, eager to get out of the backseat of the truck.
“Is your, um, goat going in with you?” the valet asked. “We can’t be responsible for animals left in vehicles.”
“Yes, he’s a therapy animal in training.” I pulled open the back door and grabbed hold of the leash as Houdini scrambled out of the truck.
“A what?” the man asked.
“A therapy animal. Once he’s fully trained, he’ll go around to nursing homes and schools to help people and educate them on the non-profit animal rescue I run.”
Houdini brushed up against the valet’s black pants, then grabbed hold of the edge of his jacket with his lips.
“Oh, watch out. Goats like to nibble on things.” I pulled him away and wrapped his leash tightly around my hand. “Can you tell me where the awards banquet is being held?”
“The Stargazer Ballroom on the second floor. Escalators are to your right when you pass through the lobby.” He patted Houdini on the head before sliding in behind the wheel. “Pretty sure this is the first time they’ve had a goat inside the hotel.”
Immediately, I wished I hadn’t let Lou Ellen talk me into bringing the goat to a formal event. I offered a grim smile, then headed into the lobby with Houdini by my side. I was supposed to meet Lou Ellen’s nephew by the front desk. The lobby of the hotel was so huge, I couldn’t tell where it was. So, I stopped by a huge potted plant to gather my bearings.
That’s when I saw him.
He looked exactly the same. Light brown hair with a hint of red. Curious hazel-colored eyes. His shoulders seemed broader, but it might have been the tux jacket. My voice locked down. I tried to say something as he headed my way, but the words wouldn’t come.
“Devyn.” He reached me, his arms open wide to sweep me into a huge hug.
I wanted to laugh, cry, and pass out, all at the same time. “What are you doing here?”
He pulled back enough to meet my gaze. “I’m up for a humanitarian award for work I’ve been doing with prosthetics.”
“You have an aunt?” As far as I knew, Henry didn’t have any family at all. That’s why he’d grown up at Mama Mae’s and spent so much time hanging out with my brother at our house.
“She found me a few years ago. Lou Ellen is my dad’s aunt. She did one of those genetic testing things and I popped up as a relative.” He wrapped his big hands around my arms. “I can’t believe you’re here.”
I couldn’t believe it either. Henry Maxwell was solely responsible for ruining my chance of ever finding love. How could I when he’d been the one holding onto my heart for the past eleven years?
“I can’t believe it either. What’s it been, ten years?” I knew for a fact it had been eleven years and a month since I’d last seen him. I’d probably be able to figure it out to the day if I needed to. He and Duke got into a huge fight right before Valentine’s Day that year. Duke wouldn’t tell me what happened between them, only said that if I had any loyalty to him at all, I wouldn’t talk to Henry again. That was the last time I’d seen him.
“Something like that.” His grip on my arms loosened, but he didn’t let go. “It’s good to see you, Devyn.”
I sucked in a deep inhale, trying to keep myself grounded. The scent of his cologne flooded my senses. I never knew what “swooning” meant, but I totally swooned right then and there. In an effort to not look like I was suffering from a schoolgirl crush, I stepped back.