Shattered Rose (Winsor Series) - By T L Gray Page 0,96

the impossible.”

Tears immediately hit my eyes as I reflected on what an incredibly insightful gift it was. He believed in me. “Why the rose?” I asked as I ran my fingers over the delicate metal.

“It’s the perfect balance of softness and strength…just like you.”

I reached up and hugged him tightly, not caring if I wrinkled him or me. No words would express what I was feeling, and I just hoped that my touch could. He hugged me back, reciprocating all I felt and then kissed me softly before opening my door.

The drive to Charlotte went by quickly as Parker explained all the ceremonial things I needed to know for the dinner. There were rules on standing and toasting and even what type of dinner conversation was acceptable. I started to worry, but he assured me that all the rules were for the cadets and not for their dates.

We pulled up to the hotel and a valet took Parker’s car. It was a beautiful building that had to be at least one hundred years old. Inside, there was a large entryway with an enormous staircase that went up one level and then split into two smaller staircases going in opposite directions. The entire hotel was decorated for Christmas and had three large Christmas trees, each artfully decorated in creams and reds, and rich greenery laced through the railing along the stairs.

We ascended the stairs to the second floor where a large banquet room was full of round tables with one long table at the front of the room. No one was sitting yet, and Parker led us to a reception area where all the other couples were mingling and getting drinks from the bar. The men all looked the same in their uniforms, but Parker was by far the most handsome one there, and I felt proud to be next to him.

He introduced me to his friends and to his commanders, who were all very polite and complimentary. Even the women, usually standoffish towards me, were friendly and seemed genuinely happy to be there. Anytime I started to feel nervous or overwhelmed with all the new people, Parker would subtly rub my back or squeeze my hand, and I would immediately calm down. He seemed to be completely in tune to me, and to what I was feeling at any given moment. I had no idea how he always knew.

I heard a bell ring, and Parker indicated it was time to get seated. We entered into the vast dining area and found our table, our names delicately etched on a piece of parchment above our place setting. We stood until the head table arrived, and then Parker pulled out my chair, indicating we could now take our places.

The dinner actually turned out to be pretty fun. In front of the head table, there was a toilet bowl full of eatable things, like orange juice, dr pepper, marshmallows, and gummy bears, just to name a few. They were mixed together to create something that could only be described as disgusting. Each time one of the cadets would do something to break “the rules” Parker had told me about, they would have to report to the head table, salute and take a drink from the bowl. Even Parker ended up taking two trips. He was so charming and gracious about it that I joined in with the laughter of the group. It was obvious they thought as highly of him as I did.

The dinner bell chimed for a second time, which signified the end of dinner, and each table stood while the head table departed first. When it was our turn, Parker led us back to the reception area where they had opened several large doors that lead to a breathtaking ballroom, complete with wood floors and stunning chandeliers. The ornate windows were all stained glass, giving the atmosphere one of historical charm. The band that sat on the stage welcomed us in and started the evening with a perfect rendition of Frank Sinatra’s Fly me to the Moon.

Parker glanced toward the dance floor, a smile creeping across his broad lips. “Would you like to dance, my lady?” he asked with a slight bow.

I blushed and took his hand, already swept off my feet. Parker was incredibly light on his feet and boldly took the lead as we danced, circling us all around the dance floor. The music seemed to jump off the walls and touch every inch of my being as Parker