AN: i am still retired, but i might do one shots as my brain refuses to let me not write. Blame that stupid Shut up and dance with me song that i can't stop listening too because it makes me Taylor Swift happy and that i have kinda gyped you all with no wedding in RA. So i concocted this mish mash when i was looking at wedding invitations at the paper store at work. Anyways...there's no angst here. SHOCKING I KNOW. just syrupy sap, like i gagged a bunch at the sap. So with that, go read and things. I am returning to my sabbatical...but there might be more one shots, but no serious updates as i chug along in getting other things set up.

Lace fantasy blue, posh posey pink, vintage gold, and seabreeze green.

Four extravagant names for the colors, blue, pink, gold, green. But put those colors in the four different wedding invitations I was staring at lay across my desk, and they take on a new life.

I groaned, running my fingers over the fancy paper, realizing that the last four weekends of my summer would be consumed by weddings. The last one I was expected to show up as a mandatory request since I passed on standing up in the wedding. My old roommate from college, she was seabreeze green and her wedding had to be on Labor Day weekend, ruining my planned trip to my parents lake house for a long weekend alone.

I hated weddings.

I hated choosing beef or chicken, finding a plus one that didn't think it would turn into anything more for them. I hated the overly sappy love songs and being asked a million times by the groomsmen or my date for a dance that often turned into asking me out on a date. I hated sipping on champagne with a forced smile as the bridal party made a million teary eyed toasts, cringing through the endless tinkling of silverware on glasses hoping for a newlywed kiss. I hated it all, from the open bar to the tiny slices of wedding cake. I had gone to too many weddings in the last three years and was grateful this was the last four of my friends to indulge in the tradition.

Shuffling the invites into a pile by order of date, I reached for my phone, looking through the contacts for possible plus ones. I expected this to happen. All of my friends were getting engaged, married and popping out babies left and right. I was happy for all of them, happy to remain the single and carefree Bo. Married to her career as ad executive in the biggest ad agency in Chicago, living my life without restraint or the responsibility that came with settling down with a wedding ring, a dog, a white picket fence and a minivan on the way.

Scrolling through the endless contact list of eligible and easy last minute dates, I squinted as I decided between Justin or Brad. Rolling my eyes I tapped Justin and began typing up a quick text. At least Justin wouldn't try to grope me after a few drinks. It helped that he was ridiculously handsome and a great conversationalist. Meaning he would be able to pull the conversation away from me when my other friends started asking when my turn at the altar would be.

I tossed the phone on top of my current project, already receiving a eager yes from Justin to be my date for at least three of the four weddings. I shook my head, leaning back in the leather chair as I looked out my office windows. Staring at the Chicago River and the tourists bustling about the Magnificent Mile enjoying the mild July heat. I should have ignored the thin stack of wedding invites my secretary handed over to me after she accidentally knocked over a stack of files that I asked her to put in storage. Somehow she had set my mail from April on that side table and I unwittingly piled my busy life on top of them all.

I should have ignored them, but I couldn't. These were four of my closest and best friends from college and I would feel like an outright troll if I skipped their big day and I would never hear the end of it. Even after I recited my diatribe of not truly believing in one all-encompassing love, or that humans are meant to settle down with one partner and fall into the confinements of marriage. They all would laugh at me and point out how I was the most romantic idiot of us all in college, but eventually gave up on the idea of love after a string of bad relationships. Ultimately choosing to fall in love with my career and one night stands or quickie relationships. Love was a mystery I opted not to solve as I moved further into my thirties.

Leaning forward, I tapped the stack of pastel colored envelopes, idly wondering if I would ever find myself sitting with the love of my life deciding if bone white with hand drawn calligraphy would best represent our love to the world. I rolled my eyes, pushing the stack to the side, reaching for the keyboard to begin mass shopping for wedding gifts. Letting my idle thoughts drift to whether or not if I could get away with giving gift cards or glassware sets.

I hated weddings.

July 18th – Tod and Tammy's Wedding – Millennium Park – Lace Fantasy Blue

Of course Tammy would have to have an outdoor wedding. At least it wasn't hotter than hell, just hot as shit. I was sweating most of my makeup off, desperately trying to fan myself with the program. Justin was sitting next to me, trying to fan us both and handing me a bottle of water as we tried to pay attention to the ceremony.

Granted it was a beautiful ceremony. Tod looked dashing in his grey tux, Tammy like a perfect bride in her Vera Wang gown. Grinning like the lovesick fools they were as they expressed eternity and love till death and illness, sweating as much as the rest of us. I fluttered the edge of my blue seersucker dress, praying that a thin cool breeze would sneak in from the water and relieve some of the oppressive heat. I glanced at Justin, feeling even worse for him as he plucked at the blue linen shirt he wore. The poor guy was struggling in his dress pants and shirt. I smiled lightly at him, patting his hand and whispering, "Thank you."

Justin blushed, looking down and shrugging like a teenage boy. I knew the guy had a massive crush on me and would jump if I asked for anything more than causal and quick. He was a great guy, a catch really. He worked as a professor of architecture at Northwestern, smart as hell but not in that annoying way where he made you feel like a dolt, and he looked like a young Tom Selleck. Dark blue eyes, dimples and a beard that made him look like a dashing movie hero, not a soft spoken man with a huge heart. I often felt bad that I would call on him like I was, not ever really giving him the answers he wanted when he asked me for more than a few dates here and there, a few overnights at his place never mine. But I wasn't ready to settle down, and never knew if I ever would.

I blew out a breath, pushing some of my stray hair back as I looked up at the bridal party, hearing the priest get to the end of his speech of matrimony. The groomsmen all looked the same, big meaty former college football players like Tod. I moved to the bridesmaids, most of them looked like the sorority sisters they were. Wiping tears away as they clutched their bouquets, sighing dreamily at the romance they were witnessing. I rolled my eyes and went to look away when one bridesmaid in the middle caught my eye. She was like Waldo in a where's Waldo picture. She stood out, but didn't in the overall scene.

She was blonde, but not bleach blonde like the others. She was taller and held herself in a way that screamed intelligence and not giddiness. And unlike the others she had this blank look on her face of boredom as she slightly turned her head to look out in the crowd. Clearly uninterested and bored with the display of love she was a part of. I couldn't see her very well from where Justin and I sat in the far back, so I watched her for a few seconds with mild interest before fidgeting once more in search of relief from the heat. Sighing heavily and clapping loudly with everyone else when the priest finally pronounced Tod and Tammy as husband and wife.

"Bo, I am going to the bar. You want anything?" Justin smoothed out his shirt as he stood up from our table.

I pushed away my plate of half eaten chicken breast, "A Jameson and ginger, please." I smiled at him as he winked at me and walked away. I tossed the napkin over the plate, smoothing out my skirt and feeling a little tired from the air condition that was bearing down on all of us in the reception hall. The other table guests had gotten up to mingle and mosey to the open bar after Tod and Tammy had their first dance, first speech, first cut of cake and now we were waiting for the cake to be handed out as the DJ announced the dance floor was now open for business. I was hoping to skip out as soon as the cake was delivered, sneak out before the bridal party became obnoxiously drunk or before Justin asked me to dance. Looking forward to a long cool shower and curling up in my bed with a few more drinks and a book. Or maybe curl up with Justin for the night.

I looked around the room as the other guests began to file out to the dance floor, a few waving at me as they recognized me. God, I needed to leave soon before they all made their way over to me to catch up. I bit my lip, looking around for a Justin. Screw the cake, now was the time to make our exit. I frowned when the DJ started playing all of the songs the radio had been overplaying all summer long.

"I feel the same way when I hear this song. I mean how many times can you really shake it off?"

The soft feminine voice caught me by surprise, making me turn to my right and come face to face with the blonde bored bridesmaid. She waved at Justin's empty chair, "Do you mind if I sit? I have been walking endlessly in these heels." She rolled her eyes playfully, making me smile and nod for her to take the seat. She flopped down, blowing out a breath as she looked out on the dance floor that was filling by the second, a light smile on her face before looking at me and asking, "Tod or Tammy?"

I went to answer her when I suddenly noticed how beautiful this woman was. Her dark blonde hair was up in the traditional bridesmaid up do, giving me a clear view of her long, lean neck that led up into a jawline that begged my eyes to trace along it until I landed on the soft pink glossed lips, pulled into a tired smirk. I felt my throat go dry, forcing me to clear my throat and make eye contact with her big, bright brown eyes that had a whiskey colored tint to them. She looked in my eyes with an intensity that made me sweaty again. This woman was not just beautiful, she was stunning. So stunning that I felt something in my chest, right around my heart that made me question the foreign feeling. Was I having the onset of a stroke? Or heartburn from that terrible pasta? Or was it that other thing I had ignored for years. Or was it the click of that fabled first spark that led to a little four letter word I was afraid to embrace in my vocabulary?

I cleared my throat again, looking down at my hands on the table, finding the focus to force out, "Tammy. Tammy and I were next door neighbors in Wicker Park our senior year at Northwestern." I looked up in her eyes again, god they were sparkly, "My name is Bo."

Her smile widened, "Lauren, I work with Tammy at the hospital." She held my gaze a little longer, before taking in a slow breath and turning to the dance floor, "I was a last minute bridesmaid pick. Her cousin Kelly broke her leg and couldn't make the trip down from Milwaukee." Lauren looked at her pale baby blue strapless gown, "Seems Kelly and I are the same dress size."

I smiled weakly, my eyes deciding that they wanted to run their way down how well the gown fit Lauren and showed off impeccable shoulders and collarbones. I shook my head lightly, turning back to the white tablecloth. What the hell was wrong with me? I was getting warmer and looking at this blonde stranger like I was. "You did look bored up there earlier today."

Lauren laughed, crossing her legs. When she did, her arm brushed against mine and I swore I felt a warm tingle when our skin touched. "I was bored, never mind the oppressive heat." She turned to look at me, "You know that's the reason why I came over here, Bo. You look very bored."

I shook my head, widening my smile, "I am a little bored, but then again I am not a big fan of weddings."

Lauren raised her eyebrows, motioning over to the bar where Justin was standing chatting with one of the meathead groomsmen, "How can a pretty girl be bored at a wedding with Tom Selleck on her arm?"

I chuckled, "Justin is just a friend." I caught a flicker of relief pass over Lauren's eyes and for a split second I wondered if this was her awkward way of flirting with me. I glanced back over at Justin, trying to hide that Lauren was beginning to make me blush with her bold words, "Weddings just don't make sense to me. Maybe the romance of it all is lost on me."

I went to turn back to Lauren when the DJ played another summer hit that I really liked when it came out, but now dreaded when it was played every three minutes everywhere lately. I watched as the dance floor began bouncing with the song, singing loudly along. "I used to like this song, then it was killed by the radio and wedding DJ's."

I looked up to see Lauren grinning at me, she held out her hand to me, "Shut up and dance with me?"

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head, "No, no, I don't dance unless I am beyond hammered." I held up my hands, "Thank you for the offer, though."

Lauren scoffed playfully, standing up she grabbed my hand, "Come on Bo, shut up and dance with me." She tugged gently at me to stand up with her.

I shook my head harder, trying to hold in the gasp of air that wanted to come out the moment her hand pressed against mine. The way her palm was warm and seemed to fit mine perfectly. I swallowed hard, "No, I am a terrible dancer, Lauren." I tried pulling my hand back and not reveal the effect this woman was having on me. The tiny little flutter of butterflies in the pit of my stomach, made me want to run out of the room.

Lauren stared at me with those damn sparkly eyes, opening her mouth to say something, her thumb brushing over the top of my knuckles in a way that sent shivers down the length of my spine. It was like time slowed down around us, leaving just her and I in the moment. Then Justin appeared out of nowhere and hit the pause button, "Hey Bo, sorry about that. One of the groomsmen is a trainer for the Bears. He's getting me season tickets for cheap." He set my Jameson and ginger down and I reached for it, guzzling the drink in two large sips. Hoping the booze would replace the buzz from my heart with a the buzz from good whiskey.

Lauren dropped my other hand and stepped back, "You must be Justin, Bo's date."

Justin grinned sheepishly, holding his hand out to Lauren, "I am. It's nice to meet you..."

"Lauren, I work with Tammy." Lauren folded her arms across her chest, her body language changing from the open flirty she was with me, to the closed professional one I had seen at the ceremony.

I slammed the last of the drink, setting the glass on the table I reached for my clutch, "Justin, I am a little tired. Will you take me home?"

Justin immediately set his drink down, holding out his hand for me to take with great concern, "Sure, yea, Bo. Whatever you want." I linked my hand into the crook of his elbow, pulling him towards the door. He pushed me to go ahead of him, looking back at Lauren, "Hey it was nice to meet you Lauren."

I took one look back, realizing now that that one look back sealed my fate. Lauren was looking right in my eyes as she spoke, "It was great to meet you Justin." She paused waiting for him to move two steps in front of me, "Bo, about the romance being lost on you. It's only lost until you find the one."

I stared at the woman for a moment before she smiled tightly and turned away to disappear into the dance floor. The last words of the song sticking in my gut around the butterflies Lauren put there, "This woman is my destiny."

I raced out into the heat of the late July afternoon, welcoming the wall of heat as it chased the shivers from my body.

I hated weddings.

July 25th – Jake and Fitz – Natural History Museum – Posh Posey Pink

"At least the ceremony was inside." Justin led me into the grand hall that had been turned into the reception area. He and I would be having orderves and cocktails with the tyrannosaurs rex and stuffed mammoth that inhabited the hall.

I smiled, leaning into his arm, "Yes, thank god for that. I would hate if I sweated through this dress. It's one of my favorites." I looked down at the dark burgundy and black Chantilly lace shift dress I wore.

Justin grinned at me, his eyes roaming over my curves, "I think it could be mine as well." He winked at me handing over a glass of champagne. "You want to go say hi to the groom and groom?"

I nodded, as he let my arm go, "I will make it quick. I haven't seen Fitz in a few months and I want to wrangle him into a double brunch date?" I looked at Justin with big puppy dog eyes, hoping he would bend to my will. He sighed, waving me away, "Yes. Now go, I'll be by the mammoth waiting for you."

I flashed him a grin and waltzed over to the other end of the hall where the happily married couple stood greeting their guests. There was a three piece band playing acoustic versions of the same songs the DJ had at Tod and Tammy's wedding last weekend. This time it didn't annoy me, I was in a good mood. Justin and I had spent the night together and I was excited to see my best friend from college marry his longtime boyfriend after seven years together. It actually gave me a sliver of hope watching the ceremony and how much the two men loved each other.

I moved closer to the two men, waving lightly when Fitz saw me, holding up his hand to ask for a minute as he finished with the woman in front of him. I took a sip of champagne when I heard.

"Fitz or Jake?"

My throat went dry like the desert the second I heard her voice come up from behind me. I closed my eyes slowly. I had spent the entire week trying to forget her. The way her voice sounded as she said my name, the way her laugh made me want to hear it as much as possible. I had finally forgotten how her amber eyes sparkled on Thursday. I let out a breath, turning to look over my shoulder at Lauren, smiling as she came to stand next to me.

The first thing I noticed was how her eyes seemed to glow in the low ambient light of the hall. The second thing I noticed was the tight form fitting black sateen dress she wore. Highlighting her curves in a way that made me questioned everything I knew up to this point. Her hair was down, curled and flowing over her shoulders in a way that made me fight from reaching out and running my fingers through it.

Lauren grinned, "Hi Bo." obviously catching me staring at her, I turned back to Fitz.

"Fitz is my best friend from college and still my one of my dearest friends." I cleared my throat, "I actually got him the job as curator for the museum when I did their summer exhibit ads two years ago." I frowned at myself rambling, taking a larger sip of my champagne. This woman turned me into a stumbling idiot with her mere presence.

Lauren chuckled, moving closer to me. "I figured you were that Bo." She moved her arms to tuck her clutch in the other hand, when she did our skin met, sending that annoying little tingle from the last time through my entire arm. Giving me goosebumps. I could feel her staring at me as she spoke, "Jake and I lived together until he and Fitz finished renovating the house over on Lakeshore Drive."

I furrowed my brow, "Wait." I turned to look at the blonde, "You're Dr. Lewis? Jake's vampire roommate?" I had always thought Jake's roommate had been a man, the way he talked about his doctor roommate no one ever saw for the six months he had a roommate.

Lauren laughed loudly, nodding, "Yes. Midnight rotation will turn anyone into a vampire. I only lived with Jake for six months. We met during his pathology rotation and became fast friends." Lauren looked up at Fitz and Jake, "I think I remember hearing your lovely voice once or twice out on the back porch during Sunday brunches while I slept. Fitz used to talk about his adorable girlfriend Bo, the talented mad woman. That's what he used to call you, said you were like the female Don Draper, always with a new love interest on your arm."

She then looked over at the elephant where Justin stood talking to Fitz's sister, "How are you and Magnum P.I. Doing?" There was a tinge of sadness and jealousy in the woman's voice that threw me off and threw my heart into a erratic beat.

The words came out before I could form them into a lie, "I am not a female Don Draper, I do love my job like he does, but I don't run through men like he ran through women. I just haven't found anyone." I absently ran a finger through my hair, pausing to redirect the conversation away from me, "Justin, He's just a friend." I don't know why I said it, it definitely made me sound like a Don Draper. But at the same time, I didn't want Lauren to stop flirting with me.

Lauren's eyes drifted down to mine, her smile widening with every second she stared at me, "You keep saying that." She ran her eyes over my dress slowly, "You look stunning in that dress, Bo." The tone in her voice was full of an innocent sensuality that made me flush from head to toe.

I licked my lips, my eyes dropping to her red, shiny ones, "Because he is just a friend, and thank you. You look beautiful too, Lauren." The words fell out quiet and awkward, like I had never ever told another woman she looked beautiful. I had, but not like I was telling Lauren. She looked beyond beautiful, she looked like she tumbled out of the heavens and was tossed into this museum to torture me and upset whatever earthly balance I was trying to maintain. I felt the pull towards this woman grow by the millisecond. I wanted to be closer to her, I wanted our arms to brush against each other. I wanted to hold her hand and have her thumb run over my knuckles. I wanted to kiss her.

That last want made me suck in a sharp breath and move back from Lauren. What was I doing? This was crazy, I never acted like this with anyone let alone a casual stranger who happened to know mutual friends. I went to turn back to Fitz when I felt her hand on my wrist stop me. Drawing my attention back to those amber eyes, "Bo, shut up and dance with me?" This woman was bold and had no hesitation in asking for what she wanted. And she clearly wanted me.

I barely even registered the band had started playing that damn song, the acoustic version making the song ridiculously romantic in this moment. I bit my bottom lip, looking at Lauren's slender fingers wrapped around my wrist with a delicate warm touch that had my legs quivering. "I don't dance."

The excuse came out in a whisper; I looked back up at Lauren. A wave of emotions rolling over me as time once again slowed and left me isolated with this incredibly beautiful woman who was tearing everything I understood to shreds.

Lauren smiled weakly, letting go of my wrist and stepping back, "I'll keep asking until you say yes, Bo." She gave me one last longing stare before a huge grin came across her face and she was scooped up in the arms of Jake.

Fitz came to my side, throwing an arm around me, "Bo Dennis, about time I saw your cute little ass in something more than a business suit and running shorts." He kissed me on the cheek, but I was still staring at Lauren. "I see you brought that delicious man candy, Justin."

I blinked a few times, letting Lauren fade away into the other end of the hall with Jake on her arm, "Uh, yea. We've been kind of seeing each other." I forced a smile on my face, looking up at Fitz, "He's a good guy."

Fitz raised his eyebrow at me, giving me a smug look, "Mhmm that means you don't like him like him. Still keeping the boys at bay." Fitz rolled his eyes like my mother did whenever I would give her a noncommittal answer to her questions of if I would ever settle down. "God in heavens, will you please get married while we all are still young enough to appreciate it? The spinster look will not suit you my dear Bo." He poked my arm, laughing, "I saw you and Lauren chatting it up like old gossipy gals, I thought you never met her when she lived in my husband's basement?"

"I met her last week at Tod and Tammy's wedding." I glanced over Fitz's shoulder, catching Lauren staring at me as she stood with Jake.

"Oh god Tammy and those terrible pale blue invites. Blech. I am so glad Jake and I were unavailable to attend that Martha Stewart wannabe disaster." Fitz squeezed my shoulder, "Oh do you happen to know any single ladies? Jake and I have been on the hunt to fix Lauren up since she rejoined the living after finishing her residency. She's clearly stunning, a doctor, great sense of humor and a killer wardrobe. I mean look at that dress she is wearing."

I locked eyes with Lauren, sighing as the butterflies in my stomach grew bigger, "I am Fitz, I am looking at her." I turned away from her before I did something crazy like my heart was begging me too. I was not only looking at her, but I was falling for her. With no explanation of how or why. I just was.

Fitz patted me on the back, "Good, now who can we set her up with?" I looked down at the polished granite floors, another lyric from that damn song sticking in my head. "Don't you dare look back." I agreed with the words, knowing the last time I looked back I couldn't stop thinking about the woman for a week. She was in my dreams, my waking thoughts and I could feel her in my bones every time I closed my eyes for more than a minute. I didn't dare look back again, I couldn't. I wouldn't this time.

But I did.

God, did I hate weddings.

August 1st – Kevin and Karly – The House of Blues – Vintage Gold

"No, it's fine Justin. Go to the game. Karly and I haven't spoken in years so it's not a big deal. I will just mill around and go home. I have some work I want to get done anyways. Enjoy yourself and I will call you tomorrow." I hung up, shoving the phone in my back pocket before heading back into the private room where the informal reception was being held. It was more like a concert than a wedding reception. Everyone dressed in their best going out on a Saturday night clothes, drinking beer in tall boy cans and munching off of the buffet style offerings of gourmet burgers and other barbecued meats.

I moved through the crowd and towards the bar, grumpy from the epic humidity that hung in the air of the back room at the House of Blues. Making a silent promise to never attend another summer wedding for as long as I lived. I waved at the bartender to bring a tall cold can of Miller High Life, leaning against the bar top and looking over the guests. There wasn't a damn person I knew, meaning I could have my two free drinks and escape. Leaving my card and gift card on the sign in table and disappear back to my very cold and humidity free apartment. I was even more grumpy that Justin had been pushy over the last week, trying to get me to talk about us being something, anything. I was actually happy when he bailed on me to go to a Bull's game. I hated that he was being pushy, even more knowing it was my fault that I had used him as a distraction from a certain blonde that was consuming me. I was still irritated that I was at a wedding without a date, made me even more grumpy in the happiness swarming around me.

I grabbed the cold can, lifting it to my lips I heard.

"Kevin or Karly?"

I squeezed my eyes closed as her voice came up next to me. Three times the charm? Or three times the curse? I took a large swig of the champagne of beers before I opened my eyes to look right in the face of a grinning Lauren. Her hair back in a ponytail, she wore a soft grey linen shirt with the sleeves rolled up and unbuttoned to reveal the tight white tank top she wore underneath it.

Dammit, she could make a paper bag look salacious and sexy. And damn those eyes of hers, I was drawn to them like my future depended on them.

I set the can down, wrapping both hands around it and focusing on the tiny beads of condensation. I couldn't look at her or I would bend to her. "Karly. We partied together in sophomore year." I shrugged, "I really don't know why I was invited, I haven't spoken to her in years." I glanced at Lauren, "Let me guess, Kevin for you?"

Lauren smirked, "Actually, it's Karly this time. Her mother is the attending chief at my hospital. To be honest I have no idea why I was invited other than I think her mother had extra invitations and everything was already paid for." She held up the can of Amstel Light in her hand, "The beer is free, can't beat that."

I rolled my eyes, taking another large sip and turning to lean away from Lauren. I couldn't look at her without wanting to stare or move closer to her. "I guess."

"Where's Magnum?" Lauren's voice was low with that sad, jealous tone from last weekend.

I shrugged, "At the Bull's game. I only intend to stay long enough for my free two drinks and drop off my gift then head home."

I felt Lauren move closer to me, "That's a shame; he's missing out on a some decent food and beautiful company." She made me clench my jaw as her arm brushed against mine in addition to her shameless blatant flirting. This time her arm grazing mine was followed by her hand trailing down the side of it before she set it flat on the bar top. "So, you work at the ad agency. Are you a copy writer?"

I shook my head, trying so hard not to look at Lauren as I rolled the can in my hands. Instead I found myself staring at her hand. The long slender fingers, the way her hand just looked strong and soft, like she could keep me safe and be painfully delicate if I asked it of her. I closed my eyes as my heart began to race, "I am a ad exec. I run the print division at Debussy and Davies." I glanced up at her, cursing the action when I saw she was looking at me with genuine interest. "The smiling giraffe ads for the zoo you see on all the busses in town? That's all me."

Lauren grinned, "Georgie the giraffe? You are the mastermind behind Georgie the Giraffe?"

I felt my cheeks flush as I straightened up, "Yes, don't laugh. The kids love it and the zoo has seen their attendance rates triple since Georgie came out."

Lauren dropped her hand on my forearm, squeezing it as she chuckled, "Oh I am not poking fun at your creation. I think Georgie is great, he has helped me out in keeping a few little ones calm right before surgery. I printed up one of your posters and have it hanging with the surgery lights. I always promise them that when they wake up, Georgie and I will be there waiting with big smiles to say hello."

I looked down at her hand on my arm, my will and determination shattered the second her palm met my skin. I took a deep breath, "Are you a pediatrician?" I had to force those words out instead of doing what I wanted to do and had thought about endlessly since we stood inches apart in the museum.

Lauren pulled her hand away, taking the look on my face as unwelcoming to her touch, my attempt to throw her a cold shoulder to keep the building inferno inside of me at bay, she moved away a few inches, "I am a orthopedic surgeon. I have been doing a pediatric rotation helping kids walk again, throw baseballs and do all the things kids should do instead of sit in wheelchairs." She dropped her gaze awkwardly to the top of her beer, "I think I might go back to specialize in it. I really like kids."

She looked up at the back of the room as the terrible cover band started to play the same terrible songs I had heard the last two weekends in a row. "I don't mean to bother you with the life story or small talk, Bo. I just figured since we keep running into each other, we might as well be friends." She shrugged, "If you want to be friends."

The dejection was heavy in her tone, when it was the complete opposite of what I was thinking. This woman, fidgeting with the pull tab of her beer, this doctor who was the only person who didn't laugh at my Georgie. This woman who was like a tempest in my soul from the moment she intruded into my life with a cheesy joke about that one annoying song in a bridesmaid dress, was so many things that I let seep in without the distraction of a forced date on my arm and interruptions by a newlywed couple we both knew in a strange interconnected way. I certainly did not want to be friends with Lauren. That was the last thing I wanted in this moment in a humid, sweaty backroom bar hall.

The chords of the song swung hard through the air, hitting my ears and down to my heart. I looked at the beautiful woman next to me as the lyrics filled the gap of silence between us. "You're holding back." I was, and I really needed to stop. This woman was my cosmic catalyst and I had been ignoring it for long enough.

I took a deep breath, "Lauren, aren't you going to ask me?"

Lauren glanced at me, her eyebrows raised in confusion, clearly not listening to the song playing around us. "Ask you what?"

I smirked, it was now or never. I waved my hand in the air, motioning for her to pay attention to the music. "The song."

Her cheeks flushed pink, she shook her head lightly, "I was a little tipsy both of those weekends." Lauren ran a nervous hand through her hair, "I'm never normally that forward, but I...never mind."

I took a step closer to Lauren, leaning down to get her to look at me, "But you what?" I waited until those cursed sparkling eyes landed on mine, "You're never that forward with anyone? Let alone a strange woman you found sitting at a table bored to death at a wedding? Asking her to dance with you and tell her that the reason why she hates the romance of weddings is because she hasn't found the one? Maybe suggesting that you are the one to bring that romance to her?" I was speaking quickly, pouring out all the things I had been picking apart and wondering about for the last two weeks. Trying desperately to find the answers of how a woman like this incredible one staring at me in fear had swept into my life and wrapped both of her hands around my heart and squeezed life into it where no one else could in any length of a courtship we had.

I licked my lips, "That you made a promise without really making one that you won't leave me alone until I say yes to a dance with you." I reached down, grabbing her hand, my fingers wrapping around hers, "Ask me one more time, Lauren. Please." I felt my nerves begin to wear thin as I worried if I was now being too forward with this gentle doctor. But her hand in mine felt right, it felt more than right, it felt like the only thing I had been living for to find.

Her.

She searched my eyes, trying to figure out if I had suddenly gone off the rails insane or if I was being genuine. After a few tense seconds, Lauren looked down at our hands, her voice trembling as she spoke as if she was waiting for the immediate rejection, "Bo, shut up and dance with me?"

I let out a breath, smiling as I pulled her towards the dance floor, "Yes."

She looked up at me with wide eyes, her mouth dropping open as I drug her past the dance floor, past the buffet of meat, past the sweaty terrible cover band and out the side door that took us out into the alley. I shoved the door open, looking up at the dusky sun setting and reflecting off the silver tops of the city around us. I turned to face a still very confused Lauren, "But I don't dance."

Lauren scrunched her face up, "Bo, I..."

I dropped her hand, moving both of mine to the sides of her face, pulling her to meet me halfway as my mouth found hers in what started out as an awkwardly passionate kiss. My breath was lost the moment her soft, warm lips met mine. I squeezed my eyes closed tight at the intense feeling it sent through my body, god she was perfect. I held onto the edge of her jaw starting to worry that she wasn't returning the kiss, moving to pull back when two hands clamped to my side. Steadying me and locking me in her grip as she returned the kiss. I didn't hesitate when I felt her tongue graze my bottom lip, I only whimper and gave Lauren more of me, more than I had ever offered up to anyone in my life. Melting into the kiss and arms of this stranger I wanted nothing more than to kiss until I ran out of air.

The song permeated the brick walls, adding a unique foretelling soundtrack to this perfect impulsive kiss.

"This woman is my destiny.

She said, Shut up and dance with me

I felt it in my chest as she looked at me

I knew we were bound to be together"

We kissed until we ran out of air, parting to take a few needed breaths. I smiled sheepishly, licking my lips and running my thumb over Lauren's pink cheek, "So, I have this wedding I have to go to next weekend and I think I might need a date."

Lauren laughed, leaning forward to kiss me softly one more time, "Matthew or Claire? Seabreeze green wedding invitations?"

I leaned back in her arms, "Are you serious? You were invited to that wedding as well?"

She nodded, "I'm standing up in it, Claire is my cousin and I am filling in at the last minute for a bridesmaid that politely refused to wear the lovely emerald green prom gown she picked for the bridal party." Lauren paused, "She showed me her guest list, I saw your name and had full intentions of sneaking up on you and asking you to dance once last time." Lauren looked down at my shoulder embarrassed at the confession of mild stalking.

I raised an eyebrow, giving her a half assed dirty look, "And these other weddings? Coincidence or not?" I couldn't help but smile that I would have met Lauren one way or another at Claire's wedding.

Lauren let out a slow breath, meeting my eyes as she spoke, "Coincidence and I think destiny. Destiny that Tammy's cousin fell down the stairs and shattered her femur, that I had to live in Jake's basement while my apartment was renovated, that Karly's mom spent too much money on a meat buffet." She lifted her hand, resting it on my cheek, "The moment I saw you sitting there alone and bored, I knew I had to get you to dance at least once with me, Bo."

I sighed, leaning into her touch, sliding my arms around her waist, "But I don't dance." I moved in her arms, resting my head on her shoulder, letting Lauren's arm envelope me and swallow me in the tingly sensation that had been ignited the moment our skin touched. It was a whirlwind romance, three weeks of knowing this woman. Yet, it felt like I had been waiting three lifetimes to finally meet her.

Lauren squeezed me closer, "One day I will get you to, Bo. I promise you."

I suddenly didn't hate weddings as much as I used too.

One year later – November 5th – Chicago Cultural Center – Bone white with hand drawn calligraphy.

I stood in the center of the reception hall. Looking up at the glass dome ceiling of the cultural center, the city lights soaking in through every pane. Mixing with the darkness of the late night to make it seem like I was standing in the middle of the stars.

The hall was empty, just a few of the catering staff cleaning up the remaining dishes and champagne glasses. Leaving me in a delicate silence that was soothing after the long day. I clutched the flute of my glass, twirling the last few sips of champagne in the bottom as I swayed. I was happy, ridiculously happy and dropped my head from the glass dome to look around the room one more time. Moving to one table, picking up the thick textured paper invite, I grinned.

It was bone white, the words "Bo Dennis and Lauren Lewis Cordially invite you to join in celebrating the union of their love in marriage on this fifth day of November." All beautifully done in perfect black calligraphy.

I fluttered the invitation, shaking my head at how not so long ago I balked at the idea of ever choosing out such fancy invitations, let alone the vintage empire cut white wedding dress I was still wearing. Constantly looking at the diamond wedding band on my left hand.

My wedding was perfect, well, our wedding was perfect. Now I was waiting for my wife to come back from saying goodbye to the last of our friends and collect me so we could head off to our honeymoon at the lake house.

Our whirlwind romance had become the greatest love of my life. Lauren was what I had been looking for my entire life and when I found her, I never looked back unless it was to look at her. I found myself proposing to her eight months after we started dating and soon we were planning a fall wedding, with no meat buffets, no silly cover bands or stand in bridesmaids. There were no silly cheesy one hit wonders played at the reception, there was some tinkling of silverware against glasses to get us to kiss, which I happily obliged and even encouraged from the guests.

Everything was perfect and I was soaking up the last few minutes of this incredible night, my wedding day.

I sighed contently, draining the rest of my glass and handing it to a passing waiter; I held the invitation and spun around to look for my wife when I heard the first few chords of a very familiar song echo into the large empty hall. I groaned, turning to the dance floor to see Lauren standing next to the hidden sound system we ignored for a simple jazz band.

I couldn't stay mad at her as she stood still looking like she did in her white wedding dress. Holding her hand out to me, "Bo, shut up and dance with me?"

I sighed dramatically, walking towards her, dropping the invitation on a table I took her hand, "I have danced the day and the night away with you, Mrs. Lewis. I love you with everything I am, but you know I don't dance." I smirked at the silly back and forth game we had played from the word go at Tod and Tammy's wedding.

Lauren pulled me flush against her body, making me moan in delight at how we fit perfectly together, I was getting more and more eager to get to our hotel room and start the wedding night. "You did, yes, but I made a promise that I would one day get you to dance with me to this song, Mrs. Lewis." Lauren bent down, kissing me softly, "I don't break promises. So, shut up and dance with me, already."

I shook my head laughing, "Only because I love you as much as I do, Lauren." I held on to my wife and let her twirl me around the dance floor like a she promised, smiling as she whispered in my ear how much she loved me and had from the first moment our eyes met.

I loved my wedding.