“There’s a secluded spot next to Cheat Lake. It means a lot to Chloe and me. I want to have it there. I just need you to get a few flowers, invite her cousin and Logan, and find a preacher. Can you do that for me?”
“Of course. Do you know what kind of flowers Chloe wants? Actually, why don’t you let me talk to her, and we’ll figure it all out?”
“No! I don’t want her to know that we’re planning this.”
“So, you’re going to surprise her…with a wedding? No way that could end badly,” I mumbled.
“If I wasn’t completely sure that she wanted to get married, I wouldn’t do this. I promise, she’ll be excited.” He paused. “I think.”
I groaned. “Whatever. I’ll get everything ready.”
“Thank you, Amber.”
We spent the next few minutes going over a few tiny details. It seemed simple enough that I was sure I could handle it. Getting flowers, making a phone call to Danny, finding a preacher—I could handle that. The only thing that terrified me was the prospect of telling Logan. That would go over real well.
“I’ll call you a few days before to make sure everything is set. Jade, Adam, and Eric don’t know yet, so I’ll tell them. I’m sure they’ll want to be there.”
“Okay,” I said, suddenly desperate to get off the phone. “I gotta go. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Thanks again,” he said.
“No problem.” I disconnected the call and dropped my phone down beside me.
Adam. He was coming back to West Virginia. After an entire year, I would finally see him again.
I wasn’t sure if I should laugh or cry. Maybe I should be doing both—or neither.
The thought of seeing him again had goose bumps rising all over my body. My girlie parts started singing joyfully. My heart felt like it was doing cartwheels in my chest.
But my brain told me to run like hell.
Everything had gone according to plan, including Logan’s freak-out. Still, he’d agreed to come, so I’d considered that a win.
A week after Drake’s phone call, I had everything ready to go. I stood in the clearing next to Cheat Lake, waiting for everyone to arrive.
I’d taken great care when choosing my outfit. I’d told myself it was because I wanted to look good at my best friend’s wedding, but really, I just wanted to look good for Adam. I was wearing a pale yellow sundress that stopped just a few inches above my knees. It hugged my curves nicely without looking trashy. Compared to the outfits I normally wore, I looked like a saint. The dress was strapless, but I had enough boobage to hold it up, thank God. I’d never live it down if I accidentally flashed everyone at the wedding. My hair was styled in loose curls, perfectly framing my face, and my makeup was light. Overall, I thought I looked pretty good—a little innocent but good. I’d take it.
Logan was with me. He looked like he wanted to bolt or kill someone. At this point, it could go either way. I prayed that he would behave himself.
“Can you at least pretend to smile?” I asked as I leaned back against his car.
He flashed his teeth at me. “There. Happy?”
I laughed. “I asked you to smile, not act like you’re going to go cannibal on my ass and eat me.”
He rolled his eyes at the exact same moment my phone lit up and Adelitas Way’s “Criticize” started playing. My heart stopped. Only one person had that ringtone—Adam. I unlocked my phone and quickly read his text.
Adam: Almost there.
That was it. There was no I can’t wait to see you, or I can’t wait to fuck you up against a tree. My whole body sagged in disappointment.
“Adam, Eric, and Jade are almost here. The preacher dude is following behind them,” I told Logan.
I replied to Adam, feeling a little pissy.
Me: K.
Asshole.
Logan and I both looked up as two cars pulled into the clearing. A man stepped out of the second one—the preacher I assumed—while Eric, Adam, and Jade climbed out of the first one. My breath caught when I locked eyes with Adam. God, he was beautiful. He still looked exactly the same as he had the last time we’d been together. After a year apart, I’d thought that maybe I wouldn’t be so bothered by his presence. I was wrong. Seeing him caused my entire body to catch fire.
I forgot my anger, and I ran toward them. I gave a small hello to Jade and Eric before leaping into Adam’s arms. He caught me, his hands instantly going to my ass. I started kissing him like I was dying, and he was my last hope. Maybe he was. Our mouths collided, and everything else was lost. He let out a low moan as he deepened the kiss. His tongue attacked mine, his tongue ring hitting against my teeth. I pressed my body against his, desperate to get closer.
He pulled away finally and set me down on the ground. I stared up at him, lost in a haze of lust and longing. My feelings hadn’t changed at all. I still loved him. Time apart had done nothing to quell my feelings. This man…he was mine, whether he knew it or not.
“Damn, I’ve missed you,” he whispered.
“Me, too.”
He lowered his head so that he could whisper in my hair, “I’m fucking you tonight. I hope that’s okay with you.”
I smiled. It was more than okay. “We’ll see.”
His eyes scanned my body, causing goose bumps to rise on my arms. His eyes darkened with lust. Yeah, I affected him the same way he affected me.
Everyone looked up as another car approached. Logan whistled under his breath at the sight of the expensive Mercedes. It pulled up next to Logan, and Danny stepped out.
He shot Logan a grin. Those two had gotten along really well when we’d spent time at Danny’s house last summer. “Logan, long time, buddy.”
Logan surprised me when he walked over and gave Danny a quick hug as the rest of us said hello. Now that everyone was here, it was time to get them up-to-date on the wedding ceremony.
“Now that we’re all here, let me explain everything,” I said loud enough for everyone to hear.
Everyone turned toward me, waiting on instructions. I glanced around nervously as I realized that everyone was giving me their undivided attention.
“Okay, so…yeah, Drake said Chloe wanted a low-key wedding, which is why we are the only ones here. He wants the ceremony to take place over there”—I pointed to a spot overlooking Cheat Lake—“with Eric as best man. Obviously, I’ll be Chloe’s maid of honor. The rest of you just have to stand around and look pretty. Drake texted me when they landed, so they should be here any minute. Any questions?”
Everyone shook their heads.
That was easy.
As soon as everyone started talking, I turned my attention back to Adam. Damn, he looked good. He was wearing a pair of black jeans, obviously his idea of dressing up. I had to laugh at that. His white button-up shirt hugged his chest and stomach nicely, giving me a preview of what was underneath.
Before I could say a word, I heard a car approaching. My hands started sweating as Chloe and Drake pulled into the clearing.
Showtime. I just hoped that they would be happy with what I’d done.
As soon as she stepped out of the car, the confused look on her face made it obvious that she had no idea what was going on. She looked beautiful in a white sundress. Her blonde hair had been straightened, and it was hanging over her shoulders. I couldn’t help but grin at the purple streaks running through it. It had taken me forever to convince her to put them in her hair. That had been over a year ago, but she’d kept adding them back.
“What’s going on?” Chloe asked as she approached us.
“I thought you would have figured it out by now.” Drake grinned down at her.
“I have no clue what you guys are up to.”
I grabbed her bouquet of flowers off the hood of Logan’s car and walked over to where she and Drake were standing.
“You’re an idiot, Chloe. You’re about to get married,” I said as I handed her the flowers.
Chloe’s mouth dropped open as she looked from
me to Drake and then to where everyone else was standing. “No way.”
“Way,” I said matter-of-factly. “Come on, let’s get started.”
The next hour was a blur of laughter, tears, and inappropriate jokes. Silent tears slid down my face as Chloe and Drake said their vows. It had taken them so long to get here. As I watched them commit to each other for eternity, I smiled through my tears. I knew without a doubt that they had finally found their happily ever after.
My eyes traveled to Adam about a million times throughout the ceremony. I couldn’t help it. Each time I looked at him, he would already be watching me with a wicked grin on his face.
Once the ceremony was over, Chloe and Drake took off for their honeymoon. I had no idea what they were doing, but I knew they wouldn’t be gone for long. Chloe had mentioned only a few days before that the band’s U.S. tour would be starting soon.
The rest of us stood in a loose circle, making plans for the night. Danny had to head home, but the rest of us planned to stop by Gold’s and have a few drinks together. Adam, Jade, and Eric had to leave the next morning, but they were going to stay at Drake’s house overnight.
The moment Chloe and Drake’s car disappeared, Logan broke away from the rest of us and headed for his car. His entire body was rigid.
I chased after him. “Logan, wait! Logan!”
He ignored me as he opened the door and got in his car.
“Logan, talk to me. Please.”
“My head is so fucked-up right now, Amber. Just let me go. I need to be alone.” He started the car.
“No, the last thing you need right now is to be alone. We’re all going to Gold’s for a little while. Come with us,” I pleaded with him.
My heart broke as I stared at him. He looked like his world had ended. In a way, it had. He’d loved Chloe for so long, always holding out hope that maybe, just maybe, she would be his again one day. That dream was gone now, and he was forced to deal with the harsh reality of his situation.
He shook his head. “I can’t. I’m going back to the house.”
“Please, Logan, come with us, or all I’ll do is worry about you. Come on, it’ll be fun.”
He exploded like a nuclear bomb. Even though I’d expected it, it still shocked the shit out of me.
“Yeah, it’ll be real fucking fun to sit around and talk about how happy we all are that Chloe and Drake found their happily ever after. It’ll be real fucking fun to sit there and pretend like I’m happy while I’m drowning on the inside. Fuck off, Amber!” By the time he finished, he was shouting.
The others were close enough that they had heard every word he just screamed at me. No one spoke a word as they all stared at Logan in shock. My lower lip trembled as I tried not to cry. Logan had never once shouted at me like that. His face crumpled in pain, but he didn’t apologize. I watched as he slammed his door shut and tore out of the clearing like he was being chased by demons. He was being chased by demons, but they were invisible to the rest of us.
“Oh, Logan,” I whispered as I wiped away a tear that had escaped.
I looked up when someone wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
Adam.
He looked down at me with a pissed off look on his face. “He had no right.”
“He’s hurting.”
“I don’t give a fuck. No one talks to you like that.”
I stared up at him, hating what I was about to say. “I need to go after him. I’m sorry, but I can’t go to the bar with you guys. Logan needs me more.”
I wanted to spend time with Adam, but there was no way I could leave Logan alone. Adam wasn’t permanent, no matter how much I wished he were. He was here one moment and then gone the next. But Logan had been there for me more times than I could count. It was my turn to take care of him.
“Fuck that. You’re coming with us. Let the asshole run away. He doesn’t deserve your sympathy after what he just did.”
I shook my head. “He’s so broken, Adam. The man you just saw isn’t my best friend. Logan doesn’t act like that. He’s just hurting, and he lashed out at me because I was there. I have to make sure he’s okay.”
“No. You’re coming with me.”
I opened my mouth to tell him no, but Jade spoke up, “I’ll take care of him. I didn’t really want to go to the bar anyway.”
“You don’t have to. Besides, he’s my best friend. No offense, but I’m not sure he’d be comfortable with you.”
“You’d be surprised,” she said, emotion flashing in her eyes.
“Perfect. Jade can go, and you can stay with me,” Adam said.
“I need someone to drive me though. Once we find him, you can just drop me off,” Jade said.
“I’ll take you,” I said finally.
The emotion in Jade’s eyes had my brain spinning in a million different directions. Maybe Logan didn’t need me right now. Maybe he needed her. Or maybe I was just too selfish to let my one night with Adam disappear.
Adam looked like he wanted to argue, but he closed his mouth when I glared at him. I shrugged out of his hold and walked to my car with Jade right behind me.
I looked back at Adam and Eric as I climbed into my car. “I’ll meet you guys at Gold’s this evening.”
Jade was quiet for the first few minutes of the drive. I felt fifty shades of awkward. I had never really talked to Jade one-on-one before.
“Where do you think he went?” Jade finally asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
“I don’t know. I figured we could check my house first.”
She nodded. “Good idea.”
Silence invaded the car again.
“He loves her so much,” Jade said. “She doesn’t deserve that kind of love from him, not after what she did to him.”
My eyes widened in surprise. “Uh…”
She smiled at me. “I don’t expect you to agree with me. They’re both your best friends after all. But me? I love Chloe to pieces, but she absolutely destroyed him.”
“I know,” I said quietly.
“I’m going to fix him.”
I wasn’t sure if she was talking to me or herself, but I didn’t respond. The rest of the ride was completely silent. When we pulled up to my house, Logan’s car was parked outside. I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God he’d come home instead of going out and doing something stupid.
I started to climb out of the car with Jade, but she stopped me. “I can handle him. Go on, and spend time with Adam.”
I raised an eyebrow, wondering just how close Logan and Jade were. “You sure?”
She nodded. “Yeah, I got this.”
I waited until she opened my front door before pulling away. I hoped I wasn’t making a mistake by leaving them alone together.
The bar was packed. Somehow, Adam and Eric had managed to snag our old table. I’d been to Gold’s a few times since they’d been gone, and it had always been taken. I guessed being a rock star had its perks.
A band was playing up on stage tonight. I couldn’t help but grin at the disgusted look on Adam’s face as he watched them play. Obviously, he didn’t think they were as good as Breaking the Hunger. I had to agree. They weren’t bad by any means, but they definitely weren’t as good.
People crowded around our table the entire night. Old friends and fans of the band came over to say hello. A few of them even hung around for a while to talk. I didn’t mind them at all. What I did mind were the fucking groupies who kept trying to catch the boys’ attention. Eric seemed completely unaware, but Adam watched them with a smirk. Still, whenever one of the groupies approached Adam, he’d keep his distance. One girl was even forward enough to sit on his lap, but he literally pushed her onto the floor. I laughed a little too loudly over that one.
After that, Adam grabbed me out of my chair and dropped me down onto his lap. “Now they know my lap is taken for the night,” he whispered in my ear.
I grinned like a moron.
It felt good to be so close to him again. It felt righ
t. I snuggled closer to him, loving the way he wrapped his arms around me. His hands strayed to my legs a couple of times. He pulled my dress up enough so that his warm hand was resting against bare skin. I wasn’t even sure if he consciously realized what he was doing. He’d never paused his conversation once.
As the night wore on, I started to grow tired from the beer and the events of the day. My mind had strayed back to Logan more than once, but I’d forced myself not to worry about him. He was with Jade. She would take care of him.
“You ready to get out of here?” Adam whispered in my ear.
I shivered as his breath tickled my skin. “Yeah.”
I stood as Adam and Eric told everyone good night. Adam held my hand as we walked to the door. That earned me a few glares from some of the women in the bar, but I ignored them. I was too happy to let anything get to me.
He kept my hand in his until we reached my car. I unlocked it and started to climb in.
“Why don’t we just walk over?” he asked.
“I don’t want to leave my car in the bar parking lot all night,” I told him, my thoughts drifting back to the women in the bar. With my luck, I’d wake up to four slashed tires.
“You’re coming to Drake’s though, aren’t you?”
I grinned. “Yeah, I’ll be there. You can ride over with me if you want.”
He shook his head. “Nah, I’ll walk. Wouldn’t want Eric to get lost or anything.”
The drive to Drake’s took me less than a minute. Technically, the house was his uncle’s, but I’d never met the man. He was high up in the military and never came home.
As I climbed out of my car and locked it, Eric and Adam appeared around the corner. I followed them up to the front door. After Eric unlocked it, we all stepped inside.
I didn’t bother to look around as I headed for the living room. I’d only been in Drake’s house once, and that was when Logan and I had helped Chloe pack her things after she’d broken up with Drake, so I knew every room in this house.
Before I reached the living room, Adam grabbed me and pulled me back to him. “Where do you think you’re going?” he asked.
Eric rolled his eyes as he walked past us and into the living room. “Remember, the walls are thin. I can hear everything.”
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