She held her hands up in surrender. “I was just trying to help.”
“I got it. You need to get some sleep. Festivities start at ten.”
“I’ll set the alarm on my phone. What time do you want me to get you up?”
I didn’t intend to ignore her question; I just couldn’t stand any longer when my bed was so close by. Quickly stripping down to my boxers, I tossed my clothes into the corner and crawled onto the mattress without considering I was nearly naked with her two feet away.
As I dozed off, a soft, moist pair of lips brushed against my forehead, and then the blankets shifted when she pulled them over me.
“Night, sleepyhead.”
The mattress bounced under the weight of an object. It didn’t take me long to realize who did the jumping. I covered my head with the pillow and tried to block out the light of day and Masyn’s exuberance. Nothing could quiet the pep in Masyn’s voice. She was a morning person. I was not, especially not after drinking.
“You have omelets to make. Hop up.”
“If you don’t stop that shit, you’re going to break the bed. Then I’ll have to sleep in the guest room with you.”
She stopped bouncing and grabbed the edge of my shield. “I can’t understand you with that pillow over your head.”
I held on, and the tighter I squeezed, the more she tugged and leaned backward, trying to use her weight as leverage. Then I let go. A smile spread across my lips when she stifled a squeal and then harrumphed when her ass hit the bed. Even though I knew she watched me, I couldn’t help it. I skimmed my gaze up her bare legs until my eyes reached the hem of my boxers, high on her thigh. She always had to roll the waistband down to keep them from falling off, which made them more like booty shorts. I let my gaze crawl higher and my breath caught in my windpipe. My shirt she wore had ridden up, exposing her flat stomach. The amount of restraint it took not to tear my clothes off her proved unreal. Something about seeing her in anything that belonged to me made my dick twitch and my mouth salivate.
She sat up, crossed her legs, and covered her lap with the pillow she’d stolen. “We have two hours before we have to leave.”
I snatched the pillow back and stuffed it under my head. “Good. That means I have another hour and a half to sleep.”
“Nope, nope, nope. You promised me eggs. And you definitely need to shower. The stench is oozing from your pores. No bueno.”
I lifted my forearm to my nose. When I smelled nothing, I raised my wrist a little higher. The stout aroma wafting out of my armpits would make even a mother cringe and doubt her love. “Fine,” I conceded. “But I’m showering before cooking.”
Masyn rolled off the end of my bed and then sprang up like a jack-in-the-box. Naturally, she felt better than I did this morning. Of course, she hadn’t consumed the amount of alcohol I had last night, either. I would never admit that she might have been right. I’d pay for it all day today, and likely into tomorrow. There was an open bar at the reception, and I’d need to visit it frequently to keep from killing Felicity.
“Sounds good. I’m going to jump in and rinse off, too. I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”
Fifteen minutes later, we were both barefoot in front of the fridge. Masyn had put my boxers and T-shirt back on, and I had donned a pair of sweatpants minus a shirt. There was no point in getting anything out when I was going to have to change again in an hour. The two of us moved around each other like we cooked together daily. Everything about being with Masyn was natural. Other than hiding how I felt about her, things between us were always perfect.
“You should ask Peyton out while she’s in town.”
I turned from the eggs I was cracking into a bowl to stare at her.
She looked up from the veggies she was chopping and lifted her eyebrows. “What? She’s completely into you. And you wouldn’t have to worry about her wanting a relationship. It totally works for your lifestyle.”
“So what, you’re playing matchmaker now?” I didn’t like it. Not one bit. And I bit my tongue to keep from arguing with her about what she believed my history was like.
She shrugged. “The two of you had chemistry.”
“What? The fumes from the machine shop have affected your brain.”
“You were nice to her.”
“I’m nice to you, too. Should I ask you out?” It slipped from my tongue before I could stop it.
“Pfft. As if I’d ever date you, Lee Carter.”
Dagger. To. The. Heart.
“So you want me to date Peyton Holstein? That’s just mean.”
Masyn grabbed the vegetables she’d chopped and tossed them into the frying pan in front of me. “Oh, please. She’s gorgeous. Comes from money. Has a degree. Would it be so horrible to end up with someone like her?”
“Masyn, girls like Peyton don’t date guys like me. Ever.” And I had zero interest.
“You should ask. I bet she wouldn’t turn you down.”
Masyn had never pressured me, or even encouraged me, to ask out another girl.
“She’s leaving Sunday.” Not that I cared. “And we have wedding crap planned for every minute until her plane takes off.”
“Maybe she’d change her flight.”
“Or not.”
“You won’t know until you ask. How cool would it be if you ended up related to Beau because you two married sisters?”
It would be fantastic if Masyn had a sibling that didn’t have a dick that Beau could suddenly betroth, but since she didn’t, it would never happen.
“He’s making a mistake.”
“So are you.”
“By not asking out someone I don’t know who doesn’t live here? Have you been drinking this morning?”
“Nope. Just want to see you happy.”
“I am.”
“Okay. Then do what you want.”
There was something off between the two of us. A tension that never existed before. We ate in silence and then did the dishes the same way. She excused herself to change, and I watched her walk down the hall and disappear into her room.
Chapter Four
I didn’t have a clue what we were doing at the church at ten in the morning when the wedding didn’t start until four this afternoon. The guys had been separated from the girls, so with no ability to talk to Masyn, I was left wondering what she was doing—not that this was the place to try to have a conversation. I wasn’t the only one who’d consumed too much last night. Everyone in this room looked rough, except Beau—because he wasn’t here. And I wasn’t the only one grumbling about the arrival time and wondering where the groom was.
Braden and Bodie were both present, and Beau was staying at his parents’ house. “Braden, where’s Beau?”
“Probably getting drunk. He and Felicity kept the neighbors up half the night.”
The other guys in the room hooted like the couple had had an orgy with the Chastains down the hall.
I, however, got the message loud and clear. “Any idea what they fought about?”
“Hell no. Bodie and I went down to Sadler’s after the rehearsal dinner. They were still bickering on the porch when we got home.” Figured they went to the only place open and still serving alcohol that late at night. Any other time, I would have been with them.
“Where was your mom?”
“In the living room listening to it.”
I’d had enough. I wasn’t in the best of moods as it was, but I’d be damned if I was going to sit here with a dozen jackasses I didn’t know while Beau cried in his cornflakes at his parents’ kitchen table. I left my tuxedo jacket on the back of the chair I’d been sitting in and pushed through the other groomsmen to get out the door.
I finally found Mrs. Chastain near the sanctuary quietly talking to the wedding coordinator, but they stopped whispering once I got close enough to hear their conversation. Just before I reached Beau’s mom, she patted the girl on the arm and gave her a smile I’d seen countless times in my youth. It was the one that assured you e
verything would be okay—it was plastic, and I knew from experience it meant shit was about to get real.
She drew me in for a hug and kissed my cheek before stepping back. “Good morning, Lee.”
“Hey.” I wasn’t sure how to start this conversation. “Can we talk for a minute?” It was a step in the right direction. Hopefully the words would come.
“Certainly, dear. What’s on your mind?” She clasped her hands in front of her and tilted her head to wait.
I guided her into the sanctuary, thinking we wouldn’t be disturbed, only to find people milling about, arranging flowers and rolling out a satin carpet down the center aisle. There was nowhere the two of us could go where we wouldn’t be overheard. At this point, I no longer cared.
“What’s going on with Beau?” I attempted to keep my voice low, so we didn’t draw attention.
Her lips flattened into a thin line before lifting into a prim smile. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
I ran my fingers through my hair, stopping at the crown to grip handfuls and hoping it would release a little of the tension running through me. “There’s something wrong. We both know it. Why is he marrying this girl?” My voice carried, and heads turned in my direction.
Mrs. Chastain straightened her spine and pulled her shoulders back. She’d gone stiff as a board and didn’t even attempt to maintain a happy expression. “He’s made a commitment that he intends to see through.” She swallowed hard as though the words nearly choked her.
“I don’t mean to be disrespectful, Mrs. Chastain, but if he has doubts before he makes a legal commitment, shouldn’t he reconsider?”
“Sometimes our actions prevent us from walking away from our obligations, Lee.”
I couldn’t stand when people talked in riddles. “What could he possibly have done that would sentence him to a life of unhappiness?”
“Now, now. Don’t be melodramatic. Weddings are stressful. I’m sure everything will be fine tomorrow.”
“And if it’s not?”
Her eyes filled with tears she fought not to let fall. “I don’t know.” She tried to hide her anguish, and finally gave in like she was confessing a holy secret. “I wish he’d talk to you.”
“You can tell me what happened. I’ll do what I can to fix it. But without information, he’s a sitting duck and Felicity’s got the rifle.”
She pursed her lips and shook her head. “It’s not for me to tell. I tried to get him to come home earlier…alone.” Her delicate fingers swiped at the stream now trailing her cheeks. “At this point, I doubt anyone can change his mind.”
I could sure as hell try. “Where is he?”
“Still at the house.”
“And Felicity?”
“I’m not sure, dear. She wasn’t there when I left, but I haven’t seen her here, either. Maybe you could ask her sister. She’s down the hall with the other girls.”
“Any details you can give me would help a lot. If I don’t know what I’m arguing for or against, I’m fighting a lost cause.”
“Go talk to him, Lee. If anyone can get through to him, it would be you.” So that’s how we were going to play this. She was going to let me take the rap for unraveling whatever he’d gotten himself into. “If I hadn’t promised to keep his secret, you’d be the first person I would tell.”
My head was pounding, and grinding my teeth didn’t help. I couldn’t yell at her or shake her until she gave up the dirt. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“You’re a good boy. He’s lucky to have you.”
“We’ll see if he thinks so.”
I didn’t waste any more time trying to pry information from Beau’s mother and took off in the direction of the dressing room the girls occupied. When I reached the door, I jerked it open, not realizing there might be women changing six hours before the actual event.
“Close the door!” someone shouted.
“Shit.” I spun around so my back was to the room. “Where’s Peyton?” I called out. I couldn’t make out the voices of anyone behind me. I only knew two of these girls, and neither of them spoke. I almost turned around until I remembered I wasn’t supposed to be in here anyhow.
“Want to step into the hall?” Peyton’s voice came over my shoulder.
I cracked the door and slipped through to keep from exposing anyone else to passersby, and Peyton followed. Once I heard the click of the latch behind me, I faced her. She really was beautiful in a high-society sort of way. I hadn’t noticed how full her lips were or how the color of her eyes glowed a deep blue. Now I had a hard time diverting my attention away from her to focus on why I was here. Peyton waited for me to speak, and my heart calmed and my anxiety ebbed with her patience.
“Do you know where your sister is?” I finally formed words, but I wasn’t able to hide the bite behind them. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to snap.” This wasn’t Peyton’s fault any more than it was mine.
“She’s at the hotel. My mom said she stayed out with Beau and was sleeping later than planned.” Her proper façade slipped, and she struggled to keep from rolling her eyes. In the process, her lids fluttered, and her upper lip tipped slightly.
“Any idea what they were talking about?”
“We talked about this last night.”
I vaguely remembered that. “Refresh my memory.”
“No one has let me in on whatever happened. I quit asking because all I was doing was making Felicity and my mother angry. Whatever it is, it’s not good.”
At least I knew the bride wouldn’t be at the Chastains’ when I got there. One less person to deal with.
Peyton grabbed my hand when I attempted to leave. “Where are you going?”
“To try to save my best friend from making the worst mistake of his life.”
“Take me with you.” Her eyes begged me to give in.
“I can’t. There’s no way he’ll talk if you’re there.”
She appeared disappointed, although she nodded her head in agreement. “I understand.” She held out her hand. “Give me your phone.”
“What?”
“Let me put my cell number in it. Then if you need reinforcement, you’ll be able to reach me.” Her fingers wiggled and waited, palm up.
I pulled the phone from my pocket and handed it to her. She quickly entered her information and then opened the camera app and took a selfie. I wasn’t sure why she felt the need to attach a picture of her face to her contact card—it wasn’t like I’d forget who she was. I watched as she sent herself a text, taking my number without having to ask for it. Then she handed my cellphone to me and sashayed back into the room we’d just left.
***
“Beau?” I called out from the foyer after letting myself in. Without a reply, I started toward the stairs, hollering his name louder this time. “Beau!”
“I’m upstairs. Stop yelling.” He sounded as hungover as I felt.
As I took the steps two at a time, I heard him pad down the hall toward his old bedroom. By the time I reached the landing, he’d disappeared. I’d spent so much time in this house, I could navigate it blindfolded. And I knew exactly where he’d be. On his back on the bed with a forearm covering his eyes and his knees hanging over the side—just as I suspected.
I took a seat in the lounge chair in the corner. His bedroom was the size of my living room and kitchen combined.
“You want to tell me what’s going on?”
“Not particularly.”
“Do it anyhow.”
He groaned and sat up, dropping his arm to his side and his hands into his lap. “There’s nothing to tell.”
“The hell there’s not. You’ve done nothing other than fight with Felicity since both of you pulled into town. Your mother’s in tears. You’re pissy. The neighbors apparently know more about what’s going on than your best friends. So don’t tell me there’s nothing to share, or I’ll walk next door and ask the Corkles.”
By the time Beau finally met my stare, the color had drained from his
face…including the splotchy red he was notorious for. His eyes were puffy, although I doubted he’d been crying—likely just hadn’t slept. Overall, the dude looked like shit. Not even a penguin suit and an expensive pair of shoes were going to pretty up this pig.
“Have you ever made a mistake so big there was no coming back from it?”
I’d made tons of mistakes that defined my life—Masyn and tenth grade ranking high on the list—but it was the life I was destined to lead. I didn’t believe in regrets. No one expected the kinds of things from me that they did from Beau. “I don’t guess so. But I don’t think there’s anything you could have done that your parents can’t fix.”
He stood and started pacing. “Yeah, well…they can’t fix this one.” He dragged his hands through his hair and scrubbed his face like he might find an answer if he were able to molt.
“Still don’t have a clue what we’re talking about here, man.”
“You and Masyn were right. I never should have proposed.”
I didn’t need that confession to know it was the truth. “Okay…so you made a mistake. You haven’t said, ‘I do,’ so don’t.” It seemed a rather simple solution to me. “Divorce will be far harder than telling a bunch of people that you don’t give a shit about anyhow that you’re not getting married.”
“It’s not that easy.”
“The fuck it’s not. If it’s that hard, just don’t show up. I’ll tell them you aren’t coming.” I had no qualms about taking one for the team.
“My trust fund is at stake.”
Back to riddles. “And?” Jesus, join the real world who have to work for a living and put that college education to good use.
“I signed a prenup.”
If he wanted to play puzzle games, he should have started talking the moment he arrived in town, not hours before he was set to walk down the aisle. “English, Beau. We don’t have all day.” God, I needed aspirin.
“She’s pregnant.”
I couldn’t have heard that right because if I had, that would mean Beau was a moron who hadn’t wrapped his pecker. I leaned forward in the chair and put my elbows on my knees. “Come again?”
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