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“I hate weddings worse.”

Bryce laughed as though it were funny. It was not.

“Okay, we’ll see you later then.” Max turned away.

Bryce studied him. “You okay?”

Not even a little bit. Being around a wedding today reminded him of everything he’d lost when Cadence had started dating Paul and agreed to marry him. She might be free now, but she wasn’t looking at Graham as a replacement groom.

“Sure.” Graham tugged his necktie looser. “It’s hot in here.”

Bryce looked at him strangely. “Yeah? It’s August. That might have something to do with it.”

“Anyway, I don’t need a ride up to the ranch later.”

“Noted.”

Graham stifled his frustration. Also, did he need to thank the Satterfields for the invitation? Vince and Loretta had opened the wedding to nearly the entire community of Jewel Lake. They ran a big construction company out of Atlanta, and… yep… Grandfather and Vince were deep in conversation over in the corner. Money called to money. Or something.

There wasn’t anyone else he really needed to talk to. Tate and Stephanie sat with some of Stephanie’s and Harper’s friends, people Graham didn’t know. Didn’t want to know.

Cadence hadn’t come to the wedding. She hadn’t met the bride and groom, anyway. Most of the staff, except for the locals, had stayed at Sweet River Ranch, since they were full-up with tourists this weekend. Every weekend.

Graham sidled toward the doors where Weston and Jude had disappeared. A pretty girl smiled at him. He sort of smiled back.

Escape. That’s all that counted. Escape from this wedding… and then figure out where he’d gone wrong in all his life choices.

Was it too late to fix things? He’d never know if he didn’t try.

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