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“It pays to be the kind of woman who can make it happen.” His thumbs stroked the back of my hands. “You’re amazing, Abigail. Fearless and resourceful andintelligent.”

My heart felt like it grew three sizes. I gulped. “That’s a funny way of saying impulsive and reckless.”

Rex lifted my hand and kissed the back of my palm. In the background, I heard Victoria say, “Nice!”

Rex lowered my hand again and pulled me closer, one hand wrapping around my waist. “You can call it whatever you want, but being exactly as you are is the reason I?—”

“Hey!”

We both turned at the sound of my brother’s voice. Gabe strode through the side door, wearing a white shirt, black vest, black bowtie, and black pants. His hair was combed back, and he was ready to take his spot behind the bar at the reception.

Gabe gave us a funny look, and Rex took a step back from me. “Needed to stand in to get the camera setup ready,” Rex explained.

“I think we’re good,” Victoria said. “Thanks, guys.”

Gabe visibly relaxed. “Oh. Right.”

I cleared my throat and arched my brows at Rex. He gave me a look that said,I know, I know.

What was the point of pretending right now? Rex had made it clear that he was all-in. Unless…he wasn’t?

“Just brought in the last case of champagne,” Gabe explained, coming closer. “Was wondering if you guys needed a hand with anything before I get busy behind the bar.”

“Nah,” Rex said, climbing down the steps of the altar toward him. “I’m going to find Donny. He was looking a little pale this morning, and I’m worried about him.”

Gabe nodded, and Rex nodded at both of us before walking out. I felt…a little numb. But there was a lot going on, and now probably wasn’t the right time to talk to Gabe. Rex already told mehe had a lunch date planned. He could talk to my brother then, when things were calmer.

Still. It didn’t feel good.

“You two looked pretty cozy there,” Gabe noted, shoving his hands into his pockets.

I rolled my eyes. “Stop fishing, Gabe.”

He shrugged. “Just an observation.”

“Don’t you have a bar to tend?”

Gabe put his hands up, then followed Rex out the side door. I slumped into a seat and groaned—and then my phone rang.

Blair.

“Victoria told me you were done. I need you to go see Eduardo in the reception hall. We’re setting up the flower arch, and he needs you to stand in for the video setup.”

“Fine,” I said, grateful that she’d be out of my hair—and my house—by the end of the day. I was sick of being nice to someone who didn’t deserve it. Deep in the hidden part of me, I felt my patience with Blair and her antics wearing thin. Rex might call me fearless and resourceful, but I knew when I was close to snapping.

Every time she was rude to me, the little voice in my head that drove me to be impulsive would whisper,Do it.

I didn’t know what “it” was, but I knew it would be bad. I had to resist. I was trying to be a better person. I was trying not to end the day in lockup.

I glanced at the side doorway once more, wondering if Rex was telling the truth about his lunch with my brother this week. Travis used to make promises all the time, right before he cut me off at the knees and told me I needed to change who I was to make myself worthy of him.

Was Rex any different? He’d backed off the minute Gabe spotted us. How would he go from that to us being official? How would he react if my brother got mad at him? Would he really choose me over Gabe?

My phone buzzed. It was Blair, sending a text asking me why I wasn’t at the reception hall yet. I didn’t even know when she’d gotten my phone number or how she knew where I was.

Then I shook my head, took a deep breath, and told myself everything would be better by this time tomorrow.

TWENTY-SEVEN