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She scooted closer and so did he. His thumb was rubbing the inside of her wrist, and she lifted their attached hands and opened her hand so that they were palm to palm and then she laced her fingers between his.
“But I did,” he went on, hoping that what he was about to admit didn’t ruin all the ground they’d covered in the past few days. “I knew there was a bookshop on the block. I just didn’t care.”
Instead of anger, her face went soft with uncertainty. “Do you care now?”
“Very much. But I don’t know how to fix it.”
“That you care is all that matters to me.”
He lowered his voice, which came out rough like gravel. “I care.”
His eyes flashed to her lips, which was fine because hers were doing the same. But it was the dreamy look in her gaze that stirred up something old and painful in his gut.
He was leaving. Period. And she was staying. Period. And as much as he wanted this to happen, needed it to happen, there was no way this could work. Yet, here they were, dressed like a happily wedded couple, about to seal the deal with a kiss.
He looked at her looking up at him and he could see the warmth in her eyes, and the longing for something real. And if there was one thing Wes wasn’t it was the real deal. Not when it came to relationships. His past confirmed that over and over.
“Wes,” she whispered, placing a hand on his chest.
“What happened to this being a bad idea?”
“You happened. You’ve shown me parts of you that I didn’t know existed. Parts I connect to.”
He placed his hand over hers. “You were right the first time around. This is a bad idea.”
Hurt and confusion filled her eyes and he felt like shit. He wanted to say it was him and not her, but just then the doors to the church burst open.
He took a step back.
“Isn’t that sweet,” Blanche said from the doorway to the church.
“I bet we can be sweeter,” Frank said, with so much love in his voice Wes felt like he was watching a moment made for just the two of them. He looked back to Summer, who was looking everywhere but at him.
Frank held out his arm and Blanche took it, and they slowly made their way down the aisle, walking as if they were at their wedding. All that was missing was a priest and the organist.
Summer narrowed her eyes. “It’s a ruse!”
“What?”
“They’re being sneaky and trying to blind us with their love. Hurry up and pose.”
Wes looked back at the perfect couple and he couldn’t believe his eyes—they started running toward the altar.
“They’re going to win!” Summer said.
“Not on my watch.”
Wes didn’t even hesitate. He flung Summer over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold, his zip-tied hand clamping down on her ass, and sprinted. Around the pews, up the aisle, and sliding across the altar.
Then he grabbed Summer’s phone and aimed. And that’s how he ended up carrying his bride over the altar and snapping a picture of him cupping her bridal-ed ass.
Chapter 19
best friend advice
“I’m not talking to you,” Cleo said, her judgmental frown big as ever coming through the computer’s screen. Her cropped pink and brown hair was in little space buns on either side of her head, and she had stripper red lipstick on her lips, which were tilted down in a frown.
“That will make our weekly business meeting challenging,” Summer said.