Page 185 of With a Cherry On Top

Amelie takes a quick sip before answering. “Well, I don't know. Aaron isn’t that great at following simple rules. Orcommon sense.”

Shane hums in agreement, while Ian just stares into his drink like he wants to drown in it.

“Yeah,” I cut in, giving her a hard look. “And I’m not sure Amelie cares about this wedding all that much. She only chooses to care about a very limited number of people. The rest can eat dirt.”

Amelie’s head snaps toward me, her eyes flashing. “Excuse me?”

Shane mutters something under his breath, Heaven sighs, and Ian finally looks up, jaw clenched.

Yeah. This is going great.

“Oh, shit, you’re here,” Kyle stumbles toward me, sweat beading at his forehead, his chest heaving like he just ran a marathon. His shirt is half untucked, and his tie is loosened like he’s been yanking at it. “We’ve got an emergency. A real fucking emergency, and I’ve been running around—but I just?—”

“What’s going on?” Shane interrupts.

Kyle swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Logan’s gone.”

A general gasp lifts from the group.

“Wait, what?” I stare at him. “Gone? What do you mean gone?”

“Gone,” Kyle repeats, dragging a hand down his face. “He said he was going to pick up your parents, but they were already here when I arrived.”

I glance past the group, my gaze landing on Mom. She’s seated next to Darren, a pink shawl wrapped loosely around her shoulders and the ends draped carefully to hide the bandages on her arms, like she’s trying to pretend nothing ever happened.

“Did you ask them?—”

“He drove them over and then took off,” Kyle cuts in, hands flying in exasperation. “Said he had something important to do.”

“More important than getting married?” Ian asks in a dubious voice.

“Apparently.” Kyle takes a sharp breath, pacing on the grass like standing still might actually kill him. “Primrose just asked about him. Someone needs to go distract her while we find Logan, or—Jesus, what the fuck do we do? The wedding is in two hours.”

A beat of silence stretches between us before Heaven steps forward.

“Okay, okay.” She holds a hand up. “I’ll go keep Primrose company. Text me the moment you find him.”

With that, she strides off toward the house, her dress billowing behind her.

Kyle’s shoulders relax, like he’s been holding his breath for hours. “I still have a couple of places to check out. Shane, go to his parents’ place. Aaron and Amelie, take my truck and drive around the farm.”

“I can go with Aaron,” Ian offers immediately.

“No.” Kyle shoves his keys into my hand and turns to Ian. “You need to be here. Mingle and entertain once the guests start arriving if we’re not back. Use your dumbassery for good in case people start asking questions.”

Ian opens his mouth like he wants to argue, then apparently decides against it.

I roll Kyle’s truck keys between my fingers. “I can go alone.”

“Yes, you can,” Kyle agrees, “but to be honest, the tension between you two is about as pleasant as stale fart stench, and if you don’t clear things up right now I swear I will grab you both by the ears and?—”

Ian steps closer, cocking a brow.

Kyle shrinks and shifts tactics immediately. “And . . . calmly voice my displeasure.”

“Hmm.” Ian smirks, pointing at him. “You’re lucky I take ‘dumbass’ as a compliment.”

Kyle shoos us forward. “All right, everyone. Go.”