Page 30 of Denim & Diamonds

February

“Hey, beautiful.” He smiled.

Oh my God.

Standing before me was the most incredible sight my eyes had ever had the pleasure of seeing: Brock in a tux.

Brock with his hair slicked back in a way I’d never seen before.

The black tuxedo fit him like an absolute glove, and he smelled like pure heaven.

Before saying another word, he lifted me into the air and kissed me so hard I thought my lips might fall off.

I felt light as a feather in his arms. With every second that passed, it felt like I was coming alive again.

The depression I’d experienced since returning from Meadowbrook disappeared as I melted into him.

When he finally put me down, leaving me painfully aroused, I took a moment to catch my breath. “Well, hello to you, too, sir,” I panted.

“Surprised?” He beamed.

“Beyond.”

“I told you I’d come.” His eyes lowered to my body. “You look freaking amazing, Red. God.” Brock shook his head. “I thought red was the color of the devil, but apparently, it’s green. That dress makes me want to cover you with my body all night.”

“You have my permission to do that,” I said, disregarding all of the progress I’d made in trying to distance myself. Brock was so much harder to resist in the flesh.

“Be careful what else you tell me I can do tonight. I might just take you up on it.”

“Brock, what’s happening here? I can’t believe you came. I just assumed when we said goodbye—”

“A promise is a promise, Red. Did I not tell you I would accompany you to this wedding?”

“Yes, but you never mentioned it again. I assumed with the way we left things that you’d decided better of it.”

“Gonna be honest. I really wanted to be here, but I didn’t think I was gonna make it.

Got fitted for a tux a while ago while you were still in town, but then my brother went and scheduled a surgery for today.

I’d promised to help him recover at my place.

But I was able to get my other brothers and a couple of locals to look after him in shifts for the weekend. ”

I shook my head. “I can’t believe you went through all those hoops just to come to a wedding with me.”

“Then you’re underestimating how much you mean to me, Red.” He rubbed the back of his hand against my cheek. “It’s not about the wedding for me, though.”

“You have no idea how much it means that you’re here.

” I reached for him, wrapping my arms around his neck.

“Work has been so stressful. And I’ve missed you every second of every day on top of that.

To go from not knowing if I’d ever see you again, to this…

” I pulled back and looked into his beautiful eyes.

Before I could blink, his mouth was on mine again.

I didn’t want to mess up his slicked-back hair, yet I couldn’t help digging my fingers into it.

The heat of his body felt like it would singe my dress right off of me.

Maybe we should just skip the damn wedding altogether.

A night in sounded like a much better idea.

Brock suddenly stepped back. “We’re gonna be late. We should go.”

“You sure we shouldn’t just skip it?” I wasn’t exactly being facetious.

“We can’t, Red. We need to make a scene.” He winked.

“Okay.” I grinned.

“Plus, my driver is waiting.”

The idea of Brock having a driver amused me. I couldn’t picture him sitting passively in the backseat of a car. Anything other than him bulldozing his way through Manhattan in his big red truck didn’t make sense.

“Your driver, huh? Since when do you have a driver and wear tuxes, Brock Hawkins?”

“I already paid him to stay and take us to the wedding.”

“Cool. Thanks. I’ll cancel my ride.” I took out my phone.

With that task managed, Brock and I headed outside and into the back of the waiting black Town Car.

As the driver took off, Brock moved close. He reached over and found the slit in my dress, slipping his hand underneath it. The heat of his touch sent shivers through my body. He slid his palm all the way up my leg, stopping where my thigh met my hip.

“I’m suddenly having second thoughts about going.” He groaned. “Kidding, but not really kidding.”

“There’s still time to turn around.” I pulled on his bow tie. “I didn’t think you could get any hotter, and then you showed up in this tux. You’re nothing if not versatile.”

His hand, still on my thigh, rose a bit higher.

“Fuck,” he muttered. “Red, you look so damn beautiful.”

Then I looked down and noticed the bulge in his pants. My nipples immediately reacted.

He forced his hand away. “I need to stop touching you before everyone in that church gets an eyeful.”

I squirmed in my seat, willing myself to calm down.

By the time we arrived at the church, fashionably late, the wedding party was lining up inside the entryway, preparing for the procession.

As Brock and I zipped past them hand in hand, I couldn’t help but notice Ilona’s reaction.

My former friend, dressed in her designer bridal gown, had a look of true surprise on her face.

Many of the bridesmaids were also my former friends.

The whispers behind us faded into the distance as we walked down the aisle together in search of a seat.

I somehow knew they were all eating their hearts out right now, which brought me great satisfaction.

Imagine if they also knew how wonderful this man was on the inside .

We made our way to one of the pews on the groom’s side of the church. Technically, I could’ve chosen either side. That was the twisted advantage, I supposed, when your ex-husband married your ex-best friend .

Even better than the bridal party noticing us? When I saw my ex-husband’s eyes land on Brock and me—particularly on Brock. I gave Johnathan a curt nod. Brock had no idea what pride I felt having him by my side. My ex nodded back, likely trying hard to figure this out.

Good.

Brock whispered in my ear, “That’s your ex, I assume?”

“Yeah. That’s Johnathan.”

“He looks easy to snap in half if he ever makes you sad again.”

I patted his knee. “Hopefully that won’t be necessary.”

When Ilona came down the aisle, a chill ran along my spine. Brock leaned over and whispered in my ear again, “She’s got nothing on you, Red. He’s crazy.”

Later, as the priest spoke, Brock kept nudging me with his elbow, sarcastically challenging some of the points in the sermon.

Surrendering control to God and trusting in His plan.

“Thank goodness God’s plan was not to have you end up with that douche,” he whispered.

Exploring mutual love and respect in marriage...

“These two know a lot about respect, don’t they?”

Two being better than one.

“That’s your ex’s motto anyway. She’d better watch her friends around him.”

Forgiving each other just as God forgives.

“God might forgive. But karma? Karma’s a bitch, and she remembers.”

I shook with laughter throughout the ceremony. What I’d assumed would be one of the toughest hours of my life turned into anything but. I couldn’t stop smiling .

When the ceremony ended, everyone lined up to greet the bride and groom near the entrance of the church.

When we finally got our turn with the happy couple, my ex put on his best fake smile. “February, so happy you could make it.” He turned to Brock. “Who’s this?”

I held my hand out toward my handsome date. “This is Brock Hawkins.”

“Her boyfriend ,” Brock added.

Butterflies swarmed in my stomach. Even if that declaration was just for show, it made me weak in the knees.

Johnathan tilted his head. “How…nice. You never mentioned him, February. How did you guys meet?”

I froze for a moment, realizing I hadn’t planned for this.

I didn’t want to admit where I’d been when Brock and I met—neither at the bar nor Sierra.

Not that there was anything to be ashamed of, but my reasons for being in Meadowbrook were none of their business.

Johnathan and Ilona might misinterpret it to mean I’d had a nervous breakdown because of them . That’s how self-centered they were.

Brock seemed to sense my hesitation and quickly stepped in. “February was sightseeing up in the woods of Maine where I live. She got a little lost trying to find one of our local establishments, so I stopped to help. We got to talking, and honestly, the rest was history.”

That was simple enough, and if you thought about it, it could even be considered true. I had been lost when I’d met Brock. Just not literally.

“Well, doesn’t that sound like a Hallmark movie?” Ilona chimed in. “I suppose you were wearing a plaid, flannel shirt and drove a big red truck, perhaps with a Christmas tree strapped on the top?”

I narrowed my eyes, unable to tell if that was meant to be funny or insulting for some reason. Everything but the Christmas tree, bitch.

“Don’t forget the ax for chopping wood.” Brock winked, not missing a beat.

“Ah, yes.” She laughed.

After we walked away, I teased, “Thanks for not telling them the actual way we met.”

“That I carried your drunk ass to my bed? They’d draw the wrong conclusion there. But it’s none of their freaking business, anyway.”

“I like how you think, Hawkins.”

“I like you .” He wrapped his arm around me as we returned to the spot where he’d paid the driver to wait for us.

When we arrived at the swanky reception, Brock and I kept to ourselves. It was like our own private party as we drank champagne and sampled hors d’oeuvres.

After dinner was served, I couldn’t believe my ears. The DJ had put on the Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses.”

“You’re kidding.” Brock dropped his fork. “It’s our song, Red. You have to dance with me.”

I’d previously told him I preferred not to dance tonight, but he was right; we couldn’t pass this one up.

He took my hand and led me to the dance floor.

As Brock held me close, he spoke in my ear, “You know, I’ve heard this song more than once since you left town.”

“Really?”

“It’s like the universe was trying to tell me what a jackass I was for letting you go so easily. Figures it played tonight, too. That’s not a coincidence, either. ”