Page 46 of Don't Call Me Sweetheart (Something Borrowed 1)

Marley drew out her answer. “Yeeeesss, why?”

“Cause Brent and I were thinking of hitting the fair in Plymouth and thought you two might want to join us.”

Marley hesitated, then he heard her whispering, but couldn’t make out what she was saying. “Where’s Sonora?”

“She’s resting. So what do you say?”

Luke could have sworn he heard Kendall saying yes emphatically in the background. Finally, Marley said, “Sure. Do you need me to come get you guys?”

“We have a rental, so we can just meet you.”

“Sounds good. See you in about thirty minutes?”

“Can’t wait.”

Luke ended the call with a smile. “They’re in.”

“Nice. Come on then.”

Luke didn’t question Brent’s eagerness to go, and just followed him out to the car. They ended up getting to the fairgrounds fifteen minutes before the girls. They sat on the front of the rental, scanning the dark parking lot, when Brent asked, “So, what’s going on with you and Marley?”

Brent and Luke didn’t talk about women and relationships often, but Luke found himself eagerly answering. “No idea, actually. Just trying to go with it. Seems like anytime I try to force more on her, she pulls away. So, I’ve decided to just wait for her to come to me.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Luke wasn’t sure about pushing Brent on the Sonora subject again, but he’d noticed his friend’s short temper over the last week. He figured it had to have something to do with the six weeks left before he said I do. “What about you? A month out from your wedding. Any second thoughts?”

“I’ve had second, third, and fourth thoughts, but I’m doing the right thing. We’re going to be a good fit.”

Luke was surprised by his initial honesty, but the second half didn’t ring true. Luke wasn’t sure if Brent was trying to convince himself or Luke, but he didn’t have time to ask as Kendall and Marley pulled down their aisle and parked. When they got out of the car and headed for them, Luke took in Marley’s cut off shorts, simple blue tank and tennis shoes, her long hair up in a sassy ponytail.

And he’d never seen anyone so sexy.

Kendall bounced up to them, wearing jean capris and a pink lacy crop top, her blonde hair hanging around her shoulders in loose waves.

“Hey, guys, ready to have some fun?”

Brent wrapped his arm around her shoulder, sharing in her enthusiasm and shocking the hell out of Luke. “Hell yeah. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to a fair.”

“Don’t expect too much,” Marley said. “It’s only a county fair.”

They got to the gate and Luke and Brent paid for Kendall and Marley. As they headed down the midway, Kendall asked, “So, should we go on some rides, maybe play some games, or get food?”

“I vote rides before food, but only because I wouldn’t want to puke on anyone,” Marley said.

“Rides it is,” Luke said.

They started with a group ride called the Gravitron, which spun around in a circle really fast, plastering people to the walls as the boards they were standing on slid up. By the time they got off, they were all laughing and massaging the feeling back into their faces.

“Let’s go on the Scrambler,” Kendall said.

The cars were only big enough for two and as they spun around, they jerked, causing Marley to press into Luke’s side. He didn’t mind though, and found himself with his arm around her shoulders as she laughed and screamed. They’d finished everything except the Ferris wheel within the hour, and while they waited in line, he got the feeling Marley was nervous.

“Are you scared?”

“No, it’s just that it is so high and you know they only had a day to put this together, and all I can imagine is one screw popping loose and us plummeting to our deaths.”

“You went on the Zipper and were fine.”