Page 8 of For the Promise (The Raider Brothers #2)

“Welp. That didn’t turn out the way I expected.” ~ Blossom

Two months later

Blossom

I glance at the clock. Thirty minutes. I have less than half an hour to finish this inventory, order any missing supplies, and get changed for Dakota’s party. I can do this.

Ha! I throw my arms in the air in celebration when I finish ordering the supplies in less than twenty minutes. Ten minutes to change. More than I need.

There’s a knock on the restroom door when I’m applying my lipstick. “Blossom, are you ready?”

I open the door and beam at my boss. “With five minutes to spare.”

Paisley shakes her head. “Your obsession with time management rivals mine.”

“There’s a reason you hired me.”

We walk out of the brewery – the real brewery that has been rebuilt to its original glory – to my car. We moved the brewing facilities of Five Fathoms Brewing back to its original location a month ago.

And I’m not sad to miss seeing Jaxon every day. I don’t miss those geeky t-shirts stretched over his chest. Or his hair sticking up in every direction. Or those ocean blue eyes. And especially not those nerdy glasses. I don’t miss any of it!

“I hope everything works out between Rhett and Dakota,” I say as I drive toward the Hideaway Haven Resort .

Rhett really messed up and broke Dakota’s heart. But he’s determined to win her back. Despite my past, I’m siding with love. I do hope he convinces her to forgive him.

“Rhett is a Raider. He’ll convince Dakota to give him another chance.”

I smirk at her. “You sound experienced.”

“Eli is very persuasive.” As evidenced by the fact that she’s now living with him.

My stomach cramps but I ignore it. I’m happy for my friends. I am. Paisley and Dakota deserve all the happiness in the world. It’s not their fault I’m obsessed with a Raider brother who pretends I don’t exist.

We arrive at Hideaway Haven Resort and make our way to the restaurant. I gawk at my surroundings. The resort is super fancy and not somewhere I can usually afford to visit. Although, I could afford it if…

Nope, not thinking about him today. Today should be a happy occasion. And not a trip down hell lane.

I frown when I notice the Raider brothers are waiting in the hallway outside the restaurant. “What’s going on?”

Eli points inside. “Rhett is still groveling.”

Miles chuckles. “It’s hilarious.”

“We should have planted a microphone at their table,” Zane says.

Kai sighs. “I tried. The hostess wouldn’t take a bribe.”

Only one Raider brother doesn’t speak – Jaxon. He fiddles with his glasses. Why are his nerdy tendencies sexy? Since when am I into nerds? The jeans hugging his hips don’t scream nerd, though. No, they scream for me to touch him. I clutch my purse instead.

“Uh oh,” Miles mutters and I force my thoughts away from Jaxon. He doesn’t deserve my attention anyway. “Dakota’s crying.”

“Those are happy tears,” Paisley says.

“How can you tell?” Zane pushes his way to the front. “Oh.”

“Oh, what?” I elbow my way through the brothers. “Ah,” I say when I catch the couple making out.

Kai smirks. “Time to interrupt.” He marches through the restaurant with Miles and Zane hot on his heels.

I chase after them. “Can’t you let them kiss for a while?”

“And miss the fun of disturbing them?” Zane asks.

He has a point.

“Hey!” Kai shouts when we reach their table and they startle apart.

“What’s going on?” Dakota asks.

I throw my arms in the air. “We’re here to celebrate your relationship! ”

Jaxon flinches, and I glare at him. “Excuse me. I’m sorry it’s impossible for you to pretend I don’t exist when I shout.”

“I’m not pretending you don’t exist.”

I snort. “Liar. Liar. Pants on fire.”

Jaxon lifts his glasses and pinches his nose. I refuse to think the gesture is adorable. Re-fuse! “I’m not a liar.”

“Seriously? You pretended to be invisible to avoid me.”

Paisley glances back and forth between us. “I’m confused. I thought you were hooking up in the distillery.”

Why would she think we’re hooking up? She saw us kiss once. And she hasn’t mentioned it since. We work together every day. And we’re friends. There’s no way if our situation was reversed, I wouldn’t have fired five hundred questions at her.

A blush covers Jaxon’s face. “It was a mistake.”

“A mistake?” I screech. “I’m a mistake?”

I’ll put up with a lot of shit from a man. As evidenced by my asshole ex who I should have left long before he cheated on me. But saying I’m a mistake? No way. Nuh huh. I have more pride than to be referred to as a mistake.

I spin around and march out of the restaurant. I do not want to breathe the same air as Jaxon right now. He can fall off of a cliff for all I care. Would it be wrong if I pushed him? Probably. Stupid morals.

“Blossom!” Jaxon shouts.

I glance behind me to discover him chasing me. Now, he chases me? When we’re in a crowded resort with all of his family as witnesses ?

Two can play at his hide-and-seek game. I scan the hallway I’m running down. There. An open door.

I rush inside and slam the door shut behind me. Jaxon will never find me now.

“Blossom?”

Mother fluffing ducks not in a row. Speaking of exes. I close my eyes and hope I’m hallucinating due to lack of oxygen from running. I really should work out more.

“Is that you, Blossom?”

Damn. No such luck. I force a smile on my face and spin around.

“Alan. What are you doing here?”

He chuckles. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”

“I live on Smuggler’s Hideaway.” My cheeks are beginning to ache from how hard I’m forcing this fake smile.

“I wondered where you were living.”

I bet. It’s difficult to harass someone when you don’t know where they live. Although, his lawyer manages to harass me enough.

“Welp. Here I am.” I throw my arms in the air. “What are you doing here?”

I cross my fingers behind my back. Please don’t say you’re moving here. Please don’t say you’re moving here. Talk about a disaster in the making. Or should I say homicide? My morals don’t give a flying seal about throwing Alan off a cliff.

Alan grins. “I’m getting married here.”

“Here? As in on the island of Smuggler’s Hideaway?”

“In this very resort. ”

Bleeping smugglers drowning in the sea. Thanks for the reminder that things can always get worse.

“Congratulations! Where’s your future wife?” I scan the room, which I now realize is filled with all things bridal – sample bouquets, various champagnes, a plethora of cakes, etc.

“Stacey hasn’t arrived yet.”

At least he’s not marrying the tramp he cheated on me with. Why do I care? I don’t. I don’t care who the cheating asshole is marrying. I care about getting the devil out of here.

“Too bad. I would have loved to meet her.” I nearly pat myself on the back with how true my lie sounds.

“You can meet her. Why don’t you come to the wedding?”

Has he lost his hold on sanity? Why the hell would I want to come to his wedding?

“And I can meet your husband,” he continues.

Well, shit. Now I know why he wants me to come to his wedding.

When I hesitate, his eyes narrow. Why I ever thought his brown eyes were handsome is anyone’s guess. How did I not notice the calculating gleam there?

“There is a husband, isn’t there?”

I don’t hesitate to lie. Trust me. This lie is more than necessary. “Of course, there is.”

There’s a knock on the door. “Blossom, are you in there?”

“There he is now.”

I open the door and haul Jaxon to me. “Look who I ran into, honey bunches of oats. ”

“Um…”

I widen my eyes in a plea for his help. His ocean blue eyes fill with confusion. Nothing new there.

“How would I know who you ran into? You were hiding from me.”

I force out a giggle. “Because I enjoy it when you chase me.”

Alan steps forward and offers Jaxon his hand. “I’m Alan.”

“Jaxon.” They shake. Jaxon looks adorably confused while Alan appears annoyed.

“You don’t know who I am?” Alan demands. I nearly roll my eyes. Who does he think he is? A superstar? Being the best salesperson at a tire store does not make you a superstar.

“Should I?”

“I’m Alan,” my ex announces.

“Yes, you said.”

I sputter out a laugh, and Alan glares at me. “Sorry. Jaxon isn’t very good with names,” I manage to explain between my bouts of laughter.

Alan narrows his eyes on Jaxon as he studies him. “But I’m your ex. Your husband should know your ex-boyfriend’s name.”

Jaxon’s eyes widen. Before he can open his mouth and prove I’m a liar, Terri, the event coordinator for the resort, sweeps into the room.

“I’m sorry,” she says as she lays some lacy material over the table. “I think this is the color you want.”

I grasp Jaxon’s hand and back out of the room. “We’ll get out of your hair. ”

“I’ll see you next weekend,” Alan yells after me as I flee the room.

“Next weekend?” Jaxon asks when the door is closed behind us.

I glance around to ensure no one’s eavesdropping before answering. “At his wedding.”

He skids to a stop. “His wedding?”

I gulp. “He kind of invited us.”

“Us? Why would he invite us?” Understanding lights his blue eyes. “Because he believes we’re married. Why did you tell him we’re married?”

“It’s a long story.”

He consults his watch. “I have time now. Please explain.”

“Well…”