Page 6

The night is executed perfectly.

The drinks flow, the music is lively, making some people dance and sway, and the food is so good. I have to practise self-control, but I find myself planted at the doors where the servers come in and out so I get first dibs on everything.

Pictures of Adam and Paige running their ultra are playing on the screen and everyone laughs at how miserable they look in some of them. Then there’s aw-ing when the slideshow reaches the end, showing Adam getting down on one knee, the emotion clear on both their faces. So exhausted but deliriously happy as they collapse on the ground, Paige’s ring glinting on her finger.

When the projector goes dark, a light shines on me and I’m ready to make my speech. The first of many as my sister’s maid of honour.

“Welcome, everyone, to Paige and Adam’s engagement party!” I start off, allowing time for cheers and shouts as Paige and Adam share a kiss that lasts just a little too long. These two.

“If you don’t know I’m Leah, Paige’s sister, then you probably shouldn’t be here.” Another pause for laughter. I catch sight of that man for a second—his brows are furrowed. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he’s surprised. Maybe he shouldn’t be here.

“I’ll keep this short and sweet.” I look over to Paige as she hides a knowing laugh. I’m short but not sweet.

“If there’s anyone in the world who deserves this level of happiness and perfection, it’s my baby sister.”

Oh no, I’m already tearing up. This wasn’t a part of the plan. I wasn’t supposed to cry until the end. Damn it. An impromptu short joke, that’ll do it.

“Yes, I said my baby sister, though you wouldn’t be able to tell from looking at us since she’s hoarded all the height for herself.” Laughs all around. Good. Back on track.

“All jokes aside, Paige and Adam are living proof that fairy-tale love is possible. Let’s think about fairy tales for a minute. In the stories, a couple doesn’t find each other and immediately have their happily ever after. Besides, no one loves an insta love story anyway.

“There are challenges and obstacles preventing them from being together. All of you here know what a simple mistyped number can do.” Paige rolls her eyes, but a huge smile spreads across her face. She’ll never live it down that she put Adam’s number in her phone wrong.

“Our two runners have worked hard at their relationship, surviving those challenges, overcoming those obstacles to cross that finish line in love. But is it really the end? The happily ever after?” I turn to Paige and Adam. “Is the Moab 240 the last race you’ll ever run?” They’re not the only ones who answer as a chorus of “No!,” “Hell no!,” and “Yeah right!” drown them out. I grin ear to ear .

“Hell no is right. I’m surprised these two haven’t signed up for a wedding day marathon already.”

“Good idea, Lee!” Adam calls, raising a glass to me.

I shake my head with a smile. “Each challenge has a finish line, each obstacle a starting line, and as long as you train together for those races, you’ll get stronger and your story will get better and better.” Paige gazes up at me with tears in her eyes as Adam kisses the side of her head.

“To Paige and Adam!”

Everyone lifts their glasses to toast the couple as Paige runs over and scoops me up, hugging me tightly.

“Thank you,” she whispers in my ear.

This is a crowd that loves speeches because after I’m done, Mateo gets up, followed by each of Adam’s siblings, his parents, Paige’s best friend Shay, and then a handful of people from the Whales—the hockey team Paige and Adam work for. Stories are told and jokes are made, but I can’t enjoy any of it.

Levi woke up during my toast and Maggie was struggling with him. I took him back, trying to occupy him and keep him happy so he doesn’t disrupt the party. I can’t help but notice the weight of scrutiny on me almost the whole time.

Every time I peek, he’s staring at me—at Levi. What the fuck is his problem? Sometimes he looks away when he gets caught, but other times, he holds my stare. I’m hot all over with anger. Who the hell is this guy?

I sneak up behind Paige and poke her in the back. She turns to look at me with the face I’ve known since we were kids. Annoyance .

“What was that for?” she asks, rubbing the spot I jabbed.

Shifting Levi to my other hip, I whisper, “Who’s that guy over there, the giant in the white shirt?” I should probably be more specific. Over half the hockey team is here, so there are a lot of giants in white shirts. Damn. I comb the crowd, realizing for the first time how many fuckable men are here.

Not the time, Leah.

Paige raises her brows, and I know I’m going to have to describe him a little better.

“The one standing in the corner. Dark curly hair, brooding, shirt and pants five sizes too small.”

She looks around and I see when she makes the connection. A smile blooms across her face and she waves.

“Paige,” I hiss. “Why are you waving?”

“That’s Julien,” she answers. To my horror, she’s beckoning him over.

“The goalie?”

I’ve heard her talk about Julien before, but I guess I was picturing a blond little puppy dog by the way she described him. Not this brooding mammoth who hates children.

The hairs on the back of my neck raise and I know he’s coming up behind me. His presence charges the air, and I have to suppress the urge to drive my elbow backwards as hard as I can, right into his gut. I think the only reason I don’t is because of the almost asleep toddler in my arms.

“Hey, Jules,” Paige greets him cheerfully. I scowl before the brute moves into my line of sight .

“Congratulations.” His voice is deep and a little husky. I notice a slight accent I must’ve missed earlier in my anger. Of course he has an accent.

“Thanks! Have you met Leah?”

What is she doing?

Julien turns to me, catching me glaring at my sister. It’s an effort to appear nonchalant even though my rage has been simmering at this man the entire evening.

“Briefly.”

“Oh good! Leah, I think Julien is the only one in the wedding party you haven’t met yet.”

I almost drop my son.

“What?”

Her brightness dims a little as she finally notices my apprehension. She looks between me and Julien, her brows pinching. Not wanting her to be upset at her own party, I quickly school my features.

“Sorry, I meant, what?! I didn’t realize you’d asked everyone already!” Am I overcompensating? I feel Julien’s eyes boring into me, but I don’t turn, keeping my focus on Paige. I can see she’s a little confused and doesn’t buy my fake cheeriness for a second.

It used to be so much easier to fool her, but then she turned sixteen. She’s given me a run for my money ever since.

She gestures to the building of a man beside us. “Yeah, I think Julien was the last one on our list. I asked Isabel, Shay, and Jake as soon as we got back. And Adam asked Mateo, Liam, and Simon yesterday. ”

I nod, unable to speak. How the fuck am I supposed to be cordial to this guy? I’ll do it for Paige’s sake since I don’t want to cause unnecessary drama for her wedding, but fuck. This guy has a problem with me being a single mom. He’s been scrutinizing us all night. Every time Levi makes a sound—hell, even when I’m rocking him back to sleep—I can feel him judging me with those deep, guarded eyes and that face.

That’s a fuck me face if I’ve ever seen one.

Except you won’t catch me fucking that face. Nope, there is no way this man with a god-like physique could make up for the fact that he’s got an issue with single mothers. And a shitty personality.

He can go fuck himself.