Page 26 of How to Break My Heart

When Maddy mentioned the small get-together to introduce the two families, I dived headfirst into planning mode. The Grand Honey Lodge has multiple function rooms to host either large events or small, intimate ones, so I secured the Japanese Maple Room, one of my favorite places in town.

It made sense to host it here so everyone can familiarize themselves with the lodge, even though the wedding will be held in a different part of the property. Most of Myles and Maddy’s familylive within an hour of Cinnamon Springs, but the rest will be traveling in just before the actual wedding.

“Your father has spoken to me in quite some detail about family business and carrying on the legacy,” Myles informs Maddy.

She crosses her arms, evidently annoyed. “I told him to leave business out of today. I told Aston as well. Has my brother been trying to talk shop? Because I swear I will annoy the hell out of him when we get home.”

“Your brother is fine,” Myles says simply.

Aston caught my attention from across the room before the speeches. I was in the middle of eating a salmon puff while in conversation with Maddy’s Uncle Frank. He was talking about his house on Martha’s Vineyard and the cost of upkeep. When he started mentioning whale watching, boredom crept in and I found myself scanning the room.

That’s when I saw him. I had no idea when he’d slipped in, nor why my chest felt like it was up in my throat, causing me to choke on my salmon puff. It was brief, and embarrassing when Frank joked about giving me the Heimlich maneuver.

All of a sudden, I felt like I’d stepped into the Sahara Desert. The shock of seeing him froze me to the spot, making me look stupid and awkward. I rapidly swallowed, but the air was so stifling.

Why was he staring at me like that?

And why does he look so tall and…

Don’t say it. Don’t you dare say it.

I try to focus back on our conversation but find myself scanning the room again.

“Oh my God.” Maddy yanks on my arm with sweaty palms the moment Myles is pulled aside by his father. “Myles’s mother lectured me on purity. If only she knew how much her son likes reverse cowgirl.”

I shake my head, trying to catch up with reality. “Um… yeah.”

Maddy bites her lip. “What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Um… nothing.” I wrack my brain trying to come up with an excuse, but everything feels blurry, andwhy the hell is it so damn hot in here?“I, uh, thought I got my period.”Really, Eva?

“You’re not due for, like, what”—she does the mental period math, nodding her head to count the days—“another week? We’re period sisters.” Maddy gasps, covering her mouth with much exaggeration. “Do you have something to tell me?”

Whoever came up with the termperiod sistersneeds a big slap in the face. It’s all fun and games when everyone is in sync, but the minute someone isn’t, everyone assumes there’s a secret pregnancy brewing. Considering I haven’t had sex in forever, the chances are, well, zero.

“Absolutelynot!” I take a deep breath, trying to get a hold of myself. “Ignore me, and ignore Myles’s mother.”

She raises her hands in defeat. “Okay, calm your farm. I’m going to check to make sure we still have enough food.”

“Let me do that. You go mingle.”

“Do I have to?” Maddy whines.

A small laugh escapes me. “If I have to play nice, then so do you.”

The bar staff are doing a fantastic job, ensuring there is enough for everyone to drink and the food is served at the correct intervals. I make the rounds, chatting to many of the guests before deciding to stick around Myles’s cousins’ group for a moment.

“So, you’re Maddy’s best friend,” Olivia, his younger cousin, begins with pursed lips. “What’s the deal with her brother?”

“Her brother?” I repeat, trying not to look surprised. “What do you mean?”

“Is he single? Because word is he’s a billionaire, and boy is he fine.”

The girls giggle, waiting for me to respond. The questionitself annoys me. Like, why would I be involved in setting him up with someone? Don’t they know I have better things to do than worry about Aston Beaumont’s sex life?

“Actually, I have no clue. He lives in Manhattan. That’s the limit of my knowledge.”

Ramona, another one of Myles’s cousins, joins the conversation with a champagne glass in her hand. She brings it to her lips, drinking it in one go before dumping it on a table beside her.