Page 68 of Reckless Hearts

Seb runs a hand through his damp curls, pushing them back from his forehead. He takes a small step away from me. “We better get back. I’m sure Saskia’s got work for us both.”

“Yeah, I guess we better.”

Seb’s right. After having a quick shower, I arrive at breakfast to find Saskia handing out orders like a queen bee orchestrating her worker bees.

She assigns me the task of finalizing the seating chart for the reception. We retreat to a quiet corner of the restaurant, accompanied by place cards and a complex diagram that looks more like battle plans than wedding preparations.

“Remember when we used to plan parties in uni? Seems like a lifetime ago,” Saskia says.

“Yeah, but back then, the stakes were just how many kegs to get, not whether Aunt Mildred would be offended if she’s not at the main table,” I say.

Saskia laughs. “True.”

She studies the family table she’s putting together for a few seconds before she lifts her gaze to mine.

“Hey, Seb is a no-go zone, you know that, right?”

Fuck. My pulse pounds in my throat.

I pull my most confused face. “Your brother?”

My voice is loaded with so much skepticism I’ll next be trying to convince her the moon landing didn’t happen.

Saskia’s head tilts to one side as she studies me. “Oh, sorry. I just thought I caught this vibe between you guys last night when you were talking to him.”

“I think you need to check your vibe detectors,” I say.

Saskia laughs

“Sorry. You’re right. The idea is ridiculous.” She slides a place card across the table, her fingers lingering on it for a moment. “I guess I’m just being an overprotective big sister.”

“Yeah, you are.”

“But he is kinda cute now, right? Like, some nice sciency guy will eventually decide those big blue eyes and encyclopedic knowledge of bird mating rituals are irresistible.”

The thought of Seb with a nice sciency guy makes my throat close. It’s incredibly hypocritical, given the number of guys I’ve been with over the last seven years, but even the thought of him and his old boyfriend doesn’t sit well with me.

Seb kissing, fucking someone else. Someone else seeing his blush, hearing his moans.

My jaw clenches involuntarily, and I have to force myself to relax. “Yeah, I’m sure someone will decide that,” I reply.

The restof the day is a whirl of wedding preparations.

Saskia and Tom get married on the beach at sunset.

My best friend is a vision in ivory lace, her blonde hair adorned with tropical flowers. Tom, wearing a linen suit, watches her with a mixture of awe and adoration. They’re a magnetic couple, drawing all eyes to them.

All eyes except mine.

Because I spend most of my time watching Saskia’s brother instead.

Seb’s in a light-blue suit that brings out his eyes. His curls are tamed for once, and there’s a soft smile on his face as he watches his sister saying her vows.

After the ceremony, he chats with some of Saskia’s friends. His eyes crinkle at the corners when he laughs. The sound drifts over to me. Fuck, I’ve missed that sound.

I find myself fascinated by the contrast between the eighteen-year-old I knew and the twenty-five-year-old now.

He’s still quiet, still someone who prefers to watch from the sidelines. But he’s definitely got more confidence in himself now.