Page 66 of Take My Name

“Should we go?” I ask, breaking the trances we’re both under.

She blinks. “Yes. I’m starvin’.”

I grab my wallet and keys before locking up, then help her walk down the stairs. “Those heels are killer.”

“They tried to kill me a few times already tonight.”

Pressing my palm to her lower back, I lead her to my truck and help her climb in. Then I carefully tuck in her dress and make sure she’s comfortable before hopping into the driver’s seat.

I drive us toward the restaurant but since it’s on the resort side and up the mountain, I have to go slow.

“So I have to ask, and feel free not to answer if it’s outta line, but does your fiancé wonder where you are each night?”

This is our fourth night together, but I’ve not seen her check her phone once during those times, so I wondered if she told him something or if he doesn’t reach out for hours at a time.

“No.” She pauses, but I don’t miss the quiet sigh she releases. “Truthfully, we haven’t talked much since I’ve been here. He’s on a tight deadline for work.”

“Oh.” I lick my lips, contemplating my next words. “You said he’s in publishin’? What does he do?”

She stiffens a bit, and I worry I’ve hit a sore topic. “He’s a writer, actually.”

“An author?” I confirm.

“Yeah.”

“Are you his agent?” I ask, but it comes out more accusing than curious.

“No, he was agented long before I became one.”

“How’d you meet?” She didn’t exactly tell me last time, but I’m too curious not to ask.

“I was at a book event and he was there. His agent is a mutual friend of ours and she introduced us.Things were casual between us for a long time,” she says as if she needs me to know they didn’t rush. “I was still uncertain about datin’ again and he respected that. It was a slow progress of gettin’ to know each other, and little by little, my heart opened up a bit more until I was ready to accept that I had to move on. We didn’t put a label on us until he met my parents a year into datin’ and they adored him.”

Of-fucking-course.

“How long after did he propose?”

“Another year. I wasn’t in a rush, but as soon as my mother heard the news, she was already callin’ the best venues in the area.”

Wait a minute…

“You’re gettin’ marriedhere?”

“Thirty minutes away, but yeah. Mama wanted a Southern weddin’ and Hayes said it was fine.”

“And what doyouwant?”

Her shoulders lift slightly, but she looks defeated. “I loved our wedding day. I hope you know that. But it wasn’t me. It wasn’tus. I would’ve been happy with a romantic and intimate ceremony, some dancin’, and good food. When I brought up the Willow Chalet as a possible venue idea, my dad scoffed and said it wasn’t to their level, but that’s what I would’ve wanted.”

“Why didn’t you ever say anythin’?”

“I didn’t wanna fight with ’em, especially since I’m their only daughter and it seemed important to ’em. Plus, I was up at school and they were here makin’ all the plans, so it was easier not to argue. At the end of the day, I wanted us to get married, so I went along with it.”

“Fuck, Maze. The only reason I went with it is because I thought it’s whatyou wanted.”

“Well…Mama doesn’t seem to care what I want, so she and the event coordinator have been doing most of the plannin’.Again.”

“Not that I’m wantin’ you to get married to another man—just makin’ that clear—but why don’t you stand up to her? You don’t need their approval anymore. Does Hayes even want that?”