Page 27 of The Bridesmaid (Brides of Beaufort 3)

I focused on Grayson’s toy cars scattered around the living room instead of thinking back to that night with Layla at the pub. I’d been over it a hundred times, trying to figure out what I could have said to fix things. But there was nothing. The mistake had been made three years ago, and nothing I said now would fix it.

“I have questions,” Jo said, linking her hands in her lap.

“I’m not sure I have answers but go ahead.”

“Great. First question, do you still love her?”

Oh, good, an easy one.“Yes.”

“Do you understand that what you did was wrong on so many levels and that you’re a total bonehead?”

Again, easy, but I still leveled her with a hard stare. “Yeah, Jo. I get that part.”

“Just checking, because I’d probably stop trying to help you if you didn’t.” She stuck her chin out and crossed her arms over her chest, appraising me. Finally, she stood from the couch and came over, putting a hand on each of my shoulders. “Now, do you want to make it right with her? Do you want to do whatever you can to get her back?”

“I don’t know how.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

Even the thought of failing to make Layla mine again made my heart squeeze painfully in my chest. As soon as I’d gotten orders to South Carolina, I’d taken it as a sign that we were meant to be and that I needed to make amends. Sure, I hadn’t known how hard that would be until last week, but I’d come here to get a second chance with her. I still wanted it. I still wantedher.

Frustrated, I nodded. “Yeah, I wanna make it right.”

“Good. Lemme think on this,” she said, letting go of me and picking up her phone and water bottle from the couch.

“Wait, that’s it?”

“For now. I have a date, remember?” She headed for the door, then looked back one last time. “Buck up, buttercup. It’s not over yet.”

And with that, she closed the door and left, leaving me staring after her in a daze.