Page 40

Mistakes

I was buzzing around the door of the church like a wasp next to his hive. The wedding party and Ed and Tawnee’s families were strolling inside, but no sign of Fern.

The church looked all weddingy with flowers everywhere, and my gut clenched when I saw two of the candle towers Fern and I had put together with her lube and my gun. Oh, I was longing for the good old days.

My eyes watched Novots and Liv laughing with people, and I knew this wedding was my only chance to try to get her back.

I should’ve never lied to her at the arena.

I should’ve taken her in my arms and just dealt with Dave later.

Everything I’d done was wrong. Certainly, Dave wouldn’t attack me at Ed’s wedding…

right? There would be far too many witnesses, and with Fern flying out of here in a few days, time was not on my side.

Cue the music: You only get one shot. Do not miss your chance to blow.

This opportunity only comes once in a lifetime.

We had thirty minutes before the rehearsal started so I went out the side door of the church.

I leaned against the building, happy to feel the crisp air against my skin while I tried to lasso my brain that was all over the place.

You know, get all my ducks in a row. But every time I made progress, one of those little fuckers roamed off and back to Fern.

I headed back inside to Ed who stood next to the altar and slapped him on the shoulder.

“Hey.” My eyes traveled the church, and I saw her.

Fern was talking to Pam and Katie. Heat burned through my clothes as every instinct screamed for me to go and do anything to get her back right then.

But I stomped down the fire. I had to do it at the right time.

Her hair was straight, and the remarkable dress she wore held onto the most amazing curves I’d ever laid eyes on which was the equivalent to a kick in the groin, leaving me unable to catch my breath.

She wore a two-tone black and white dress, her left side was white and the right side was black with a sexy curve going up the dress separating the colors. Thin straps over her shoulders and a black belt that tied at her waist put an excllamation point on the sexiness that was her.

A pull down south as I ran my laser vision of the moment down her perfect breasts, the hips I dug my fingers into, to the bare legs that were held up by black heels with a strap around the ankle that somehow seemed X-rated.

My mind raced to the smell of her hair, the little moan that escaped her when my teeth hit her bare shoulders, and the taste of her eager mouth meeting mine. Somebody, please take me out now.

Ed cleared his throat. “How’re you doing, buddy?”

I couldn’t tear my eyes from her. “I don’t know.”

He hit my shoulder. “It’ll be okay.”

It was then that my head blew off my shoulders. Appearing next to Fern was a blond man, about my height, wearing black pants and a button-down shirt. Fern smiled up at him while she seemed to be introducing the man, who I instantly hated, to the girls.

“Who’s that?” I looked at Ed, realizing my voice was higher than it should be. “Who the hell is with Fern?”

“Dave said he’s been a friend of Fern’s since they were kids.”

I let go of a breath trapped in my ribs. “A friend…that’s cool.” I was nodding at an uncontrollable speed. “Everybody has friends. Right?” Okay, the man who looks like he stepped off a billboard advertisement for toothpaste was a lifelong friend. That was good.

My eyes bulged as I watched his hand go to her waist while she was talking and laughing. Then it slid down a little and was resting on the top of her hip. OMG, this guy needed to be put in his place…like now. I took a step.

“Gabe, stop it.” Ed spoke softly, “She’s not yours.”

“No friend touches another friend like that. He’s completely out of line.”

Suddenly I felt Ed’s hand on my ass. “See, it can happen.”

I turned to him as he laughed.

“Buddy, relax. Just take a breath and stay away.”

“But—”

His eyes shot me a warning. “You listen to me. This is my wedding, and Tawnee will strangle me if you do anything. If you want to talk to her, don’t do it here. You owe me this.”

“I owe you?” Blond douche hadn’t moved his hand.

“Yes, if it wasn’t for me and the guys over the past few years, who knows where you’d be. But it wouldn’t be a hockey player on the Wild.”

He had me there. “Ed?—”

“I need your sworn promise, here in a church, that you will leave Pretty Boy and Fern alone for now. You can watch from a distance, but no action until after the wedding. Understand?”

“Come on, I can’t talk to her?”

“Maybe on the down low but not in front of the blond fella and not in front of Novots. I don’t want anyone upset so no rocking the apple cart.” He raised his eyebrow. “Don’t make me hurt you.”

With that, laughter roared out of me. “ You hurt me ?” I pretended to dry my eyes. “You are so damn cute, Eddie.”

I looked back, and Fern’s eyes met mine for a second before she returned her attention to Tawnee.

“Don’t call me Eddie. You know I hate that.”

“Fine, I will behave over the next two days and not cause any damage to the weird-looking friend of Fern’s.” There, promise made, and I was fairly certain I would be able to hold up my end of the bargain. At least sixty-forty.

“Weird-looking? I’m as straight as they come, but that’s a handsome man right there. He could be on the cover of one of the racy romance novels Tawnee reads. Just saying.”

“Maybe you’d better work on your bedroom game if she’s reading girly porn, just saying.”

He shoved me. “You’re lucky my fiancé would castrate me if I caused a scene, or I’d knock you on your ass.”

“Whatever, bro.”

I stood at the front of the church with Ed, Andrew, Dan, and Dave as the wedding planner stood at the rear of the church, directing the bridesmaids down the aisle. Liv, Pam, and Katie made their way, and Fern appeared at the end of the aisle.

She wore a small smile, and with each step, my pulse inched up.

There are not enough words in the English language to describe how beautiful she was.

Her bare shoulders, the way her hips swayed slightly as she made her way toward me was almost too much.

Come on, look at me. Look at me, Fern. But no, her bright eyes ignored me.

Once she took her place, I saw her blond stupid friend sitting in the second row. His arms stretched out along the back of the pew, Alpha position, and he wore a smug grin as he looked at Fern. My eyes were darting between the two as he winked at her, and she bit her lip to conceal a smile.

Then I remembered biting her lip. Stop it. Pull yourself together! Her sweet breath in my face as her fingers clawed my back. How did I screw this all up?

The question played on a loop in my mind as the rehearsal finished up, and the wedding planner directed everyone to go to Bravos Restaurant for the dinner. I held back as people started leaving. The guy took Fern’s hand as they went to the back of the church.

I was cool as I ducked behind people in order to stay on their tail. Once at the door, he helped her on with her coat. “I’ll get the car and call you when I’m out front.”

I peered around the head of a woman who had large-ass red hair to see him leave. She stood in the corner where she pulled her phone out of her purse and looked at it. I took a breath and strolled over. I stood for a moment, but she didn’t seem to know I was there so I cleared my throat.

As her eyes looked into mine, my chest tightened, and I forced out a breath. “Hi, Fern.”

“Gabe.” She shifted her weight and looked back at her phone.

“You probably don’t want to hear?—”

Her head shook as she glanced up for a split second. “But despite the look on my face, you’re still talking.”

“I need to speak to you if I could.”

“No, thank you.”

“Please, what I said at the arena?—”

“It’s done.” She gave me a blank look. “It’s all done. No need to revisit.”

“Fern, I’m sorry.”

Her eyes were as cold as the air coming in the front door before she shot me a smirk. “Oh, don’t be sorry, Gabe. I learned some valuable things from you.”

“Don’t say that.”

“What? It’s the truth.” She slipped her phone into her purse. “I learned that someone can really take any person or friendship and turn it into whatever they want. Kind of like eliminating boundaries.” She took her gloves from her pocket and slid them on. “I actually should thank you.”

Just then, blond dude walked in the door and over to us.

“Brandon, this is Gabe. A friend of my brother’s.”

That phrase was the equivalent to a flying kick to the throat. I was her brother’s friend, not the man she was entangled with for days.

He extended his hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Brandon.”

I shook bastard Brandon’s hand. “Gabe Wolkowski.”

“I’m aware. I follow the Wild.” He flashed his toothpaste smile, and I wanted to barf.

“Great. So you and Fern are friends?”

He looked down at her as they both did a little laugh thing. “Yeah, friends for sure.”

My heart was beating in my neck. Were they sleeping together?

It’d only been a few days since Fern and I were together.

No, that couldn’t be. She wasn’t the type.

Or were they a thing before the weekend pass and she just neglected to mention it to me?

I needed Tylenol and a roll of razor wire to wrap around this guy’s neck.

“I’m parked right outside. Are you ready?”

Then I saw it, the spark in her eye when she smiled at him. That was it. There was no way I could make it through this wedding thing. I wanted the ground beneath me to open up so I could plunge into Hell.

I walked into the high-end Bravo’s Restaurant, with chic décor and candles on each table, and was directed to a large party room at the back of the restaurant.