Page 42

T he DJ played a Luke Bryan song while our friends and family danced, looking like they were having the time of their lives. It was the type of reception I always wanted, full of love, good food, and lots of laughs.

My heels were somewhere under the table, and my veil came off the second we said, “I do.”

I couldn’t remember a time in my life when I was this happy.

We actually did it

We were married.

I looked across the lawn, feeling so many emotions at once. Today was perfect. It nearly seemed like a dream.

I turned to see Brooks standing at the bar, laughing with a few friends. His hand was wrapped around his beer bottle as Finn slapped him on the back. His jacket was off, his tie was loose, and the sleeves of his dress shirt were rolled up to his elbows.

My husband was hot.

He caught my eye from across the lawn and winked. I swear, my stomach fluttered every time he looked at me like that.

Would it always be like this? There were so many times when I doubted we would ever get here, moments when it seemed our love would never suffice. People thought we would never work. They thought we were too opposite. We had too much baggage, but we did it. We fought, and here we were.

I was about to grab another glass of champagne when I spotted Molly heading my way. “Marty looks like he’s having a good time.”

I looked over to see Mona sitting next to him, gesturing with her hands widely and telling him some outrageous story that had him laughing so hard that he had to wipe the tears from his eyes.

“I’m so happy to see him enjoying himself.”

Molly grinned. “They seem pretty cozy.”

I rolled my eyes. “Leave them alone. He deserves to have a good time. Especially after everything he’s been through these past few months.”

Looking at him today, you would never have guessed the toll his cancer treatments had taken on him.

There were days when he could barely get out of bed.

Times when I feared we would lose him any day, but he continued to beat the odds.

His days were still numbered, and I didn’t even want to think about how we would deal with that loss, but right now, he was here. Determined to live life on his terms.

When I asked him to walk me down the aisle, he told me I granted him his dying wish. We both cried.

Just thinking about it made my eyes sting.

“Are you okay?” Molly’s voice was soft, sensing my sadness.

“I’m fine,” I said, wiping at my eyes.

I had to remind myself that today was a happy day. I wouldn’t think about my father or anything that would make me sad.

Finn made his way across the lawn. His hands were shoved in his pockets, looking as uncomfortable as a man who hated wearing suits could look.

“Hey, Finn.” I waved awkwardly and smoothed a hand along my dress.

His mouth stretched into a half smile. “Harlow, there’s something I’d like to say to you.”

“Not now, Finn.” Molly elbowed him in the stomach.

“It’s nothing bad, I swear.” He held his hands up. “I owe you an apology.”

I blinked. “Oh.” I wasn’t expecting that.

His laugh was uneasy, a reminder that this was difficult for both of us. “I’m sorry for how I treated you when you came back into town.”

“It’s okay. I would have done the same thing.”

He squeezed Molly’s shoulders while keeping his gaze on mine. “I was still wrong. Molly told me the reason why you left. I’m sorry that I was so hard on you.”

Molly had no idea until I sat her down at breakfast the other day and told her why I stayed away. She was pissed at first, but once I explained that I didn’t want to put her in a position to lie or keep a secret from Finn, she took it far better than I expected her to, which was a massive relief.

“Thank you, Finn. You didn’t need to apologize, but I appreciate it.”

He held his hand out. “Friends?”

I knocked his hand away and hugged him instead. “I’m ready to put the past behind us and start fresh.”

“Thank God.” Molly sighed deeply and glanced between us. “Now I don’t have to worry about you two strangling each other whenever you’re in the same room together.”

The three of us laughed. I hadn’t realized how much the tension between Finn and me had weighed on everyone around us.

“Molly told me about the plot of land you secured over on Pottery Road. Sounds like you’ve got a solid business plan.”

When I put my apartment in New York on the market, it sold on the first day.

The buyers offered me cash, so I used my savings for the down payment and then went to the bank to take out a loan.

Dawson Landscape Designs wasn’t just a silly little dream anymore, and I had no idea how freeing it would feel to own something that was completely mine until I signed the paperwork.

“Thanks, it feels real now.”

“I’ve got a lot of connections and can send plenty of customers your way when they’re looking for design options.”

“You would help me?” I stared at him, wondering what was happening. Extending an olive branch and apologizing was one thing, but this was on a whole other level.

He nodded. “If you let me. This is going to be a big change for you.I’ll help with whatever you need.”

“I appreciate that because I’m going to need it.” I laughed.

He nodded. “I’ll go get us a drink.” He kissed Molly’s temple and disappeared into the crowd.

She turned to me with a smirk. “See, he has a heart in there somewhere.”

“Whoever would have thought?”

I was still smiling when a warm hand slid around my waist. “Did I just witness a truce between you two?”

I leaned into my husband automatically. “You were watching?”

He grinned. “I always have my eyes on you, wife.”

Molly crossed her arms. “He is so full of it. He’s just being nosy.”

He squeezed my side. “Seriously, did he apologize?”

“Yes.”

“Did you at least make him sweat it out a little bit?”

I shrugged. “No, but he did offer to help, so maybe I’ll take advantage of that.”

He chuckled and pulled me in for a kiss. “Don’t go easy on him. Make him pay.”

Molly swatted his shoulder. “Hello, remember me? The wife of the man you are plotting against.”

Brooks slipped his hands into his pockets. “You live to drive that man crazy. I would think you would be fully on board with that plan.”

Molly laughed. “She’s my best friend. He’s my husband, so my loyalty is divided.” She patted my arm. “I’m going to say hello to your in-laws.” She gestured to where Brooks’ mom was rearranging the cupcakes on the dessert table, and his dad was walking around, taking pictures of everyone.

When she walked away, Brooks brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. “Are you sick of being the center of attention yet?”

I rested my head on his shoulder. “Why? What are you thinking?”

There was a slow curve to his lips like he was up to something. “I was thinking we should sneak out soon.”

I glanced around. “I don’t know. I think we are required to stay until we at least cut the cake.”

He turned me around in his arms and gave me a look that I was all too familiar with. “It’s our wedding. We can do whatever the hell we want. I haven’t kissed my wife properly since yesterday.”

“You just kissed me an hour ago when Tuck gave his best man speech.”

“That doesn’t count. We were being watched.”

I laughed and straightened out his tie. “Poor thing. You’ve been married less than a day, and you’re already feeling deprived?”

His gaze fell to my lips. “It feels like torture.”

“I’ll tell you what? How about we compromise?”

He raised an eyebrow. “You’ve got my attention.”

“I’m going to dance with Marty. You go take a few pictures with your mom, and then I’ll meet you in the bathroom upstairs in fifteen minutes.”

He groaned dramatically. “You know my mom. That could take forever.”

I shrugged. “That’s marriage, babe. It’s called compromise. You better get used to it.”

He smiled at me in a way that made my knees go weak. “I love you.”

I shoved his chest playfully. “I know. Now go smile for the camera. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

He watched me walk over to Marty and lead him to the dance floor. It was ridiculous how he still made me feel like a giddy teenager. We were surrounded by all these people, yet all I could think about was finally getting a few minutes alone with him.

Fifteen minutes later, I walked inside the venue and made my way upstairs toward the bathrooms.

“You’re late,” he said the second I reached the landing.

I rolled my eyes. “I am not.”

He slipped his arms around my waist. “You are. By a whole minute.”

“Oh, my God. A whole minute,” I teased.

“I don’t like waiting.”

“Well, we better get started then.” I pulled on his tie and dragged him into the nearest bathroom.

The second the door closed, our mouths crashed together in a hungry, I can’t believe I just got married kind of kiss. My back hit the vanity as his hands went to my hips. “You know how needy I am when it comes to you.”

I smiled because I did, and I loved it.

His mouth moved to that spot below my ear. “I’ve been thinking about you in this damn dress since the second I saw you.” His voice was rough as he nudged my legs apart. “I don’t think you have any idea what you are doing to me.”

“Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea.” I panted, already tugging at his shirt.

“Of course you do. Hold on to this dress and make sure it stays out of my way.”

He kissed me slow and deep, not caring one bit that we were abandoning our family and friends.

I did what I was told and groaned when his fingers slid under the lace of my underwear. “Fuck, Harlow. You are already soaked.”

“Jeez, I can’t imagine why?” I said, wrapping my legs around him and kissing him deeper.

I barely had time to catch my breath before he slid another finger inside me.

My head dropped forward, and I tried to stifle my moan.

“We are married. You don’t have to be quiet.”

I tilted my head to the side and glared at him. “Do you want all our guests to hear me?”

He gave me a wicked grin. “It would give them something to remember.”

And then he dropped to his knees.

He looked so out of place in his rented suit, spreading my thighs apart, looking like he was about to feast on his favorite meal.

I guess, in a way, he kind of was.

Just as he was about to bury his head under my dress, a sound interrupted us from the other side of the wall.

We both froze.

My eyes were wide. “Did you hear that?”

Then, we heard a muffled moan and the rhythmic thumping of someone’s body hitting the wall.

“What in the world?” I gasped, pushing him back. I glanced at the door on the end. I hadn’t realized this was a Jack-and-Jill bathroom until now.

Then I heard a chuckle. My mouth flew open, and Brooks put his finger over my lips. There was no mistaking who that sound belonged to.

“That’s your brother,” I whispered.

“Fucking Hayes,” he muttered and dragged a hand down his face.

We both stared at each other. Neither one of us knew what to do.

“He’s having sex in the bathroom,” I spoke as quietly as I could.

“Fuck, baby, that feels good. Dig those heels deeper in my ass.”

Brooks slapped a hand over my mouth while I fought like hell to stifle my laugh. A loud thump shook the wall while the sounds of my brother-in-law having sex echoed throughout the bathroom.

Brooks winced. “I wish I could unhear this.”

The thumping grew more urgent, and the moaning got louder.

“You’re going to ruin my dress.” The woman giggled.

“I’m going to ruin more than your dress .” Hayes groaned.

We both stared at each other, blinking. Silently asking, Now what the hell do we do? Because sitting here, listening to Hayes go at it with God knows who was making me uncomfortable.

Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, our door creaked open. “Brooks, are you in here?”

Then, I shit you not, my mother-in-law walked in and stopped mid-step.

Her eyes went to me, perched on the vanity, dress bunched up along my waist, then to her son, who was kneeling on the floor. Messy hair, untucked shirt, and my lipstick all over his neck.

Kill me now.

I don’t think I will ever come back from this.

Her eyes swept over us when a climaxing moan came from the other bathroom.

“Please tell me this isn’t what I think it is?”

“Uh—” Brooks stood up, and that’s when we heard another moan.

Josie blinked and shouted, “Hayes Michael Dawson, you better zip that fly up right now!”

A string of curses followed. And then the sound of two people scrambling.

I hopped off the vanity and straightened my dress while Brooks looked up at the ceiling fan as if that could help him disappear.

“And you two.” She pointed.

“We weren’t doing anything,” Brooks started, but she cut him off.

“Then I suppose your shirt conveniently came untucked and her lipstick just magically landed on your neck.” She held up her hand. “Never mind. Don’t answer that. I don’t want to know.”

The adjoining door opened, and Hayes stepped out, red-faced, with wild hair and an unbuttoned dress shirt.

A beautiful woman who was not on the guest list appeared next.

I had no idea who she was, but she was stunning.

Her long auburn hair was a mess, her mascara was smudged, and she looked mortified.

Brooks stepped forward. His body was stiff. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“What?” Hayes asked, fumbling with his pants. “We met at the outside bar.”

“What the fuck are you doing, Hayes?”

Hayes tugged at his belt. “Apparently, the same thing you are.”

“Do you even know her name? Because I do.”

Hayes looked between him and the mystery woman. “Who is she?”

The mystery woman stepped out around him. “Brooks?”

Hayes blinked as his gaze darted back and forth between them. “Wait? How do you two know each other?”

Brooks placed his hands on his hips and gave his brother a sharp look. “Hayes, meet Skylar Preston. The new project manager for the Lakeside Resort. She is the one overseeing the construction on our new project.”

Hayes’s face turned white as a ghost. “Oh, shit,” he muttered as my eyes nearly popped out.

This was the woman they would be working with for the next eighteen months until the new hotel was finished.

This was the deal Dawson Construction had been working on for months?

The one that would put his company on the map.

She literally held their future in the palm of her hands, and my brother-in-law just banged her in the bathroom stall.

Hayes had the nerve to shoot her a grin. “Small world, huh?”

It looked like things were about to get interesting here in Marcellus Falls.

The End