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“Did she say she’s staying?”
“No.”
“I mean, why would she? Roseville doesn’t have much to offer in the way of sophisticated living. Plus, sounds like her mom is pissed and her dad is going to hate you.”
I gave him a look. “Who’s side are you on?”
“Sorry, sorry. It’s just that...” He sighed. “They’re too good for the likes of us, Remy.”
“I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do. Beg her to stay? Go with her? Hell, I don’t even know if she wants to see me again after the wedding. I asked her to stay last night and she said she needed to think about it, which is what people say when the answer is no but they don’t want to let you down.”
“If you want her to stay, then yeah. Get on your hands and knees like a dog and fucking beg her. Do whatever you have to do and lock her down or you’ll lose her forever. Take it from somebody who knows.”
I frowned, glancing at him. Jesus, he looked miserable. Forlorn and dejected and very drunk.
There was only one person he could have been so wretched over.
“Cass?” I breathed, stunned.
He nodded at his glass.
I gaped. All the girls Wilder went through, how calm he was around Cass? He hadn’t mentioned her name to me in ages.
I hadn’t even considered that he was still in love with her. But looking at him, I had no doubts.
“She’s getting married tomorrow,” he said. “In twenty-four hours, she’ll have somebody else’s name. She’s on the other side of that wall right there, sitting next to the guy who did what I thought I had time to do myself. I shoulda locked her down. Don’t be me, man. Don’t ever be me when you can be you.” He took a swig of his drink. “But we’re not talking about me. We’re talking about you and what you’ve gotta do to keep your girl.”
“But, Cass?—”
“Nope. We’re talking about you.”
He looked like he might hit me, so I sighed, sagging. “She’s leaving, man. I trust her, I do. I know she doesn’t want that dickhead. But I tortured myself all night watching them together, and why? For her to leave and never look back? Her mama was right. I’m a bad influence and a worse catch. She’ll come to her senses soon enough, and then I’ll never see her again.”
“How come?”
“Why would she ever come back here? She’s an heir to a fortune. The daughter of a fucking Marquess, whatever the hell that is. She’s somebody. And I’m nobody from nowhere, slinging drinks at the only bar in town. She shouldn’t stay—it’d be the worst mistake of her life.”
“But—”
“So I’ve got a plan. If you wanna hear it.”
“All right,” he said after a beat.
“I’ve got tomorrow night with her and most of the next day. Plan is to get through the wedding and then try and stop time long enough to get my fill. And then I’m gonna put her on a plane and say goodbye.”
“And why the fuck would you do that?”
“Because I think I might love her.”
His brows drew together, his face screwed up in confusion. “Then why the hell would you let her go?”
“Because I love her enough not to put what I want above what’s right for her.”
Wilder sighed, shaking his head as he picked up his drink. “You’re gonna regret it, man.”
“Maybe so. But it’s still the right thing to do.”
“If you fucking say so.”
