It was a long night of happy toasts, delicious food, and playful dancing on the lawn. Nothing too formal for this pair.
By the time it wrapped up, I was ready to collapse. Linc and Darren sought me out before they escaped for their honeymoon suite.
“It was perfect,” Linc said, eyes shining. He hugged me. “Thank you for everything. I know they say it’s the marriage that matters, not the wedding but?—"
“In this case, you can have both.”
He laughed and looked at Darren. “I know it won’t be perfect, but it’ll be ours.”
Darren wordlessly lifted his hand to kiss his knuckles, eyes dark with emotion.
“It’ll be perfect for you, then,” I said. “You’ve found a love not many people get to experience. Go celebrate.”
“I bet he says that to all his sappy wedding couples,” Darren joked as they walked away.
But I didn’t. Usually, I wished them well while mentally calculating how long it’d be until I was planning wedding number two.
Darren and Linc weren’t the first couple I’d believed would go the distance. But they were the first to make me wish I was in their shoes.
I shed all my fairytale dreams in Pasadena, so why did my chest hurt so badly it was hard to breathe?
And why, with everything I had to do tonight, did I keep scanning the tent, longing for a glimpse of Bryson, even though he wasn’t here?
CHAPTER 22
Bryson
A stretch Escaladelimo picked us up outside the Grisold Christmas Tree Farm, where we’d just wrapped up the rehearsal dinner. Caitlyn and her family and friends had taken off, warning us not to havetoo muchfun.
Silas stepped out of the front-passenger side. “Hey, guys. Ready to go party?”
“Oh, hell yeah!” Reece exclaimed. “This is gonna be awesome.”
He was the first in, followed by Bolton.
Percy turned to Silas. “Where are we going tonight? I want to hear the plan that was so much better than mine.”
“That would ruin the surprise,” Silas said with a smile that looked sharp enough to draw blood. “But I will tell you, the party starts right now. Go on.”
Percy grumbled but climbed into the Escalade. Branson followed him, pausing to thank Silas.
That left me and Christian hanging back—and Ireallydidn’t want my ex-boyfriend chatting up my current…something.
I nudged Christian forward. “You go first.”
He hesitated just outside the open car door. “So you’re Silas.”
“Yes?” Silas said, raising an eyebrow. “And you are?”
“Christian. Bryson and I go way back?—”
I pushed him into the Escalade, following behind. “We’re going to be late if we stand around talking.”
Silas gave me a confused look, but now was not the time to explain Christian’s misguided plan to win me back.
Silas climbed in last, closing the door behind him, then rapped on the divider so the driver would know to take off.
Reece rubbed his hands together. “So, what’s first? Booze? Strippers? Hookers?”
