Page 9 of Falling for the Billionaire Best Man

Cullen laughed, shaking his head. “Not really. But hey, it’s going to be fun. You’ll see. It’s a big party. And you get to see me marry the woman of my dreams.”

I wanted to groan. Or gag. But instead, I took a sip of my whiskey, letting the burn distract me from the chaos that was about to unfold. Cullen and Eliza’s wedding was turning into a massive event, mostly because I was footing the bill for a lot of it. I wanted to. It was my wedding gift to him.

They had chosen a beachside venue just outside of Cape May. I was taking care of the historic church for the ceremony, the DJ, the Michelin-star chef… and the cakes.

I growled into my glass at the thought. “A thousand dollars for a cake? That’s insane. And you’re telling me that’s with the family discount? I think someone is getting ripped off.”

Cullen shrugged, unfazed. “It’s a wedding. Everything’s insanely priced. It’s how these vendors support themselves year-round. But Eliza won’t let Dorie do it for free, so…”

I rolled my eyes. “It’s a cake. How hard can it be?”

Cullen gave me a look, one that said he knew exactly what I was thinking. “Be nice to Dorie, okay? She’s the maid of honor, and she’s involved in everything. Just like you.”

I snorted. “Nice? To her? Not a chance. Have you met her?”

Cullen sighed. “Come on, man. She’s Eliza’s sister. And she’s… well, she’s Dorie. You’ll see. She’s nice. I heard you two ran into each other, literally.”

I guffawed and shook my head. “She told you about that?”

“Dorie told Eliza. Said you ran her down and didn’t even apologize.”

“She was standing right in the way of the running path.” Saying it out loud, I realized it was a shitty defense. “I did stick around and help her up. She could have killed me. It was dark and she was wearing black pants and a dark shirt. I didn’t see her until we collided.”

Cullen raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “Sounds like you’re still trying to justify it. Just apologize, Kaisen. It’s not that hard. You’re going to be seeing a lot of her over the next month, so you might as well clear the air. And pay attention when you’re running. The next one might sue you.”

“I won’t be a dick, but don’t expect me to be best friends with her. She’s as cuddly as sandpaper.”

Cullen chuckled, shaking his head. “You keep saying that, but I think you’re just mad because she doesn’t fall at your feet like every other woman in your life.”

I shot him a glare. “That’s not it.”

“Sure it’s not,” Cullen said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Dorie Blake was a mystery—one I had no intention of solving. She was infuriating, opinionated, and way too beautiful for her own good. And yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. About the way her apron had hugged her waist, the way her curls had escaped from her bun, the way she’d glared at me like I was the most annoying person on the planet.

“Kaisen,” Cullen said, pulling me out of my thoughts. “You okay? You seem off.”

I shook my head, forcing a smile. “I’m fine. Just… a lot going on.”

Cullen didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t push. “How is it going with the bachelor party planning?”

I flashed a grin. “Good. Why? Rethinking the idea of getting attached to a ball and chain?”

“I’m not rethinking marrying the love of my life,” he replied.

“You’re making me sick,” I said.

He chuckled. “You say that now. One of these days…”

“None of these days,” I told him. “Not going to happen.”

“Are you taking a date to the wedding?” he asked.

“Nope.”

“Eliza wants to vet any woman you bring,” he said.

“Vet my date?”