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“You’re not rubbing it in,” he ground out.
I shot him a look. “I know you’re pissed.”
Bradley stopped abruptly in the grass and faced me. “Fine. I’m pissed. Are you happy? Is that what you wanted to hear? Seeing you with him makes me want to set something on fire.”
I winced at the analogy. “I don’t joke about setting things on fire anymore.”
He sighed and put a hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I hate what happened to the winery, but I hated even more that I couldn’t be there for you that day. And just…Hollin?” he asked in exasperation. “Hollin fucking Abbey, Piper?”
“I know. I didn’t think it’d ever be him either.”
“Did it start before or after we broke up?” Bradley demanded.
“After!” I said quickly. “Of course it was after. We didn’t even like each other.”
“You were wearing his shirt,” he reminded me.
“I swear, that was unrelated.”
Though…I had been attracted to him then. It had been the start of it all. Even if it hadn’t been the day that we hooked up. Not that I planned to tell Bradley that.
“I can’t believe you would pick him. You hated him for years. He’s a player, and you know it.”
I sighed. I was never going to be able to make this okay with Bradley. Maybe it was stupid to even try. “I don’t want to discuss Hollin. I came here to apologize. That’s it.”
“Whatever. If you want to date the guy that every other person in town has dated, then by all means,” he said, looking off in the distance, as if the thought pained him. “I didn’t take you as a girl who would enjoy being second or third or fourth choice. Hell, a hundredth choice. He literally picked every girl in town over you. And I…I picked you over everyone else.”
I wanted to respond, but what could I say? He wasn’t wrong. And it wouldn’t be enough either way.
Bradley realized I wasn’t going to say anything else, shook his head, and stomped the rest of the way to his truck. I didn’t follow him. I’d said what I had come to say. It was understandable that he was upset, but it didn’t change how I felt about Hollin.
I headed back toward the altar, but Nora had already sent someone else to finish putting up flowers. She flagged me down.
“You’re up for hair and makeup.”
“Where did your brother go?” I asked her.
“I put him to work.”
I sighed. Well, that talk would have to happen later. Hopefully, he wasn’t mad that I’d gone after Bradley. But there wasn’t anything I could do about it now. I needed to get ready.
The rest of the day went at lightning speed. We finished hair and makeup, and Jennifer showed up to take hundreds of pictures. Peyton and Isaac had a first look, and we took more pictures. Seeing Isaac’s face when he got a glimpse of Peyton in that Cunningham Couture dress was the sweetest moment. I loved it so much for them. Aly pranced around through the pictures in her white-and-pink tulle dress. She made everyone laugh, and Jennifer insisted that the pictures were all the better for the natural smiles.
The wedding itself was short and sweet, just as it should be. Lots of laughter as they read their own vows. Tears as they choked up in the middle. Applause when they kissed. Isaac scooped up Aly and carried her out of the ceremony with her on one hip and Peyton on his other side. It was exactly what I’d always wanted for my sister.
We stayed behind for more pictures. This time with our entire family. Dad helped Abuelita into the shot. She’d been unsteady on her feet, and I’d been glad that an usher had escorted her into the venue.
After we stood for family pictures with both sets of families, we finally migrated into the barn. Isaac and Peyton initiated their first dance and encouraged everyone to get on their feet and join them.
I hadn’t talked to Hollin again since the problem with Bradley this morning. I’d been too busy with all the wedding stuff. But he walked right up to me as soon as the DJ called for everyone to dance.
He swept me up into his arms. “You look beautiful.”
My lips tilted up into a smile. “Thank you. I like this suit.” My hand ran down the front of his charcoal suit. “Are you still mad about earlier?”
“Mad?” he asked with a furrowed brow. “Of course not. I was the ass. Nora reminded me multiple times that I was the ass.”
I laughed. “That sounds like her.”
“Yeah. She keeps Campbell and me on the straight and narrow.”
“I’m glad. Because you know the thing with Bradley was nothing. He was jealous, and I should have let it go.”
“It’s all right, Piper.” His gaze shifted behind me for a few seconds and back to my face. “We all have exes. It’s all complicated.”
