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Once again, he glanced back at Hannah. Even though this moment couldn’t be comfortable, she didn’t look like she held any animosity. If anything, she seemed fairly calm and maybe even curious.
James and Tori separated at the altar, with James going to stand beside the groom and Tori awaiting the bride.
The violinist shifted to the traditional wedding march, and Kristen came into sight on her father’s arm.
Eric sighed, his lips curving into a small smile.
It felt like just yesterday that she’d been the annoying kid sister following around her big brother James and his friends. And now here she was. Working on her master’s degree and getting married. And not just to anyone, but to one of the guys.
It was weird how it had all ended, but oddly enough, it worked. The love on Blake’s and Kristen’s faces was pure and undeniable.
Envy stabbed hard in his gut. He’d be lucky as hell to find something similar. The one woman he could almost imagine it with was off-limits.
His lips twisted into a bittersweet smile.
As Kristen’s father gave her away in the traditional manner, Eric glanced back at Hannah.
Her focus seemed to be entirely on the bride and groom. The smile on her face was wistful, and her eyes shone with a softness that meant she held nothing but warmth for the two.
When the ceremony was over, and the couple was declared married, there were celebratory cheers and whistles. People all up and down the beach had paused in their exploring to watch from a distance.
Any formality with the event dissolved as the handful of friends and family rushed to hug and congratulate the couple. Someone brought out a cake, and a few bottles of sparkling cider were opened.
From the corner of his eye, Eric spotted James making a beeline for Hannah.
Oh, damn. Here we go.
His teeth snapped together and he fisted his hands to stop himself from intervening.
This wasn’t his fight. She could handle it.
When James reached her, she took a quick step back. The disbelief on her face was clear. After a moment, she gave a quick shake of her head, and James could make out the word no in a string of words, before she turned and walked away from him.
James didn’t move, and the stunned expression on his face almost made Eric feel sorry for him. Almost.
His friend should’ve left her alone. She’d been more than clear that she was over him.
James finally shuffled away, his body visibly rigid with tension as he went to join his parents and the bride and groom.
Eric couldn’t help the small sigh as he sought out where Hannah had disappeared to. He found her down the beach a bit, alone and tossing rocks into the water.
To hell with what it looked like to the outside eye. He needed to make sure she was okay.
