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After collecting his luggage, he did a surveillance pass before exiting his original room and hustling to the elevator in his escape-and-evade-Shelby mission. It wasn’t that Shelby was the enemy or the deadly kind of dangerous, but with Elizabeth conceding to come, he didn’t want Shelby tanking any chance he might have with Elizabeth.
ChapterThirty-Eight
LOOK WHAT GOD GAVE HER – Thomas Rhett
The GPS directedElizabeth down a rural road lined with soybean fields. She hadn’t expected an actual working farm to serve as the wedding venue, though the barn was clearly new and modern. A huge white tent was set up in the grassy field to her right. An attendant directed her to park in the field on the left. As she got out of her car, an open-air, six-passenger shuttle came down the row. She joined two couples for the short ride across the field to the barn. It was a nice touch, so the women didn’t have to walk through soft grass in heels.
Upon entering the barn, a groomsman extended his arm to the woman ahead of her. Before the next groomsman stepped forward, John put a hand to the man’s chest.
“I’ve got this one,” he proclaimed. “Wow. You look fabulous.”
She tried to calm the butterflies in her stomach from his compliment and the way his gaze lingered on her for several long seconds before he offered her his arm. This wasn’t real. It was all for show, and he wasn’t used to seeing her in a cocktail dress.
“You look very handsome, yourself.” Did he ever in the well-fitting navy-blue suit. “I thought you might be in uniform.”
“Nate’s now out of the Army, and not everyone in the wedding party served. I’ll find you after the ceremony.” John’s smile lingered on her before he pivoted on a heel and proceeded back down the aisle.
A few rows up and across the aisle, Elizabeth picked out Shelby from the pictures she’d looked up online. The redhead bent toward the blond seated next to her as they talked.
Elizabeth had attended plenty of events alone over the past decade. Sitting by herself today was different. Was it fear that people would see through their ruse and make John look bad, or that she felt—lonely? It had to be the wedding and everyone else seemed to be part of a couple—a real couple—or with friends.
She’d get through it. It certainly wouldn’t be the hardest thing she’d ever done.
She drew in a deep breath and studied the décor. The white tule bows around the wooden chair backs were accented with greenery and mini red roses. Inside the barn, the wall boards had been given a weathered look. Chandeliers of wrought iron in a scroll-and-heart pattern hung from the vaulted ceiling and arched stained-glass windows gave the interior an upscale elegance.
Professional camera stations were set up to film on both sides and at the back of the venue.
Minutes later, the music grew louder as the family members were seated.
When the groomsmen took their places next to Nate, Elizabeth caught John staring at her. He winked and gave her that sexy grin of his. It made her feel less alone. It also sent that ripple of sexual attraction through her. The kind that she’d feared she’d never experience again after Adam.
How did something as simple as a wink and smile manage to have that effect on her? No. It was John. John who had that effect on her. And that physical attraction was growing stronger, despite her efforts to keep things strictly in the friend zone—for his sake even more than hers.
She tore her gaze from John’s. He was just playing up the role, though Shelby turned and looked in her general direction.
Despite the unconventional process that started with Nate dating twenty-five women, his beaming smile and the joy Cecilia radiated appeared totally authentic. Their personalized vows included humorous things about their journey to find love yet were also heartfelt. The officiant didn’t ask if anyone objected to their union, which was smart considering there could be a dozen women here who might wish they were standing in Cecilia’s spot. By the time they were pronounced man and wife and Nate placed his hands on either side of Cecilia’s face and kissed her, Elizabeth was a believer in this happily-ever-after ending.
Her gaze settled back on John who watched his friend. As if aware she was watching him, John’s head angled her way. His eyes locked on hers, and he broke into a slow, consuming smile that made her smile back.
She wanted John to find that epic love story he deserved. The kind she once thought she could have.
ChapterThirty-Nine
OPPOSITES ATTRACT – Paula Abdul
After the ceremony,John waited outside the barn for Elizabeth. Hopefully, no one could tell he’d teared up when Nate exchanged vows with Cecilia. Between the bachelor party weekend and the rehearsal dinner party last night, he had no doubts about his best friend being in love. That’s whathewanted too. Not to just be married or with someone but that special connection that made other people want the kind of relationship he had.
Elizabeth had challenged him to change his patterns, to become friends with a woman first. And he had. With her.
Over the past few weeks, he realized it didn’t have to be instant fireworks or passion that was great for a night. It was the small, day-to-day things. That smile that popped up just seeing the person or their smile when you cracked a joke. Rocking side by side on the front porch with a dog at their feet, though cuddling together on the swing would be even better.
The way she sometimes looked at him, he wanted to believe the attraction could be mutual, despite her insistence she didn’t date and didn’t want to cross lines with him living at The Oasis. But there was something more, something she hadn’t shared that went beyond her father’s physical abuse and related to her controlling ex-husband. Could she move past it? Maybe with help. Not unlike what she did for others.
Elizabeth made her way out of the barn, surrounded by groups and couples. She glanced around. Her gaze landing on him. Everyone else faded into the background as he watched her come to him. Next to Nate, he felt like the luckiest man here. And he wasn’t faking it. Time to move to Mission Make-it-Real.
“Shall we?” He offered his arm.
“Don’t you have to do pictures first?”
