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“I’m fine, Troy.” The words sound strained, forced, like they’re being pressed through clenched teeth.
Jess pulls away and brushes past me without giving me a second glance. She heads for the tent opening.
I take a step toward her, but Em catches my eye. She shakes her head and goes after Jess.
Katelyn places her hand on my arm. “Maybe I should go talk to her.” She hurries after Jess and Em before I can tell her that’s not a good idea.
I turn to explain to Anthony that Jess has PTSD and to apologize for my reaction when it looked like he was going to touch her, but he’s no longer there. I scan the tent, unable to locate him.
I shrug off my need to explain things to him. I have no intention of using what just happened with Jess to convince him to reinstate his sponsorship.
Theresa breaks away from her husband and turns to watch her sister disappear out of the tent. She walks over to me and flashes a tight smile that says so many things, none of which I can unscramble. “What’s going on between you and my sister?” She asks it so casually, her words throw me off at first.
“Nothing. We’re just friends.” And she promised if I came to your wedding as her date, she would convince your father to change his mind about the festival sponsorship.
“Since when were you two friends?” Her tone isn’t harsh or demanding or sarcastic. It’s soft and worried.
I frown, confused by her comment. “I’ve known her a long time, and I volunteer at the Veterans Center where she works. I’d say based on that alone, we’re friends.”
“That’s funny because I don’t ever remember her wanting to be your friend, Troy. Boyfriend, yes. But never something as simple as being your friend.”
The frown pinches tighter between my eyes, and I have a feeling I’m about to be hit with a shit-eating headache. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that things aren’t always what they seem with my sister. Is it true you slept with her?” There’s no judgment in Theresa’s eyes, just an unexplainable apology.
“When did that become public knowledge?” My tone is harsher than expected, but it’s not directed at Theresa. Goddamn small towns.
Theresa winces. “So it’s true?”
“Apparently,” I mutter.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean exactly that.” I don’t feel like explaining to Theresa how I don’t remember having sex with her sister. At. All.
Theresa looks toward the tent opening for a second, then turns back to me. “Just be careful. My sister likes you a lot. And while I love my sister, I don’t always agree with her methods. I saw how you were with Jess. I’d hate to see that get messed up because of Katelyn.”
I almost bark out a humorless laugh at how she’s a little too late with the advice. Things are already messed up, and it has nothing to do with Katelyn.
I was the one who screwed up everything after things fell apart between Jess and me.
One of Theresa’s bridesmaids comes over to get her, and I head to the tent’s exit.
Several people have also escaped the tent and are enjoying the mountain scenery. I scan the area. The sun has started setting, but it’s still light enough for me to spot Jess, Emily, and Katelyn sitting on a bench by the pond.
From where I’m standing, it looks like they’re having a friendly discussion. But as I draw closer, I notice Jess’s pained expression.
I stop, unsure if I should check on her or leave them alone to talk.
Emily’s head turns my way. Relief appears on her face—only for her expression to darken. She wants to knee me in the nuts.
I ignore her reaction. “Hey, ladies.”
Jess unfolds from the bench. “I should get back inside. Theresa is tossing the bouquet soon, and then I’ll probably head out.”
She walks past me. But since I have no intention of letting her get away without me fighting for her, I gently grab her arm.
She sucks in a soft breath, the longing in her expression mirroring everything I’m feeling. I’m not the only one experiencing the buzz beneath the surface from the skin-on-skin contact.
