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Ethan had been left wondering one thing.
Now what?
Becca would help him get through the wedding, and then they would part ways. Sometimes, relationships didn’t work out.
He could probably get everyone to believe that. Simple enough.
Then he’d focus on getting his mother and sister up to Montana so they could all live a little closer. That goal was much more attainable than the one where he found a nice girl to settle down with.
“Here, you’re gonna need this.” Simon materialized out of nowhere, his surprise appearance nearly knocking Ethan against the wall. He shoved a piece of paper into Ethan’s hands, a smug grin on his face. “It’s the itinerary for the wedding in a few months.”
Ethan stared at the jumbled letters in the blocks of text on the paper, his head already starting to hurt. “Won’t most of this change in the next few months? I thought you wouldn’t want to put this together until we’re closer to the wedding.”
Simon shrugged. “I guess Brianne and Katrina have it in their heads that nothing is going to change.” They stared at each other, then both of them laughed. “Yeah, I know she’s goingto change something. We’ll have to do a different activity, or someone will drop out of the wedding party.”
“Or you’re gonna have to get a new ring bearer…” Ethan added.
Simon lifted a warning finger. “Don’t you even suggest that. Katrina can’t change her mind on Brewster. He’s staying no matter what any of them say.” Simon chuckled. Then both of them grew quiet and Simon peered at him, his eyes serious. “I didn’t know you and Becca were together.”
Ethan swallowed hard. “Yeah, well, it’s sorta still new. We’ve been talking but neither one of us wanted to make it official or anything. And I’m sure Becca didn’t want to take away from Katrina’s big day.”
“Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Well, I’m happy for you. When you got here and whipped through all those locals, I didn’t think there was a chance at all that you would ever want to settle down.”
His words tugged at Ethan’s heart and pulled him down to reality. “I didn’t think I wanted it either.” At least that was true. Except the worst part was that he’d finally crossed over the line he’d drawn in the sand.
He wanted to find the love that Simon and Katrina had. He craved the feeling of belonging.
Simon gestured to the itinerary. “I’d take a look at that. Since we have so many people staying in town for the summer, Katrina has it in her head that we’re going to do lots of activities together. It doesn’t matter how many times I remind her that this isn’t the Hamptons and we’re not a bunch of rich people who can spend all day hanging out, she simply won’t listen to reason.”
Ethan chuckled. “Sounds about right. Weren’t you guys going to do a destination wedding at one point?”
“That would have been so much easier.” Simon sighed. “Alas, she wanted to do it somewhere all of her friends could attend.”
He watched Simon wander from the barn, waiting for him to disappear completely before he lifted the paper to examine it. Squinting his eyes did nothing. He turned it slightly and held it farther from his face before bringing it closer, then sighed and threw his hand down at his side. He already knew that no matter how many times he’d try to read it, the information wouldn’t get into his brain.
Why didn’t they just email stuff like this? At least then he could have his phone read it to him. Now he would have to spend some extra time just trying to decipher the list. The horse he’d been brushing turned her head toward him. She released a heavy breath from between her lips, blowing a raspberry in his general direction.
Ethan lifted the paper and chuckled. “You don’t approve either, huh?”
She bobbed her head, and her nose came closer. Teeth clamped down on the pages and just like that, she tore the paper from his fingers. Ethan laughed and darted forward.
“Hey, that’s not part of your approved diet. And I need it.” By the time he got the paper back, the top right corner had been completely torn free.
“I hope you like it,” he muttered. “You’re not getting any more.” Ethan folded the paper smaller until he could put it in his pocket.
The horse snorted at him as if she resented what he’d said, drawing another chuckle from his throat. He reached up and scratched her behind her ears before resuming his brushing.
It was just a sheet of paper, and yet it felt like a five-pound weight in his pocket. They were probably going to be expected to attend all these functions together, and he didn’t have any idea if Becca was up for that. She’d been the one to drag him into this pretend relationship and she’d said herself that they were just going to let it fizzle out.
But based on the way Simon had just reacted, Ethan had a feeling that it wouldn’t be so easy.
He pulled out his phone and stared at the screen as it lit up. He didn’t have her number—no way of contacting her besides lying in wait. He couldn’t ask Katrina for her number, and he doubted that any of his cousins would know how to contact her.
Ethan heaved a frustrated sigh. “Hey, Siri.”
The screen lit up.
“Text Katrina.”
