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While the sisters regularly dated, both interested in finding their own happily-ever-afters, they approached it very differently. I sensed a level of hesitancy with Lyndi that wasn’t there with Layla. It was almost like Lyndi didn’t believe a hero as good as the ones in her romance novels would ever be interested in her in real life. And with Layla, after the hurt she’d suffered when her true love left her, it was like she was feverishly trying to find someone to fill the hole he’d made in her heart.
That was where Beau had come in. Like I’d told Will the other night, Layla was always a bridesmaid, and as usual, her original date for Paul and Shelby’s wedding had turned into a total loser, and she’d been crushed. Like me with the lawyer, she’d had high hopes for the smart and successful man. Hating to see her hurting, I’d suggested she hire Beau. She deserved a night of fun on the arm of a handsome guy, even if it was all an act. And that was one of the big draws with hiring Mr. Fake Date. He could provide a fun time at an event that could make any single girl question her life choices all night long.
“Girl,” I asked in a low tone, my eyes still on the wedding in progress, “do you have a crush on Beau?”
“Who doesn’t?” she asked with a breathy laugh.
Shrugging a shoulder, I nodded. “Yeah, he’s dashing all right. He was the perfect gentleman with Shelby at Bobby and Cassidy’s wedding, and he’s the same way at every wedding I’ve seen him work. But that’s the thing though, he’s working. You know?”
“Yeah, I know.”
She didn’t look convinced, so I bumped her shoulder. “It’s not a real date, Lyn. If you want to go on a real date with Beau, you should ask him.”
My friend looked at me like I’d grown a second nose and shook her head. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Besides,” I pivoted, knowing it was futile to suggest she be that direct, “I don’t think Layla’s really ready to fall in love again.”
Layla’s heart still belonged to the Marine who ran away with it when he got transferred out of Beaufort. They were serious, and we thought he was going to propose before he left. But instead, he’d told her they needed to end things and hadn’t even bothered to give her a reason. We’d all been shocked, perhaps no one more so than Layla herself. I had a feeling something huge and life-altering must have happened to him for him to drop her like that without an explanation. Their love had seemed so real and deep. Even to us outsiders. But since he didn’t have social media and had cut all ties with her, we would probably never find out what really happened with him.
“I don’t think she is either,” Lyndi said. “But there’s no telling her that.”
“Exactly. Every time I’ve tried, she shoots me down so hard. She refuses to believe that she’s not over He Who Must Not Be Named.”
Lyndi giggled, then it faded into the smooth jazz around us. “I hope she gets over him eventually, though. I’d hate to see her wind up alone because she can’t let go of the past.”
“Well, I’d hate to seeyouwind up alone because you’re holding out for a fictional character,” I said pointedly, grinning wickedly when she let out a shocked gasp and pushed my arm.
A distant rumbling sound ripped through my consciousness then, and I stilled, the laughter dying on my lips. “Did you hear that?”
Lyndi paused and listened. “What?”
Another purr of an engine cut through the noise, and I turned to her with wide eyes. “That.”
“Is that a lawn mower? Are they mowing right now?” She looked around the sunlit grounds with a furrowed brow.
I shook my head, turning back toward the sound. I knew exactly what it was, and it wasn’t a lawn mower. The robust, throaty growl of a motorcycle grew louder as it neared the B&B, and my heart pounded in my chest in response. Could it be?
Lyndi must have recognized the sound because she waved a hand as she turned back to me. “Wait, no worries. It’s just a motorcycle. I got scared thinking the groundskeepers were about to feel your wrath.”
I stilled completely as the sound grew closer.Justa motorcycle? Ha. If she only knew. That wasn’t just a motorcycle. That was the object of my affection going back as far as I could remember, riding in on his steel steed to make me swoon.
My eyes flew to the reception area. Everything seemed to be in order. This wedding had been as smooth as butter, not a single incident that had required my assistance. Surely, the rest of the staff could take it from here.
I turned to Lyndi and grabbed her forearm. “Hey, can you do me a favor?”
“Uh, sure. What?”
“Can you tell the staff I needed to leave? Have them call my cell if anything happens, but I think it should be fine. The wedding’s almost over, and I don’t usually oversee the breakdown, anyway.”
Lyndi sputtered, totally taken aback. “What? You’re leaving? Who’s on the motorcycle, Aria?”
“Will you tell them?” I asked, glancing over my shoulder, my heart already having left my chest to fly to the front of the massive old house.
“Yes, of course,” she replied.
“Thank you.” I hugged her tightly then took off toward the side of the B&B. I didn’t want to run through the reception and cause a scene, and there were surely guests and staff members on the main floor who would only get in my way.
My feet carried me quickly through the perfectly manicured lawn as I rushed toward Will like a woman on fire. But really, that was exactly what I was. I was on fire for him, for what we had, for what we could have if he would only let go and let us. And after he’d shown up earlier with a promise to return, something told me he was finally ready to do that.
