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Aiden Pierce strolled across the marble floor of Hilltop Resort’s famed wedding pavilion, The Chateau. He had the laidback gait and easy smile of someone for whom life always seemed to work out, and the sight of him brightened Paige’s already sunny day.
“Cutting it a little close, aren’t you?” She gave Aiden a hard time because that’s the kind of friendship they had, but inside her pride beamed with such force she wondered if it made her glow. She’d planned this wedding so perfectly that she’d even anticipated his late arrival. Earlier, she’d caught wind that Aiden’s golf game on the resort’s course was going to be a close finish, and since he was the bride’s cousin, she’d prepared a way to sneak him to the front row where his family was seated with minimal disruption.
Aiden tied his sapphire tie as he walked, not bothering to speed up his lazy pace. “The bride hasn’t walked down the aisle yet. Therefore, I’m not late.”
There was a twinkle in his eye. The same friendly one that won over almost everyone he spoke with. From what Paige had gathered in the eight years she’d known her best friend Ciera’s older brother, it was impossible for anyone to be upset with him. Plus he had the kind of charismatic personality that made him instant friends with everyone in the room.
Paige glanced out the window again at her perfect wedding. Almost all of the two hundred white wooden folding chairs were occupied, but she could see the empty one on the end of the second row she’d saved for him. It just so happened that Aiden’s very punctual mama, who was also aware of his tardiness, had chosen the seat right next to it. What could she say? While she could plan for most things, she wasn’t a miracle worker.
“I’m afraid I’m not the one you have to convince.” Paige pulled a face to show her mock concern.
With his tie in a loose knot, he buttoned the top button of his shirt and ran his hand through his wavy, sandy blond hair in a vain attempt to style it. “Mama talks a big game, but she’ll be glad her baby boy’s sitting next to her.”
Paige tightened his tie for him, smoothing it out against the front of his shirt. This was something she did often because he claimed he liked the way she made it perfectly straight. Perhaps, if he wasn’t her best friend’s brother, she might’ve appreciated the way his strong chest felt. But he was, and their relationship, since the day she first visited the Pierce household, was nothing more than friendly.
“Or she’ll be wondering why her baby boy couldn’t pull himself off the golf course early enough to be here on time.”
“Is it that obvious?”
She put her hands on her hips and pretended to examine him with a stern eye. Other than his wind-blown hair and his sun-kissed face, there was no sign he’d been swinging a golf club until less than five minutes ago. In fact, she found it a little unfair that he could look so great with such little effort. “I suppose you’ll pass.”
Half of his mouth pulled up into a guilty grin and he motioned outside. “With a day like this, can you blame me? Plus, it was more business than pleasure. I had to be there.” He adjusted the sleeves under his jacket.
“You know what they say about excuses.”
He gave her an apologetic shrug highlighted by his charming grin. Yep, it was true. It was impossible to stay mad at him. She pointed to the door on the far side of the room.
“If you slip out that door you can walk down the side and slide into your seat without anyone but your mom noticing.”
“Thanks for having my back, Westmoreland.” He buttoned the top button of his jacket. “On the bright side, at least I’m not as late as that guy.” He nodded his head toward the main entrance above them.
For the first time during this wedding, Paige felt the slight flutter of surprise. Now that Aiden was here, she thought everyone had arrived. She followed Aiden’s gaze up the grand stone staircase to the mezzanine level lobby until she saw him.
At that very moment everything stood still. It was entirely possible even the world stopped turning. Out of all the things she considered that could’ve gone wrong today, all the contingencies she prepared for, this one never entered her mind. She stood there, stunned.
“Hey, isn’t that…” Aiden broke her trance.
“Brody Paxton,” Paige finished. Her voice had a sort of breathless quality to it that she hated, but she couldn’t help it.
Brody stepped up to the railing and paused. Perhaps he had a valid reason for stopping in that particular spot, but as far as Paige could tell, it was only to smolder. Which, by the way, he did so well it made her weak in the knees.
His dark hair was perfectly styled in his signature Ivy League haircut, and his well-tailored suit accentuated his lean, athletic frame. The light flooding through the door cast a halo-type glow around him, making him look like a vision out of a dream. The string quartet behind them picked that moment to reach their crescendo, and she couldn’t be sure, but she thought she even heard angels singing. After all this time, her ex-boyfriend was still the most beautiful man she’d ever laid her eyes on.
He slipped off his sunglasses and gazed out the massive windows. Even from a short distance, she could see the hypnotic sparkle in his cobalt blue eyes, and something inside her fluttered. Was it her or was there a sudden lack of oxygen in the room?
“Didn’t he move to Europe?” Aiden asked.
Paige nodded, trying in vain to get her scattered thoughts under control. “His company transferred him to Luxembourg.” At least that’s what he’d told her thirteen months and eight days ago, when he’d ended their blissful eleven-month relationship with the news that he was moving overseas. Alone.
The familiar ache pinged in her chest.
“Why is he here?” Aiden whispered.
“I don’t know.” The same question had been swirling around her mind as well. It had been a while since she’d talked to him, but as far as she knew, he was still living in Europe.
Visions of the dismal day she drove him to the airport trickled to the front of her memory. Watching him walk away was one of the hardest things she’d ever done. She knew the move would be good for his career, but it didn’t make the ache in her chest hurt any less.
The one thing that had made it easier was hope and a promise. A faint spark of excitement tingled in the tips of her fingers as the pieces of this puzzle started to come together.
