Ruby spotted me the moment I stepped inside, and made a beeline through the crowd with two glasses of wine.
"There you are!" She handed me one of the glasses, studying my face with narrowed eyes. "You look terrible."
I rolled my eyes. "Thanks. Not exactly what a girl wants to hear."
"Not terrible-terrible. Just... sad-terrible." She lowered her voice. "Are you okay? I feel like I've ruined something by telling you about that photo."
I took a long sip of wine before answering. "I'm fine. It's been a long weekend."
"Mmm." Her expression made it clear she didn't believe me. "Your husband arrived ten minutes ago. He's out back talking to Miles about the deck stain or some equally thrilling topic."
I flinched at the word "husband," hoping Ruby didn't notice. "Great. I should probably go find him."
Her hand on my arm stopped me. "Whatever's going on with you two... you can talk to me about it, you know?"
The genuine concern in her eyes almost broke me. I swallowed hard against the sudden tightness in my throat.
"I know. But there's nothing to talk about. Really."
Before she could press further, I slipped into the crowd, exchanging quick hellos with familiar faces as I made my way through the house. Several people offered congratulations on my marriage, their excited questions forcing me to recite our practiced responses.
"Yes, very spontaneous... No, no big ceremony... Just felt right, you know?"
Each lie tasted more bitter than the last.
I found Garner exactly where Ruby had said he would be—on the back deck, beer in hand, deep in conversation with Miles. My breath caught at the sight of him. He'd changed into dark jeans and a navy button-down that made his eyes look impossibly blue, the sleeves rolled to expose the intricate tattoos covering his forearms. He'd trimmed his beard, too—just enough to look polished without losing that rugged edge that always made my heart race.
Even now, even hurt and angry and confused, I couldn't deny how gorgeous he was.
He sensed me before he saw me, his shoulders tensing slightly as I approached. When he turned, his expression was neutral, giving away nothing.
"Hey," he said, his voice low. "You made it."
"Yeah. I just got here." I forced a smile for Miles's benefit. "The house looks amazing."
Miles grinned, oblivious to the tension crackling between us. "Wait till you see the kitchen. Kinley's showing it off inside. She'd kill me if I gave you the tour without her."
"I'll find her in a bit," I promised. "Mind if I steal my husband for a minute?"
The word felt like glass in my mouth, sharp and dangerous.
"All yours." Miles clapped Garner on the shoulder before heading inside, leaving us alone on the deck.
For a moment, we stood there, an awkward silence stretching between us. This was nothing like our usual comfortable quiet. This was loaded, heavy with raw feelings and everything we’d left unsaid.
"Nice dress," Garner finally said, his eyes skimming over me before returning to his beer.
"Thanks." I snapped my hair tie against my wrist. "How do you want to do this?"
He took a long pull from his bottle before answering. "Let's give it an hour. People need to see us together first, or it won't be believable."
"Right." I nodded, staring out at the tidy backyard. "Makes sense."
"Liv..." He started, then stopped. "About this morning?—"
"Not here.” I cut him off, sharper than I intended.
His jaw tightened, but he nodded. "Fine."
