I nod, forcing a smile as I turn to Ford. “I have to go.”
“I’ll wait to talk to you at the dance. This conversation isn’t done.”
He strides past me and takes his seat. My heart aches at the sight of him. It’s easier to cling to denial and yearn for him thanconfront the reality. The truth is, Ford slept with Kenzie in high school. Holding that against him feels unfair, but I can’t shake the need to find someone untouched by my rival.
I hurry to the front pews as the music begins, kneeling to focus on my sister’s wedding. At least I have this event and my photography to distract me from a heartache that cuts deeper than my broken engagement. I’ll ponder the reasons later. For now, I must avoid blurry photos of Holly and the other bridesmaids as they glide down the aisle.
They wink and flash peace signs as they approach, clearly following Gina’s cue. She’s testing my skills, but little does she know I’ll capture more than enough images to frame for her.
As everyone rises, I dash to the back of the church to photograph the guests watching Gina enter. Yet, despite the crowd, my gaze is drawn solely to Ford. Damn it.
I sprint back to the front, realizing why I keep telling myself to improve my cardio. My breaths come in heavy gasps, but Gina looks stunning. I snap a shot of Lance, tears brimming in his eyes as he watches her at the end of the aisle.
She’s lucky—so incredibly lucky. Not only is she about to become a mother, but she’s marrying a man who truly adores her. He doesn’t seek to change her; he embraces every quirk, even the ones that might annoy others.
A jolt of realization strikes me. That was never Asher and me. I had to shrink myself for him, hiding parts of me I genuinely love just to please him.
My next relationship will be different. The man I choose will love all my facets, or at least accept them without trying to mold me into something I’m not.
For a fleeting moment, I thought Ford could be that person, but fate only granted us one unforgettable night. A night filled with promise, but ultimately, that’s all it was. I have to come to terms with that.
Chapter 35
Ford
Ilove that Gina isn’t traditional. The ceremony was brief, but dinner dragged on forever. And then came the speeches—so many speeches. After that, the dances: father-daughter, mother-son, and the first dance together. We moved through the typical group dances, like the Chicken Dance, YMCA, and Cha Cha Slide. Finally, I heard Gina tell Harper to enjoy the rest of the night.
Now’s my chance. I have to talk to her because one night isn’t enough for me. Not seeing her and giving her space has been incredibly painful and unbearable.
I walk up and take her arm, leading her into the hallway of the banquet area. “What are you doing?” Harper asks.
Looking around, I see no one and slip into the coatroom, guiding her to the back behind three racks of jackets. “We need to talk.”
“And it needed to be here?”
“It’s too loud in there. What’s going on, Harper? I thought we both enjoyed that night together, but then you avoided me the next morning.”
“I’m really confused about everything.”
Yeah? Me too. “About what specifically?”
Her eyes drop to my shoes as she fidgets with her dress. “I know it’s not fair to hold this against you, but I can’t help it.”
“Hold what against me?”
“The fact that you possibly lost your virginity to Kenzie at prom senior year. I get it, but it’s hard to move past that. It’s just—”
“I never slept with Kenzie.”
Her blue eyes snap up to meet mine. “You didn’t?”
“God, no! I only took her to prom because you asked me to. I’d do anything for you, Harper, and it meant we went as a group. But she couldn’t have paid me to do more than dance with her.”
“You didn’t sleep with her.”
“Who told you that I did?”
“Kenzie. She also thought she might’ve been your first.”
