Tessa had chosen to have an outdoor wedding at her family’s farm. She’d rented a large tent for the dinner and reception, and the ceremony would take place in one of the fields near the woods. Tessa had stayed true to her word and had only invited fifty guests. She’d wanted to keep the details of her wedding hush-hush, because Travis Channing was a part of her wedding party. He was a headlining country star and he was going to sing the first dance song for Brock and Tessa. The last thing anybody wanted was that detail leaking.
“Your wedding is going to be so amazing, Tessa,” Krista said, her eyes shining with approval. I exhaled, nodding in agreement. It was going to be beautiful, no doubt about that.
“Thanks!” Tessa grinned, her entire face shining with excitement. “I can’t wait. I’m so thankful you guys are helping me. Balancing work stuff with wedding planning is insane…sometimes I think we should have just eloped.”
“Your dad would havenevergone for that,” I scoffed. “You’re the only daughter, he has to walk you down the aisle. Besides, at least you're getting it out of the waybeforevet school. Imagine trying to balance all that studying with wedding planning!”
“I know.” Tessa exhaled with relief. She grabbed my hand and laced her fingers with mine. She squeezed gently and smiled at me. “But still, it’s a headache and I'm glad you're here.”
“Where are you and Brock going to live once you get hitched?” Krista asked before grabbing a nacho off the plate and dipping it in salsa.
“We'll spend the rest of the summer at the cabin, then we're moving into an apartment in Guelph,” Tessa answered, turning her attention back to Krista. “Brock is still working in Alberta, so he’s gone for a month at a time anyway.”
“So glamorous,” Krista’s eyes were bright with longing. “I wish I could get out of this stinking town. Living in the city will be so fun! You'll have to invite us out for a monthly girls night!”
Tessa gave her a small smile, the discomfort evident on her face. I knew how much she was worried about this move. Country ran in Tessa's blood, and she'd had a difficult time adjusting to Barrie—and Barrie was a far stretch from living in Guelph. But it was one of the best vet schools in Ontario, and Tessa was determined to finish her schooling. I knew without a doubt that Tessa and Brock would return to Parry Sound and make it their home. “Well, I have to pee, I’ll be right back!” she said. I stood up, standing aside so that she could slide out of the booth.
Katie, Becky, Krista and I watched as she disappeared. For a Monday night, O’Riley’s was pretty jammed. But more people meant more voices and more privacy.
“So, what’s happening with the bachelorette party?” Becky asked, looking at me with her Miller blue eyes. They were almost the same colour as Braden’s.
I forced a smile as I leaned forward, filling the rest of the bridesmaids in on my plans. I watched as their faces went from skeptical to delighted.
“Oh my gosh! It sounds like so much fun!” Krista declared, clapping her hands with glee. “I can’t wait to see Tessa’s face when we get to the male strip club.”
“Male strip club?” a deep voice rumbled, startling the four of us.
The hair on the nape of my neck stood up at attention at that husky tone. I turned my head, my eyes landing on dark scruff and thick lips, twisted upwards in a bemused smile. Just like ten months ago, when he walked into the restaurant, my heart immediately started to pound frantically in my chest.
“Planning the bachelorette party, are we?” he added. His deep blue eyes caught and held my gaze, and he ran his tongue across his thick lips.
“Yes, we are. Do you mind?” I said dismissively. Braden slid into Tessa’s still vacant seat beside me. I stared at him with dismay, trying to ignore the sizzling heat of his thigh brushing against mine. I moved over, desperate to break the contact, although the heat remained.
“Don’t mind at all,” Braden replied, his voice heavy with implication as his eyes roamed across my face. He pulled his gaze away, looking across the table at Krista, Becky and Katie. “Hey.”
“What are you doing here?” Becky smiled, her eyes drifting back and forth from him to me.
“Meeting the guys for a beer. Travis just got back into town,” Braden answered, tilting his head and glancing around the bar. His eyes rested on a table across the room, where Brock, Grady and Gordon were sitting, splitting a pitcher of beer and wings. Brock caught sight of Braden and waved, calling him over. Braden nodded once, acknowledging he’d seen them.
“You’re having a beer?” Becky asked, concern lacing her tone.
I couldn’t help but notice the pinched look her expression took on. Braden turned his head back towards her, almost scowling.
“No, Becky.I’mnot having a beer,” he said darkly. A silent standoff happened between the two of them. Becky assessed him and Braden stared right back, his expression hard. The atmosphere was taut with tension, but before anybody could say anything else, Tessa came back.
“Scram, Braden,” she smiled, nodding towards the opposite side of the bar. “Your table is over there. We'll rendezvous once we finish our plotting.”
“Alright, Tessa,” he drawled, standing up.
He paused before her and kissed her on the cheek before glancing back over his shoulder at me. He winked, a cocky grin on his kissable lips. His defined muscles, clearly visible through his white t-shirt, made me forget my train of thought and lose myself completely in the fantasy of those arms holding his body above mine. The view of him walking away was almost mouth-watering, I had to remind myself who I was staring at—the man who ripped my heart out of my chest and stomped on it.
“Okay, Tessa, we’re going to need a list of people you want to invite to your bachelorette party.” Katie’s voice brought my attention back to the table. She slid a pen and a pad of paper across the table.
“Obviously you guys,” Tessa said thoughtfully, chewing on the end of the pen as she thought. “What about Laura and Olivia?”
“From Barrie?” I made a face. I’d never liked Olivia Bryant. She had been in Tessa’s program and had struck me as faker than her orange spray on tan (which she seemed quite fond of).
“Oh come on,” Tessa joked, shoving me gently. “If we vetoed everyone you didn’t like, we would have no one left to invite!”
