The redhead nodded once, scanning her eyes over a handwritten list in her hand. He pointed to a garment bag hanging by the door and asked, “Is this your dress? Want me to take it to the car? Where’s your suitcase? I can take that, too.”
“That would be great,” she said and walked into the bedroom, coming back a moment later with a rolling suitcase in tow. Kasey took the handle from her and picked up the long garment bag with his index finger, holding it aloft so it didn’t drag on the ground. “Is this all you packed?”
“I’m only staying the weekend,” she murmured, picking up her jacket and pulling it on before swinging her purse over her head and adjusting the strap that rested between her breasts. Glancing around the house one last time, she muttered, “I can’t believe Freeman is getting married in the middle of the Colorado Rockies. In winter. I’m going to freeze my ass off.”
“It’s not like they’re having the ceremony or receptionoutside,” Kasey chuckled, heading toward the door with her suitcase and dress. “You’ll be fine, you crybaby.”
Roxy followed Kasey to the door, double-checking the lock as they exited. Loading her things into the trunk next to his, she climbed into the backseat of the Uber that was going to make the twenty-minute drive to the Fort Worth International Airport from her house in Melody Hills. She pulled out a pair of aviators from her purse and put them on, the sun shining directly into her window as the Uber pulled away from her house. Roxy hadbooked their flights, managing to seat them next to each other on the flight to Denver, a miraculous feat with the busy holiday travelers heading to Colorado for skiing during Christmas break.
Roxy was unusually quiet during the short ride, but Kasey was lost in his own thoughts as they got closer to the bustling airport. Freeman had called him early that morning as he was finishing packing, and he’d answered it, tucking the phone between his shoulder and ear as he zippered his suitcase closed. “Hey, man, how’s it goin’?”
“Just getting settled into the vacation rental,” Free had said. “Levi spared no expense, man. This place is awesome. I just wanted to call and let you know that Shane and Cassie had their baby last night.”
“No way!” Kasey exclaimed, standing up straighter and switching the phone from one ear to the next. “That’s awesome! Everyone doin’ alright?”
“He says Cassie did great,” Free said warmly, and then continued, “baby boy is doing just fine. Little smaller than they anticipated, but healthy set of lungs from what I could hear on the phone.”
Kasey chuckled. “That’s awesome, I’m glad to hear it.”
“Uhh,” Free began then, and the hesitancy in his voice made Kasey’s brows draw together in worry. “I need a favor, though, Kasey.”
“Anything,” he said, pacing from the bed to the closet.
“Shane won’t be making the trip out this weekend, so he can stay with Cassie and Samuel. I would really appreciate it if you could stand as my Best Man in his place, Kase,” Free said gruffly, and Kasey smiled.
“I’d be honored,” Kasey said and laughed when Free sighed in relief. “Were you worried I’d say no?”
“Not exactly,” Free chuckled. “It just means that you’ll be a little more hands on with Shaun than originally planned. She’s Jodi’s Maid of Honor. So that means—”
Kasey swallowed hard and muttered on a sigh, “Yeah, I know what that means.”
It meant he would have to stand next to her, walk with her on his arm,dance with herthroughout the evening. It would be Heaven and Hell all rolled into one.
Especially if that douche of a fiancé was with her. He squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.
“Will you guys be able to behave for a few hours?” Free asked and Kasey laughed, though it wasn’t exactly a pretty sound.
“I’ll be the perfect gentleman,” Kasey murmured, tipping his head back to stare at the ceiling. Free laughed out loud.
“You wouldn’t know the first thing about being a gentleman where she’s concerned, but I appreciate it nonetheless,” he laughed, and Kasey couldn’t help rolling his eyes. “You’re welcome to take over Shane and Cassie’s room, that way you don’t have to stay at the main lodge. There’s plenty of room.”
“I don’t mind,” he said gruffly, grabbing the garment bag that held his tux and laying it over the suitcase. There was no way he was staying in the same house as her and Tommy. Fuck that. He’d rather gargle shards of glass than be around to witness them together at such a romantic setting.
“Earth to Kasey…”
Yanked out of his reverie, he swung his head to look at Roxy, who grinned slyly. His mouth tightened in annoyance at being caught thinking about Shaun, again. “Huh?”
She pointed out the front windshield and said wryly, “We’re here.”
He turned his head and sure enough, the Uber was just pulling up under the massive parkway at the doors of the airport.She snickered and shook her head as she climbed out of the car, and Kasey took a deep, steadying breath before stepping out of the vehicle.
Pulling their luggage out of the trunk, he carried both of their garment bags on one crooked finger over his shoulder, his duffel bag over his other shoulder as Roxy walked ahead of him with her rolling suitcase trailing behind her.
“Have you decided what you’re going to do?”
Standing in line waiting to check in, he glanced down into the hazel eyes of the one woman that knew him better than just about anyone. Her fiery red hair had been pulled into a messy topknot. Once inside the building, she’d shoved her sunglasses up to sit on the top of her head.
Kasey just wrinkled his nose and turned back to face forward, giving a barely noticeable shake of his head. “We’ll see where the weekend takes me.”
