-Alex
I want to throw them away. Hell, Ishouldthrow them away. Or better, I should bring them to the pawn shop and sell them. I could use the money.
Despite them being an expensive gift, this isn’t about the price tag. It’s not about what they’re worth. It’s about me looking at them and wanting them. Alex knew. And so he bought them for me.
Fucking Alex.
Chapter Sixteen
Alex
“Smile, Alex. It’s not the end of the world,” Britt says, raising an eyebrow at me.
“Easy for you to say; you don’t have to do shit. You just get to show up to the damn wedding and avoid all the drama,” I bite as I grab the two carriers of coffee orders, while Britt grabs the four boxes of donuts.
“What drama? Spill,” she says with a grin, and I shoot her a sarcastic glare.
“If I told you, I’d have to kill you,” I say as I make sure to get a handful of straws and sugars, shoving them in the carrier between all the drinks. Britt and I are close. I trust her, but not enough to betray Mack.
“Bullshit. I’ll just ask you later when you're drunk off champagne.”
I cast her a glare, but she only bats her eyelashes at me innocently.
“Is that all I am to you? A magnet for small-town gossip and free coffee?”
She rolls her eyes at me. “Alex…”
“Brittany,” I say, a little too sharply. Britt’s used to my moods, so she doesn’t say shit.
I sigh as I head for the door, holding it for her and the towering boxes of donuts. When we get to her car, I expertly shift my carriers and open the back door for her to set the boxes down on the backseat.
I slept like shit last night, woke up a half hour later than I wanted to, and flew out of bed when I heard Britt pounding on the door.
I open her driver side door, and she smiles as I round the bend and get into the passenger seat.
Once I’m seated and buckled in with my carriers arranged perfectly, she starts the car as I check my phone for the fiftieth time this morning, waiting for the shoe to drop, for shit to hit the fan.
Cam didn’t show up at the rehearsal dinner last night, which is concerning.
In all the years I’ve known the guy, he and Austen have been attached at the hip.
But ever since Vegas, there’s been a black cloud where Cameron Scott should be.
Austen puts on a good front, and I guess I can’t blame him. It’s not like anyone knows what happened. I don’t even know what the fuck happened, but I have my theory.
I debate if Ishouldtell her about that, since I was up all night trying to figure out a game plan if Camerondoesn’tshow up.
I mean, he is the best man. Thankfully, he doesn’t have the rings, so if one of us needs to step up in case of a wedding emergency, we’ve got what we need. That’s why I made the trip all the way up to Brighton last night. My stupid brotherforgotthe damn wedding bands.
What kind of husband-to-be forgets the most important thing?
I settle my hand in my pocket, double checking that they are still there when Britt starts to drive off. I pull the box out of my pocket, opening it for the hundredth time this morning to make sure I see with my own eyes they are there. Two shimmering gold bands. Savannah’s has a channel of chocolate diamonds while Austen’s is simple and classic without any embellishment. I stare at them for a minute before snapping the box shut.
“Thanks for coming with me today,” I say softly as I slide the box back into my pocket. “I know things have been… complicated.”
She chuckles. “Just because we’re not together anymore doesn’t mean I’m not your ride or die, Alex.”
I breathe out a heavy sigh.
