Becks turned her head away from her brother, shame and guilt and turmoil warring inside her. She had no idea what to say to him. He’d invited his best friend to her wedding to offer him a break from the stress of everyday life, and now his best friendwas leaving two days early. Had he guessed the reason? Didsheeven know the reason?
“Nothing happened.” Her chin was trembling so much that it made her voice waver.
“Is that why Aunt Jean was asking Ma earlier if you were cheating on your fiancé?”
Eyes wide, completely mortified at the question, Becks rounded on her brother. “I would never!”
Liam stared down at her for several heartbeats before he nodded once. “I’m not accusing you. But somethingdidhappen, didn’t it?”
Her instincts screamed ‘no’, but her heart shouted ‘yes’. She had no good answer, and looked away again. “I love Ritchie.”
Becks noticed their mom was starting to look at them funny from across the lawn. Liam must have too, because he stepped in front of Becks, blocking her from their mom’s view with his back. “Look at me, sis.” It took her a second to blink away the start of tears and look up at him. “Loving Ritchie is all fine and dandy, but if you’re having second thoughts, if you want to call everything off?—”
“No!” she insisted, shaking her head. “No, Iwantto marry Ritchie. It’s just… It’s just cold feet.” And a momentary loss of judgement. That was all this was. If Ritchie hadn’t gotten held up at work and she’d been able to see him tonight, this wouldn’t be happening. Ritchie would hug her and kiss her and tell her that he loved her, and she wouldn’t think twice about Ghost.
“If you’re sure,” Liam pressed. He chucked her gently under the chin. “I’ve always got your back, Becks. You know that, right?”
She nodded, stepping forward to hug her brother around his waist. “Never doubted it for a minute.” Liam’s arms encircled her too, and he carefully kissed the top of her head around her crown. “Are you heading out?” she asked him, stepping back.
Liam unenthusiastically nodded. “Yeah, and my wingman for the night just ditched me. Honestly, I’d much rather stay here and watch movies with you gals.”
For some reason, that made Becks chuckle. “Then stay. Not like we’re watching porn. I’ll text Ritchie and tell him that you’re going to stay here.”
Liam’s mood rose. “Really? You sure you don’t mind?”
“Absolutely.” Thank God for Libby and her love of pockets. Becks pulled her phone out of her left pocket, because boob sweat got old fast. After sending a quick message off to Ritchie, she put her phone away and smiled up at her brother. “Shall we, big brother?”
He turned, offering her his arm. “We shall, little sis.”
Becks was starting to feel better about the night with her brother at her side—that was until she saw the list of movies her mom had planned, and she realized the universe wasn’t done fucking with her.Sweet Home Alabamawith Reese Witherspoon was up first.
Ghost nursedthe fifteen-year-old bourbon the bartender had placed in front of him. To be honest, he hadn’t cared what he was given. All he’d said was to make it strong and make it a double. He’d only made it as far as Knoxville before stopping for the night. Just as with the night before, the ride did not provide the distraction he needed, too lost in his thoughts as he was. Some motorcycle club president he was turning out to be.
How fucking pathetic was he? The first woman he could actually see himself spending the rest of his life with, and she was fucking engaged. Yeah, he sure could pick them. And going back home where he would see all his married brothers withtheir spouses and kids and happy homes just sounded fucking depressing.
Maybe Steel had the right of it. Some of the club felt that Steel had run away, loading up his family as he had and hitting the road. Right about now, though, Ghost was fucking jealous of his former president.
“What’s her name?”
Turning, Ghost spotted a pretty, young woman in a red dress and high heels getting onto the bar stool next to him. She had sleek, black hair and an elegance many could only strive for. Ghost had no idea if her lavish jewelry was real or not, though he was leaning towards not.
When she held up her empty glass to the bartender, Ghost gestured for the drink to go onto his tab. “Who is whose name?” he asked, playing dumb.
“The woman you keep looking for at the bottom of that glass.”
Ghost grunted. Fair enough. He had been staring at the amber liquid in his glass more than he was drinking it. The bartender brought the woman a glass of red wine without having to ask her what she wanted. Ghost knew that move well, which hinted that she was a regular.
“Doesn’t matter,” Ghost replied evasively. “She’s not mine.”
The woman’s blue eyes raked over him suggestively. “I have a hard time believing that. Who would turn you away?”
She was good, he’d give her that. Her voice was smooth as silk, and she absently rubbed the lining of her dress to draw attention to her cleavage. There was no denying her beauty, either. She applied her makeup lightly, matching the red of her dress with her nails and lipstick perfectly.
And yet, his dick didn’t so much as twitch. She might as well be dressed in a baggy, stained trash bag with a rat’s nest on top of her head. It would have had the same effect.
Normally, Ghost didn’t have a type. He’d been with all sorts of women, including a six-three professional WNBA player when he’d been in his early twenties. For years, he’d aimed for easy, because he had no intention of having serious.
He was thirty-seven, and he’d never been in love before. Could someone fall in love in less than two days? Ghost didn’t know, but he felt like he could have, if given a real chance.
