“Sorry to interrupt.”
The back of my chair was jostled as a man pushed past me to reach Jess.
“I know you’re all in the middle of a meeting, but I need to steal a few minutes of my beautiful fiancée’s time.”
Before I could object, Tilley swooned. “Aren’t you the sweetest. Of course,” she said. “Take your time.”
I bit my tongue and lifted my coffee to my lips, pretending not to listen to their conversation, although that was impossible considering they had it right in front of us.
“Trevor, what do you?—”
“I just popped in to let you know that I’m headed into the city.”
“Now? But we?—”
“Sorry, honey. I know it’s last minute, but there’s a meeting I just can’t miss.” Trevor raised his shoulders in a dramatic shrug that made me want to punch him. Especially because he either didn’t see the hurt on Jess’s face or didn’t care.
“But we have an appointment with Charli at the flowershop,” she said. “We need to make some decisions on the wedding and?—”
“It can’t be helped.” He cut her off smoothly. “Besides, you don’t need me for that. Flowers are all the same. Pick out whatever’s pretty. You know I don’t care.”
I’d heard more than enough. This guy was a grade-A asshole. Jess might be my childhood nemesis, but she didn’t deserve this dickhead.
“If you don’t mind,” I interrupted. “We really need to finish things up here.”
He flashed me a look, his eyes narrowing. I pressed my lips together, daring him to challenge me. I wasn’t a fighter by nature, but I’d have no problem if he threw the first punch.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, he pasted on that slick smile of his and said, “Good luck, friends. I know you’ll make the right decision.” He pressed a kiss to the top of Jess’s head. “I’ll text you later.”
And with a cloud of aftershave, he was gone.
I glanced over as Jess worked quickly to compose herself.
“Nice of him to fit your wedding in around his busy schedule.”
“It’s not like that.”
I shrugged and picked up my cup. “Sure looks like that’s exactly what it is.”
She shot me a sharp look, but there was hurt flickering right under the surface, too. “You don’t know anything about my relationship, Preston.”
“Didn’t say I did,” I fired back, pretending her reaction didn’t hit me a little closer to home than it should have. “But I know what it looks like when someone’s treated like an afterthought.”
Her breath caught, but she didn’t respond.
And for some reason, that bothered me more than it should have.
Jess
I wasn’t supposed to be there by myself. Trevor was supposed to be sitting there with me, wasn’t he? Shouldn’t a groom be even slightly interested in the wedding preparations?
Between my fiancé’s abrupt appearance and subsequent departure from the committee meeting and the meeting itself, I was definitely not in the mood to be looking at lilies, roses, and other flowers I couldn’t name.
I stared at the open binder of bouquet photos, but the colors had all blurred together. A mixture of pale pinks, creamy whites, and soft greens. I was sure they were classic and beautiful and everything a bride was supposed to want.
Only, I couldn’t feel anything.
“Jess,” Charli said gently, tapping a glossy page with her finger. “You’re not even looking.”
