“No, Rach,” Sebastian said, strong and clearly in charge. “This is a fun idea to come down here for the wedding, but I think we should just stick with Plan A and drop the Florida destination idea.”
Rachel looked visibly disappointed as she turned to Lacey. “I want it. His family? Not so much.”
“You have the final say,” her fiancé assured her. “I promised you that. But another venue would have to be perfect and maybe have more life around it for a party weekend.”
Instantly Lacey thought of Seaside Gardens, which would be perfect. But…today? “Is there any chance you could come back? I do have a venue in town with water views and plenty of nightlife around.”
“Can we go see it?” Rachel asked, looking up at her husband.
“We’re only here through tonight,” he explained to Lacey. “So, if you can get us in…”
If she got them in, she was definitely canceling with Roman.
“Uh, let me make a call…” Lacey stepped away, her heart spiraling.Please be booked. Please be booked.
“Wait, wait, Lacey.” Rachel came closer. “Never mind. Sebastian is right. He’s calling the car. We’ll let you know what we decide about this estate. If we do Florida, we’ll do this, but I don’t think he’s convinced.”
Lacey knew one thing: If Tessa were here, they’d already be on their way to Seaside Gardens.
But before Lacey could whip up her inner salesperson, Sebastian’s car arrived. The couple left and Lacey feared she’d never see them again.
No one would know that she’d failed in her job…no one but Lacey.
She rushed her goodbye to Kendra, tried to stay positive, and got back in her car, calling Roman immediately.
“I’m done,” she said breathlessly. “I’m on my way.”
There was a pause, then, “Okay. See you soon.”
Traffic had beenas miserable as it could be in Destin, which was pretty darn bad. Lacey hit every light, got stuck behind an accident, sat in blistering delays, and ended up two hours late from her original eleven o’clock arrival time when she pulled into Roman’s driveway.
She killed the engine, sat for one breath, then two, staring straight ahead to calm down.
They could still go. It wasn’t impossible. Jacksonville was a long drive, but notspace travel. If they left now, they could make it by early evening. Maybe miss the appointment, but surely they could see the place tomorrow.
She snatched her tote, smoothed her top with a hand that didn’t feel steady, and got out. The humid air wrapped around her like a damp towel as she walked to the front door and rang the bell, even though she knew he was home. She’d seen his car.
The door opened quickly.
Roman stood there barefoot in athletic shorts and a faded T-shirt, a baseball cap turned backward. He looked like the version of him she loved most—not a pro-ball player or a face that could be famous. Just a good guy who she really loved.
He didn’t look mad—not that she’d know what “mad” looked like on him. She’d never seen him angry, certainly not at her.
Which was a reminder that she didn’t really know this man she was considering living with. Well, wasn’t that the point of living together?
His expression was gentle, but the corners of his mouth were set like he’d been bracing himself for disappointment and had finally stopped fighting it.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hey,” she whispered back.
For a second, she didn’t move, and neither did he, and the space between them felt heavy and wide. She wanted him to pullher in—wanted the warmth and the reassurance and the easy laughter that always came so fast with them.
Roman stepped aside. “Come in.”
She walked into the cool air-conditioning and the quiet. It smelled like him—clean soap, something citrusy, a faint trace of cologne. The normalness of his living room—the throw blanket folded neatly, the TV off, a bowl on the counter with protein bars like some people had candy—made her throat tighten.
She turned toward him, ready to launch into the apology she’d been writing in her mind for the last hour.
