My mind drifted back to the short moment we’d had at the rehearsal, when I could’ve sworn he wanted more from me than friendship. It wasn’t the first time I’d felt that way during our long friendship. And each time, I’d bolted like a coward, afraid of my own shadow. In this case, scared of my own feelings. As much as I loved and trusted Dex, there was a part of me that could never fully believe it was real. He was an absolute fine-ass, perfect-ass gentleman in every way. He was my own personal angel, speaking life in my ear at every turn. Yet, I’d let that small voice screamingunworthyrule. Even though his scent drove me crazy. Even though he was my hero. He’d never lied to me—except when he’d told me that Logan Harris would want me even though I suspected he knew I was walking into heartbreak. I’d chalked it up to him wanting to boost my confidence because that’s what Dex had done since I’d known him.
Unable to stand the distance between us, I bumped my hip against his side. “Hey, you. Are you done ignoring me?”
A half-smirk, half-smile formed on his lips. “I was just giving you a minute to catch up with the rest of the fam.”
The sincerity in his eyes told me I was trippin’ earlier. “Oh.”
He leaned in, giving me a whiff of his cologne. Leather. Woods. Lemons. And something distinctly Dexter. “You should know by now that I could never ignore you.”
Damn. That was a flirt. It had to be a flirt.Wasn’t it? I blew out a slow breath, quietly willing my heart to calm down. “Right,” I whispered. I scratched the back of my neck, picked an invisible piece of lint from my shirt, and stared at the painting on the wall behind him. All to avoid his gaze. “You never do.”
“They’re ready for us,” Papa Stew announced.
Dallas rubbed her belly. “Finally. I’m starved.”
“You’re always starved,” Blake murmured right before Dallas shoved her. “Damn, Sissy. I’m just kidding.”
Dex nudged me softly. “See you at one o’clock?”
Nodding, I told him I’d be there. We’d decided to meet in Justus’ suite for pre-ceremony pictures before we headed to the church. “Don’t forget the ring.”
“You know I won’t.”
Of course, I knew that. I just felt the need to say something. The Youngs walked inside the restaurant, talking and cracking up at each other’s antics, while I checked my phone yet again. Despite the laughs and my still-fluttering stomach, I found myself tense and bothered by my so-called boyfriend’s absence.
Elise gasped. “Ain’t this about a…?”
“What?” I asked, whirling around.
She pointed straight ahead where Kelvin was standing outside the hotel—with another woman. Perception was reality, but I didn’t want to jump to conclusions. One of the reasons I’d bonded with Kelvin was because he’d portrayed himself as a man who abhorred cheaters. He’d shared with me the toll his mother’s infidelity had on his family, on him. Until now, I had no reason to believe that he would ever hurt me like that. As if he hadn’t a care in the world, though, Kelvin grabbed the woman’s hands and tugged her to him.
“That punk muthafucka,” Elise said. “I’m going to kick his ass. Wait a minute…” She scanned the area. “Where is Justus? He’ll want to wear him out.”
My sister started to walk toward the front desk, but I pulled her back. “Don’t tell Justus, Elise,” I said. “It’s… fine. I’m okay.” Except, I wasn’t. Not because I was so in love with Kelvin, but because I was once again the fool in a relationship. Tears burned my throat.
“Char, no you’re not. He’s,” she pointed to the door, “an asshole. There is no way I’m letting him step foot in this hotel or to the wedding.”
“I’ll handle it,” I snapped. “Just… stop. Please.”
Elise crossed her arms over her chest. “Then, you better.”
Tugging on my shirt, I sucked in a deep breath. “I’ll just go and talk to him.”
“No, you won’t.” Dex’s low voice in my ear startled me, yet calmed my nerves immediately. I glanced up at him, noting the murderous glare in his eyes. It wasn’t directed at me, though. Never at me. No, his ire was completely focused on Kelvin, who’d gone from simply hugging the mystery woman to tonguing her down like he wasn’t standing in front of the hotel he knew I was staying at. “You will not give that muthafucka the satisfaction of knowing that you saw him. What you’re going to do is go to the front desk, tell them you would like another room and instruct them not to let him know where you are.”
“But—”
“No buts. You have shit to do that doesn’t have anything to do with that fool. Because make no mistake,heis the fool here. Not you.” A tear streaked its way down my cheek, but Dex wiped it with his thumb. “Once you’re out of this very public lobby, you can cry. But not now.”
I swallowed past a huge lump in my throat and nodded. “I’ll do it,” I whispered.
He searched my eyes. “You’re okay.” He wrapped his arms around me, and I held on for dear life. He must have repeated those words a hundred times in a short minute, but it worked.
Emboldened by his words and his instructions, I took another deep breath and pulled back. “I’m good.”
“You certainly are. Now, we have a schedule to keep. Go do what you need to do.”
And without looking back, I did just that.
