Page 71 of Bad Run

No hesitation, Cam asks, “Where are we going?”

“Vegas.” I lift Gwen’s left hand into the air, flashing them the big-ass sparkling diamond ring that now encircles her ring finger. “We’re getting married.”

You could hear a pin drop with how quiet Nico’s family restaurant gets before everyone starts talking at the same time.

“I knew it!” Reed shouts. He points to Blake. “You owe me fifty.”

Cam and his wife, Talia, are the first out of their seats to congratulate us.

“Ohmigod, this is so amazing.” Talia, who knows Gwen, pries my soon-to-be wife’s hand from mine to inspect her ring. Talia shoots me a wide, approving grin. “Way to go, Lance. You did good. Real good.”

“He did.” Gwen smirks, making my chest tight.

I didn’t even think of asking her if she liked the ring. As soon as I saw it, it reminded me of her. Pink, sparkly, and round like the donuts she loves so much.

Gwen is tugged away by Talia, leaving me slightly miffed and missing my girl.

“Quit glowering at my wife,” Cam says.

I turn and come face-to-face with his menacing, green glare. He cracks his knuckles, waiting for me to say or do something.

I lift my hands in surrender. “Sorry. I didn’t know I was making a face.”

Cam’s scowl transforms into his usual goofy grin. “Hey, I get it. I don’t like being away from Talia either.”

The phrase “it’s not like that” sits on the tip of my tongue, but I bite it back.

It is like that.

The moment I saw that ring and held it between my fingertips, I knew marrying her was the right thing to do.

“I see you worked everything out with Gwen,” Nico says, sidling up beside Cam.

“We did.”

Reed steps into the fold with Blake and Heath and lowers his voice. “I knew you two were hooking up, but married? What the fuck did I miss?”

“A lot.” I glance over in Gwen’s direction. This is not a conversation I want to have without her. I want to do this together so that we are on the same page. A united front. Us versus them. “Let’s all take a seat, and I’ll explain.”

The guys head to the table, whispering to each other like a bunch of nosy gossips.

I walk over to Gwen where she’s standing with the group of ladies. Some I know and some I don’t, but seeing as they all have jet-black hair and olive skin, I assume they are the rest of Nico’s family.

“Sorry to interrupt, ladies, but I need Gwen for a minute.” I place my hand on the small of my fiancée’s back, and her body shivers beneath my touch.

“Is something wrong?” she whispers when we are out of earshot.

“No. But the guys want an explanation. Do you trust me to do the talking?”

She stares into my eyes and, after a long second, nods. “Yes, I trust you, Lance.”

Gwen’s whispered words fill me with pride. She trusts me.

“Thank you.”

Unable to stop touching her, I take hold of her hand again and guide her to the bustling table filled with my closest friends.

I pull out her chair, and once Gwen’s seated, I take the spot beside her, sitting as close to her as I can.