“Whatever. It was your stupidity that caused you two to break up. It doesn’t matter if you were at fault or not.” Eric sighs. “I still think you’re wasting your time trying to get back with her.”
“I would agree if I didn’t think she cared, but she does… She just doesn’t want to admit it.” I flash my signature smile while pulling into Clint’s Autobody Shop parking lot that sits across the street from a packed Benny’s Bar.
“I hope Dawn and Miss Janet made enough food… it looks like the whole town is here,” Jax says as we climb out of my truck and cross the street toward Benny’s.
“Mrs. Burns,” I correct with a wink. “It’s surreal the old man is married and to such a lovely woman.”
The reception is in full swing when we walk through the entrance. A line has formed around the buffet and most of the tables are packed with people. For a bar that mostly smells like beer and burgers, the transformation into a wedding reception is strange. Sheer red and cream fabric drape from the ceiling and around the walls, hiding the wood paneling and dingy ceiling. The tables and chairs are covered in cream-colored fabric with red ribbons, and small candles surrounding roses in short vases center the tables.
“Wow, this place looks almost fancy,” Jax says as he looks around the place. I have to admit the ladies did a wonderful job on the place. “I’m starving, let’s get in line.”
“Do they expect us to sit at the main table?” Eric asks as we shuffle our way toward the buffet line.
“That was my idea,” I say, looking over at the main table that was reserved for the wedding party. “Easiest way to get Amber to sit next to me.”
“Your hopeless,” Eric groans.
2
- Amber -
“Please welcome the new Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Burns!” the DJ says over the mic as Burns and Janet walk into the reception, their smiles wide across their wrinkled faces. Seeing the two gaze into each other’s eyes as they walk in with so much love should make me want to cry out of love and joy for them, but all I feel is envy. Lots and lots of envy.
“Kiss, kiss, kiss,” the crowd cries out to the happy couple. I force myself to chime in as they make their way to the main table. I really am happy for them—they deserve happiness—but something about weddings brings out my ugly side.
Who am I kidding? I really don’t like weddings. They’re supposed to be a promise of love but in my experience, promises of love are just words and mean nothing.
Burns pulls Janet in close and smacks his lips against hers in what can only be described as cute yet off-putting. Everyone cheers as their kiss grows more intimate. The cheers fade as the happy couple’s innocent kiss turns into an obscene make-out session.
“Is it wrong to call that gross when it’s their wedding day?” Luke leans in from his seat next to me. His woodsy scent invades my nostrils. He still smells like he did fifteen years ago, and I hate that I love that scent.
“I think they are sweet,” I lie but can’t hide the grimace on my face when Burns grabs Janet’s backside. “Okay, it’s gross.”
“Have I told you how beautiful you look?” Luke says, smiling down at me. His blue eyes shine with mischief that takes me back to when we were younger, when life wasn’t so complicated.
“Yes, multiple times,” I say trying not to swoon. Every time he told me I was beautiful, a swarm of butterflies swirled around in my stomach. I wish my head and my body would get on the same page, because no matter how charming Luke is to me, I am never giving him a second chance.
Yeah, yeah, I know never say never, but when it comes to Luke, I mean never.
“I like how you did your hair.” His eyes scan over my hair like a caress that causes me to shiver. “The loopy things are nice.”
“Loopy things?”
“Yeah, the loops in your hair.” His eyes find mine, and that charming smile of his falters when I narrow my eyes at me.
“It’s styled to match the dress.” Crossing my arms, I try to convey my annoyance, hoping Luke doesn’t have the ability to read my real thoughts like he once was able to do. “Are we really doing this?”
“Doing what?”
“Having pleasant small talk?”
“Well, I would like to do more than just pleasant small talk…” He smirks down at me and leans in a little closer. My pulse quickens as my body tingles with familiar awareness of Luke. No matter how hard I try to hate him, the longing for him won’t fade. There has to be a pill or hypnosis, something that could make it go away.
Looking into those familiar eyes, I can’t help but notice the changes from the young man I fell in love with and the man standing before me. He’s taller, stronger, with a hard edge to him that comes from being in the military for the last fifteen years. His sleek black hair is shorter, and with several days’ worth of facial hair, he has a rugged attractiveness to him that is opposite of the boy I remember.
When Luke left fifteen years ago, his charm and his blue eyes, which were so full of laughter, dulled. It broke my heart to see him transform right before my eyes, but looking at him now, they are brighter, filled with mischief and something I can’t quite describe. It scares me how much I missed them, but never has to mean never. Has to.
“Can I get you a drink?” He breaks into my thoughts, still aiming that full, mega-watt smile at me.
The cocky jerk knows exactly what he’s doing to me. “No, I’m fine,” I snap with scowl.
The feel of his hand on my lower back sends a heat wave to my core, and I mentally yell at myself for allowing such an innocent touch trigger such a fierce reaction. Before I can jerk away, he steps back, and a full body flush heats my skin.
“I think that is the most civil I have seen the two of you,” Dawn says from her seat next to me with a knowing smile.
“I must be losing my touch,” I say with a shrug. “I’m going to find my kids and hope my parents are not spoiling them into rotten little beasts.”
“Hurry back. Clint is pouting,” Dawn says. Her smile radiates with love as she looks over at her fiancé.
“I’m not pouting,” he grunts with narrowed eyes. “I just don’t see why I have to still wear this suit.”
“Get used to it, you’ll be wearing it again soon enough at your own wedding,” I say with a chuckle. I rise from my chair and scan the room. Internally I sigh, another wedding. And if Eric and Sarah are reuniting their lost love, there is sure to be a third wedding.
A few tables away, my parents are enjoying their food with my son Matt, though Emily doesn’t appear to be anywhere. A flicker of worry quickens my step as I weave through the crowded bar-turned-reception hall. “Where’s Emily?”
“Hey, Amber,” my mom greets me with her warm smile. Her mousy brown hair curls around her heart-shaped face that shines with pride. “She went to get a cupcake.”
“Alone?”
“Relax, you can see her from here.” She points toward the buffet table where Emily is reaching unsuccessful across the table for the cupcake stand.
Even on her tiptoes, Emily is inches away from the cupcakes. I start to head toward her when Luke steps up, plucking a cupcake off the stand and offers it to her. Such a simple act, but it scrapes at the walls around my heart, demanding I take notice how Emily lights up with delight, snatching the cupcake before she tilts her head all the way back to look up at the man who came to her aid.