Ride: Hearts Wild Series

"Oh?" Ian asked.

"Yes. There's no other option."

"And if she's not there?"

Which she almost certainly is not...

"Then we'll keep looking. We're not giving up until she's back in that wedding dress and heading down the aisle."

Ian stared out the windshield again, joining the other drivers in flicking on his headlights as the sun set in the distance.

"What?" Zoe asked.

"Nothing, I didn't say anything."

"But you wanted to," she accused. "Spit it out."

"Maybe not," he said.

Zoe sighed. "We've got three hours to kill."

"Which is why I'm trying not to piss you off in the first twenty minutes," he countered.

"If this is about your absurd protests about the wedding—"

"Not absurd. You don't even know what I think."

"I don't have to. You just hate Paul because you're in love with Quinn."

"What?" He spluttered, glancing from the road to a shrewd-looking Zoe and back again. "Where the he

ll would you get that idea?"

"Who refuses to go to their best friend's wedding unless they're madly in love and can't bear to see her marry someone else?"

"Wow. You've been watching too many soap operas. That is not what's happening here."

"Oh, isn't it?" She fired back.

"No. And why don't you go ahead and tell me what's so amazing about Paul that Quinn is destined to be with him?"

"See, only a man who loves her would think—"

"No, really, let's focus on Paul. What's so great about him?"

Zoe considered him for a minute, and he watched her from the corner of his eye as she finally began to speak. "He's a decent man. He has a dependable job, and he'll be there when she gets home from work. He doesn't travel much, and he knows how to handle his money. He doesn't drink or gamble."

"Wow, super romantic list," Ian scoffed.

"Who said anything about romance? He respects her and loves her. That's romantic enough for me."

"Oh come on, Zoe. You can't honestly believe that man has ever taken a woman in his arms and made her feel like she was the only person who mattered in the world. He was probably too busy checking his investment portfolios to even think of doing something like that."

"Don't be ridiculous." Zoe rolled her eyes. "That's hardly a reason not to marry someone."

"Not feeling like the most important person in the world to them? I think that's the only reason to marry someone, and your sister is a person who needs to be adored."

"She's been adored enough for one lifetime. A girl like her needs to be managed and cared for. Otherwise, she goes off and pulls stunts like this."