Falling for the Groomsman

“You can fix it,” Julie said, leaning forward and closing her hand over Christine’s. Whereas Christine felt like pure shit, Julie radiated something that looked like pure happiness. In fact, she’d never looked better. No doubt because of her association with Reed. Good for her. “There’s nothing that can’t be undone if you explain your reasons.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” Christine said, swallowing hard. “But I think I’m going to try anyway, even though it’s hopeless.”

“What are you going to do?” Regan asked, leaning over and grabbing the carafe of coffee. She poured Christine a cup and handed her two creamers and a pack of sugar. “What will you say to him?”

“I don’t know yet,” she admitted.

When she fumbled with the creamer lid, Regan took it from her and poured it in. At the same time, Julie opened the sugar and dumped it in Christine’s cup before stirring it. “Drink. It’ll help,” Julie said.

Christine picked up the cup and inhaled the aroma. “I have no idea what to say, honestly. The truth, I guess? All of it.”

“Do you love him?” Regan asked, her voice uncharacteristically soft. She liked to present herself as hard and tough as balls—which she was—but she had a squishy chocolate center she didn’t let a lot of people see. “Do you want to be with him?”

“I…I think I always have, even if I didn’t know it.”

“Tell him,” Regan said, shrugging. “Simple enough, right?”

The waitress came up with her pad. “What can I get you girls?”

“Waffles,” Regan said, closing her menu.

“Me, too,” Julie said, doing the same.

“Make that three.”

The waitress smiled and took their menus. “I’ll put that in right away.”

As soon as she was gone, Christine blurted out, “He was going to move to be with me. To Colorado.”

Regan’s eyes went wide. “Oh boy.”

“Wait just a gosh darn second.” Julie frowned at Christine. “Start at the beginning.”

Christine took a deep breath and proceeded to tell them everything. From Mexico, to the first night at the wedding, to the woods, and finally ending with the dance they’d shared last night. By the time she was finished, she felt even more drained, and yet somehow more energetic. “…So, yeah. Now I need to figure out how to fix it.”

“Fixing it should be easy enough to do,” Regan said, pouring a second cup of coffee. “I’ve seen him. He loves you, too.”

“No, he doesn’t. He didn’t say anything about love.” Christine looked from Regan to Julie. “If he loved me, he would have said it, right?”

Julie shook her head. “Sweetie, around you, the man doesn’t know whether to check his behind or scratch his watch.”

Her heart stuttered. “Really?”

“Really,” Julie said, grinning. “When the wedding shenanigans are over, you’ll be good to go.”

“Well, uh, about that.” Christine nibbled on her lower lip. Reagan nodded and gave her an encouraging smile, and reached out to squeeze her hand. “There’s something I haven’t told everyone yet.”

“What?” Julie asked, leaning forward on her elbows. “What didn’t you tell us?”

“I’m moving.”

Regan rolled her eyes. “Everyone knows that. Tell her where.”

“I’m moving back to Maine,” Christine said in a rush, holding her breath as she waited for Julie to explode.

“What?” Julie shrieked. “Since when?” She turned to Regan. “Wait, did you know about this?”

Regan leaned back in her chair and smiled, as calm as a cat basking in the sun. “She told me since, well, I’m a headhunter. I helped her find her new job.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Julie asked. “You’re supposed to tell me everything.”

“I was going to.” Christine grabbed her hand and squeezed. “I wanted to, but I know how busy you’ve been with the wedding. I didn’t want to give you more to think about.”

“I wouldn’t have minded!” Julie said, hugging her tight. “Why are you moving?”

“Well, for one…it felt like it was time to move on. All this time, I’ve kind of clung to Kady as my security blanket, in a way. When she moved to Boulder, I did, too—even though it wasn’t with her. But now she’s getting married.” Christine shrugged. “It’s time for me to be on my own.”

“So you’re not going to move in with your brother?” Julie asked.

“No. Not at all. I’m going to be in my own place.”

“You need it after your roommate from hell,” Regan said.

“Seriously.” She dropped her face into her hands. “This was so straightforward before, but now it’s a big mess. I just don’t know what to do anymore.”

Julie rubbed Christine’s back in big, sweeping circles. “You know what you need? You need to indulge in some waffle therapy. Here comes our waitress.”

The whole time they ate, Christine’s mind was on Tyler. She’d been in love with him since Mexico, and she’d been a fool not to know it. Sure, it had been years and years in between with no contact, but those feelings had never died. It had taken one conversation and a kiss to show her that much, even if she’d stubbornly ignored what was staring her right in the face in her attempt to get revenge.

When they finished eating, she scanned the room for their waitress. She was in the corner of the room, taking an order from Kady, Colt, and Kady’s parents. Tyler wasn’t there. Good. Maybe that meant he would be in his room this time.

Regan laughed. “Go. I’ll cover your portion.”

“Huh?” Christine looked back at Regan, her cheeks hot. “No, that’s okay.”

“You need to go talk to him or you’ll explode. I can see it.” Regan grabbed Christine’s empty plate and set it on top of her own. “Just go.”

Julie nodded and kicked her chair with her foot, shoving it back some. “We got this.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,” they both said at the same time.

Regan shooed her away. “Hurry up, and report back to us when you’re finished.”

“I will.” Christine stood up on shaky legs. She bent and hugged Regan, then Julie. “Thanks, guys.”

“Anytime.”

She smiled at them and headed across the dining room. She avoided looking at Kady’s table. If she were spotted, she’d have to go over and hug everyone and talk and sit and all that crap. Right now, she wanted to talk to the only Dresco who wasn’t there.

She needed him to listen to her.

The whole elevator ride up, she went over everything she wanted to say in her head. Rehearsed her speech so she wouldn’t mess it up again. Went over all the things she had to make him understand before he gave her an answer. All alone in that elevator, she was ready. Confident.

Ready to conquer the world for him.

But when the elevator doors opened and she started walking toward his room, her legs felt as if they were weighted down with anvils, growing heavier with each step she took toward his room. Her pulse leaped so fast that she worried she would have a heart attack before she even spoke to him. At least he was a doctor. If she collapsed, he could resuscitate her with a little mouth-to-mouth.

Hmm. She liked the sound of that.

She knocked three times. As she stood there, heart racing, she shifted her feet and swiped her sweaty palms on her skirt. The longer he took to answer, the more her mind hopped from one scary conclusion to another. It wasn’t until she heard a feminine laugh from inside the room that she realized he might not be in there alone.

As a matter of fact, he must not be. If there was a woman in there…

Then she was too late. He’d already moved on. Julie and Regan were wrong—he didn’t love her. Not if he was already in there with another woman. She backed away slowly, swallowing past her aching throat, and headed to her own door, blinking back the tears trying to escape. She hadn’t cried in eight years, and this made twice in twelve hours.

She was a mess. A big, ugly, crying freaking mess. She slid her card into the lock and pushed her door open.

She froze…unable to move or speak or think.

Chapter Nineteen

Tyler stiffened when the door opened, a basket still half filled with murdered roses in his one hand, and a handful of petals in the other. He was supposed to cover the bed and floor surrounding it with the red things before she came back. He was trying to create a romantic setting and all that shit, since he’d messed up the last romantic gesture he’d made for her, but now it was ruined.

He’d been caught red-handed…literally.

He’d sent Kady down to keep an eye on Christine. She was supposed to text him when or if Christine left the dining room, but that hadn’t happened, had it? Apparently, she’d missed Christine’s exit, because she stood in the door with tears on her cheeks and wide eyes. Wait…tears?