Ember In The Heart

Maybe she could only attend the actual wedding.

His parents were here. Colt had invited the Darwins to the rehearsal out of respect.

I couldn’t even look at them. I blamed them, too, for making it so Foster felt he had to please them with his choice of girlfriend.

Though, I wondered if any parent would be happy about their son dating a woman eleven years older than him? Feeling forlorn, I reached for my champagne glass and emptied it in one chug.

I could feel Jade’s eyes, but thankfully she couldn’t question me because Colt was in the middle of his thank you speech.

My gaze moved over the tables before us, sliding through the Darwins and past folks I recognized from the engagement party. Then onto the banquet table where my sisters sat with their partners. Moon, Linzi and Jilly. Luna and her bored-looking husband Garret. And Celeste and the guy she’d been dating for the past month. He was a cute vet she met after accidentally running down a cat. Seriously, my sister’s life was an ongoing rom-com novel.

They looked good together and she seemed to really like this one.

Who knew, maybe I’d have to buy a one-bed house on the beach. Grow old on my own, no kids, no pool, just a cat that someone would run over one day and use as an anecdote at her wedding to the vet she met through my dead damn cat!

Shaking my head out of my morbid thoughts, I tried to zone back into the room.

Colt was thanking his beautiful fiancé. A sweet kiss on her lips.

We were to raise our champagne glasses—shit, mine was empty. Hope no one notices. I pasted a strained smile on my face.

After my soon-to-be brother-in-law settled back into his seat, the murmur of conversation started again and Jade covered my hand nearest her. “Are you okay?”

I wanted to say I needed more champagne but the last thing I should do was get drunk at my sister’s rehearsal dinner in front of my ex.

Was he even my ex?

Did five weeks of fan-fucking-tastic sex really count as a relationship?

My heart throbbed in answer.

Opening my mouth to assure her, I was abruptly cut off by the sound of cutlery tapping against glass. Jade turned her head to the left and I followed suit, shrinking back in my seat as I realized Foster was standing to address the room.

Oh gosh, were we supposed to prepare our Best Man and Maid of Honor speeches for the rehearsal dinner too? A flush of panic moved through me.

“Uh, I’m not scheduled to talk tonight.”

Oh thank God.

“But Colt gave me permission to hijack the rehearsal dinner.”

What?

A murmur of confusion shifted through the room.

“What is he talking about?” I whispered.

Jade shook her head, looking as confused as I felt.

And then Foster turned and looked directly at me.

His expression open, pleading, tender.

Holy. Crap.

“Months ago, at Colt and Jade’s engagement party, I met a woman who knocked me on my ass. And I was so unprepared for it, so not in the place where I could handle it, that I was unforgivably rude to her.”

Tears of shock glistened in my eyes and I could hear my sister’s indrawn breath of surprise.

“I never believed in fate.” He shrugged, looking boyish and uncertain. “Not until you, Ember. Not until I bought the house next door to yours without knowing it. It’s like the universe wanted us to be together.”

“Foster,” I whispered.

“And somehow, because you’re a goddamn miracle and you’re so kind,” his emotion made his eyes wet, “You not only forgave me for being an asshole,” —the room tittered but I was barely paying attention to anything but him—“You took care of my daughter and you helped us through a really horrible time.” He stepped out from his chair to approach mine and I tilted my head back to hold his gaze. “Ember Bonet, I know I don’t deserve you. You are incredible, smart, kind, funny, loving and passionate, and there is no doubt in my mind that someone who is your equal is out there waiting for you. But I’m a selfish bastard because the mere thought of letting him have you feels like my heart is being ripped from chest. And that guy, whoever he is, might deserve you … but I can promise you,” Foster lowered to his knee in front of me and reached for my hand, “I can promise you that no man will love you harder than I do or work harder to prove it. Please forgive me for being a blind fool?”

I couldn’t breathe.

Foster Darwin had just declared himself in front of all these people, including his parents.

“Let me make it up to you,” he pushed, panic glittering in his dark eyes. “I will never give you cause to regret it. I love you.”

“Okay.”

His eyes widened. “Okay? Yes?”