Love At First Sight (Southern Bride 1)

All the other girls laughed. “Keep dreaming!” one of them said as I picked up my pace and re-joined Alyssa.

“First up to bat is the guys’ team. Girls, get into position.”

“It looks like they have enough girls, Chloe. Let’s go sit in the stands.”

“Okay. Sounds good.”

The game started, and the guys were up to bat.

“Have you decided on the wedding cake?” I asked, trying not to think about this Morgan Hicks person.

“Not even close. Mike wants to do something fun and crazy. I, on the other hand, want something traditional, maybe even French-themed.”

“Why not let him pick his groom’s cake and you do the main wedding cake?”

She shrugged. “I really wanted just one.”

“Why?” I asked.

Looking around, she leaned in closer to me and whispered, “Do you not remember what putting Mike in charge of something is like?”

I smiled at the memory of Mike planning Alyssa’s eighteenth surprise birthday party. We had it at a trampoline place. The guys had a hell of a good time there.

Trying not to giggle, I replied, “You have to admit the trampolines were kind of fun.”

Alyssa shot me a dirty look. “Yeah, for them.”

Focusing back on the field I stopped laughing because I saw Rip. He was talking to someone I had never seen before.

“Who is Rip talking to?” I asked.

Alyssa followed my stare. “Oh, that’s Morgan. She owns a pottery studio down on the square.”

“Morgan Hicks?”

“Yeah, have you met her?”

I shook my head. “No, but Rip’s dated her, right?”

“Um, yeah, if you want to call a hook-up once or twice dating.”

Trying to pull my attention off of them, I watched the game. I jumped and screamed when Gage hit a homerun.

“Go Gage!”

When my eyes drifted back to Rip, he was watching me. I lifted my hand and gave him a slight wave. Seeing him dressed in baseball pants, a T-shirt, and that ball cap had my mind going fuzzy, and for a moment I forgot I was mad at him. He smiled back, then turned his attention to Morgan as she placed a hand on his arm. It didn’t take long for that old familiar, angry jealousy to show up and rear its ugly head.

“Chloe?”

I was still staring at Morgan and Rip when I replied, “Yeah?”

“If looks could kill, poor Morgan would be on the ground.”

Snapping out of it, I looked at her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She laughed. “Okay, if you say so. Have you guys talked at all? I know you were upset with him.”

“No, I texted him earlier to see if he could meet for dinner, and he hasn’t responded. Maybe he already has plans…with Morgan.”

Even I could hear the jealousy in my voice.

Alyssa raised a brow. “I swear to God, you two give me whiplash and you always have.”

I smirked. “You and me both.”

When I glanced back to Rip and Morgan, she was laughing. My chest ached, and I couldn’t help but wonder if this was what Rip felt when he saw me and Easton together. But it still didn’t make any sense that he would leave Texas A&M over it. And if that was the real reason, why in the hell hadn’t he just told me?

Agitation crept in even though I tried like hell to stop it. I frowned at the thought of Rip pushing me away because he was too afraid to admit his feelings for me. Claiming he only wanted me to be happy. Did he for once stop and think I might be happiest with him?

Morgan leaned up and kissed Rip on the cheek. He took a step back and looked up at me. His brows pulled in slightly, and I realized I was still frowning, possibly even giving him and Morgan a dirty look. My phone rang and I jumped, causing my phone to tumble around in my hands.

“Hello? Hello?” I said, trying to calm my racing heart.

“Chloe?”

“Hey Daddy, what’s going on?”

“Baby girl, where are you?”

My breath stalled in my chest. Something was wrong.

“I’m at the baseball game that Gage is playing in. At the fields. Why?”

“Honey, you might want to head home. It’s Patches.”

A sob instantly slipped from my lips. “What’s wrong?”

He didn’t answer.

Alyssa looked at me, worry all over her face.

“Daddy, what’s wrong with Patches?”

Alyssa stood, and I quickly followed her lead. She took my hand, and we started down the bleachers.

“Do you want me to come pick you up?”

My hand covered my mouth and I closed my eyes.

Patches. No. Please don’t leave me.

“Chloe? Chloe!”

Alyssa took the phone from my hand, and I barely heard her talking. The next thing I knew, I was in Mike’s truck.

“Gage?” I said, my voice cracking.

“I sent Mike a text to let him know what was happening. I got you out as fast as I could. You looked like you were about to break down crying. There is enough gossip going on in this town as it is. I didn’t want there to be more tongues wagging.”