Page 5 of Hooking

“I want to first thank everyone for coming this long way to celebrate Vince and me. It means the world to us to have you here,” I say, as I look into his eyes, tears burning at the back. “But before I get into what I have written down, I wanted to share a video with you all. To share with you all the kind of love Vince and I share.”

I nod in Desmond’s direction, who presses play on the camera. The screen illuminates with the picture of our villa. I squeeze my eyes shut as the sound of the woman’s laughing fills the ceremony space. I feel Hayley place her head on my back as her arms wrap protectively around my waist. Gasps fill the space as tears blur my vision. Vince moves in front of me, his arms gripping my shoulders as someone shuts off the video stream.

“Cassie… Baby. Please look at me.”

I pull out of his grip and slowly back away from him to look into his eyes. Fury, anger, and regret all shine behind those baby blues I loved so much.

“Cass…”

I raise my hand to stop him from speaking. “It’s not what you think? Is that what you’re going to say to me right now?” A sardonic laugh rips through me. “Save it, Vince. I know a lot of things have happened in the past, but I thought this time would be different. That we were a forever team. But I was wrong.”

“That’s not what that was. It was a goodbye. I’m done with that life. The puck bunnies. The pointless hookups. You are what I want, Cass. Please,” he says, trying to pull me back toward the center of the arch. “Please keep going. It’s a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding? A misunderstanding is putting the wrong date on an invitation, not sticking your dick in some other woman’s vagina!” I scream out as I rip away from him. “I apologize, ladies and gentlemen, for wasting your time here today, but there will be no Reynolds-Burch union happening. If you are family or friends to the bride, please enjoy a happy hour at the hotel restaurant and bar. It’s been paid for in full by me for wasting your time. Thank you.”

Without another glance, I walk down the aisle with my head held high and heartbroken.

Chapter 2

Channing

Ididn’t plan on coming to Arizona for the wedding. In fact, the moment I received the invitation, I threw it in my fireplace, but not before getting plastered drunk of course. It is one thing to be invited to Vincent Burch’s wedding, but it’s another when the bride is Cassidy Reynolds.

The one who got away.

Granted, I’m the reason she got away in the first place. My fear of commitment. It’s not that I don’t want commitment, it’s the fact that the one time I opened my heart to someone, they proved just why it was a stupid thing to do. So ever since, I’ve been the player the media portrays me to be.

Except the one night I spent with Cassidy had me ready to give up my antics. But I wasn’t the man she needed. No, I was some damaged hockey player who women used for their own personal gain. So, while my connection with her was beyond anything I ever experienced, I knew it would only be a one-time thing.

So, yeah… I flew to Arizona for the impending nuptials but with no intentions of attending the wedding. And that’s why I’m sitting here in a bar not far from the resort, on my fifth Jack and Coke, hoping to numb the pain.

“Want another, good looking?” the bartender asks as she fixes to pour me another.

She’s good looking. Jet-black hair with green eyes, arms filled with tattoos, and tits that would drive anyone insane. I should have a semi just looking at her. Ask her to leave the bar with me so I can fuck her into tomorrow to help erase the idea of Cassidy marrying that prick from my brain. Yet all I’m getting is a limp dick and a hangover.

“Nah, better not. I should get back. My friends are gonna be looking for me,” I say, standing from the barstool, tossing a fifty on the bar.

I stumble slightly as I make my way toward the door, almost to be knocked down by a flash of white. “Shit. I’m sorry,” the person mutters, coming to a stop to make sure I’m okay. “Channing?”

My eyes focus on the woman in front of me. Long, blond hair cascades down around her breasts, which are encased in a floor-length lace wedding gown. Blue eyes surrounded by red rims look at me.

Cassidy.

She’s standing here in front of me, wedding dress and all. But why is she here and not at the altar, committing to forever with Vince the prick Burch? And why does she look so… Broken?

“Cassie, what are you doing here?” I ask as she walks toward the barstool I just abandoned.

She looks at the bartender and orders a shot of tequila , shooting it back as soon as it’s set directly in front of her before ordering another. The second shot is set in front of her, she goes to lift it to her lips and takes a sip this time rather than shooting it.

“You came to Arizona but didn’t come to the wedding?” she says, looking down at the bar.

“Is that why you’re here? To give me a lecture about not coming to your wedding,” I say, with a slight smirk tugging at my lips.

She looks at me and smiles sadly as she shoots the rest of her tequila. She’s quiet for a moment as if something’s eating away at her. Like she’s moments from breaking down if she talks about it.

“Vince was sleeping with one of his puck bunnies…” She pauses for a moment before continuing, “Literally the night before our wedding. I caught it all on camera.”

Red-hot anger burns at the back of my neck. That son of a bitch. I squeeze my hand tightly into a fist as I try to resist the urge to go knock his lights out. Cassidy is the last person who deserves to be treated like that.

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