Page 11 of Come Back to Me

I mean, we haven’t really talked much about the wedding at the few book clubs I’ve attended, but I guess I’m surprised I didn’t know Fitz would be the one walking her down theaisle. It makes me wonder if Emily has also lost her father and it chokes me up for a second, remembering how I felt planning my almost-wedding, knowing my dad wouldn’t be there.

As Emily arrives at the front, I turn to face fully forward, wiping tears from my eyes. When I look up, I’m met with the probing gaze of Jack’s familiar gray eyes, and he almost looks concerned. I compose myself and give him a shy smile, which he returns with a beaming one of his own and a… wink. A wink that makes me feel tingly in areas of my body I have no business feeling tingles in while I’m in a church.

JACK

It’s only a few minutes before we need to head out into the church, and I’m straightening Ted’s bowtie for him. “How are you feeling, buddy? Nervous? Excited? Both?” I ask him.

“No, Jacky, no nerves at all. You know I’ve loved Emily since we were practically kids. I’m not sure either of us thought we’d make it here after some of the stuff I pulled. But, now that we are, I’m just excited.” He beams.

“I’m so proud of you, Teddy.” I need to pause and clear my throat because, damn, I think I actually might cry. “You’ve overcome so much and have never had an easy go of it, but you face every day with joy, and I know you’ll be a good husband to Em. It’s an honor to be your best friend, man.”

“Well shit, Jack. Now you’re gonna make me look like a crybaby, too,” he teases, wiping his eyes. “Seriously, though, I’m only here because you’re the kind of best friend who never let me give up. I owe you so much.”

“Bullshit. I was just along for the ride. You’ve done the hard work,” I say before pulling him in for a hug.

When we make our way out to the front of the church, Iscour the crowd looking for Annie. I don’t see her, though, until she stands when Emily walks down the aisle. Shit, I know I should focus on watching the bride, but I can’t take my eyes off Annie. The way she looks in that green dress, with her auburn curls flowing loosely down onto her ivory shoulders and her mesmerizing eyes—it all has me suddenly growing hard.What the fuck? Thank God everyone else is watching Emily, or I’d be really humiliated right now. I discreetly put my hands in front of me to camouflage my… situation.

Still not able to stop looking at Annie, I notice she seems to be crying—and not that normal crying some women do watching a bride come down the aisle. She almost looks… sad. When she catches me looking her, she gives me a sweet smile. Excited, I can’t keep from smiling back and then I wink at her.Christ, what is wrong with me? Read the room, Jack. Why the hell am I flirting with a woman in the middle of a wedding right after she’s been crying?

Man, Annie Brooks has majorly thrown me off my game.

CHAPTER 7

ANNIE

I take a sip of the martini I’ve been nursing and smile as Janie flirts with the man sitting next to her during the cocktail hour. The bridal party is off getting photographs taken, so this is a nice way to pass the time before the reception.

Janie and I met a few of Emily’s single guy friends and have hung with them for most of the last hour. Janie and one of them are really hitting it off. The other one, Chad, is cute, tall, and seems like a nice guy, so I don’t mind chatting with him while his friend is busy being enthralled by Janie. I decide I’m a pretty good wing-woman. When the dinner portion of the reception is ready to start, we go our separate ways but promise to catch up later in the evening.

Settled in our chairs, Janie and I clap along with everyone else as the bridal party is introduced.

Teddy and Emily have their own intimate dinner table set up and it’s so romantic.

After Jack escorts Trina—Emily’s maid of honor—into the ballroom and to her seat, he walks over to one of theother bridesmaids, a petite and stunning raven-haired beauty. He puts his hand on the small of her back and guides her to her seat, then pulls the chair out for her. He laughs at something she says and kisses her on the cheek before sitting next to her and putting his arm around her.

My cheeks heat and I make myself turn away, refusing to look in his direction again. Even when I swear I feel his gaze on me.

When dinner is served, the aroma is enticing, and the presentation is a work of art. Unfortunately, my appetite has called it a night and I only pick at my food.I’m such an idiot.

I’ve been secretly admiring Jack whenever he’s come in to work over the last few weeks. Then, after spending some time with him at the dog park, I thought maybe there were sparks. And what the hell was the wink about? I guess I misread that. It doesn’t matter, anyway, because I don’t date people I work with.

Once dinner is over and the bride and groom have had their first dance, Janie and I make our way to the dance floor. We’re quickly joined by our new friends from cocktail hour and have a blast dancing away to all the fast songs.

When the music changes to a slow, romantic tune, Chad holds out his hand. He asks, “May I have this dance?”

I nod, smile at him and we dance for a full song, then start on a second.

He’s charming and flirty, but becoming slightly handsy as he drifts his hand away from my lower back toward my hip and the top of my butt. I tense a little but try to give myself a mental pep talk. I remind myself that if I think a one-night stand is what I need to stop focusing on Jack—who is clearly here with the girl he sat with at dinner—then this with Chad, is likely how to make that happen.

It’s just that it was a little easier when I was only thinking about it as a possibility. Since I’ve never actuallyhad a one-night stand, and now I’m staring at the potential of it actually happening, I’m not sure how I feel about it anymore.

The nausea grabbing a hold of my stomach might be trying to tell me something. Still, I’m determined to get past this Jack “thing,” so I take a deep breath and focus on trying to relax myself as I smile up at Chad.

JACK

I’ve been sitting here at this table for the last half hour like a creeper watching Annie dance and it’s maddening. I was hoping to spend some time with her tonight, maybe dance and have a chat, but that’s impossible since she’s giving all her attention to whoever that guy is she’s dancing with. I’m not sure how she doesn’t notice him blatantly ogling her chest.

The music slows and I rise, deciding I’m going to ask her to dance—but he beats me to it. Fuck. I lower myself back into my seat.

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