Page 43 of Always a Bridesmaid

“You didn’t do this to screw with me?”

“I did this because a kid who just went through hell wanted to meet you and I could help facilitate that.”

“Of course I’ll meet him. I can even get him an up-close look at the car.”

Her heart went all gooey. “Finn would love that. As for the miscommunication about my plus-one, that was all your sister. I think she’s onto us.”

“So is Enzo.”

Jane let her head fall back against the wall and closed her eyes. “This is a bad idea. I take my job seriously and that was definitely a line crossed last night.”

“What do you mean your job?”

Jane’s eyes snapped open and perspiration broke out on her forehead. “I just meant that as a bridesmaid, supporting the bride is like a full-time job. Sleeping with the bride’s brother can get complicated, not to mention cliché, and I don’t want to do anything to make Sarah’s wedding week harder.”

“Then we keep it to ourselves,” he said. He kissed her belly and then stood. He tugged the new shirt over her head and then tucked her arms through the holes and pulled it down. “Be discreet.”

“I’m still leaving. And once I do, this has to end. No arguments.”

“When do you go home?”

“I’m staying four days after the wedding to vacation around London.”

“Well, I know the perfect guide.”

“And when it ends, this ends,” she reiterated.

“If you say so.”

12

The sun hung low in the sky casting a golden hue over the sprawling lawn of St. Claire Manor, which had been rented out for a day of fun and games. It was a smaller group, only the family, the wedding party, and a few close friends, but all Henry could focus on was Elle.

She was bent over, ass up, holding a croquet mallet and practicing her swing. She was terrible but determined. Which he found utterly adorable. She was also going out of her way to avoid him. Hell, she’d barely made eye contact. After nonchalantly shaking his hand, as if he didn’t know what her O face looked like, she’d walked clear across the lawn and started swinging away, whacking up divots of grass as she went.

“Nice view,” Jake said, coming up behind him. Henry nearly punched him. “You going to go for the cliché approach and offer to help her with her swing?”

“I don’t need a cliché approach.”

“Well, you need something if you’re going to have any chance of winning this bet. The woman would rather pound sod than stand near you.”

This was Henry’s chance to tell his friend that he’d already won the bet. And in any other situation, with any other woman, he would have. Jake was like a vault when it came to information. So then why did Henry find himself hesitating?

Because he didn’t want to share Elle. And kissing and telling would be like sharing, and something possessive wouldn’t allow him to even consider it. Instead, he said, “I don’t need advice from second place.”

“Well, you’re running out of time. The wedding is in two days and then it’s game over. I’ve already ordered your hat. It’s going to look great with your figure. Really bring out the BS in your eyes. It might make your butt look a little big, but that can’t be helped.”

Henry turned to look at his friend, who was in linen slacks and a white polo shirt with a white cable-knit sweater-vest over it. Henry could barely even look at the white cleated shoes.

“Why are you dressed like that? This is croquet, not the PGA tour.”

Jake looked down at himself and shrugged. “Just because you haven’t gotten any as of late, doesn’t mean you get to crawl up my ass. The invitation clearly saidcroquet attire recommended. So I looked it up online. Croquet attire.” He gave a little Vanna White sweeping action with his hand to encompass his outfit.

“Maybe at a country club. This is just a friendly game.”

“Nothing is a friendly game when it comes to you.” Jake patted him on the back. “There’s winners and losers, and I intend to win. In fact, I already know who I’m going to ask to be my partner.”

“If you say my cousin, I will flatten you.”

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