Page 15 of Revival

“Thank you. Not the way I’d like to start our honeymoon thinking of my wife with another man.” Spencer turns his chin over his shoulder and winks.

Leaving the men to load the luggage, I roll my eyes and slide into the back seat of the SUV.

Spencer joins me a moment later, but before we depart, the man retrieves a marker from the glovebox and scribbles out Sebastian’s name.

“There.” He smiles and turns the sign around. “All fixed.”

“I appreciate it,” Spencer replies.

Settling in my seat, I gaze out the window as we leave the airport. Spencer could have left it alone and pretended to be Sebastian for the short twenty-minute trip to our resort. The gesture softens meslightly, though I’d never admit it out loud. His ego doesn’t need any praise. Not when he isn’t supposed to be here in the first place.

I haven’t even had enough time to sort through those feelings. I can’t. Not until I’m somewhere alone, preferably far away from the infuriating man. I’m not sure what sort of emotions might come out with the current weight of heartbreak in my life. And I’m not interested in Spencer’s brand of comfort.

Not when he has his own history of breaking my heart he never apologized for.

Long green palm fronds out my window soothe some of the chaos in my soul.

I made it.

I nearly cancelled after I called off the wedding, but after one too many friendly calls to check on my well-being, I decided I’d had enough and needed out of our small town. I finally understood this must have been how my brother Aiden felt after he got shot, and we just wouldn’t leave him alone to heal. Bless him for putting up with five relentless siblings and one concerned mom. He probably deserves a medal.

Granted, he found one in his beautiful new fiancée and their baby boy. I know such a prize isn’t in the cards for me.

That’s okay. I can hold my head up high. I own a successful veterinary practice, and I’ve raised an incredible son. That’s more than I could have ever asked for in a life that started off on the wrong foot.

“Are you still tired?” Spencer rumbles beside me.

I blink, realizing the car slowly travels down a paved driveway lined with palm trees and greenery. Our chauffeur pulls into a drop-off loop, parking beside a wide marble fountain.

“I’m fine.”

“Here. Put this on.” He shoves a hard object into my palm.

Opening my fingers reveals a ridiculously sized silver diamond ring. The square-cut stone embedded in the middle is surrounded by smaller ones.

“What the hell is this?” I hiss, glancing over just in time to see Spencer slide a silver band on his finger.

“We’re supposed to be on our honeymoon.”

“You did not buy an engagement ring for a charade.”

“Relax. It’s cubic zirconia. It cost twenty bucks.”

“I’m not wearing this.”

“Might look a little suspicious when we check in without rings on our fingers.”

The chauffeur opens my door, providing a quick escape from Spencer’s unnecessary ploy. I remind myself to send my travel agent a strongly worded email once we’re settled.

After Spencer told me how he wound up in Sebastian’s seat, I found an email from my travel agent in my spam folder where she apologized for getting my fiancé’s name wrong, must have mixed it up with another client, but not to worry! It was all fixed now.

The very least she can do is return the commission she earned on this colossal screw up.

I ball my hands, the ring biting sharply into my palm.

What if Spencer’s right? I open my hand and stare at the ring glittering in the sunshine. Do I want to risk being denied the honeymoon package I’ve spent months looking forward to?

Jamming the ring on my left ring finger, I set off toward the entrance, eager to see this grand resort in person and leave Spencer behind for good.

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