Page 14 of Forget Me

Cooper flashed a quick smile. “Of course.”

“He’s lying.” Ben threaded his arm through Cooper’s. “Watch out for Mom. She’s been talking to Bree’s mom, and now she’s got wedding fever. She tried to pressure us into setting a date.” Ben’s smile was forced. “We’re not ready for that yet.”

I’d have to ask him later why he looked like someone had made him eat one of the bridesmaids’ bouquets. “She won’t bother me. She’s always said I should establish my career first. Besides, you guys are practically married.”

“I think my getting engaged might have knocked something loose in her. She was asking where Bree got her dress.”

I swallowed. The warm greenhouse and the scent of lilies overpowered my senses. “I need some air.”

“Want us to come with?” My brother took a step toward me.

I held up my hands. “No. All I need is a minute to myself.”

I turned on my pinchy pumps and weaved through the beaming guests, the hand-holding pairs celebrating couplehood, toward the exit. I wasn’t ready to get married yet. Though maybe Bree was right. Maybe I wasn’t happily single anymore. It sure would’ve been nice to have someone to wrap an arm around when Byron confronted me. Someone to hold me up in the face of his scorn.

Someone kind and caring like my Mystery Man.

Somehow I’d screwed that up. There was no new number in my phone. I’d ransacked my apartment and found nothing but a neon-green, penis-shaped straw and a condom still in its “Bad decisions make great stories” wrapper.

I shoved open the door and stepped outside to fill my lungs with cool, fresh air.

But the air wasn’t fresh. A man stood twenty feet away in the designated area, a cigarette pinched at his lips.

His broad shoulders and black tee were heart-sinkingly, couldn’t-pretend-I-didn’t-know-him familiar.

There went my get-myself-together-time.

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