Page 12 of The Complication with the Best Man

He cringes and one hand tugs on the back of his neck. “It’s the reason we’re here.”

“We?” I glance around the room. I’m not sure why. Do I assume someone is going to pop out of Adley’s playhouse and announce herself?

“Tamra wants to get married in Alaska, so we’re here to plan the wedding. And…”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, what?”

He draws out a long breath. “It seems she’s hired… you as our wedding planner.”

My eyes widen, and my stomach lurches. Again, not the baby, just his or her daddy. “What?”

“Hey.” Both of our heads turn toward the archway of the room. A hesitant Hudson’s hand is up in the air as if he comes in peace. “Adley’s already asleep, so can we keep it down a little?”

He disappears, and I lock my vision back on Finn.

“What are you, some kind of sicko? Why would you allow her to hire me?” I whisper-shout, if that’s even a thing.

His chocolate-brown eyes fire with irritation. “Yes, because I want to be uncomfortable the entire time I plan my wedding. And I thought, let me torture myself a little bit.” His shoulders lose some of the tension. “I didn’t know until we checked into the resort, and she gave me the rundown of what we’re doing tomorrow, which apparently involves meeting with you first thing since you’re our wedding planner.”

Oh my god. The out-of-town clients I’m meeting with tomorrow are Finn and his fiancée? I had her name of course, but I was a second away from throwing up when I was taking her information down. I figured I’d get the groom’s information when we met in person.

My eyes widen. “You can’t be serious.”

He nods, lips pressed together in a thin line. “It was all her doing. Obviously, I had nothing to do with it.”

“Of course, you wouldn’t want your beautiful fiancée knowing about your dirty little secret, right?” An oily sensation coats my skin at feeling as though I was the other woman.

I’ve never fooled around with anyone else’s man, but I’m familiar with the feeling of other people judging me for my hookups. As if they thought I have to live a pious life until I find my person.

“It’s not like that,” Finn says, drawing me from my thoughts.

I cross my arms again. “Tell me what it’s like then.” I don’t miss the venom in my voice.

“I just think it would make things… awkward for everyone if Tamra knew. I was hoping we could keep what happened between us.”

I guffaw and huff but try to rein myself in. This man is not worth it. “Still making me feel like your dirty little secret.”

Part of me wants to blurt out that I’m pregnant, but I need to consider what he’s just told me and how it will come into play. There’s certainly no perfect time to tell Finn that I’m pregnant, but right now might be the worst possible time.

A piece of me wants no part of this. No part of him and his fiancée and their wedding. I want to email Tamra and tell her I can’t take her on as a client anymore. But I can’t cut them lose because now more than ever, I need to make money to support my child. And it was clear from the intro conversations that Tamra intends to have a lavish wedding, which correlates to a nice paycheck for me.

“Harper—”

I put my hand in the air. “Fine. I’ll keep your little secret.”

“You will?” He arches an eyebrow, and his voice raises.

“Yes, but only because it will upset your fiancée. There’s no reason to do that if what you say is true, and you weren’t together when you were here for the wedding.”

“It’s true. I swear it.” He sounds so earnest that I think he might be telling the truth.

Still, it stings knowing I was a detour on the way to his final destination. Which is a ridiculous thought and must be the hormones talking. I’ve never once cared what any of my hookups have done after I slept with them. Finn isn’t any different. Except he has some kind of magic sperm that weaseled its way into my egg.

I nod. “Then tomorrow when we meet, I’ll act like we met in passing at the wedding and nothing more.”

“I appreciate that.”

I don’t bother responding but walk over to grab my purse where I left it on the couch. “I’ll see you then.” Turning, I begin to the leave the room.

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