Page 25 of Wedding Season
“Fine,” he agreed and Cam blew out an obvious sigh of relief. “But I have a condition.”
“Name it. The ladies will do anything.”
“It’s not for the ladies. I could use help with the back patio project. I’m hoping you’ll be my manpower tomorrow.”
Cam laughed softly. “The ladies will do anything for your help and I’ll do anything for Emma. If you get this guy to open the door, I’ll be here at seven tomorrow and as many weekends as you need.”
“Deal.” Alex stepped forward to shake hands then followed Cam toward the truck parked at the curb. “We could walk to the inn, you know.”
“Every minute this situation isn’t resolved makes Emma more upset,” Cam told him. “So every moment counts.”
Alex nodded. He appreciated Cam’s devotion to Emma. It was the kind of devotion he’d planned on offering Amber for the rest of their lives. Turned out coming from him she hadn’t wanted it.
It seemed to only make him weak in her eyes. And that just left him feeling pathetic. Pathetic was no way for a man to live his life.
Within minutes, Cam had parked around back at the inn. Several pairs of eyes looked up as they entered the kitchen, and Alex saw Emma let out a sigh that matched her fiancé’s. He wasn’t sure he could live up to her expectations of making things better with the groom, but he was committed to trying.
Emma introduced him to the groom’s parents. The father pumped his hand while the mom gave him a tight hug. “We saw your video back when it happened. Although we’re grateful Arthur wasn’t publicly humiliated the way you were, this is still awful for him.”
“Not many people were made a public spectacle the way I was,” Alex told her with a tight smile.
She hugged him even tighter. “I won’t watch that Amber Turner any longer.”
“You rented one of her movies the other night in the hotel,” the dad reminded her.
“From this moment forward she is dead to me,” the woman assured Alex with a sheepish grin.
“I appreciate that,” he said. “However, she’s a talented actress—I should know better than anyone—so there’s no need for you to boycott her.”
“Such a nice young man,” the mom said. “Just like my Arthur.”
“Why don’t I head on up?”
Alex was grateful when Emma stepped forward. “I’ll show you where he is.”
They climbed the back staircase and Alex felt like the whole place was shrouded in silence, as if even the walls knew something damaging had happened here tonight. Something that wasn’t a part of the eternal love and vows normally spoken within these walls or in the backyard.
“We appreciate you coming over,” Emma said. She reached the top of the stairs and turned to face Alex. “When Mariella suggested it—”
“I don’t want to talk about Mariella. She’s not the reason I’m here.”
“Oh, right.” Emma nodded. “It’s just that she seemed so sure you could help. I know you guys aren’t exactly the best of friends, but she has a lot of faith in you.”
Alex wasn’t sure how to react to that and didn’t particularly care for the way his heart pinched at Emma’s words.
He didn’t want to think about Mariella in any way, but as they headed down the hall he realized that was going to be impossible tonight because she was sitting along with the third business partner in the inn, Angi Guilardi, outside one of the doors at the far end of the hallway.
“You came.” She scrambled to her feet.
“As a favor to Cam,” he clarified immediately. “And because I hate to hear about another poor schmuck being played by a woman. Did you have a hand in this guy’s heartbreak as well?”
Her mouth thinned and he could have gut-punched himself for being an ass. What was it about this woman that brought his emotions so quickly to the surface?
“I didn’t even arrive until after most of the guests had left.”
Angi shifted closer to Mariella and Emma moved to stand at her other side. Alex had noticed this occurrence before with these women. The way they had each other’s backs.
Despite his personal feelings, he was glad Mariella had that kind of loyalty from her friends.
