Page 25 of Wildest Forever

“I was at your wedding,” I half laugh and look for the champagne bottle that is floating around the table.

“Oh, yes, of course you were,” she thinks for a moment as she laughs softly. “Sorry, it was a long day, plus, I was a little tipsy,” she leans into me and whispers the last bit.

“Wish I could say the same,” my eyes follow the bottle and before I can even grab it, Aspen has a fresh bottle in her hand and she is popping the cork before filling my glass to the brim and I lick my lips.

“Thank you,” I nod as I take a large mouthful, the bubbles hitting the spot.

“So, let's address the elephant in the room shall we,” she laughs as she fills her own glass and clinks it against mine.

“What's that?”

“How are you feeling with all of this? It must have been a shock.”

I nod, rolling my lips.“It was a shock, but I need to remember the bigger picture,” I sigh as I look down at my pops who is laughing with Tripp and Riggs and my heart warms slightly.

“Is this thing...” she pauses, “between both of you, is it gonna turn into more than a business transaction?”

I shrug a shoulder up as I look down at my new husband.

“No, I don't think so,” I say blasé, because it is the truth. As much as that would be a wonderful ending to our story, I just can't see it panning out that way at all.We want different things.

I think it will stay as it is, a deal between a dying man and a proud one.

He wants to help, swoop in and save the day and my pops gave him the equipment to do it.

“That's a shame,” she sighs, her head tilting as she looks at him. “He is a good kid,” she nods before her eyes trace mine.

“I'm sure he is,” I return her nod with a soft smile. “Has he ever had a girlfriend?” and she shakes her head.

“Not that we have known and we're all a pretty close-knit group.”

“Huh,” I say a little intrigued but then doubt settles into my stomach at why he hasn't.

“It's a him thing more than anything else, he's a hopeless romantic that one.” She sighs, as if memories flash through her eyes. “Wears his heart on his sleeve, desperate to findhisgirl.”

I lick my lips as I avert my gaze to my husband, his whiskey eyes on me and my heart jolts in my chest.

“Well, I've ruined that now haven't I,” I admit and reluctantly drop my eyes to my fingers that are curled around the stem of my champagne flute, a delicate gold ring wrapped around my finger and my chest is heavy.

“You might be the dream girl he has been wishing for since he was eighteen.”

I scrunch my nose.

“I doubt that very much, I'm more of a burden to him than a dream girl,” I laugh softly and drain the rest of my glass.

We're not alone for long, when a pretty brown-haired girl with a small bump takes her seat opposite.

“I'm Dixie,” she pushes her hand across the table for me to take and I do, shaking them before I withdraw mine. “So, what a surprise this was,” her gaze drifts to Aspen before her blue eyes are on mine.

“Tell me about it,” I swallow down the dryness that coats my throat.

“I mean, you have got lucky with this family,” she smiles softly, her hand rounding the underside of her bump, her lips pressing into a smile as she looks down at the life she is growing.

“Have I?” I find myself asking which gets her head snapping up fast.

“Yeah, you have,” and I don't miss the harshness of her tone.

“Dix...” Aspen says softly, shaking her head in a disapproving manner. “I think what my sister-in-law is trying to say,” she turns herself to fully face me, “you have got lucky with this bunch,” she gestures her hand down the table lined with Riveras. “You will never find a more loyal, hardworking, loving family. Sure, they've had their moments,” she winks at me, “but everything they do is fortheirfamily, and well, Morgan, whether you like it or not, you’re part of this now. I know this is not what either of you wanted, trust me, but this is the cards you have been dealt. So, you can either go with the flow and go all in or put up resistance making both your lives miserable for however long this goes on for,” she rolls her lips before settling back in her chair and twisting back around.

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