Page 46 of Coming Home Country
“I’ve got her ’til you get back,” he replied, head tipped toward where the girls sat.
“Good man. Appreciate it.”
Tripp was more of a lover than a fighter, but I knew he’d throw down for Bex if push came to shove. She might as well be his sister alongside Aspen, and he cared for her.
After pushing through the back door to the bar, I leaned against the brick exterior, letting my head drop back and blowing out a heavy breath.
What the hell does Bex see in that guy?
Chapter 12
Bex
“Istillcan’tbelieveyou didn’t tell me.” Hurt leaked into Aspen’s tone as her eyes shifted from my engagement ring to a spot over my shoulder where I knew the man who had given it to me was standing near the bar with the guys.
My cover was blown the minute Aaron had shown up. He wasn’t supposed to get in until later tonight. I’d thought I had more time before reality caught up with me.
For as long as I lived, I would never forget the devastation written on Tucker’s face when he realized I was not only seeing someone else but that I was committed enough to marry him. I should have felt vindicated after what he’d put me through, but instead, a soul-crushing sadness settled into my bones. He might’ve hurt me so deeply that there were days it was hard to breathe, but not once had I felt the urge to strike back, to get even.
I ran a hand through my hair. “We’ve been over this. I didn’t want to take any of the focus away fromyourbig day.”
That was only partly true. Aaron had proposed two months ago, and the last thing I wanted was for tonight to become a deep dive into why I’dkept it a secret from my best friend for so long. It was bad enough that the doubts swirling inside my brain multiplied with each passing day.
Aspen’s lips pursed, and her eyes narrowed, almost as if she could see right through me. She probably could. There was no question she knew me better than anyone else in this world. It wouldn’t surprise me if she could tell I was struggling to convince myself that getting married was the right choice.
Harper clapped her hands. “Enough of this. Everyone sitting at this table knows that by tomorrow morning, this whole thing will be water under the bridge, and I’ll be damned if I let you two ruin the only event this week where I don’t have a kid attached to my boob the whole time.”
Reaching across the table, I grabbed Aspen’s hand. “I’m sorry, okay?”
She hummed. “You know I can’t stay mad at you.”
“Okay, now that that’s settled”—Harper extended a hand, curling her fingers—“let’s get a good look at the ring.”
I fought the urge to cringe as I gave in to her demands and let her examine the diamond that felt more like a shackle than a symbol of love.
“Damn, girl. You could feed a small country with this thing,” she declared.
She wasn’t wrong. It was flashy, ostentatious, and nothing I would have ever chosen for myself. Aaron was all about showcasing his success, whether it be the penthouse apartment, the foreign sports cars, or the exclusive club memberships he held. So it hadn’t been a surprise that he expected his fiancée to wear a rock so large you could see it from space.
I withdrew my hand, tucking it under the table, hoping that if it was no longer visible, we could move on to a new topic.
“Not sure why anyone is surprised,” Penny teased from beside me. “You two always did everything together. Only makes sense you’d find yourselves getting married around the same time.”
She sighed wistfully, peeking over her shoulder. I didn’t have to turn around to know Tripp was back there, and if I were a betting woman, I’d lay odds that his eyes hadn’t strayed from Penny all night.
Aspen groaned, her head thumping against the wood-paneled wall behind her. “I can’t take it anymore!”
Oh boy, here we go.
“What’s wrong?” Penny asked.
Huffing, Aspen gestured wildly between her brother across the room and his best friend seated with us. “For the love of God, please put yourselves out of your misery and go ask him to dance.”
“Who?” Her brow wrinkled.
“Tripp!” The name was said so loud it was a wonder the man himself didn’t run over, thinking he was being summoned.
A flush crept up Penny’s neck. “What? No, it’s not like that between us.”
