Page 15 of Crashing the Altar
I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “I can’t watch her do it. I can’t.”
“I know.” He guided me toward his SUV. “I wouldn’t be able to, either.”
Slumping into the passenger seat, I let my eyes fall shut. “I’m leaving in the morning. Tell her goodbye for me?”
“Anything you need, brother. She’ll understand. She loves you.”
In my drunken state, I almost managed to convince myself he was talking about Penny instead of Aspen.
“What’re you doin’ back so soon? Figured you’d be gone ’til we were ready to pack up on Monday and needed to hitch the trailer to your truck.” My second-in-command, Ricky, couldn’t hide his surprise that I’d returned to Guymon barely twenty-four hours after leaving for home.
Hooking my heel on the bottom rung of the grazing pen, I rested my forearms over the top of the gate, staring out at our horses.
My silence sparked concern from the man by my side. “You all right there, Tripp?”
I hung my head and let out a deep exhale. “Not really.”
“Is it your folks? Are Aspen and the baby okay?”
“Everyone’s fine,” I assured him. “Just got a little more than I bargained for by sneaking home for Penny’s birthday.”
A low whistle sounded behind me. “Boss is pissed, ain’t he? Told ya you shoulda cleared it with him first before leaving me in charge.”
“He wasn’t exactly thrilled I didn’t give him a heads-up or ask permission before abandoning my post, but it’s not that.”
“We playin’ twenty questions all day, or are you gonna spit it out?”
The part of me still in denial felt that if I didn’t utter the words aloud, I could pretend that none of this was happening. But I knew that’s not how life worked. No matter what I did or didn’t say, I’d let the girl who owned my heart get away.
“Penny’s getting married.”
Ricky sucked in a sharp breath. “Shit.”
Keeping my eyes straight ahead, I grunted.
“Well, what are we hanging around here for? We should be off somewhere getting you drunk.”
The mere thought of alcohol was enough to turn my stomach after last night. “Already did that. Didn’t help.”
“Sorry, man.” A hand clamped down on my shoulder, and I finally dared to turn my head to look at Ricky. As soon as I did, I instantly regretted it. The pity from my friends and family was more than I could bear.
“I’m fine.” I shrugged his touch away. “We’re here to do a job, so let’s do it and move on to the next.”
“Yep, got it.”
His steps faded away, leaving me in solitude, which was a little taste of what my future would look like.
I’d be completely and utterly alone for the rest of my days while some other man enjoyed a life I coveted with the woman I loved.
Chapter 4
Penny
“Whatdoyouthinkabout the peach?”
“Mmm?” My head lifted at my mother’s voice to find her pouring over a sample book inside the bridal boutique in Enid.
“For the bridesmaids,” she prompted.
