Page 143 of When Wrecked Meets Ruined
Gideon was beautiful in the way that a marble statue or a priceless piece of art was beautiful. Look, but don’t touch.
“I’d go for that one.” Addison pointed to Ridge. “Tall and athletic.” She side-eyed me. “Is he yours?”
I shook my head. “Not anymore.”
“How did the date go?” Priya asked.
“It was fine.” It wasn’t even close to being fine. I liked Priya, but we’d only just met this week, so I didn’t know her well enough to spill my guts. “I have to use the restroom. I’ll catch you later.”
They said goodbye, and I turned to go. I’d only taken a few steps when Quinn grabbed my arm. “Hang on. I need you to do something for me.”
“Do you need me to hold up your dress so you can pee?” I’d done it earlier. It was my job as maid of honor, and I didn’t want to let her down. “Come on, let’s go. There will be no pee on that gown. Not on my watch.”
She laughed. “No. I don’t have to pee. But you did an amazing job.” She patted my arm and pulled me across the grass, and the next thing I knew, I was standing next to Ridge, and Quinn was telling the photographer she wanted a photo of just the two of us.
Quinn was the master of stealth attacks. She was lucky I loved her so much.
“We don’t have to do this,” I told Ridge.
“Try telling your best friend. Quinn’s small, but she’s determined.”
That I knew. Quinn was tenacious. It was her superpower. One of many. But since it was her wedding day, I played nice and didn’t put up a fight.
Ridge wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and I put my hand on his chest and looked up at him. He wore a light gray suit and a crisp white dress shirt with a tie that matched my dress.
He tilted his chin down, and his browns met my greens. “Smile, Cherry.”
We both smiled on cue, and the photographer captured the moment. As soon as the photo was taken, Ridge withdrew his arm, and we moved away so the Cavanaughs could get their pictures taken.
We stopped on the stone stairs shaded by trees, and Ridge turned to me. “Listen, about the other night….” He grabbed the back of his neck, a pained expression on his face. “It was a mistake, and I—”
“Uncle Ridge! Help! They’re chasin’ me.”
A little boy hurled himself at Ridge, who scooped him up into his arms just as three more kids raced up the steps. “He stole my magic key from Disneyland!” the little girl shrieked. “Give it back right now, Zane, or I’m gonna tell my daddy. He bought it ‘specially for me, not you.”
“Whoa, Gracie,” Ridge said. “Calm your jets.”
“I want it back! Make him give it to me.”
Brody appeared at the top of the steps and took in the scene. “What the hell’s going on?”
The kids all started talking at once, but I didn’t stick around to hear more. I slipped away and left ‘Uncle Ridge’ and his brother to sort it out.
I hurried to the restrooms housed in a stone cottage on the property and locked myself in a stall.
It was a mistake.
Every shred of hope I’d been hanging on to withered and died.
* * *
Spanish acoustic guitar music played during the cocktail hour. The music was beautiful. Sensuous. Sexy. The party spilled across the lawn and onto the flagstone patio set with tables and chairs for dinner. Fairy lights were strung from the trees and around the alfresco dining area and dance floor.
It was magical.
I grabbed a sunset-colored cocktail from a passing waiter’s tray and took a swig, my eyes on Ridge, who was talking to an icy blonde. Tall and willowy, she looked like she could be a model. I wanted to scratch out her eyeballs with my fingernails. She got his smiles and his laughter while I got the cold shoulder.
“How’ve you been?” a male voice asked.
