Page 8 of Should've Been Us
Dean had one arm around Nikki, Aubrey’s until now missing bridesmaid, and his other arm around Lulu’s waist as he paraded down the hallway like a peacock with a prize, or in this casetwo.
Lulu was tucked into his side, her arm around his waist too, leaning on him a little. The smile she was wearing was sweet and sincere as she looked up at the big idiot and the rush of jealousy that hit Connor nearly doubled himover.
He was used to Derek touching Lulu. They were best friends. Connor had to watch them interact all the time. He’d learned to live with it once he’d realized Derek had no feelings for Lulu beyondfriendship.
But Dean was a different story altogether. Dean was a flirt and a man-whore and he definitely didn’t think of Lulu like a sister the way Derek did. Connor didn’t want him within twenty yards of Lulu, let alone with her in hisarms.
It should’ve been him. The old familiar sensation raced through him and he grit his teeth. He was the one that should have been at her side. He was the one that should have been allowed to hold her, comfort her and touch her. He wanted to be the one that she smiled at but instead, he’d somehow become the man that when her gaze met his even at this distance, they automatically dropped away and to thefloor.
Why the hell did he always have to antagonize her? Oh, right, because he felt like spitting venom whenever he thought of her pining after Derek all these years. Because it annoyed the hell out of him that he could have any woman he wanted according to just about anyone that had ever met him, but he couldn’t even get the one he’d always wanted to stop fighting withhim.
He blew out a steadying breath and forced himself to smile, “You’re late as perusual.”
“Well, Nikki and I were on our way but then I saw this pretty little thing wandering around alone and being a gentleman I stopped to escort her inside.” Dean nudged Lulu and she giggled a little, which was all the confirmation Connor needed that the little shit had in no way been a gentleman and had in fact probably hit on her relentlessly until she rolled her eyes and agreed to come inside with him. “She was lost and I had to save her,Con.”
“Uh huh.” He pursed his lips but Lulu didn’t look athim.
Lost, his ass. She’d been in here not ten minutes ago. She’d only left to get away from him. But if she wanted to pretend their previous conversation hadn’t happened he wasn’t one to argue with her aboutthat.
He also knew better than to ask why Dean had been with Nikki to start with. There was an answer in the way the pretty brunette looked up at him and Connor didn’t need to hear about it. It seemed Dean had gotten a head start on his mission to bag a bridesmaid and so long as that bridesmaid wasn’t Lulu, Connor didn’t give a shit who the cocky little shit sleptwith.
The other two missing groomsmen were just behind Dean. Reed and Ridley were Derek and Dean’s cousins. The familial resemblance was uncanny really. They were older than Dean but not by much and the three of them together would undoubtedly causetrouble.
“And you two?” He raised aneyebrow.
“This is my vacation and I didn’t bring a watch.” Reed grinned, “I’m getting a drink. You with me,bro?”
Ridley nodded, “Yep, a drink soundsgood.”
“Okay, okay, let’s get some food ordered before we start throwing back drinks, huh? You’re all here now so why don’t you go on in and grab a seat. Aubrey’s in there already with the others so I’ll wait for Derekand…”
“No need to wait. I’mhere.”
Connor glanced over Dean’s shoulder and saw his lifelong best friend all but steam-rolling down the hallway. His long legs ate up the carpet as he closed the space between them all. He was a man on a mission and his smile was blinding, proof he considered himself the luckiest man on the planet to be getting married in a fewdays.
“Derek.” Lulu stepped out from under Dean’s arm to greet him, “Where were you? I tried calling when I got here but you didn’t pickup.”
“Sorry, Lulu.” Derek pulled the brunette into a friendly hug and then ruffled her hair in a way that must have made her want to bite his hand because she was glaring at him when he pulled away, “I left my phone in the room when I ran back to the airport to pick up Mom and Dad. Their flight was delayed so they missed theirvan.”
Connor kept himself still and motionless as the two interacted. It was something he’d been doing for a long time. If he didn’t speak he wouldn’t risk telling Derek he was a fucking asshole to keep toying with Lulu’s emotions by constantly pulling her close. If he kept himself still and his breathing even, he wouldn’t give into the urge to grab Lulu and pull her away from their mutual bestfriend.
“Mom and Dad are here?” Dean cut into the moment, straightening up and dropping his other arm from Nikki as if he’d been caught doing somethingwrong.
“They’re dropping their bags in their room and then they’ll be down.” Derek informed his little brother before turning his attention to Connor, “Hey man, you seen Breeyet?”
“She’s in the private dining room waiting on pins and needles for ya.” He jerked a finger over his shoulder, “Come on. Let’s get you to your girl before she panics you got cold feet and made a run forit.”
Derek laughed as he moved past Lulu and gave Connor a brotherly smack on the back, “The only way I’m running is towards her. Lead theway.”
Connor caught Lulu’s eye before he turned away. She looked sad again and fuck he hated that. Her smile for Dean had annoyed him but even that was better than this and he had a feeling he would be seeing a lot more of this look than that one over the next few days. He hated it and he wanted to make it better for her, but until she accepted that Derek wasn’t going to suddenly wake up and realize he’d been in love with her all along, there wasn’t much Connor coulddo.
She averted her gaze, refusing to look at him, and he sighed as he turned his back on her and led the group towards the dining room. It was going to be a long night if he had to watch Lulu make sad eyes at Derek for the next few hours so he purposefully arranged himself so that she couldn’t sit next to Derek or even across from him at the large table. Connor stuck her at the other end next to Dean and across from himself and didn’t hesitate to motion the nosy bartender over to give her adrink.
“Thank you.” She murmured quietly as she took the glass of wine and he nodded but saidnothing.
It was all he could give her, for now, so it would have todo.
