Page 49 of Bedding The Best Man (Bedding the Bachelors)

Gabe laughed. “She hasn’t spoken to me since the night you called her, man. I don’t know that she wants to.”

Eric looked around. “Uh, man, in case you didn’t notice, you’re totally saving her life today. You’re her knight in shining armor.”

Gabe rolled his eyes, shoving Eric. “Shut up.”

“I mean it. If this doesn’t score points, what will?”

Gabe was thoughtful. “I’m not doing it it to get on her good side. I only wanted to help her.”

Eric smiled. “I know. That’s why you’re perfect for each other. She would do the same thing. Anyway, she’ll be here today. She can’t ignore you forever.”

“I don’t know. She could try.”

“Well I’m here. I’ll finally talk to her. Not today obviously, but tomorrow, when it’s all done. In the meantime, what can I do to help?”

Chapter Twenty

“I’m going crazy,” Brianne said, running from place to place. “I’m pretty sure I’m literally about to lose my mind.”

“Chill the fuck out, boss,” Evie said, grinning like a crazy person. “It’s all coming together.”

“I wish I had your confidence,” Brianne muttered, packing the last of the favors into boxes and handing them off to the guys loading the trucks. “This has been both the shortest and longest few weeks of my life, I swear. How did time fly by so fast?”

“No idea,” Evie said. “Isn’t it awesome?”

One day, Brianne would ask Evie how it felt to be an adrenaline junkie. “I got into event planning because I wanted a nice, interesting, un-crazy career. I wanted to be my own boss so I could take it easy. What the hell was I thinking?”

Evie laughed, taking one last look through her trunk to be sure nothing was being left behind. She was going to check out Leland’s event, with the permission of the magazine’s staff, as long as she promised to keep her mouth shut and didn’t try to influence any of the guests.

Leland was holding a morning event followed by a brunch, evidently—nothing special there. After the brunch, the hundred guests would be heading to the campsite. Evie had overseen the rental of four luxury party buses for transportation to the site. The guests, chosen by the magazine, knew they were spending the night at a campsite, that there would be a formal dinner served, and that physical activities would be included. Bri could only hope they packed accordingly.

“I still wonder what that snake is doing for his event,” Brianne mused, getting her things together in the car before leaving. “I shudder to think, honestly.”

“He’s so old-school, it’s ridiculous. No way he has the imagination to come up with something like our event. Don’t sweat it.”

“He’s skilled, though.”

“He thinks size and grandeur are all it’s about.” Evie gave Brianne a hug before getting into her car to head over to Leland’s. Brianne, on the other hand, was going straight to the camp site.

She pep-talked the hell out of herself the entire way. She would win this contest. Her business would succeed beyond her wildest dreams. It would be amazing. She would be amazing.

But Gabe would be there, too. He’d insisted on it, and it wasn’t like she could say no after all the help he’d given her.

It would be a big event, lots of people, lots to do. But it was unrealistic to think they wouldn’t see each other.

Only she couldn’t think of that right now. With the ease of practice, she shoved thoughts of Gabe aside and focused on work, but she was able to do that only because she was resolved in what needed to happen after the event.

She needed to face Eric. She still loved him, just not the way she loved Gabe. Not the way he deserved to be loved. He was a good person. It would have been a mistake for them to be married, because she didn’t love him the right way. She was grateful to him, now, for leaving. And to her subconscious, for driving him away.

* * *

Arriving at the camp site was like arriving at some fairy grove in a magical forest.

“Wow,” she breathed, feeling goosebumps rise over her skin.

This could work. This could really, actually work. She just might win.

A village had sprung up, seemingly out of nowhere. The dozens of yurts had been arranged in groups of five, each around a smaller campfire. Those small groups formed a larger circle around a massive fire pit. Lights and lanterns were strung here and there, between and around the yurts. It was magic.

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