Page 8 of Bedding The Best Man (Bedding the Bachelors)

Gabe sat in silence with her a while longer before he cleared his throat. “Right. So that’s that,” he said as he stood up slowly, unfolding his long legs from under him. He brushed the sand off his pants, then leaned over and picked up his shoes, holding them dangling by two fingers. “C’mon,” he said, and put his other hand out.

She shook her head, again studying the relentless waves rolling on the beach. “I think I’ll stay here a while longer.”

“Nope,” he insisted. “I’m not going to let you sit here and beat yourself up, thinking you’re a failure, thinking that you’ll never get your happily ever after. You will, Bri. And you’re going to step up and start the journey to being the star of your life.”

She couldn’t help but smile up at him. “All right,” she sighed, “I guess they say the journey of a thousand miles begins –”

“With one mojito,” he finished, taking her hand in his, squeezing it in his strong fingers. Despite everything, she still felt a thrill when he touched her, helping her to her feet.

“Let’s go find you a drink.” He grinned and turned back toward the reception area, giving her a slight tug.

She brushed the sand off her dress with her free hand and walked back up the beach with him, grateful for his friendship and humor, but unable to deny her body wanted more.

It always had.

Chapter Two

An hour after he’d talked with Bri on the beach, Gabe sat at one of the large reception tables scattered beneath the wedding tent. He took a swig from his beer and looked around the table. Ryan sat next to Gabe, talking to his pretty friend, Annie. Jamie, Brianne’s brother, was confused, and angry, but he was keeping it together, due in large part to the woman by his side, Lucy Conrad. Cole and Luke were muttering to each other, and from the direction of their gazes were comparing notes on the bridesmaids. No mystery what they were planning to do.

At least the night will end well for someone, Gabe thought sourly. It sure wouldn’t for Bri.

“I can’t fucking believe this,” Gabe muttered, catching Ryan’s attention.

“I know, man. But it happens.”

“Not to Brianne, it doesn’t. Or it shouldn’t.”

“You never know what’s happening in a relationship,” Ryan shrugged. “But all this work… They had to be planning this for months. And I’m assuming because of what she does, most of the planning was done by Brianne. She must be dying of embarrassment.”

At Ryan’s pitying tone, Gabe instantly switched gears. He knew his friend didn’t mean any offense, but hell, no. Brianne Whitcomb was not a woman to be pitied, even if her asshole fiancé had just left her at the altar.

“She’s hanging in there,” he said, nodding toward the dance floor. Since their talk on the beach, she’d been giving her all, embodying the sayingNever let them see you sweat. She was taking it like a champ, with a mojito in one hand and her train in the other, dancing to some eighties song with a group of girls.

She’d always been the strongest girl he knew.

“What choice does she have?” Jamie, who was sitting next to Ryan, asked.

On the other side of Gabe, Cole spoke up. “Uh, she could have gone postal and chased after his ass. I’ve known a few girls who came after my balls when I didn’t call them after we spent the night together. I don’t even want to think about what would have happened if I left them on our wedding day.”

“Whatdoyou think happened?” Luke asked, leaning in. “I mean, seriously. Did he say anything to any of you?”

All of them shook their heads.

“Not a clue,” Ryan said. “But I can’t believe this is about another woman. I talked to Eric in Vegas, and he told me it had never been easier being faithful to a woman. And Brianne doesn’t seem the type to cheat.”

“She’s not,” Gabe barked, knowing it in his bones.

His friends all stared at him before averting their eyes, as if every one of them knew what he’d held secret all these years.

“You think Eric’s okay?” Cole asked. “I mean, like, really okay? He didn’t do anything crazy, did he?”

“I hope not,” Luke said, looking at his glass.

Probably for the first time that day, Gabe took a moment to think about Eric’s well-being. Guilt stabbed at him. Yes, he cared about Brianne, but he cared about Eric, too. But Eric was the one in the wrong here. He’dtextedBrianne that he wasn’t coming, for God’s sake—it wasn’t like he’d been kidnapped or in some horrible accident.

He glanced at Jamie and they locked gazes. Gabe knew how protective Jamie was of his little sister. There was no doubt in his mind some part of Jamie wanted to kick Eric’s ass—if he got through Gabe first, that is.

Gabe had never been so angry with anyone, never felt so compelled to come to someone’s defense as he did with Brianne.

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