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You don’t.

I’ve tried.

“I’m getting married!” Jana says as she jumps into her arms, practically knocking Remi over.

“I know.” Remi laughs. “We were all at the engagement party.”

Reece joins them, putting his long arms around both women. “We’re so glad you both are here. There isn’t anyone else we’d want to share this special day with.”

From under her sandwiched hug, Remi’s dark eyes shift to me. She obviously caught the word both and doesn’t like it.

Reece releases the hug and grabs her suitcase. “Let’s get out of here.”

“It’s time to get this weekend started.” Jana heads toward the passenger side of the car.

I stand there like an idiot, watching Reece put Remi’s bag in the trunk. That used to be my job.

“Hey!” he says, walking to the driver’s side. “I’m double-parked. Let’s go.” He climbs in the car, leaving us standing on the curb.

I roll my suitcase over to the trunk. Remi joins me at the back of the car. I reach for her duffel bag slung over her shoulder, but she pulls away.

“I’ve got it.”

“You didn’t have it a few minutes ago when you almost got sucked into the baggage claim.”

I’m coming off as a little cold. I can’t help it. I’m nursing a pretty big broken heart and wounded pride, so cut me some slack.

“The baggage claim was not my fault.”

I turn just as she leans over, dropping her duffel bag on top.

Her perfume circles through the air around me. Flowerbomb. That’s what it’s called. I know because I bought it for her for Valentine’s Day five months ago. I’ve been pseudo-smelling that scent for two months at the office, at the grocery store, and now the real thing is surrounding me. The smell is like a drug, giving me a false high, reminding me of all the good times that have a zero-percent chance of happening again.

She straightens, looking at me. Actually, she’s not looking at me. She’s looking everywhere else but at me. “I plan on writing a very strongly worded email to the manufacturer. Someone could die because of those things.”

“That’ll show ‘em,” I say.

I used to love her strongly worded emails. They’re full of, “If it’s not too much trouble,” and, “I’m sorry to disturb you,” because Remi doesn’t have a mean bone in her body…except when it comes to breaking up with me.

Reece honks. “Let’s go!”

We exchange a look for one painful second before both of us walk to our sides of the car.

I sink into the backseat, combing my fingers through my hair. I’m more nervous around Remi now than I was on our first date. Back then, I had nothing to lose.

CHAPTER 4

MATT

TWO YEARS AGO

“Do you always bring a gun on a first date?” Remi asks, eyeing the backseat of my car. She’s dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt with her brown hair stacked on top of her head in a high ponytail.

“It depends on the woman.” I smile back at her.

She gestures to the shotgun box. “That’s my name.”

I glance over my shoulder as much as I can while driving and read the logo on the box. “Remington?”

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