Page 29 of The Trouble with Runaway Brides

I knew then it was the end of us. I’d never have Lance in my life again.

* * *

I’m not even aware I’m crying until Blake takes me in his arms. “Girl, why the hell are you getting married in Lake Starlight?”

I draw back, wiping my tears. I’ve cried enough over Lance Whitmore. “Because I’m done with him getting everything from our breakup. I never returned to this town. Hell, I lost my best friend because she’s his cousin. I’m taking this for myself.”

Blake’s eyes widen. “Whoa. Okay. I feel like a different Kenzie got on the plane in New York than is landing in Anchorage, but I like this one too.”

I go back to staring out the window, hoping I have the backbone to steel myself against the shots coming my way until I say I do.

Ten

Lance

According to Kenzie’s text, she should be arriving shortly. I left a note with the registration desk to have her meet me in the venue room tomorrow at nine in the morning.

I’m home, finishing my list of all the things we have to accomplish and there are a few loose ends, but the list of questions I left for her to answer before our meeting tomorrow should clear that all up. My front door opens and shuts. I’m not expecting anyone since it’s Sunday afternoon, so I frown.

“What’s up?” Easton shouts then appears in my kitchen.

I shut my computer and slide it across the table. “Hey, man.”

He goes to my fridge because that’s where he always goes when he arrives here. He puts a six-pack of beer inside and takes out the carton of orange chicken from last night’s takeout. Moving over to where I keep the cutlery, he opens the drawer and pulls out a fork. “Are you working?”

“No, I was just finishing up the to-do list for Kenzie’s wedding.”

He shakes his head and puts two pieces of chicken in his mouth. Probably to stop himself from offering his unwelcome opinion.

“Thanks,” I say.

“For what?” he mumbles around his food.

“Not telling me I’m an idiot like Brinley did the entire dinner the other night. But I have no choice. My dad said it’s me or no one.”

He carries the carton into the family room. “None of my business. Never was.” Sitting down, he takes it upon himself to turn on the television and flick over to what he wants to watch.

“Did you hear they got a dog?” he asks.

“Brinley and Van? Yeah, I saw them at the breeder’s when I was there with my parents.” I head over to the fridge and grab two cold beers.

“I just know I’m going to be the last one of us to find someone.” He forks another piece of chicken and slides it into his mouth.

“Maybe if you saw women as more than a conquest…” I place a beer on the table in front of him and sit with my own beer in the chair off to the side.

“First of all, I do not see them as that.”

“Whatever, you love the challenge.”

He hems and haws. “Nowadays, they aren’t a challenge. And you can act all innocent over there, but someone else answered your phone the other morning.” He raises his eyebrows.

I shrug and look at the TV. “Sometimes I need to unwind.”

“Me too, man.”

We’re both silent, choosing to watch the Kingsmen football game rather than continue down that line of conversation. Since Alaska doesn’t have a team, the San Francisco Kingsmen became our team when a guy from Sunrise Bay was drafted as their quarterback. He’s since retired, but now we’re kind of related to the guy through marriage, which is weird. But then again, Easton being a professional baseball player is probably weird to some.

“Buzz Wheel was kind of harsh.” He doesn’t look at me when he says it, but I catch him glancing at me from the corner of his eye when I don’t respond.

---