Page 5 of The Trouble with Runaway Brides

I slide it out and put my wine on the table, hanging my purse on the back of the chair. “I’ll only stay until they show up.”

“I’m sure Brinley would like to see you.”

I grimace because I’m not so sure. We were the best of friends in high school, but after college, after Easton, things went south.

She called me last year when she met this Van guy and I thought maybe it would revive our friendship, but I always have this layer of guilt that keeps me from reaching out to her as much as I want to. I should’ve been there when her first husband died. I should’ve been there to hold her hand—after all, I was a bridesmaid at her wedding. But sometimes I think she looked at me and hated me, felt like I was tearing her cousins apart.

He chuckles. “I think she misses your friendship.”

I shrug and sip my wine, not wanting to get into it.

“So, how’s the wedding planning?”

I’m surprised by his question because I would never want to talk about his upcoming wedding—if he had one.

I put on my most practiced smile to try to hide my discomfort. “Well, it’s hard to marry an Asbury. The press is all over it, leaking news of the locations and following me to dress fittings. I just want it to be an intimate affair, but…”

“The Asburys don’t do intimate. At least from what I’ve witnessed.” He shrugs.

I know it’s a jab, but I don’t have the energy to argue. He has a point. They want huge and grand. I feel as though I’ve fought Will’s father at every turn and that he resents me, wishing Will was marrying a “yes girl.” I’m sure he thinks that since they’re paying for the entire wedding, I shouldn’t argue. And maybe he has a point.

“And I thought Buzz Wheel was bad once upon a time.” I roll my eyes playfully and tuck my dark hair behind my ear.

“Yeah, you wouldn’t have the press problem in Lake Starlight. That’s for sure.” He chuckles.

I almost spit out my wine. How come I never thought about that? We tossed around the idea of a destination wedding with the assumption that if we chose that, it would be the Caribbean or Hawaii, but Alaska is perfect. And my parents keep saying they want to go back there to visit.

“That’s a brilliant idea!”

His head tilts. “I’m sorry?”

“I should have the wedding in Lake Starlight.” Excitement bubbles up in my stomach like champagne in a glass.

“Did I say that?”

“You can pull some strings, right? At Glacier Point?”

Lance looks around as if he doesn’t want to be seen with me.

“Thank you so much. Oh, I can’t wait to talk to Will about this,” I say.

“Why would you have it in Lake Starlight?” He finishes his beer in one gulp, raising his hand for the waiter, who comes over immediately. I’m not sure if it’s because of me or Lance. His family name is big around here too. “Scotch. Neat.”

The waiter nods and disappears.

Lance tugs at the collar of his shirt. That, coupled with his ordering hard liquor at lunch, indicates that he’s not as excited about this idea as I am.

“Is there a problem?” I ask.

“It’s just that you haven’t even been back since you left. You could easily find some small town in the lower forty-eight to marry in, right?” He watches the bartender preparing his drink the entire time he speaks.

“I could, but I remember seeing weddings at Glacier Point when I was younger. Remember when your dad gave Brinley and me waitressing jobs that one summer?”

He should remember—it was the summer we lost our virginity to each other. During the Fourth of July party, we sneaked into an empty guest room.

“I remember,” he mumbles as if he doesn’t want to relive the memory of that night.

“I always dreamed of being one of those brides.” I fail to mention that I had thought I would be his bride. It was our wedding I had dreamed of, but times change, and we grew up and apart. Who really finds their soul mate in high school after first crushing on his cousin forever anyway?

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