Page 53 of Love for a Lifetime

“He looks like a peacock,” Jacob said low.

Dawson swallowed the chuckle that crawled up his throat. He should be the adult here and remind Jacob to be nice, but it was hard to do when Dawson couldn’t practice what he preached.

“I’ll be right back,” Dawson said, already walking toward Olivia.

The guy reached Olivia and the photographer and interrupted the women to introduce himself. Olivia smiled and greeted him warmly before pointing to the chapel where other guests were headed.

Presumably Mark nodded and started toward the chapel, looking back over his shoulder at Olivia.

Keep walkin’, peacock.

The photographer stepped back into the bride’s cabin, and Olivia brushed a hand over her hair, not quite touching the curls as she looked up and spotted Dawson.

Shoot. What was he doing here?

“Hey,” she said, pausing to look him up and down. The glance was almost too quick to pick up, but there was a fleeting look of shock right after her assessment.

“Don’t look surprised. I know how to get dressed. Gloria even has photographic evidence.”

Olivia swatted his arm. “I knew that. You just look…”

“Handsome?” Dawson offered.

“You look good.”

“Just good? Is it because I didn’t wear my peacock suit?”

Olivia’s eyes widened. “You saw that?”

“Actually, Jacob pointed it out.”

She glanced behind Dawson, and her shoulders fell with a sigh.

He looked behind him to see Trey walking across the parking lot. Of course, he had a very overdone blonde woman wearing a short dress on his arm.

No matter who Olivia’s ex brought to the wedding, he was still a loser.

“Don’t worry about him. It’s his loss. He probably cries himself to sleep at night because he was dumb enough to let you slip away.”

Olivia shook her head and tucked her chin to her chest. “Not quite.”

“I’m sure your exotic pheasant will make him jealous,” Dawson added.

She didn’t even look up. Not even a grin at his bird joke.

“Did you really like him?” he asked, unsure if he wanted to hear the answer.

Her head jerked up. “No. I didn’t, but rejection hurts just the same.” She swiped her hands down her sides and over her waist.

Dawson reached for one of her hands and lifted the knuckles to his lips. “You’re gorgeous. He can eat his heart out.”

Olivia pressed her lips together and looked up at him. She thought he was joking, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

“Let’s both make a promise to be nice tonight,” she said.

“Are you afraid I’ll make a scene?” Dawson asked.

“Should I be worried?”

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