Page 46 of All Because I Found You

His hand snaked around her waist, and with a yank, she was beneath him. “Lucky for you, I’m already broken.”

She knew he was joking, but the words tugged at her heart, making her hurt for him. She framed his face with her hands and looked into his eyes. “I wish you could see you the way I see you. Because the man I’m looking at right now”—she swiped aside the hair that covered his face—“is anything but broken. He is sweet, giving…” Her fingers traced the scars along his cheek, following the jagged lines to his jaw. “And gorgeous.”

The blue of his eyes darkened like a storm building on the horizon. She couldn’t tell if he was going to argue with her or kiss her. She was prepared for both, but hoping for the latter.

His lips parted ever so slightly, and the sound of her phone blared from where she’d left her bag in the living room.

“Do you have to get that?” he asked, his eyes never breaking contact with hers.

“I want to say no, but it could be work.”

He rolled off of her and sat up against the headboard, resting his hands behind his head. “Then go.”

She climbed out of the bed and watched him watch her as she made her way out of the room, naked. She gave a quick booty shake at the door, then hurried to her bag. She found it on the floor where she’d dropped it; her phone spilled out beside it.

A familiar number flashed on the screen, and she answered. “Bryce, hi. Calling to confirm delivery of the bar tomorrow?”

“Hi Raelyn. Actually no.”

“Then what’s up?”

“I have bad news.”

“I don’t like the sound of that.” She didn’t like his tone either.

“I went to get the bar ready for delivery and didn’t realize that where it was stored must have gotten flooded due to the storm. The wood is completely warped, covered in mildew, and there’s no salvaging it.”

Raelyn took a deep breath and sat down on Ryder’s couch next to George, the giant teddy bear. “I have a wedding this weekend, Bryce. I can’t tell the bride I don’t have a bar for her. What else do you have in stock? I can come by and pick something new.” It wouldn’t be the exact bar she had envisioned, but she was resourceful, and she could make it work.

“That’s the other problem.”

“Okay. I really do not like the sound of that.”

“Everything I have in stock is already rented out. The only other pieces I had are in the basement with the other bar are also damaged.”

The room grew hot, and she went to yank at her collar, only to remember she wasn’t wearing any clothes. “What the hell am I going to do?”

“I am so sorry, Raelyn. You know this isn’t how I conduct business, but this is out of my hands. I had no idea we flooded and now I have a nightmare to deal with. After you, I’m calling the insurance company. I wanted to give you a heads up first, to give you as much time to figure this out.”

“Do you know of anyone else that I can call?”

“I already called them for you. They have nothing available for this weekend.”

Shit. Nicole was already freaking out about moving the venue to a barn even though she originally wanted a rustic chic wedding. She couldn’t tell her that her wedding would be sans bar. Having access to alcohol was the only thing that would keep her from killing her mother-in-law.

“I appreciate that. Good luck with the insurance company.”

“Thank you, Rae. And again, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay. This hurricane threw us all for a loop. Get it taken care of, and I’ll be in touch soon, I’m sure.” Raelyn ended the call and fell back into the cushions. George’s arm flopped onto her face, and she turned, burying her head into his fluff.

“Everything okay?” She sat up and looked toward the doorway. Ryder stood in a pair of boxer briefs that outlined all his sexiness.

“You wouldn’t happen to know anyone who had an extra bar lying around that can have it delivered before this weekend, do you?”

“A bar?”

She sighed, then explained to him the whole situation. “I need to figure this out.”

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