Page 60 of Pretty Little Rocker

“Yes,” was his rasped answer.

“But only as friends,” I repeated snidely.

He flinched. “I wanted to see you, talk to you, and that seemed like the best way—”

“The best way to speak to me is by picking up your fucking phone and calling me. Or texting. By asking to see me.” My next breath hurt worse than the first. “The wrong way is by going to my best friend’s wedding with the girl who has already shown me that she has feelings for you, as her date.”

Ky jumped to his feet, dropping his phone on the floor. “It’s not a date. We’re friends. It was a chance to see you, tell you I was sorry, and see my niece.”

“Ah,” I murmured with a nod. “There it is. Avalyn was your reason. I was just secondary, right? Or maybe third on the list? Huh, I’m not sure.” Clenching my jaw, I took another slow breath, hoping it wouldn’t hurt when the air filled my lungs, but it did. It burned, and then it tore something apart inside me, slicing through a piece of my heart as I exhaled.

Sparks rubbed his hands over my belly, trying to wipe away the pain that he must have felt was tearing me apart. Jamie took my arm, tugging me around so that I was still in Sparks’s arms, but facing the two of them. Turning my back on Ky.

“Come on, Hellion. Help me pick out a suit. What color is your dress?”

My throat felt too tight to answer, but I let them lead me to Jamie’s room. Where I found a suit that was perfect, because he had a button-up that was the same color as my dress. Deciding on something for Sparks was a little more difficult. He had more of a selection. They joked around, teasing, both of them touching me, kissing me at random times, anything to distract me from thinking about the man in the living room. Or the ache where my heart was supposed to be. Or how much I wanted to rip Maddie’s pretty blond hair out of her head.

“Your friend Abi is the one getting married?” Jamie asked, pulling different options out of Sparks’s closet.

“Yeah. His name is Vaughn. Well, she calls him Vaughn, and it seems like what he prefers. But his legal name is Christian Vitucci.”

Sparks nearly swallowed his tongue. “Does she know who she’s marrying?”

For the first time since seeing Ky, I smiled a true smile. “She knows, and she’s the happiest I’ve ever seen her. Seeing her down the last few weeks, and then so happy today, made me realize that I want that. To be with the people who make the world feel like a better place when I’m with them. The ones who own parts of my heart I wasn’t even aware existed until I met them.”

“That makes me so damned happy, goddess,” Sparks murmured, touching his lips to my forehead.

Jamie dropped the clothes on the bed and wrapped me in a hug from behind. “You own our hearts too, Hellion.”

Leaning my head against Jamie’s chest, I blinked back the sting of tears when I looked at Sparks. “I’ve been waiting my entire life for you two. Please… Please don’t break my heart.”

“Never, baby,” he vowed.

“Your heart is safe with us, Hayat,” Jamie promised.

It took me a moment to get my emotions in check, but then I shifted away so I could inspect the suit options. Choosing a black one for Sparks with a black button-up, but a blue tie that was close to the same color as my dress, I was happy with their suits for the next day.

By then, it was getting late, and I needed to get back to the hotel with Abi. Ali and Sammy were with her, and we were all going to have facials and watch bad movies and eat enough junk food that we would all be a little sick by morning. Maddie should have been invited to join us, but Abi was still upset at her for what she’d said to me at our meeting Monday. So, it was just the four of us.

Vaughn would be nearby with Elias and Walter. Out of sight, but close enough in case anything happened. I seriously didn’t want to think about the things that could happen. After everything Abi already told me, constant worry about Abi and her baby was top of my list now.

Kissing both of my guys, I reluctantly said goodnight. They both threw their arms around me as they walked me to the front door, which meant we had to walk past Ky, who was back to sitting in his chair, phone in hand, furiously typing away.

Seeing us, he jumped to his feet, urgency in his face. “What time should we pick you up for the ceremony tomorrow?” he asked, as if he hadn’t shattered another part of my heart earlier. Third strike. I didn’t know all the rules of baseball. My brother was into basketball, and my uncle had retired from the NFL. But I knew enough to know that three strikes were all you got, and then you were out.

“I’m not sure what time you should pick Maddie up for the reception,” I told him coolly. “The wedding itself is only for very close family so as not to overwhelm Vaughn’s dad. The reception will be bigger. Maddie isn’t invited to the ceremony, so you’ll need to figure out logistics with your date.”

Ky flinched. “We’re your date.”

“Jamie and Sparks are my dates,” I corrected. “And they already know what time to pick me up.” Turning, I kissed Jamie’s cheek, then Sparks’s. “Night, babes. See you in the morning.”

“Night, babe,” Jamie murmured, twirling his fingers around my ringlets before releasing me. “Love you.

“I love you too,” I told him with a warm smile.

Sparks walked me to the front door, giving me a long kiss before opening it. “Can’t wait to see you tomorrow. Love you, goddess.”

“See you soon. Love you.” He watched me step onto the elevator, and I wiggled my fingers at him, a smile just for him on my face.

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