Page 28 of Kiss the Bride

What if he won the bet but lost Evelyn’s friendship in the process? Of all the possible outcomes, that one would sting the worst. He’d missed having her in his life far more than he’d admitted, even to himself. He’d do whatever it required to keep her there. He’d even let her off the hook on their bet. Better still, he’d invite her to dinner, his treat.

Over the rim of his coffee cup, movement inside the White Dove caught his eye. Through the plate glass window, he glimpsed Brianna and Daniel sharing a quiet laugh at a table with the mayor and his wife. The love that flowed between the younger couple made his heart ache. He wanted what they had. Wanted someone to share his hopes and dreams, someone who’d sit on the front porch sipping iced tea with him while they reminisced about their day. Wanted a Heart’s Landing love for the ages.

Could he have that with Evelyn?

The idea appealed; he couldn’t deny it. But no. He wasn’t the kind of guy who’d make a move on someone who already had a steady boyfriend. And Evelyn did. He was certain of it. She’d never actually mentioned his name, but that didn’t matter. Someone as smart, witty, and fun to be around as she was could have her pick from all the guys in town. So, no. He wouldn’t invite her out to dinner.

He shifted his weight from one foot to another while he resumed scanning the street for the woman who’d been so anxious to meet. And there she was, striding toward him, a warm welcome on her face and, like him, carrying coffee to share. The sight loosened something in his chest.

“Great minds,” they said in unison when she neared.

Evelyn peered at the cup he held out to her. “What is it?”

“Coffee milk from Espressly Yours. With an extra shot of espresso.” He grinned. Sweetened with simple syrup, the blend of coffee and milk was so popular, it’d been designated Rhode Island’s official drink. When he’d worked behind the counter of the popular coffee shop one summer, Evelyn had ordered her own special version at least once a week.

“A definite upgrade from mine,” she said, dropping her two cups in a nearby trash can. She reached for the one Ryan offered, removed the lid, and sniffed. “Mmm. My favorite. How’d you know?”

“It’s been a while since high school, but I took a chance you still liked your coffee strong and sweet.”

“You remember?” The tiniest fleck of white foam dotted her upper lip when Evelyn’s mouth formed an oval.

Ryan resisted the urge to wipe away the spot and handed her a napkin. “There.” He pointed to his own mouth. An uncomfortable tension eased once she’d dabbed her lip clean. “I remember a lot about those days.”

“Okay, two can play at this game,” she said, laughing. “No coffee milk for you. Yours is black with two sugars.”

“See? You didn’t forget, either.”

“Actually …” The freckles across the bridge of Evelyn’s nose paled as her face reddened. “Actually, I had, but that’s the way you drank it in the dining room Saturday.”

He tipped his cup to hers in a mock toast. The minute they sipped their coffee, though, a feeling of trepidation swept through him. Now that she actually stood looking up at him with those big green eyes of hers, he wished they hadn’t been pitted against each other in the Wedding-in-a-Week contest. One of them had to lose, and he hated the idea that she might get hurt almost as much as he wanted to win. Almost being the operative word. He wouldn’t back out. Wouldn’t break his promise to stay in the contest. Not now, when he had so much at stake.

Speaking of which, why had Evelyn asked him to meet her?

“You said there was something …”

“… we should talk about.”

He stopped when they finished the sentence together. They both laughed, though his sounded a little nervous. If he wasn’t mistaken, hers did, too.

“You go ahead,” Evelyn said, taking a long swig of her coffee.

“Ladies first,” he insisted. He aimed his chin toward the interior of the restaurant, where the mayor had already handed his credit card to the waiter. “But make it fast. They’ll be out in a minute.”

“O-kay.” Evelyn peered up at him, her brow furrowing. “I thought you should know Brianna and Daniel are getting married at the Captain’s Cottage.”

Ryan choked on a gulp of coffee. “They said that?” he asked when he’d caught his breath.

“Not in so many words, no.” Evelyn stared into the restaurant.

“You don’t know for sure,” he prodded. She had to be wrong. The young couple had been over the moon with Harbor View only a few hours earlier.

“Brianna was so taken with the Captain’s Cottage she was practically dancing on air. I didn’t hear one negative comment from Daniel.” She hesitated. Her gaze dropped. “I thought you’d want to know.”

For a minute there, success had hovered so close he could’ve reached out and touched it. He should’ve known it wouldn’t come that easily. He eyed his coffee. It had lost its flavor, and he tossed the cup in the trash. “A lot can happen before Brianna and Daniel announce their choices on Saturday. I’m not giving up. Are you?”

Evelyn finally met his gaze with a saucy look. “Not on your life.”

He might have said more if it weren’t for Curtis, who backed out of the restaurant, his camera whirring, at that very moment. The mayor and his wife came next. Brianna and Daniel joined them a moment later. At Curtis’s direction, the quartet posed for pictures. Handshakes and effusive thanks followed next before Greg Thomas’s focus shifted to Ryan and Evelyn.

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