Page 68 of House of Desire

I give her a small smile. “Sorry, go ahead.”

“Don’t you have a rehearsal to get ready for?”

Hurt wraps itself around my heart like ivy and squeezes.

“Yeah, I need to go get settled and wash the flight off. I’ll see you at the dinner?” I start making my way to the door, wanting to give her the space she obviously wants.

“I’ll be there,” she says, following me down the short hallway.

“See you then,” I say, keeping my eyes on her until the door cuts off my view of her beautiful face.

“You will be helping people to their seats tomorrow. Family in the first few rows, everyone else can go wherever,” the wedding planner tells me. Her blond hair is piled on top of her head in some kind of up-do, but at the moment, it looks more like someone stuck her finger in a light socket. “You will be walking Courtney down the aisle. She’ll be on your left. The music will take a pause and then when it starts again, that is your cue. Walk at a normal pace.”

Her large eyes almost look bugged with nerves as Courtney and I acknowledge her instructions before she moves off to Alec and Charlie’s instructions.

Courtney nudges me with her sharp elbow, and I lean down for what is sure to be an entertaining comment.

“Do you get the sense she might hang upside down from a rafter in her spare time?” she whispers.

“I thought she might be having a sexual relationship with a barista who hooks her up to an espresso IV at night instead of sleeping.”

“That’s also a valid thought,” she says, watching Charlie try not to roll her eyes at the woman. You’d think Charlie and Alec were heads of state with the number of instructions they are receiving instead of walking down the aisle in front of less than two dozen people.

“How did you like your surprise?” Courtney says, nudging me again. If she keeps doing that, I’m going to end up with a bruise on my arm.

“I wish Charlie would have warned me so I could be a bit more prepared. She didn’t seem very excited to see me.”

Her heart-shaped face radiates laughter. “Did that one sting, oh mighty sun god?”

I scoff, crossing my arms over my chest as Charlie practices walking down the aisle.

“Maybe.”

“So sensitive when women don’t throw themselves at your feet. Someone is very used to their pretty privilege.”

“What the fuck is pretty privilege?”

She rolls her eyes at me like I should have any idea what she’s talking about.

“Just what it sounds like. You are a striking man and because of that, you’ve probably never struggled getting female attention. You were just the lead on a nationwide franchise. They don’t exactly let ugly people be the lead for that show.”

“You think I was on House of Desire because I’m pretty?”

“Did they ask anyone else from your season of House of Deceit to do it?”

“Not that I’m aware of. No one said anything.”

“Because Charlie is in a relationship. You’re the only other one. Beyond the brooding, broken hearted thing, it’s cause you’re sexy as fuck.”

I watch her, considering, and she doesn’t break eye contact while my brain works through it.

“Okay, you might be correct.”

“I am correct, but I’m glad you got there,” she says with a smirk, patting my arm.

The wedding planner claps her hands, calling for attention. “Well done, everyone! You should have your wedding schedules in your email! If you have questions, let me know! Otherwise, I will see you all tomorrow. Have a great time at dinner!”

“That was a lot of exclamation points in her tone,” Courtney says, and I snort a laugh as she walks over to her husband, who’s waiting for us to be finished.

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