Page 11 of The First Best Man

“What?”

“He got a phone call while I was in the bathroom, and he stepped out onto the patio to take it. When he came back inside, Jasper told him I left, so he spent the whole night thinking I’d run out on him. It was a big misunderstanding.”

“That’s even worse,” she exclaims a little too loudly, and I shush her before looking over my shoulder to make sure the guys aren’t coming in to see what’s wrong.

“Sorry,” she says when I look back at her, lowering her voice back to an acceptable whisper. “But that is even worse. Now you don’t have a reason to be angry with him. There’s no protection from his…his hot boy sexy magic.”

“Hot boy sexy magic?” I repeat back to her, my voice tinged with laughter.

She shakes off my humor, not even cracking a smile when she replies, “You know what I’m talking about, Kate.”

I sober. “I do know. Consider me fully informed and on-guard. Really, Pen, it’s fine. I’ll be okay. Besides, I actually like him, and I think we’ll have fun together this week.”

Her gaze grows even more worried, so I place myhands on her shoulders. I stare into her eyes and make sure she’s paying attention as I clarify, whispering, “As friends. That’s all. I promise.”

“You promise?” she asks, hope and fear warring in her eyes.

I hold up one palm like I’m swearing in a court of law. “Consider me warned and fully armored against any and all hot boy magic, sexy or otherwise.”

“You say that now,” she says, a chagrined look on her face, “but I’ve seen it in action. Logan is the love of my life, and evenI’vefound myself swooning a bit when J.T. sets his full attention on seducing someone.”

“Shut up,” I scoff. “You have not.”

She rolls her eyes. “Fine. You’re right, but it’s still a sight to behold. He’s like a seduction wizard, or something.”

“You’re ridiculous,” I say with a quiet chuckle, and she just stares at me, blank-faced.

“Just promise me, Kate. If you find yourself slipping, come to me, first. Give me a chance to talk you out of it before you make any life-changing decisions.”

Life-changing decisions?

Oh. She means…that.

“Done,” I say firmly. “I promise. No life-altering decisions without your input, first.”

“Thank you,” she says, the tension melting out of her.

We head back to the living room with a bag of chips we don’t actually need––we did need a plausible reason to be in the kitchen, and it’s the best we could come up with. Why would Penny need my help grabbing a bag of chips? It’s a flawed plan, but the guysdon’t blink an eyelash when we return with the lame excuse.

Good men.

They know when to let it go, and that’s an important life skill to hone when it comes to dealing with Penny and me.

The doorbell rings, and Logan hops up to go answer it before any of the rest of us can react. The silence is thick between the three of us after he goes, and before I can think of something to say to break the tension, Logan reappears, the rest of the wedding party trailing behind him into the room.

Blaine, Logan’s sister and the only other bridesmaid, immediately hones in on Tucker as she enters the room, ignoring the rest of us. Plopping down beside him, she leans in for a hug with half-mast eyes and a seductive smile. Tucker hugs her, as expected, then disentangles himself before discreetly scooching a few inches away from her.

Interesting.

Blaine is a beautiful woman, pleasing in every way. Gorgeous, with the same blonde hair and blue eyes her brother inherited from their mother, though Blaine brightens her long, wavy hair with subtle highlights. She also has an amazing body, with curves in all the right places, a tiny waist, and sun-kissed skin.

Men fawn over Blaine, yet Tucker looks distinctly uncomfortable asshefawns overhimlike there’s no one else in the room.

Veryinteresting.

“Hey, Kate.”

I look over as Sam, Logan’s friend and the secondgroomsmen, sits down in the empty spot between me and Penny. Sam’s a good guy, usually smiling, and always friendly. He’s got real “golden retriever” energy, that one, and a boyish grin that’s made more than a few hearts flutter around town.

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