Page 28 of The First Best Man

“What do you think the odds are of us guaranteeing a win for Penny and Logan?”

“What?” I blurt. “You don’t want to win?”

She doesn’t want to be alone on a romantic cruise with you, asshole.

“It’s not that,” she says as if she’s read my thoughts. “It’s just…Penny’s been stressed for months, planning the wedding, and while she’s having fun this week, she’s still running around, taking care of last-minute details. If anyone deserves a stress-free, romantic dinner cruise on afreakingyacht, it’s her.”

My chest hollows out as I stare at her in wonder. While she’s definitely proven to be competitive this week, she’s willing to throw this one to her friend. Because she loves her.

And while my baser instincts are ordering me to win so I can spend the evening with Kate, I can’t help being moved by her kindness. Smiling, I give her a firm nod.

“Let’s make it happen.”

“Really?” she asks, beaming.

“Definitely,” I say, and she surprises me by throwing her arms around my neck and pulling me in for a tight hug.

My arms circle around her automatically, and my eyes fall closed as her sweet scent surrounds me. Burying my nose in her hair, I breathe deep, careful to exhale silently so I don’t make her think I’m some kind of stalker-slash-serial killer.

She carefully extracts herself from the hug and beams up at me again. “Thanks, Tucker.”

I shake my head. “No need to thank me. It’s the right thing to do. Now, how are we going to pull it off?”

She walks to the end of the alley and peers out as she speaks. “We could lead them to our own flag, or find Sam and Blaine’s and somehow guarantee Penny and Logan get–– Wait. Look.”

My gaze follows the direction of hers, and I see Blaine picking her way down the steps of the gazebo across the street. The blonde’s head swivels from left to right, then she nods at something. When I look that way, I see Sam hiding behind a golf cart that’s parked on the street along the edge of the square. She walks over to meet up with him, and they head down the street in the opposite direction.

Taking Kate’s hand, I slip out of the alley and jog toward the gazebo, pulling her along behind me. By tacit agreement, she stands outside the wooden structure to keep watch while I search the interior. It only takes me a couple of moments to find their red flag wedged beneath one of the bench seats. I readjust it so it’s more visible, then hop down the steps to join Kate.

“It’s there,” I say. “Now, let’s hide and wait for them to come back.”

We stay low as we run for the carts parked along the street, then squat down to hide while peering through the windshield of the one we’re hiding behind.

“You watch for Sam and Blaine,” Kate whispers, then turns around and leans back against the bumper. “I’ll keep an eye out this way for Penny and Logan. Can’t have them sneaking up on us from behind.”

“Good plan,” I whisper back, squeezing her shoulder.

She stiffens, then relaxes so quickly, if I hadn’t been paying attention, I would’ve missed it. Pulling my hand back, I stifle a sigh. I don’t know whether to be worried or ecstatic over that response. There’s no denying, Kate’s affected by my touch. She’s proven that over and over.

And even though I know it’s wrong, her reactions make me want to touch her again. And again.

Movement catches my eye, and I stiffen before tapping a finger against her shoulder and whispering, “Here they come.”

Digging my hand into our bag, I pull out a water balloon and hand it to Kate before arming myself. As they approach the golf cart we’re hiding behind, we stay low and creep around the side of the vehicle, keeping it between us and them. When their backs are to us, and they’re approaching the gazebo to apparently check on their flag, I whisper a count of three to Kate. She nods along with the words, and as soon as I finish, we jump out with matching war cries and throw our balloons.

Both missiles hit their mark, and Blaine screeches before spinning around to glare at us. Sam stays true to his laid-back personality, laughing as he gives us a respectful nod. Pulling out his phone, he sets a timer for five minutes while Blaine crosses her arms over her chest and fumes.

Kate’s laughing joyfully, and it’s the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard. My mind goes blank as I watch her bounce around in a silly dance of victory. Then she freezes. Her eyes widen, and she drops to the grass before crawling back toward me. She lifts an arm andwaves it in the universal motion that says “get down,” and I drop into a squat immediately.

“They’re coming,” she hisses before getting off her knees, taking my hand and running while keeping her body low.

I follow along, bent over to mimic her stature, and when I look back, I see Penny and Logan slowly moving down the street in their golf cart. Penny points toward Blaine and Sam, and they swerve in that direction, not noticing us at all as we creep across the road and slip back into the alley we were hiding in before.

We peek out and watch as the couple parks and hops out of their cart. Penny dances a little jig around Blaine while Logan heads toward Sam, clapping him on the back. When he sees the timer counting down on Sam’s phone, he calls for Penny, and they both dart up the gazebo steps to search the interior.

A moment later, Penny whoops loudly, and she and Logan dart back down the steps, the other team’s red flag gripped in Penny’s fist, then hop back into their cart and head toward Miss Ginny’s house. Kate straightens and turns toward me with a smile, holding up her hand for a high five.

I slap my palm against hers, then curve my finger around her hand and hold it there for a moment. She doesn’t physically react to my touch this time. She’s too happy for her friends.

---