Page 78 of The First Best Man

“She went to check the arrangements and to make sure everything is in order, but––”

Just like with Blaine, I jump into action before she finishes, spinning and stalking out of the room. I check both ballrooms––one is empty while the other buzzes with energy as the staff finishes all of the last-minute preparations.

No Kate.

Quickening my steps, I head for the kitchen and question the staff. Much like earlier today, I seem to have just missed her. Before I lose it and start shouting her name like a madman, I decide to check the deck.Rushing through the doors that lead out to it, I skid to a stop. There she is.

She’s by the railing, staring out at the ocean with her back to me. Her body is framed by the glow of the setting sun, and I have to press a fist to my chest as my heart starts to thump in an irregular rhythm.

“Kate,” I say when I finally start moving again, and she spins around, the long skirt of her dark plum dress flowing out around her.

I stop once more, completely struck dumb by her beauty. She looks amazing in her bridesmaid’s gown, a literal angel sent down from heaven to take my breath away. Her long hair is pinned up in an intricate hairstyle that’s left little wispy strands to dance around her face in the salty breeze. Her eyes are painted with a smoky hue, and her lips are glossed in shiny pink.

Fuck, I want to kiss her so badly. To see if those shimmering lips taste as good as they look.

“Tucker?” she breathes, and the word snaps me back to the present.

Anger fills me as I stalk toward her, waving her note in the air. Her eyes widen when she sees it, and her chest is heaving by the time I stop directly in front of her.

“Mind telling me what the hell this is?”

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Kate

Is he…angry?

My chest hollows out as I realize he is.Veryangry. I don’t understand. I thought I was doing the right thing. Doing whathewanted.

I put a lot of thought into it after talking to Penny this morning, and as much as I’ve grown to care about Tucker, I can’t leave the island. I can’t leave my life. Even considering it for a man I’ve known for a mere seven days is ludicrous.

So I kept busy all day, running errands for Penny and confirming everything for the wedding was perfect and on track. And when I didn’t see Tucker once throughout the day, I took it as a sign.

We’re done. Over.

But I couldn’t resist writing that note clenched between his fingers, thanking him for giving me thebest week of my life. I thought it a fitting end to our little fling.

“It’s a thank you note,” I say when it becomes clear he’s actually waiting for an answer to his furious question.

“I know what it says, Kate. Why did you write it and have Blaine deliver it to me? Why now?”

“I don’t know. It just seemed…appropriate,” I mutter.

“Don’t do that,” he barks. “Don’t stand there and act like this thing between us is over, and you’re having no trouble walking away.”

My spine stiffens, anger pouring down the column to settle in my gut. “Itisover, isn’t it? You’re leaving tomorrow. There’s no reason to drag this out.”

He stumbles back a step, his eyes wide. “Drag it out? You act like this thing between us has been the worst kind of torture, or something.”

“Don’t you see, Tucker?” I snap, losing the tenuous grip I had on my control. “It is torture. For me, at least, it’s the worst kind of pain, knowing you’re leaving tomorrow, and I won’t see you again for what? Weeks? Months? Years?”

Much to my despair, moisture fills my eyes. Shit. I’m going to ruin my makeup.

I shake my head and sniff back the tears. “I can’t do this right now. This is Penny’s day.”

I start to walk past him, but he grabs my wrist with one hand to stop me while shoving my note into his pocket with the other. I start to struggle, but he retains his grip on me, refusing to relent.

When I stop fighting and finally meet his eyes, he asks a single, simple question.

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