Page 56 of Three Pucking Wedding Dates

I blink in disbelief, finding Theo sitting in the window seat next to mine. His piercing blue eyes regard me warily, as if he’s afraid I might bolt at any moment. I can’t say I blame him—the urge to run is overwhelming.

“Hi, Theo,” I manage to choke out, my voice barely above a whisper. He nods stiffly, his expression unreadable.

“Didn’t know you were on this flight too,” I say, settling into the seat beside him. As much as his presence unsettles me, it also provides a small measure of comfort. At least I won’t be completely alone. “Honestly, I can’t even believe Reid and Gray convinced you to come along.”

“Neither can I,” he replies, his voice low and tinged with annoyance.

The plane’s engine hums softly in the background as Theo shifts in his seat, clearly annoyed. “You know,” he grumbles, “I specifically requested a seat alone so I could have some peace and quiet on this flight.”

“Sorry to ruin your plans,” I retort, rolling my eyes. My heart is still racing from my earlier panic, but now irritation begins to bubble up inside me as well. “It’s not like I asked to sit next to you either.”

“Fine,” he snaps, giving me a cold stare. “But can you at least keep your mouth shut then? I don’t need any more distractions.”

My first instinct is to snap back at him, but I bite my tongue instead. Maybe he’s right—maybe we could both use some silence. The urge to ask a flight attendant if there are any other seats available crosses my mind, but I hesitate. As much as I hate to admit it, there’s a part of me that wants to be close to Theo, even if it means enduring his icy demeanor.

“Alright,” I sigh, leaning back in my seat. “I’ll keep quiet. But only because I’m not in the mood for arguing either.”

“Deal,” he mutters, turning his gaze toward the window. As the plane taxis down the runway and starts gaining speed, my pulse quickens once more. I clench my fists, trying to steady my breathing and remind myself that I’ve made it through takeoff countless times before.

Despite the tension between us, I find myself stealing glances at Theo, wondering what brought him here. What are the odds that we’d end up on the same flight, seated next to each other? Somehow, the universe seems to be playing a cruel joke on me.But as the seconds tick by and my anxiety refuses to wane, I can’t help but feel a strange sense of comfort in his presence. Maybe, just maybe, we can make it through this flight without tearing each other apart.

The engines roar to life, vibrating through the cabin and setting my nerves on edge. My heart hammers in my chest as if it’s trying to escape, and I squeeze my eyes shut, hoping to block out the reality of what’s about to happen.

“Are you okay?” Theo’s voice startles me, and I snap my eyes open to find him watching me with a mixture of concern and curiosity.

“Fine,” I lie, my words coming out shaky and unconvincing. “Just not a fan of flying.”

“Really? You never mentioned that before.” He seems genuinely taken aback, but there’s an undercurrent of amusement in his tone.

“Didn’t think it was worth mentioning,” I retort, focusing on the seat in front of me, gripping the armrests tightly as the plane starts moving faster.

“Listen, Oakley,” Theo says, shifting in his seat to face me more directly. “I know we’re not exactly on the best terms right now, but if it makes any difference, I promise everything will be fine.”

His words do little to calm my nerves as the plane tilts upward, lifting off the ground. My head swims, and I feel like I’m going to hyperventilate. I squirm in my seat, desperately trying to control my breathing.

“Hey,” Theo murmurs, reaching out to place his hand on mine. His touch is surprisingly warm and comforting, despite our earlier animosity. “Take a deep breath. Trust me, it’ll be okay.”

I glance at our hands, my eyes widening in surprise. Theo Archer, the man who barely tolerates me, is offering comfort and reassurance? The situation feels surreal, but somehow his presence grounds me.

“Okay,” I whisper, forcing myself to breathe deeply. With each inhale and exhale, my heart rate slowly steadies, and I can’t help but feel grateful for Theo’s unexpected support.

The world outside the plane window blurs as we ascend, and my heart clenches. Theo’s hand remains steady on mine, his grip firm but not suffocating.

29

THEO

The taxi’s engine hums beneath me, a low growl that does nothing to distract from the tension building between Oakley and me. We sit in silence, avoiding eye contact as if it’s the ultimate sin. My thoughts keep drifting back to earlier when I held her hand on the plane, the warmth of her fingers intertwined with mine stirring something deep inside me.

My grip tightens on the door handle as we pull up to the hotel, the sun having already set, leaving only the golden glow of streetlights to guide our way. I’m eager to escape this suffocating atmosphere, but my heart races at the thought of parting ways.

“Here we are,” the driver says, his voice cutting through the silence like a knife.

“Thanks,” I mutter, reaching for my wallet to pay the fare. As soon as I step out of the taxi, I grab my bags from the trunk, making sure Oakley sees the deliberate distance I’m putting between us. She needs to know that I’m not her prince charming…she has my brothers for that.

Oakley retrieves her own bags, her brow furrowed and lips pursed in defiance.

“Let’s get checked in,” I say, leading the way into the hotel lobby. It’s grand and luxurious, the kind of place where whispered secrets come to life behind closed doors.

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