Page 27 of After the Vows

Chloe sighs. “Fine. Lucas, these are my friends.” She points to the first woman. “This is Sophia.” She motions to the woman with the glasses. “And Paisley. The one smiling at you is Nova and the other one hiding behind Nova is Maya.”

Maya waves from where she is indeed hiding behind the others. “Hi.”

“I’m Lucas Fellows,” I greet them. “Chloe’s fiancé.”

“Can we go inside now?” Chloe asks. “Mrs. Agatha is peeking through her curtains at us. Before you know it, she’ll have spread rumors about us having an orgy with Lucas on my front lawn.”

Paisley clears her throat. “Did you know orgies originally began in Roman times to honor Bacchus?”

Chloe opens the door. “You can tell us all about it inside.”

“Well, that’s disappointing,” a woman says as we enter. “I thought the future bride and groom were getting a little nookie time.”

“Lily,” Chloe scolds. “Lucas and I aren’t involved as you very well know.”

Lily grins. “I can hope, can’t I?”

“You are a bad influence.” Chloe clears her throat. “Lucas, this is Lily.”

I shake her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Lily rakes her gaze up and down me. “It’s very nice to meet you.”

“Sweet flower,” a man grumbles before placing a possessive arm around her waist and hauling her close. “Stop ogling the boy.”

I’m thirty-five. I’m hardly a boy. But I don’t contradict the man.

I hold out my hand. “Lucas.”

“Jack.” He squeezes my hand to the point of pain, but I’m not sure what message he’s trying to send.

“Jack and Lily are Sophia and Weston’s parents,” Chloe explains. “You know Weston, of course.”

Weston strolls over to us. “Hey, partner.” He claps me on the back. “I’ll be your best man.”

“I didn’t ask you to be my best man.”

He grins. “Who else are you going to ask? Sophia’s boyfriend?”

“I don’t know Sophia’s boyfriend.”

“Exactly.” He winks. “I’m proud to accept the role of your best man.”

“I still didn’t ask you.”

“I already ordered my tux.”

I scratch my beard. “Your tux?”

He motions to Chloe. “This one wants a formal wedding. Didn’t she tell you?”

Chloe glares at him. “We’re getting married on the beach.”

“But the ladies love it when I wear a tux.” He waggles his eyebrows.

“Man whore,” she mutters under her breath.

I don’t contradict her since she’s not wrong. “Maybe I don’t want a best man,” I say instead.

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