Page 42 of Finding Her Leading Man

She took a breath and stepped forward, looking at the ground. His hand gripped her shoulder lightly, preventing her from getting into the car.

“I know this will sound stupid considering we’re about to demolish an expensive dress, but what’s wrong? If you want to back out, no one will think anything of it.” His eyes captured hers. He made her feel like the center of the universe when he looked at her that way.

“It’s not that. I’m just…” How did she express thathewas the reason she felt so awkward? What did it mean about her personality that after a six-year relationship, she could fall for a guy so quickly? She was smarter than this.

His hand slid from her shoulder, down her arm, to lightly hold her hand. “You don’t have to say anything. We’re all here for you.”

“Why? You don’t know me. Nobody knows me from Adam’s house cat. Becky canceled both the bachelor and bachelorette parties for this. For me. That’s crazy. I came into town a month ago, a complete mess.”

“Easy. Because we’re nice people that have banded together against a complete shithead who, at the moment, I’m happy he screwed up.” He brought the back of her hand to his lips.

How did he always know the perfect thing to say?

“Let’s go.” He tugged her toward the car.

She didn’t move right away. “Thank you, Trevor. I suppose I’m glad it worked out this way in the end, too.” She’d met some amazing people.

His eyes held hers before he broke contact first. She should stay away. Her heart needed to heal. She wasn’t even at thefragile, handle with carestage in life yet. More like,the glue isn’t dry, and if you touch it, it will break again.Not the best person in the world to be around.

She didn’t know if he still carried her antacids around in his pocket or not, but she hoped he did. Seeing her wedding dress was bound to cause another stomachache.

They drove out of town, past rows of perfectly planted pine trees, to Becky and Hudson’s house. After Trevor pulled to a stop, Samantha sat there, staring.

It was a gorgeous house. A white, country-style home. A porch wrapped around three-quarters of it. Trucks and cars sat parked on the bright green grass off to the side. Everyone she’d met so far stood in the yard.

All the people had rallied around her once they heard about her dress arriving in town.

“Hey!” Becky shouted. She had her brown hair pulled into a high ponytail. “’Bout damn time.” She pointed toward the edge of the yard. There hung the wedding dress. “We’re ready!”

Samantha stepped away from the car and saw the dress she’d spent hours picking out. It waved from the light breeze. Becky had picked up the dress from the post office, easily avoiding any of Samantha’s potential cold feet. Funny how something that once felt so symbolic was just a piece of fabric at this point.

Now, it was about to be symbolic of the ending of her relationship.

“What are we doing to it?” She followed Becky across the yard, waving to the others standing around. Her eyes tracked Trevor as he walked to Grayson and grabbed a beer from the cooler. Trevor was like a lifeline at this point. A security blanket.

Almost like a stuffed animal that she clung to when she was younger when a thunderstorm rolled over her house. Comforting. He’d brought her out of her misery and back into the universe.

Without him, it felt like she might sink back into the darkness again.

But underneath her pathetic dependency, they had something more. Because someday she’d stand on her own again, and based upon the way that he acted, she didn’t think he’d walk away. Not anymore.

Probably wishful thinking on her end.

Becky watched her with a calculating expression. “We’re going to shoot the hell out of it with paintball guns. Kill it. Dewey bought some for some bachelor weekend he had planned. Not sure why putting small bruises all over each other is fun. Sounds more like male stupidity.”

“It takes us back to our caveman roots,” Hudson said as he dropped an arm over Becky’s shoulder. He kissed the top of her head and then nodded toward Trevor. “He’s bringing you a beer.”

“Oh, I don’t know if I should-”

“Here.” Trevor opened the top and placed it in her hand before she could refuse.

She stared at the ice-cold can, silver with mountains.

“Our girl seems a little reluctant to drink your beer.” Becky smirked. “I have whiskey in the house.”

“No. No.” She put the can to her lips and sipped. She grimaced. “I’ve had beer before.” How did she explain that she typically drank champagne and wine, and only on very special occasions?

Hudson chuckled. Becky elbowed him in the ribs. “Well, I bet you’ve never trashed a wedding dress before either. It’s a day of firsts.”

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