Page 51 of The Backup Bride Proposal

Mae might be the wedding planner at this shindig, but to Kane she was the most beautiful woman in the room.

Finn and Brenna spoke vows to each other about love and commitment, and Kane could feel the emotion in their words. And when they kissed to seal the deal, he was happy for them.

Afterward, everyone filed out of the vineyard and headed toward the barn, where drinks and appetizers awaited them.

The wedding party stayed behind for photos, so he’d get to talk to them later. Kane decided to search out the bar, found it easily and got a beer, then made his way inside.

Of course, he didn’t know anyone, since everyone he knew was outside getting photos taken. But he wandered, keeping his head low in case anyone recognized him.

“Excuse me. You’re Kane August, right?”

He pivoted to find a very attractive, very pregnant woman smiling up at him. “I might be.”

She laughed. “Don’t worry. I won’t blow your cover. My name is Rebecca Simmons. I’m a friend of Mae’s. And the Bellinis. Mae asked me to drag you over to our table so you wouldn’t skulk around looking gorgeous and obvious.”

Gorgeous and obvious? “I don’t even know what that means, but thanks.”

She looped her arm in his and started walking. “It means you kind of stand out in a crowd. Come meet my husband. Kane, this is George.”

He shook hands with George and they sat at the table. George owned a car repair business and obviously couldn’t care less about movie stars, while Rebecca worked as a preschool teacher. They’d been married for three years and were expecting their first baby in a couple of months.

“Excited about becoming parents?” he asked.

“Very,” Rebecca said. “We’ve waited a while for this little miracle, so we can’t wait until he makes his appearance.”

George had his arm around Rebecca’s shoulders. “He’ll be the best Christmas present I’ve ever had, that’s for sure.”

They asked him a few perfunctory questions about the movie business, but obviously they weren’t starstruck, which he appreciated. They mostly asked about where he was from,and they were way more interested in the ranch, which he was always happy to talk about. More people joined the table and he finally relaxed when he discovered that people here were just people, happy to get to know someone new, and if they did recognize him they didn’t make a big deal out of it. The ones who knew his movies well told him how much they enjoyed them, and then the conversation moved on. No one bugged him for selfies or squealed when they met him. This was probably the most enjoyable large gathering he’d ever attended. Maybe he could finally let his guard down.

And when the bridal party was announced and everyone cheered, he did, too, grinning when Finn and Brenna had their first dance, followed by the bridesmaids and groomsmen. They all looked good out there.

Arms went around him and he nearly jumped, but then Mae slid around to his side. He instantly relaxed.

“What do you think?” she asked.

“I think you should direct movies. It went off without a single problem.”

She laid her head against his arm. “Thanks. Though I have to give a lot of credit to Brenna and Finn. They really held it together, nobody panicked and everything went so smoothly. And all the vendors showed up on time and nothing was screwed up. It made my job look easy.”

“I’m sure it’s not as easy as you’d like me to think. Do you get a break now?”

She nodded. “For a bit. Dinner is next, and I just need to make sure the photographer and videographer stay on track, but they’re pros and know what shots to get.”

“Then come sit with us,” Rebecca said. “You probably need a glass of wine.”

“That does sound good.”

“I’ll get you one,” Kane said. “I need a refill myself.”

He started to walk away, but Mae stopped him. “You didn’t ask what I wanted.”

He grinned, bent and brushed his lips across hers, whispering, “I know what you want.”

She sighed and swept her hand across his jaw. “Yeah, you do.”

He grinned as he walked toward the bar.

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