Page 2 of Mitch

He was dressed far more casual thanthe rest of the guests, which told me he was likely hired help.

Perhaps he was with the catering or the Paradise event staff?

I settled my lens as I looked through, noticing his side profile. With the zoom on and the lens I was using, the chandeliers and background blurred into bokeh—a soft, out-of-focus background with faded glittery spots—as Pretty Boy and his side profile became the focus.

From the angle, his blond hair caught flecks of gold from the chandeliers, his pale blue eyes standing out in stark contrast against his fair complexion and dark lashes.

He casually cocked his head in thought, his wistful gaze set on someone or something, but that didn’t matter to me.

Snap!

I watched through my lens as he licked his lips, as his eyebrows furrowed, and something in my chest snapped at the same time as the shutter.

I understood that look of longing.

That look of wishful thinking.

I lowered my camera, if only for a moment, gazing at Pretty Boy in hislavender button down, looking at a couple dancing. The look of heartbreak on his face was unmistakable, and I had the craziest feeling, that I wanted to go over there andhughim. Maybe even ask him to dance, if only to take his mind off something that was causing him such evident pain. Despite the fact I didn’t know how to dance like half the people were on the dance floor to whatever cocktail hour shit was being played.

Surely such a thing was crazy, right?

I didn’t even know the guy.

“Mitch! There you are!” Grayson said, his bright Colgate-smile tearing me away from the nameless Pretty Boy.

I gazed up at the bride’s brother, dressed to the nines, of course, in his flashy tux, with a martini in hand.

“Something I can do for you, Grayson?” I asked, glancing back to see mystery pretty boy had disappeared.

“Actually, there is,” he said, flashing me a grin.

CHAPTER 2

Penn

I thought being backin Jasper Springs would be a good thing, but as I looked around the Paradise, I wondered if perhaps I’d been out of the Jasper Springs loop for far too long.

Four yearswasa long time when you came from a small town like Jasper Springs.

Where everyone knew everyone, and everything was always picture perfect.

Take the bride of this wedding, for example, Giselle.

Her family was one of themost well known in Jasper Springs, and her husband also came from another well known, wealthy family in the area. Their families were involved in everything, just like the Rhodes, and loved by nearlyallof Jasper Springs for their philanthropy, their parties and soirees.

Even Giselle’s brother, Grayson—who was the talk of the town years ago for hisscandaloustryst with his sister’s ex, of all things—seemed to have theperfectlife with his new boyfriend.

I wished I could have that.

The ease of self, the happy ever after.

I thought the change of scenery was what I needed, when I left for pastry school, but sadly, my life was not a Jasper Springs success story.

Aside from a few one night stands that ended awkwardly with the girls leaving me to stew in mortification, a couple girlfriends, and my too close parents constantly trying to play matchmaker, I’d practically given up on dating.

Maybe I was just meant to be alone.

So, instead of going out and meeting people like my mother suggested, like a normal twenty-three year old, I turned tothe one thing I knew I could do well.

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