Page 25 of A Wilder Wedding

And that was a problem. I didn’t want to be jealous anymore.

So I wouldn’t be. I was going to grow up and figure out exactly what I needed to do with my life. Because wallowing over a man I couldn’t have wasn’t it.

“I can’t wait to see you in your dress. You’re going to look amazing.”

She blushed, shaking her head. “It’s odd, shopping for a second wedding dress. Especially because the first one brought me here.”

I smiled at that memory, that what she had done must have been the hardest thing, but she made another bride happy, and I had introduced her to Ridge. It had ended exactly how it should have, even if it had taken heartbreak and tragedy to bring them there.

“Well, I also have a new dress, just for the occasion.” I shrugged. “All of my friends keep getting married, and I like to wear a different dress each time. It’s a tradition.”

Thankfully I wasn’t the bridesmaid in all of these, or I was going to actually end up like the girl from27 Dresses. This time I could wear the dress I wanted, even though it was never going to be a wedding dress.

And that was something I needed to not spiral over. I needed to get over this and be fine. There was nothing wrong with me. I just was in the dumps a bit.

“Anyway, I was headed towards Signature to work with Kendall tonight.”

Signature was the high-end restaurant we had at the property, and while I could not afford to go there without my employee discount, I loved it.

“Oh, are you working there tonight?”

“I’m just helping the pastry chef for a bit, because they have a large party, and I’m not allowed to work on any wedding cakes other than my own right now, and I’m on schedule.”

I beamed at that. “Because you’re the next wedding.”

She did a little dance in her heels. “And I’m the next wedding,” she repeated. “But I did want to ask you if you had the contact information for the couple for when I get back? It wasn’t in my files.”

It hit me then that if things worked out well, I wouldn’t be here for that wedding. Aurora and Ridge were going to be taking some time off for their honeymoon, but when they came back, they would jump right back into it.

And if I went to Eli and gave my notice and actually went to work for Roy or someone else, I wouldn’t be here for that wedding. This was smart. I would be able to go into a new position, to grow, and to problem-solve. I wouldn’t have to look my past in the face every single day.

“Yes, I do. Let me get that for you.”

“Awesome. Thank you. I guess with everything going on, I didn’t get all the information I needed.”

“It’s why we’re all here. Because we work well together.”

“It’s the perfect team.” Aurora gave me a quick hug before she walked away, leaving me feeling like I was making a wrong decision.

I wasn’t. I couldn’t be.

Ridge came by a few minutes later to check on me, and then Trace, and then more from the security team.

I hated that they needed to be here. That we hadn’t caught the man that hurt me. It was someone who knew my name, who wanted to hurt me, and while I felt fear and anxiety over it, I was trying not to let it control everything that I did.

Which wasn’t easy.

“Hey, Adam?” I asked one of Trace’s men.

“What’s up, Naomi? You need help?”

“No, but I do have a meeting with Eli.”

A meeting that would change everything if I let it. But this was important. I knew it was. This was what I needed to do. It would be better for everyone.

I kept repeating that and I knew I needed to stop. To get out of my own head.

“I’ll walk you up there.”

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