Page 109 of Until You

He gave his head a slight shake. “Don’t.”

By the time they’d made it through several poses, Lanie began to panic. Tyler was stiff and silent, and she wasn’t sure how to fix this. She couldn’t let him see her contract. She had to protect him from conflict of interest. But what could she do?

“We’re going to try something else,” Holly said, moving toward them. “I want the bridesmaids to stand on the edge of the fountain and the groomsmen to stand in front.”

Lanie was struggling to stand on the concrete with one heel, let alone on a one-foot-wide ledge next to a fountain.

She started to climb up, leaning sideways, when Tyler grabbed her elbow and steadied her.

“Thank you.”

He looked into her eyes. “I can’t let you fall in.” A half hour ago, that statement would be filled with innuendo, but now it was cold and aloof.

“Tyler.”

“Will you just leave him alone?” Celesta snapped from her position on the ledge next to Lanie.

“This is none of your business, Celesta,” Lanie said, trying to get her balance.

“You’re obviously drunk.” Celesta turned to Tyler. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure she doesn’t hurt you when your back is to her.”

“I’m not going to hurt him!” Lanie exclaimed.

“The scar on his forehead is proof that you’re capable of it.”

“Celesta,” Tyler growled. “Lay off.”

“I don’t even know why you’re interested in her. She is so not your type.”

“And you are?” Rowdy asked.

Celesta lifted her chin. “As a matter of fact, I was.”

Britt spun around. “Wait. Was?” Her eyes widened. “Oh my God. You slept with Celesta?”

“Why do you say it like it’s a bad thing?” Celesta huffed.

But Britt had turned her attention to Tyler. “I can’t believe you! I thought you’d changed!”

“I slept with her years ago!” Tyler shouted. “Before I even knew you! Not that it’s any business of yours.”

Randy’s face turned red. “Don’t shout at my fiancée, Norris.”

Tyler ran his hand over his head in frustration. “I’m sorry, but I’m not going to stand here and let her insult me for some mistake I made four years ago. We all know I was a total fuck-up back then.”

“Mistake!” Celesta shrieked.

Tyler cringed and looked up at her. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said ‘mistake.’”

“Your only mistake was letting me go! I’m your type, not Lanie.”

“Lanie?” Britt said in confusion.

Celesta tried to ease past Lanie to get closer to Tyler, and Lanie lost balance on her one foot, falling backward into the fountain and landing flat on her back in the water.

“Lanie!” a chorus of voices shouted.

Lanie sat up and realized that she wasn’t alone—Celesta had fallen in too and she looked furious.