Page 23 of Until You

Chapter Eight

Tyler stuffed his finger between his collar and his neck. The app on his phone said it was eighty-nine degrees, so it could have been worse, but that didn’t mean shit when sweat was dripping down his back. Of course, it was more than the heat making him sweat. He hated weddings and went out of his way to avoid them. And now he was in one.

“Okay,” Britt said, lifting her hands in surrender. She looked out of place standing on the grass in front of a twenty-foot-tall shuttlecock in a wedding dress. “Guys, you can take off your ties for now.”

“Just our ties?” Randy’s brother, Rowdy, asked in dismay.

“We’ll get the formal photos, then you can take off your jackets and we’ll do some informal ones.”

“So why haven’t we started yet?” a whiny blonde asked. She wore a long, sleeveless lavender dress that, unlike a lot of bridesmaids’ dresses Tyler had seen, actually complemented her figure. What no one else realized was that Tyler already knew her. He hadn’t remembered her when he’d seen her at the shower, when she’d walked up to him and flirted, hinting that they should hook up again. It hadn’t been until later that night that he’d figured out that he’d dated her four years ago. And he used the term dated loosely. Hooked up a few times was more accurate.

But amazingly, he hadn’t been tempted when she’d approached him at the shower, and she had definitely been his type of girl. Maybe the Bachelor Brotherhood had ruined him for life. Maybe a life of celibacy was in his future. But all he had to do was think of Britt’s sexy brunette friend to know that wasn’t true. His taste had changed. Maybe half of his problem with women was that he’d gone for the flash instead of the substance.

Women like his mystery brunette.

He didn’t really know much about her, but he instinctively knew she was different. Was it because he was different now? She’d been the only woman to affect him in months. When the photo shoot was over, he planned to ask Brittany about her.

But unfortunately, the blonde bridesmaid hadn’t caught on that he wasn’t interested. She gave him a seductive look as she sidled up next to him and clutched his arm. “Tyler’s melting.”

“I’m fine,” he said, pulling his arm away from her grasp. He turned to Brittany, doing a poor job of hiding his aggravation, and said, “But Celia’s right. Why haven’t we started yet?” He wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible.

“Celesta,” the blonde said with a hint of irritation.

Hell, he’d slept with her multiple times and he couldn’t even remember her name. What a prick. Still, he didn’t feel bad enough to start something with her again, so Tyler took another step to the side.

Brittany held her hands out and gave him an apologetic look. “My cousin’s not here yet, but she’s on her way.” She held up her phone. “I just texted her, and she said her driver took a wrong turn.”

“She has a driver?” Tyler asked in surprise.

“Uber,” Randy said offhandedly, then turned to his brother, cajoling him into leaving his jacket on.

Holly had been standing in the periphery, but all the whining must have gotten to her because she moved into the middle of the group and gave them a big smile.

“Since our last bridesmaid is on her way,” Holly continued, “why don’t we start setting up the first photo?”

Celesta shrieked, and a loud slapping sound followed. “I just got bit!”

Tyler looked around for a stray dog or toddler. “What bit you?”

“A mosquito!” she said, rubbing her arm.

Sure enough, a welt was already starting to raise on her bicep.

Brittany’s eyes grew wide, but Holly patted her arm. “Not to worry. The photographer can Photoshop that out.”

The photographer nodded her agreement.

“But it still itches! I can’t work under these conditions.”

Work? Was she a model? He honestly couldn’t remember what her profession had been, but she was already on his last nerve. Tyler gritted his teeth. Please dear God, don’t let him be stuck with her at the wedding.

“We have some insect repellant on the way, Celesta,” Randy said with a plastered-on smile. “If you like we can make a human shield around you until it arrives.”

Anyone could hear the sarcasm in his voice—anyone except for Celesta. “Would you?” she asked hopefully.

Holly stared at the bridesmaid in disbelief, then ignored her as she continued. “Brittany and I have paired everyone off, and we’re about to read the list. This person will be your partner from now until the wedding’s done.”

Britt winked at Tyler. “Of course, if you choose to stick with your partner after the wedding, that’s okay, too.”

---