Page 60 of Fractured Dreams

Tex’s gut clenched at the idea of fucking some other woman, even though he’d just been telling himself he needed to move on.

“I will. I’m going to,” he said.

Zac nodded. “Good. You know I met someone the other day that would be perfect to help you forget Eden. Smart, gorgeous, smoking body. She’s only in town for a couple of weeks and was pretty clear she’s just after a bit of fun, so you wouldn’t have to worry about her hanging around wanting a relationship. She gave me her phone number, but I don’t think she’d mind if she got a call from you instead.” Zac pulled out his phone and started hunting through it.

“If she was that hot, why didn’t you take her up on her offer?” Tex grumbled.

“Not my type,” Zac responded, breezily.

“Smart, gorgeous, with a smoking body? Yeah, I can see how that would be off-putting.”

Zac just smiled. “Found it. Name’s Callie.” He flashed his phone at Tex. “Give me your phone and I’ll add her number for you.”

“No thanks,” Tex said shortly.

“Look, once you get your dick wet again, you’ll forget all about Eden. And if it makes you feel any better, Eden’s gorgeous, I bet she has guys lining up around the block for her back in Portland. Once you both get laid, before you know it, the two of you will have moved on and this little thing you had will be forgotten.”

The bolt of jealousy that pierced Tex at the thought of Eden moving on with someone else and forgetting him had his fists clenching again. He took a deep calming breath in through his nose, then stared at Zac, who looked back at him with an innocent expression. “So, you want Callie’s number then?” he asked.

Tex shook his head and laughed humorlessly. “I know what you’re doing.”

“What am I doing? Trying to get you laid?”

Tex shook his head again, a cynical smile tipping the corners of his lips. There was no way the normally reserved bassist was sitting here talking about helping Tex ‘get his dick wet’, without an ulterior motive. “You’re trying to get me to see the error of my ways, or something like that.”

Zac quirked a dark brow. “Is that what you think?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I think.”

Zac leaned forward and lowered his voice. “If I were trying to get you to see the error of your ways, I wouldn’t try to hook you up with someone. I’d tell you to man the fuck up. Life sucks. Love hurts. Decide whether it’s worth the pain, and if it is, then tell Eden the goddamn truth and let her choose. If she chooses you, then hold on and don’t let go. Otherwise, move on and stop drowning your sorrows in fucking alcohol. You’re worse than Noah.”

Zac pushed his chair back, stood, and strode off, leaving Tex staring after him.

What. The. Fuck.

Chapter 35

Lexie and Connor’s wedding was an intimate sunset ceremony held in the garden of their cliff-side home. Eden gazed around at where the ceremony was about to take place. The area was beautifully decorated, with a flower covered gazebo set up at the end of the garden in front of the cliff overlooking the ocean. A rose petal-scattered aisle between simple white trestle chairs led to the gazebo where Connor stood, looking breathtakingly handsome in his suit. He was flanked by his three groomsmen, including Tex as best man looking so gorgeous in formal attire, with his long hair tied back, that Eden’s chest tightened. It was the first time she’d seen him since the party, because she’d taken up Lexie’s offer of skipping the rehearsal dinner, much to Noah’s concern.

Eden bit her cheek to stop the tears that wanted to make another appearance, taking a deep, calming breath in as she shifted her eyes to Zac and Noah, both looking suave and handsome. The two of them seemed to be keeping up a running commentary of jokes, with wide smiles on their faces. But Tex looked surprisingly serious with his hand on Connor’s shoulder as he spoke into his ear. As for Connor, he had his eyes fixed on the end of the aisle with an intensity that made her think he was trying to will Lexie to appear out of thin air.

Someone must have given them a signal, because all four men suddenly stood up straight and an attendant handed Tex his guitar. He struck the opening chords for a song Eden didn’t recognize. It wasn’t the traditional bridal chorus, but a lilting melody that Eden had the sneaking suspicion might be an Irish wedding song—probably as a nod to Connor’s heritage.

After a few seconds to enjoy the beauty of the music, everyone turned to see the bride and her father step to the start of the aisle. Eden’s breath caught. Lexie was the most beautiful bride she had ever seen. From her simple A-line embroidered organza dress in the palest of pale blushes, to her long dark hair swept off her face and braided with tiny pink and white flowers, to her small, simple bouquet of baby’s breath. Although it was the glow in her gray eyes and the radiant smile on her face that choked Eden up. But when she turned to look at Connor, it washisexpression that made the happy tears spill over. He looked completely awestruck as he watched his bride walk toward him, as if he couldn’t believe his luck. And perhaps he couldn’t. Noah had told her a little of the couples’ sad pasts and how they’d found each other.

Now they were getting married, and so much love shone in their eyes as they watched each other, it made Eden’s heart swell. It also sent a pang through her, and before she could stop it, her traitorous gaze slid sideways to the best man. If she thought she’d get away with a quick glance at Tex while he was looking down at his guitar, or watching the bride, she was wrong. Her eyes met his with an almost physical shock, and she sucked in a small, shuddery gasp of air at the intensity of his expression. Eden wrenched her eyes away and back to Lexie, pushing away the pain to concentrate on the beautiful ceremony. The day was about celebrating love and hope, not crying over broken dreams.

When Lexie reached Connor, Tex ended the song, handing off his guitar to the same attendant then stepping back up alongside Connor. Lexie smiled at him, and he gave her a smile and a wink in return.

The ceremony itself was short and very sweet. As the sun slowly began its descent into the ocean behind them, the sky a perfect backdrop of pinks and golds, the officiant performed a traditional Celtic handfasting ceremony—another Irish tradition. She talked about how the ritual represented the binding of Lexie’s and Connor’s lives together, and the union of their hopes and desires. Then the two of them clasped hands and, as the officiant read aloud the vows, each couple of the bridal party stepped forward and wound a ribbon around their joined hands.

Following the handfasting, the bride and groom said their own personal vows, which brought another lump to Eden’s throat, then rings were slipped onto fingers. And when the officiant announced it was time to kiss the bride, Connor wasted no time in sweeping Lexie up and planting a kiss on her lips that was so hot it had the women in the audience swooning, while several whoops of encouragement rang out from the men.

When Connor finally let her go, Lexie’s cheeks were pink, and he had a broad grin on his face. The bridal party gathered around them to give their congratulations, and Eden’s heart thudded in her chest when Tex gave Connor a huge hug, his smile wide and genuinely happy for his friend, before he turned and gave Lexie a much gentler hug and a kiss on the cheek. Connor grabbed his arm and said something in his ear as he did, a smirk on his face, and Tex laughed while Lexie rolled her eyes before smiling up at him. Eden found her lips curving up at what was obviously a private joke between the three of them. Then all of them walked back down the aisle and Eden kept her gaze fixed firmly on the newlyweds; her eyes obeying her this time.

While the bridal party disappeared for photos—which were being taken by one of Lexie’s photographer friends—Eden wandered the grounds, discovering all the beautiful little touches that had been included. Comfortable seats scattered through the garden where people could sit and chat, sweet-smelling flowers everywhere, and twinkle lights hanging from the trees. As the sun set and day morphed into evening, the lights came to life, imparting a magical vibe to the occasion. Canape stations and an open bar provided sustenance to guests as they chatted, and Eden smiled at the sound of happy voices and laughter ringing through the fresh flower- and ocean-scented evening air. She spent a few moments talking to Connor’s aunt, introduced herself to Lexie’s parents, and then stood for a while admiring the view from the edge of the cliff.

The reception was, as expected, simple and gorgeous, like the rest of the wedding. It was held under a white tent decorated beautifully with wildflowers and tea lights. Eden cried happy tears again when the couple danced their first dance to a Fractured song sung by Zac, who was accompanied by Tex on guitar and Noah on a small hand drum. Eden recognized the song as one normally performed by Connor as a solo acoustic, and she wondered what the significance of it was as the two glided around the dance floor, lost in each other’s eyes.

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