Page 2 of Ride By Your Side

“I guess I could.” I muse, my lips turning to the side as I tilt my head. “I just don’t know if I have the balls to go alone. I suppose I could ask Ford and Blair, but I’d hate to ask Ford to take more time off work. And with Blair, well... I don’t exactly want to pull her away from what she and Fordfinallystarted up.”

“So that’s for sure a thing, then?” Miles asks.

“What? Blair and Ford? Yes. I would definitely say that is athingnow.” While I can't exactly take credit for playing matchmaker, my wedding festivities finally catapulted them back together. And with both his ex-wife and Blair’s rockstar ex out of the way, they were finally able to act on their feelings for one another.

I’m sure almost everyone in town, Miles included, always knew they were destined to end up together, but no one knew it better than me. Growing up as a friend group of three, I had a front-row seat to their ridiculous denials as they constantly claimed to bejust friends. Sure, I did my share of matchmakingand nudging to speed things along, but I also understood their hesitancy.

While both were my best friends in the entire world, things could’ve gotten messy if they decided to give it a shot and it didn’t work out. Sure, I’ve always seen them as soulmates, but even I couldn’t help the intrusive thoughts about what would happen if things went wrong. I’m only human, after all, and there was no way I’d ever be able to pick between them if things came crashing down, and thankfully I’d never been forced to.

“I guess it’s about time,” he agrees with a shake of his head. “And since I’m pretty sure we both want what’s best for Blair, if you really don’t want to go alone, I suppose I’ll go with you.”

My jaw practically hits the floor, as I blink in disbelief. He could’ve told me pigs were parachuting down from the sky, and I’d buy that before believing thatMiles fucking Bennettis willingly agreeing to accompany me on my impromptu runaway bride adventure.

“I can’t ask you to do that. What about your job?”

“It’s my shop. I’m the boss, remember? I can do whatever the hell I want, and since I’ve yet to take any vacation since I bought the place, it’s about time I give myself a small break.”

"And you’d seriously use your first break to voluntarily spend time with me?" I blurt, sounding a little more incredulous than I’d like. But who could blame me? In all the years I’ve known Miles—which, by the way, is a lot, considering Blair and I became attached at the hip all the way back in kindergarten—he’s never once willingly chosen to spend his free time in my company. So yeah, it feels like a valid question.

“Of course I know that. But we both know Blair wouldn’t want you going alone, and since we both agree she deserves to be happy and spend some quality time with Ford, it just makes sense. Plus, I’m already here. So why the fuck not?”

“Are you sure?” I should just accept his offer and tell him no takey-backsies, but this feels... different. This is Miles we’re talking about.

“Yes, I’m sure,” he says, easing his foot off the gas pedal as he slows the car before pulling to a stop on the side of the road. With the area completely deserted, he easily turns us around and begins the drive back toward Evergreen.

“So uh, why exactly are we going back then?” I ask, still trying to make sense of what’s happening here. But honestly, I’m still in shock that Miles, of all people, is doing something nice. In fact, him being my getaway driver was probably the first kind thing he’s ever done for me, buttwothings in one day? Who is this person and what has he done with the real Miles Bennett?

“To pack. Or did you plan on wearing your wedding dress to Disneyland?” he asks, glancing over, his bright blue eyes scanning me in all my bridal glory.

I look down at my dress, smoothing the soft satin fabric of the skirt with a wistful sigh. “Well, maybe I’d consider it if adults were actually allowed to dress up. I have always dreamed of being a Disney Princess, after all.”

“A Disney Princess, huh?” he asks, amusement clear in his tone.

“Oh, please. Every girl dreams of being a Disney Princess—it’s practically in the rulebook,” I say with a dismissive wave. “Hell, I can even remember playing princesses with Blair growing up, and evenshe—Miss Too Cool for Everything—willingly played Aurora. So back off.”

“Whatever you say, princess,” he quips with a sarcastic edge. Instead of wasting my energy on a useless comeback, I let it slide. I close my eyes, letting the warm spring breeze whip around me as we drive back toward Evergreen with the top down in his red 1967 Ford Mustang.

Today may not have gone according to plan, and while I’m still unsure about Miles being my travel buddy, at least I can die happy knowing I didn’t just make the biggest mistake of my life by marrying the wrong man. Going on a trip with one? Sure, that I can handle. But getting married to one? Not so much.

2

Miles

Ibreatheasighofrelief as we pull into the hotel parking lot. As someone who’s always had a passion for cars, driving is pretty much second nature to me. It certainly helped that we spent most of the drive with the roof down and the wind in our hair. For once, I wasn’t bothered that we had no concrete plans. It just felt nice to be out on the open road. Yet, despite being so in my element, I never could quite shake my worry for the woman sitting beside me.

She’s not my favorite person and is someone I usually choose to avoid, but one thing I know about Veronica Prescott is that she never shuts up. She constantly has to be babbling on aboutsomething, and while I know I should be grateful, the fact that she isn’t saying, well,anythingis concerning.

I wasn’t exactly expecting her to be yapping the entire drive or anything like that, but still, I expected more than the few words she muttered here and there. I probably should’ve taken over and asked if she was okay, but, number one, that’s not me. Andnumber two, the last thing I want to do is force her to talk about the traumatizing day she just had. The lady just ran away from the altar, that has to be normal, right?

One can’t exactly expect someone who just ran away from everything she ever knew to be thrilled about it. While I suspect she made the right choice, that doesn’t mean it was the easiest one to make. If anything, I’m sort of proud of her—not that I’d ever admit that out loud.

I’m sure the last thing she needed was my opinion anyway. Plus, every time I stole a glance in her direction, she looked far away, lost in her own little Veronica world, her legs curled up on the seat and her knees tucked close to her chest as she gazed out at the passing scenery.

With the car finally in park, I unbuckle my seatbelt. “I’m going to go and get us checked in,” I announce, pulling her out of the fog she’s seemingly been lost in.

“I can check myself in,” she insists, stepping out of the car and stretching her arms above her head.

“Don’t worry about it. Consider it a wedding gift,” I say, but as her face contorts into a worried frown, I immediately backtrack. “I’m sorry, that was a bad joke. Either way, I’ve got it. Tonight’s on me.”

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