Page 49 of The Love Wager

With a final kiss to my forehead, he pulls me over to it and plucks it from the ground before leading me quickly to the other side of the room and through an open door. Spence paces back and forth in a small office, wearing a path in the plush carpet.

“Hey, soon-to-be married man, I have something special from your bride.”

The mention of Taylor stops him dead in his tracks and his gaze swings to me, softening as he takes me in from head to toe. I’m quick to hand off the small box and note card, moving back to Brooks’ side. I pop up on my toes and drop a quick kiss against his lips.

“See you out there, handsome. Don’t let me trip this time.” I wink and disappear through the open door.

EIGHTEEN

Brooks

She looks so beautiful. And scooping her into my arms for that kiss earlier, as I tried to keep her from hitting the floor, was easy. Too easy. It’s been far too easy to fall for her. To think of her every waking moment.

She’s leaving tomorrow, I remind myself.

“How’d last night go?” Spencer asks, unboxing his gift from his soon-to-be wife as he awaits my answer.

“It was amazing. Thank you for your help.”

“Good, I hope things go well with you tw—” He opens the box, and his words cut off as a very nude, posed Taylor comes into view.

I flick my eyes away as a laugh I can’t help flies out of my mouth.

“Fuck’s sake. I think she might be the death of me,” he says, slamming the lid closed before shifting himself in his slacks.

“It’ll be a good death, then.” My eyes flick back toward him now that I know the box is closed.

He smiles, and it dances through his eyes, happiness coating their surface. “It will be.”

I clap him on the back. “I’m so happy for you, man.”

“You also owe me big time.”

I quirk a brow. “How do I owe you?”

“For bringing you two together, you and Indie,” he adds as my look of confusion deepens.

“Oh, Spence, we’re not… You’ve got the wrong idea about what’s going on between us. She’s leaving tomorrow.”

He narrows his eyes at me. “Mm. I don’t think I have the wrong idea. I thinkyoudo.”

Long after he’s walked away, starting a conversation with another of his groomsmen, I’m left with his words rattling around in my head.

Right before the ceremony starts, my phone goes off, reality seeming to know I’m too happy as it grabs my ankles and drags me back down beneath the waves of uncertainty.

I open an e-mail from the bank, one telling me just how near my deadline is. I need this day and this bet to go off without a hitch, or I’m royally fucked.

Explaining to Nick why the bar and subsequently my home is boarded up with bank signs all over it is going to be hard as fuck. If even one thing goes wrong and this thing goes off the rails…

No!

I break free from the spiraling that has my heart racing. Nothing’s going to go wrong. Indie and I are in this together.

I give her a longing look as we line up behind the rest of the wedding party to walk down the aisle. The other couples stand between us and the doors, closing off the excited crowd.

She grins up at me, shifting her flowers in her hand, and I get lost in the green depths of her eyes. As if sensing something’s off, she quirks a brow at me. I shake my head, answer her smile with one of my own, and offer her my arm. Just as practiced, she slips her arm through mine as the doors open and the ceremony begins.

Having her near, knowing she’s all-in with me on this, has me calming down some. And as I escort her down the aisle, her hand gripping my forearm, I try to focus all my energy on the night ahead.

---