Page 71 of The Cupcake Cottage

She understood. She really did.

But that didn’t mean she didn’t feel the sting. It was too easy to feel like she wasn’t important enough to have him say no—just once—to a work commitment so he could keep one with her.

She’d seen the conflict in his eyes when he’d told her he’d be late. The hesitation. She hadn’t been sure if he was asking permission or worried she’d have a meltdown. He sure hadn’t liked her suggestion to move their wedding date back a few months, and the idea had introduced a new tension to their relationship. She’d tried to explain that she wanted their wedding to be special, not rushed or jammed betweencommitments and games. She wanted them to be present, relaxed, and to truly enjoy their day.

She was pretty sure he’d understood. Mostly. He seemed impatient to get another ring on her finger and had even suggested elopement.

Hard no on that one. Her friends April and Brant had eloped and then ended up having a big party later—basically a wedding. So what was the point of eloping?

Her phone showed no new messages, not even a “thinking of you” text. That meant Maverick was already filming his interview with the sports station, or that he’d fallen asleep somewhere after finishing filming the predawn commercial. At least he had a car service bringing him out to Sweetheart Creek, so she didn’t have to worry about him falling asleep behind the wheel.

She’d helped him get to this level, but she hadn’t realized what it would feel like once they were here. Insanely busy, everyone wanting his time, the pressure to make hay while the sun still shone on his corner of the ice.

“Did he forget?” her mother asked from her spot in the pew beside her.

“No.”

“It’s Valentine’s Day. Your first one together.”

“I know,” she said tightly, her nails digging into her palms.

They were silent for a long moment, gentle music filling the church as more guests found their seats.

“Did you two break up?” her mom asked abruptly. She was looking straight ahead, acting as though she hadn’t uttered a thing. People snuck peeks over their shoulders, curious what the reaction—and answer—was to her mother’s question.

“No, we did not,” Daisy-Mae said loud enough for the eavesdroppers.

“Is he back with that Reanna woman? I saw them in an interview. They seemed pretty close to me.”

“Please stop.”

“Once a cheater, always a cheater.”

“He’s not a cheater!” she said, her patience snapping, her voice too loud. People turned to look even as the groomsmen took their places at the front of the church. A lineup of dark-haired men with blue eyes, all in their new cowboy boots—the Wylder brothers—watched her with concern.

At one point, she’d thought the men would become her brothers, her family. And right now they no doubt feared she was causing a scene.

Daisy-Mae looked away, embarrassed. She bit her tongue to help her focus on something other than the swell of unexplained emotion building inside her. It was bad enough that Maverick, after inviting her to be his date, had canceled on her. Now she was here like an old maid on Valentine’s Day, sitting beside her mom who was back to her tired games of wishing her love life ill-will.

Daisy-Mae slid down the pew, putting space between herself and her mother.Control the things you can, right?

She kept her eyes up front, ignoring the looks her mother was surely shooting her way.

The music changed and a flower girl walked down the aisle, tossing rose petals over her own head and squealing with delight. Then the bridesmaids: Jackie, April, Laura, and Carly. Karen’s soon-to-be sisters-in-law. They looked beautiful in their pale blue dresses.

Her mother spun, eyeing Daisy-Mae from head to foot, then again, eyes narrowed. Daisy-Mae looked down at her dress and panic set in.

Oh, no. Oh, no no no no.

Her dress was almost the same shade of blue as the gals. It looked like she was trying to shoehorn her way into something like the wedding party.

She had to leave. Now.

She started scrambling for the aisle closest to the wall, but a couple had squeezed in while she’d been watching the bridesmaids. They smiled warmly, the woman’s gaze straying to Daisy-Mae’s flat midriff, then back up to her eyes as though she might see the truth in them. Daisy-Mae sighed and looked away. It was either squeeze past them or her mother and possibly draw notice and start some gossip, or sit here and lump it.

She really wished Maverick was here.

How had she not known their colors?

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