Page 1 of One Weekend in Perth

Chapter 1

Ben Bolton adjustedhis black bow tie. Behind him, his friends chatted amongst themselves. He was aware of his brother, Reed, watching him with the quiet intensity that hadn’t gone away since he’d left the Army. He saw too much, and Ben hoped he didn’t see exactly how he was feeling. He hadn’t even told Clara, his best friend, the doubts that crowded his mind about this marriage. Though he wondered if Clara knew. Like Reed, she saw more than she let on. If she thought he was having doubts, she would say something, wouldn’t she?

Maybe not. Fern hadn’t exactly been keen on the idea that his best friend was a woman. Once, when they were teenagers, he and Clara kissed. He enjoyed it, possibly more than he should’ve, but at that time they both decided they were better off as friends. On the odd occasion he questioned himself on the decision they made, but then he saw Clara with John. He saw how happy she was with him and he hadn’t questioned himself again. Of course, when she and John broke up, he’d been with Fern, and they had recently announced their engagement so it wasn’t like he could do anything.

Now here he was, about to get married, and instead of being excited and happy about it, all he wanted to do was run.

He sighed and turned away from his brother’s scrutiny, feeling like Reed could hear exactly what his thoughts were.

“You good, bro?” Reed slapped him on the back.

“Yep, just anxious to get this show on the road.” He injected enthusiasm he didn’t feel into his voice.

Reed’s eyes narrowed, and he led Ben away from the other guys to a quiet corner of the suite. “Are you sure this is what you want to do? It’s not too late.”

Ben rolled his eyes. Of course it was too late. The wedding was due to take place in just over an hour. He couldn’t leave Fern at the altar. Not after the amount of money her family poured into this event. But he kept the words to himself. “Yes, I want to do this.”

Reed sighed, and Ben knew he hadn’t convinced his brother he was ready to commit the rest of his life to Fern.

Oh my god, the rest of my life!

Once that thought hadn’t freaked him out, but seeing the person Fern became during the whole planning process had been eye opening. He could blame it on the stress involved with organizing a wedding, but there was something else about how she behaved that raised flags for him. Things he glimpsed but decided were just blips.

What if they weren’t blips in her character?

What if she’d been putting on a front for him the whole time they’d dated?

Their relationship had been a whirlwind one. He wasn’t the type to rush into an engagement at all. Then again, Reed and Lauren hadn’t known each other long, and were madly in love and ready to get married. Perhaps that was a trait for the Bolton boys, fall hard and fast with no regrets.

Yet…

Sweat gathered at the base of his neck. His palms were clammy and his tie felt far too tight.

Everything was closing in on him and he couldn’t take it any longer. The spacious suite felt like the smallest elevator. “I need to get some air,” he blurted out, and brushed past Reed.

Ben ignored Reed’s calls and rushed out the door. He didn’t believe for one second that his brother wouldn’t follow him. They always looked out for each other, Reed especially, since he left the Army and had started working for Power Security. But he didn’t want to talk to Reed. He wanted to be alone. He needed to think. To really think, not half-ass it like he had been.

“Ben?” Reed’s voice sounded behind him.

Ben stopped and faced his brother. “I just need a couple of minutes. Please.”

Reed looked as if he was going to argue with him, but then gave a short nod. “Whatever you need. Whatever you decide. You have my support.”

“I know.” And he did. There was no doubt that whatever decision he made, he wouldn’t have to worry about Reed arguing with him about it. Even if Reed didn’t agree, he wouldn’t say anything, he would just give Ben whatever he needed.

The door clicked shut, and Ben was once again alone in the hallway. He still didn’t know what he was going to do or where he was going to go. All he knew was he just needed—something.

A door opened further down the hall, and Fern appeared in a silky white robe. Her bleached blonde hair was up in an intricate style. Long earrings dangled from her ears.

What was she doing here?

Whose room was she coming out of? Her parents’?

Someone else’s?

Fern hadn’t seen him, she was too focused on the person in front of her. Ben waited for her to acknowledge him, his already knotted stomach clenched tighter.

Perhaps this was the ‘something’ he needed. He’d see and talk to Fern, and all his doubts would disappear, and he’d feel settled. Feel like he was making the right decision for his life partner. Feel like he could have what Reed and Lauren had.

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