Page 60 of The Chances We Take

“What’s going on?” Colter rubbed his temple as he walked down the steps attached to the bedroom.

“Jake and I stayed longer at the bar, okay? I fucking tripped and knocked over a bunch of shit out here.” Mikey gestured to the gash on his leg.

“Christ, Mikey.” Ellison was awake now, too, and was standing behind Reid with her hands on her hips.

“Sorry, guys. I’m gonna…go.” Mikey gestured over his shoulder at his trailer.

“I’m going back to bed,” Colter grumbled, and Ellison agreed as they disappeared again.

Reid lay back down on the sofa bed, letting out a quiet laugh, the rumble prompting me to peek my head over the back of the booth separating us.

“He’s such an idiot.” He continued laughing, his shoulders shaking.

I couldn’t help but laugh with him. “At least it wasn’t a murderer.”

“True. I would have protected you if it was, though,” he murmured.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, of course I would.”

I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “I mean, you’d probably do that for any of your friends, though.”

“You’re not justanyfriend.” He rolled his eyes, turning over, his back facing me. “Good night, Isa.”

What does he mean by that?

I forced the voice in my head to quiet as I lay back down and whispered, “Good night.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

isabelle

All right, Mikey and Erin, you can go.” The wedding coordinator cued each of the bridesmaid and groomsman pairs to walk down the aisle.

Ellison and Colter had hired a woman to handle the big day-of things as well as the rehearsal the day before. That way Ellison wouldn’t have to lift a finger, and I wouldn’t have to worry if anything went wrong with the venue and could focus on being there for Ellison.

“Jake and Caitlin.” She motioned for them to start walking.

The rehearsal dinner was immediately after the wedding rehearsal, so family and close friends sat in the chairs watching the practice ceremony. I couldn’t help but notice that Caitlin’s husband, Adam, had a scowl on his face the entire time she stood by Jake. Their daughter, Whitley, was also the flower girl, although she was only two, so she walked down the aisle with Colter’s parents, Maggie and Chip, instead of going after the wedding party by herself.

“Do you know much about Caitlin’s husband?” I whispered to Reid.

“Not a whole lot. Just that since she married him, she never really comes home. Maggie travels out there most of the time when she wants to see her. But Adam, he’s some big wig out in Washington. Works in finance, I think?”

“Interesting.” I hummed. “I don’t know if I would have pictured that type of man for Caitlin?” Granted, I didn’t know atonabout Caitlin, but from my interactions with her, he didn’t seem like her type.

“Yeah, she doesn’t talk about him much, honestly. I don’t think Clay ever really approved. He’s protective of her. But I’d be the same way about my little sister.”

“Reid and Isa, you can start walking now.” The coordinator broke us out of our conversation.

“I would too,” I murmured as we walked down the aisle.

“I didn’t know you had a sister.” He turned to me, earning him a snap from the coordinator to focus.

“Yeah. Her name’s Amelia. She’s still in high school—just turned sixteen. My parents only thought they were going to have one kid. That’s why there’s such a large age gap between us,” I explained. “I’d do anything—everything—to protect her.”

“You’re a good sister. I’m sure she’s really thankful to have you.”

---