Page 37 of Catch and Release Groom

Longing filled her heart bottom to top, failing to register that in reality, they were only playing pretend. At the resort, it wouldn’t be that big of a deal if they were discovered, since it’d mostly be her pride at stake. But when it came to his ex’s wedding, Easton had too much to lose.

Plus, she could really use five hundred dollars.

Stifling her emotions to reinforce their ruse, she gave a happy sigh and lowered her head onto Easton’s shoulder. “Which is why my honeymoon is wherever he is.”

Bitterness coated her tongue, the words feeling too much like a lie. Considering their entire couple act was a farce, she didn’t want to analyze why. Of course her brain went to work anyway, churning out those second thoughts she couldn’t fully stamp out.

Maybe I was asking too much of Brett.

They’d had several arguments, including a couple of big, blowout fights about Rome. Whenever the subject came up, she’d get cut off before she could properly explain the trip’s importance—not that she ever would’ve convinced Brett it’d be worth the money, but why hadn’t her feelings on the subject mattered at all?

Every time she listed a reason, he’d interrupt with, “Is that more important than a house and financial security?”

As if she didn’t also regard those things. She constantly worked at maintaining her credit score because she’d seen the difference in interest rates and how rapidly they could transform loans into unwieldy, burdensome sums. But what was the point of the hustling day in and day out, only to save money and never go anywhere or do anything?

At some point during her introspection, Bethany had gotten bored or distracted by the scenery. Since Imogen didn’t want to miss it herself, she turned outward, and oh so carefully peered over the side. Rows and rows of grapevines sprawled for miles, satisfyingly straight, and from this height, the winery looked like a game piece.

Easton snaked an arm around her waist and gripped the edge of the basket next to her hip, as if he were her own personal seatbelt. “What’s up?”

“Just enjoying the gorgeous bird’s-eye view.”

“You know that’s not what I’m talking about. You went somewhere else for a while.” Strands of her hair snagged in his whiskers as he twisted his neck and pressed a soft kiss to her temple. “Somewhere up here.”

Ugh, why did he have to be so perceptive? The version of Easton she’d met on the porch of her rented cabin might’ve been a bit of a jackass, but he also hadn’t asked complicated questions. How ironic for her to complain about a trait she’d so badly wished for in her ex.

There it was again, too, that stab of guilt and pesky need to confess. “Let’s just say if my name was Pinocchio, I’d be sporting extra-long wood right now.”

“Hey, I sport wood all the time.” Easton lowered his voice to a whisper. “It’s why I have to keep my crotch aimed at the basket wall instead of sliding behind your incredible ass the way I’ve been dying to do all day.”

Sputtered laughter slipped out. “Wow, what a gentleman.”

“Damn straight.”

Flames shot from the propane tank with a cracklingwhooshthat left her ears buzzing, and they drifted higher and to the northwest. She hoped that’d be that, the subject officially dropped, but Easton wasn’t that easily distracted.

With the other couples engaged in conversations of their own and the white noise from the balloon, she at least had enough cover to talk freely, despite their snug quarters. It was forcing out the words that was difficult. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve dreamed of taking a trip to Rome, and I figured my honeymoon would be the perfect time to make it come true. Plus, it’s a wildly romantic setting—even you have to admit that.”

“I do?” he asked, and she nodded, and his widening grin managed to be tender and ribbing at the same time. “It’s a wildly romantic setting.”

She gaped at him in disbelief for a second or two, not sure how to react to someone caving to a whim nowhere near the realm of logical.

“There’s a town in Georgia, not all that far from here, called Rome,” Easton said, and at her snicker of laughter, his posture tensed. “It’s not as grandiose as Italy’s version, obviously.”

Imogen spun and bracketed his face with her hands, not wanting him to misunderstand or feel insulted about the beautiful wilderness he referred to as home. “I’m laughing because my discovery of Rome, Georgia is how I ended up here.”

“Let me guess. Our slice of nowhere, full of natural rivers, swamplands, forests, and lakes, could never compare to the fountains and sculptures you’d find in Italy.”

Imogen went to shake her head but got caught up in the technicalities of that last part. “No, but also yes, if that makes sense.”

“Not one lick,” he said with a laugh, and she joined in and placed her hand to the center of his chest.

“What I mean is, it’s complicated. Like I said, Italy’s been my dream for so long, and a huge part of thatisthe sculptures and fountains.” She contemplated going into it further but decided it wasn’t the right time or place. “It’s hard to say how this trip would’ve compared had I forced myself to go through with the wedding…”

Easton transformed in a flash, his spine snapping straight and his hand slipping from its spot next to her hip. It dangled in a lifeless way at his side she didn’t understand and yet felt hauntingly familiar.

Panic rushed in like a flash flood in the middle of a desert. Her breaths came faster and faster, and if she started overanalyzing, she’d get stuck in that loop instead of the vacay, no-strings fun one. “This place is seriously breathtaking. I mean…” She swept her arm to encompass the endlessly blue sky and the river meandering a glittering path through fifty shades of greenery.

“And the idea of missing it…” Her throat tightened. “But I know a part of me still would’ve felt a tad let down. Not anything to do with here, but thelossof there. Even as much as I hyped myself up to take this trip, it’d be rather miserable if you hadn’t agreed to join me for the activities. Without those to keep my mind occupied, I’d have way too much time to think.”

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