Page 10 of Chasing Forever
“Then you’re riding with me to the airport.” I grab the back of a chair and pull it out for her. “Have a seat.”
She scoffs. “Um. No.”
“Would you rather me announce to everyone that we’re newlyweds?”
“I didn’t think blackmail was your style.” She crosses her arms.
She doesn’t know how much I love it when she’s stubborn and ferocious.
“All I want is to talk to you.”
She steps up close, her gaze darting around the room, measuring threats, calculating escape, as she always does. A repercussion of my brother screwing her over. “We will talk, but give me until we get to Willowbrook. Then I’ll meet you wherever you want, and we can make our plans for the annulment.”
A hot flick of disappointment slashes through me. She’s already plotting my exit.
“What if I don’t want an annulment?”
She straightens and glares at me. Slowly, flames rise in her gorgeous brown eyes. “You can’t be serious.”
I shrug, and her eyes widen, turning into a blazing inferno. She’s been a fighter her whole life. Holden snuffed out that fire. I watched her bow her head to him—and it killed me every damn time.
“I think there’s a reason?—”
Emmett and Briar walk into the room, and Emmett raises their joined hands in the air to everyone’s claps and cheering. “Let’s welcome another Noughton to the family.”
There goes any talk about us for now.
We all move to take a seat, everyone buzzing with new energy. Romy gives me a pissed-off look—probably about my bullshit Zander Shaw stunt—but I don’t care. Because Lottie’s right here. Close enough to touch.
Everyone sits as Emmett and Briar stand at the head of the table.
“So that makes how many Noughtons now?” Emmett points around the table. “Ten, right?”
He skips over Lottie, and she tenses next to me. I feel her shoulders locking tight, her breathing stalling.
He knows. I have no idea how. No one else will probably understand that Lottie’s now part of another family, my family, now that we’re married, but Lottie and I sure as hell do.
“Eleven, you skipped Lottie,” Romy says before snapping a bite off a celery stick from the Bloody Mary she no doubt grabbed after realizing her favorite country singer is not in the restaurant.
“Oh, did I forget you, Lottie?” Emmett asks, tilting his head and wearing that smug, knowing grin.
Lottie’s face grows red as Briar slides into her chair, leaving Emmett to stand by himself. Everyone’s questioning gaze turns to Lottie. The whole room tightens, leaning in without even meaning to.
Briar tugs on Emmett’s sleeve, pulling him down into the chair beside her, but that damn playful grin sits bold on his face. Add on Briar peeking at Lottie, and I know those two know something.
I slide my hand to Lottie’s forearm, even though I’m the one drowning. If this goes south right here, right now, I might lose any footing and any chance I have with her.
Whatever Emmett’s plan was doesn’t matter now because Lottie tosses her napkin on the empty plate, shoves her chair back, and stands. “Fine. You all want to know so bad because your lives are so goddamn boring? Well, Brooks and I got married last night. There. Are you all happy now?”
Her admission is reckless and messy.
And it’s so damn Lottie.
I love her all the more for it.
Chapter Five
Lottie
