Page 62 of No Place Like Home
“He punched Lance,” Susie said as she came out from the house with Bryson right behind her. “And Lance has a broken nose.”
“What?” chorused every female voice in the vicinity.
Bryson came to my defense, his hands in the air. “Lance deserved it. He was speaking shit and Rowan shut him up. Sorry, Kaye.”
“Speaking shit about what?” Kaye asked.
“Or better yet, who?” my mother added.
I shook my head at Bryson. Hopefully he got the message that he better keep it quiet.
“Great,” Kora fumed. “You dumbassess can’t keep your testosterone in check for a day? This is my wedding!”
I turned toward Kora and froze. She was beautiful—angelic.
Guilt filled my gut. “Damn, Kor. You look amazing. I’m sorry, but if you knew what he said—trust me, you’d support me.”
“I’ll find out later. Right now, I want my first look. I’m dying to see my future husband, so everyone go away and let us do this.”
We all filed into the house. I pulled Summer off to the side. There was no way in hell I was going to let her anywhere near Lance, andIsure as hell didn’t want to be in arm’s reach of him. I’d only punch him again for good measure.
Every place in the cabin had a good view of Kora and Kai’s first look, since the wall along the back was basically one long window. Summer and I stood off to the side, left alone while everyone was getting ready to gush over the bride and groom.
“What could Lance have said to piss you off enough that you punched him?” Summer asked. “I know he’s not your favorite person, but, Rowan, seriously? Fighting isn’t your style unless you’re . . .” She stopped and looked at me.
Damn. I turned away from her. She really knew me. Too well.
She turned me back to face her. “Who were you sticking up for?”
I looked away. “Shouldn’t you be watching this?” Kai was already outside, waiting with his back to the bride’s entrance, and Summer reluctantly turned her attention away from me as Kora walked around the corner and stood close to him. He turned around, and the expressions on their faces were priceless. They both cried and wrapped each other in a hug. Everyone in the cabin did the same. I admit, even I got a little misty watching my cousin wrapped in the arms of the man she loved.
I heard a sniff and turned to Summer. When she looked at me, she smiled and gave a small shrug. I wiped a lone tear from her cheek. “Look at you. Getting sappy in your old age?”
“Fuck you,” she said with a laugh.
“I’d like that,” I said with a wink.
She laughed again and rolled her eyes.
I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her close. “You look amazing,” I whispered. She did. The dress she wore hugged all her curves and showed just enough cleavage that it was sexy, yet not overdone. Spaghetti straps showed off her shoulders, and the back dipped low toward her hips. I held her away from me and gave her a once-over. Her chestnut hair and brown eyes popped against the bright red of her lipstick. I leaned in to kiss her.
She put her hands on my chest. “You’ll mess up the lipstick. We have pictures in a minute. But you also look pretty damn handsome, at least for someone who’s just the help.”
“Yeah, well,” a voice said nearby, “that’s a good thing, as he’s no longer the help.”
I turned to see Kai and Kora standing next to us.
“Seems that Lance has to take care of an injury,” Kai said, “so it’s a good thing you have on a tux. Looks like you’re in the wedding.”
“Think you can handle taking Lance’s spot and escorting Summer?” Kora added.
“I think I can handle it,” I said as I turned to Summer and my blood pulsed through my veins. “Looks like it’s you and me, Summertime.”
She smiled. “I guess so.”
“Good. Stay close. We’ll need you both for pictures.” Kora pulled Kai away to continue their circuit around the room.
Summer closed the small gap between us and placed her hands on my chest. “So, did you hit him so you’d get in the wedding, finally? That’s pretty desperate of you.”
