Page 19 of Best Man
After all the joking around, the cabin grew quiet and the mood turned contemplative. They stopped at a red light, and the silence between them lengthened, growing impossible to ignore.
“Listen, Niko,” Jax said at last, his voice gentle but firm. “Not to get all serious here, but I just want to level with you, man-to-man. Make sure we’re on the same page, you know?”
“Sure,” Niko said with a smile, although he sensed something bad was coming.
“The thing is, Paulina isn’t just Pipes’ little sister. After tomorrow, she’s going to bemylittle sister, too.”
“Yes, of course. I understand.” Niko knew a thing or two about trying to shield a sister from a teammate. Jax didn’t have to say another word.
“More importantly, though—Paulie’s a good girl. I don’t want her to get hurt. So the rules are a little bit different here.” His lips drew into a thin line. “Understand what I’m saying?”
“Yeah, man. Of course,” Niko said with a laugh. “She’s cute, but I was just playing around. I won’t do anything with her.” He managed a reassuring smile, even though disappointment was currently pitting his stomach. “Don’t worry.”
Jax loosened up instantly—he’d heard the words he needed to hear, and everything on his end was cool again. “Thanks, Niko. That’s why you’re my best man.” He patted Niko on the shoulder. “Y’know, the only reason I even have to say that to you is because you’re such a handsome fuckin’ bastard. The ladies can’t resist ya.”
Niko chuckled. “Ya. Whatever.”
The conversation moved on to other topics. Niko did his best to act natural—making small talk and joking around as always—but the reality of what had just happened was only beginning to sink in. With each passing second, it was becoming harder to conceal his true feelings.
When he couldn’t hide it any longer, Niko let the conversation die and turned to silently stare out the passenger window for the rest of the drive. Bitter disappointment festered in his heart. He’d been so excited about Paulina just a few moments ago, only to have his hopes dashed in record time.
Serves you right,he thought,getting your hopes up about a girl.
It sucked, but what could you do? Jax was right. Nothing good could come from his pointless little crush on Piper’s sister. She was a good girl, and he—well, he didn’t deserve a good girl.
8
Paulina
“Listen, Paulie. I want you to know something about Niko,” Piper warned in the car ride over to the restaurant. “He falls in love quick”—she took a hand off the steering wheel to snap her fingers—“and he falls out of love just as fast.”
Paulina feigned ignorance. “Uh, what are you talking about?”
“C’mon, I’m not dumb. I saw you flirting with him during the rehearsal.”
This talk would’ve been embarrassing enough if they were alone, but theyweren’talone. Three other bridesmaids—Austen, Emma, and Katerina, who was Niko’s very own sister, for crying out loud—were crammed shoulder-to-shoulder in the back seat of Piper’s SUV.
“Oh my God, Pip.” Paulina laughed the accusation off. “Would you stop? I was not flirting with him.”
“You weren’t?”
“No!” Paulina insisted, and technically, she was telling the truth. Shewasn’tflirting with him during the rehearsal. If anyone was flirting, then it washimflirting withher.Maybe. But she still wasn’t completely convinced that he was actually serious. He was probably just screwing around, or showing off to the boys, or playing mind games just for the thrill of it. Guys could be weird like that.
Sure, she’d been thinking about their walk down the aisle ever since, but so what? That didn’t mean anything.
“Mm.” Apparently, Piper had inherited that same throaty note of doubt from their mother. “I talked with Mom and she thinks you like him, too.”
Paulina groaned. “This is so embarrassing. I can’t believe you’re saying all this in front of Katerina, too.”
“You really think Katerina doesn’t know what her own brother’s like?” Piper searched for help in the rearview mirror. “Back me up on this, Kat.”
Katerina wedged herself between the two front seats to give her two cents’ worth. “It’s true. When I saw him walking with you, arm-in-arm, I thought, ‘Uh-oh. Trouble.’But I wasn’t at all surprised to see it becauseSasha issucha flirt, and you’re just his type, Paulina.”
I’m his type?
If Katerina’s goal was to discourage her, she couldn’t have said anything worse. Paulina didn’t care that Niko was a player; that wasn’t anything new. Hell, mostguys these days were players, despitemostguys not being six-foot-plus, chiseled professional athletes with million-dollar contracts. What shocked her the most was that Niko might actually be genuinely attracted to her. Sure, she knew they didn’t have a future together, but so what?Meeting guys online didn’t lead anywhere, either.
Instead of being scared off, giddy rays of pride and elation burst from her core.
