Page 174 of Marry Me, Maybe?
Opie sidled up to him. “Are you saying I wasn’t worth the wait?”
Lawson froze, clearly cornered, then cleared his throat and grinned. “Of course you were worth the wait. I’m happy to wait for you anytime.”
“Nice save.” Opie kissed Lawson. They kissed for such a long time that it felt as ifwewere intruding.
“Let’s not forget why we are,” Rowan said. “Keep it professional and make out on your own time, please. We have a groom to deliver.”
The doorbell chimed, and we all froze, looking at eachother as though trying to figure out who was expecting company.
“I’ll get it,” Opie singsonged, already trotting toward the door with Ms. Cluck.
Rowan, meanwhile, circled me like a hawk, fussing over my tie and tugging at my cufflinks. “We’ve got old, new, and blue,” he muttered, tapping each in turn. “Borrowed, darling? Don’t tell me you forgot borrowed.”
“You can’t see the borrowed,” I said on a groan.
“Hudson!” Opie reappeared in the doorway, his grin gone. “Hudson… we’ve got a problem.”
My gut clenched. “What kind of problem?”
Opie stepped aside, and a man entered. Broad-shouldered, graying at the temples, a cop’s posture in every inch of him. My breath froze in my lungs.
The room dropped ten degrees. I couldn’t move.
Justin’s steel-gray eyes met mine, steady but tired. “Hudson.”
Rowan’s gasp was so loud, it bordered on theatrical. “I knew it.” He was actually clutching his heart. “Iknew it. I forbade you from seeing the groom before the wedding day, and you didn’t listen. Now look what you’ve caused? The side piece shows up to ruin everything!”
Justin’s gaze flickered over to Rowan, and his mouth twitched at my wedding planner’s theatrics.
“Side piece?” I groaned. “Row, that’s mybrother.”
“Oh.” Rowan blinked, his face filling with color. “My mistake. Continue.”
“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Justin said. “But you think we can talk?”
I squared my shoulders and exhaled heavily. If I didn’t see him, I would wonder throughout the wedding ceremony about the reason he came. I didn’t have much of a choice. “Fine. We can talk in the guest bedroom, but you’ve got ten minutes. I’m getting married shortly.”
“Are you sure he’s the brother?” I overheard Rowan whispering just before we entered the bedroom and closed the door behind us.
“Interesting friends you have,” Justin said.
“Yeah, they’re the best.”
They won’t leave you to fend for yourself when you’re in a lurch.
“You look good.”
“Thanks.” The word scraped my throat. I wished I could say the same for him. Oh, he still had that rugged, handsome look going on, but his eyes seemed tired. “How’s your wife?”
His mouth tightened. “Divorced. Two years now.” He plucked an imaginary piece of lint from his pants. “But I’m sure your wedding won’t end up like mine.”
“It won’t,” I said, steel in my tone.
“That’s good, then.”
Enough. I dragged a hand down my face. “Cut the small talk, Justin. Why are you here?”
He reached into his jacket and pulled out an envelope. Held it out between us. “I came on behalf of Mom and Dad. They wanted me to give you this.”
