Page 110 of One Little Mistake
“I’m not punishing him,” I sulk. “I’m-I’m just—”
“She’s scared,” Julia interjects, unhelpful as ever.
“I am not.”
“Ya kinda are,” Preston buts in.
“Ugh. I …”Shit. I am scared.
“Take a seat, Locket,” GG orders from across the room. “Guys? Give us a minute, yeah?”
Everyone has a job to do since Colton’s Hollow Hearts mission starts today with the Billionaire Bachelor Auction, so they take their supplies and head out the door.
I hate to admit it, but every single female in the tri-state area has turned up in Burke Hollow today. Colton is deceptively good at his job.
“I can’t sit, GG. We’ve got work to do.”
“Work will always be there, young lady. Matters of the Heart won’t wait.”
Grabbing the box with auction paddles, I take a seat next to her so I can number them while she scolds me. The second I sit down, she grasps my hands, and my plan goes out the window.
“I know you’re scared, Lexi. You’ve been through more than your share of heartache.”
“You mean I’ve made more than my share of mistakes,” I joke, but it falls on deaf ears.
“Mistakes are all about how you look at ’em. Sure, some mistakes bring unimaginable pain, but some bring the purest kind of love.”
Resting my head on her shoulder, I take comfort in the woman who has always been my rock. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes, GG.”
“That’s part of life, girly, but you’ve made some pretty great mistakes, too.”
Confused, I pull away to see her eyes. “What do you mean?”
“One little mistake in Vegas brought you a man who pulled you from your grief. He brought you back to life. I’d say that’s the best kind of mistake.”
I stare at her, open-mouthed. Shock doesn’t begin to describe what I’m experiencing right now. “You’ve known? This entire time you’ve known?”
GG cackles in a way that’s so uniquely her I laugh right along with her.
“I knew ya’ was drunk, missy, but I didn’t realize you were that drunk.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, genuinely confused.
GG pulls her phone out of her pocket, presses a few buttons, and hands it to me.
There, on her screen, is a picture of Easton and me in front of an Elvis impersonator. We’re kissing in the background with our ring fingers on display for the camera.
“You were there?” I screech.
“Grumpy is a gentleman, Locket. He couldn’t marry you without askin’ my permission, and you said you needed a witness. Sylvie drove me, so ya got the both of us.” She swipes the image on her phone, and a picture of the four of us is staring back at me.
Sylvie and GG look exhausted. I cringe, realizing we must have dragged them from bed for this, but their smiles are happy. What really catches my eye, though, is the way Easton is staring at me. While I’m gazing straight ahead at the camera, he’s focused solely on me. He’s looking at me as if I’m his entire world.
“That there is what a man in love looks like, Locket. I think he’s proved time and time again you can trust him. Now, I know he messed up, and trust me, he’ll do it again, but I think it’s time you allow yourself his love.”
I don’t notice my tears until GG swipes them away.
“What do ya say? Ya ready to go get your man?”
