Page 55 of Holiday Friend Zones
No, Trouble is a small town.I would have heard if something happened.Especially since I’m at the courthouse, which is smack-dab in the middle of town.
Shit, what if she changed her mind?What if sleeping together ruined everything?
There’s been little doubt in my mind that the more-than-friends feelings I’ve been harboring for Kyra all these years were one-sided.And that’s fine, because having her as just a friend is better than not having her at all.But if I fucked up by kissing her last night, I will never forgive myself.
Never.
“If you continue to pace like that, you’re gonna wear out the floor,” Nick, my college roommate and other best friend says, without looking up from his phone.“She’ll be here.”
“She’s never late.”
“I’m sure there was a hair crisis or something.”
I whip around.“This is Kyra.”
He looks up at me, lifting a single shoulder in acquiescence.Both our phones ding, and I look down, my heart speeding up.I click on the text from Kyra, scanning it over quickly.
“See, she has to be on her way; she sent the text.”
Nick’s right.I read the words over and over, and it’s all there.The group text to the select group of family and friends inviting them to our wedding.Asking them to be here in thirty minutes.Providing that the bride gets here.
A loud bang fills the lobby, bright light blinding me as the heavy front doors open and cool air rushes in.
“Sorry!”Kyra exclaims, scurrying through the lobby.She stops just short of me, deflating as she relaxes, then throws her arms around me, squeezing as tight as she can.“My shoe broke and I had to turn around and get a different pair.”
“See,shoes…” Nick mutters.
I return her embrace, unable to hold back my laughter.“I wasn’t worried, Baby.”
Nick scoffs from behind me, and I carefully turn so that he can see me flip him off.
“Lindee’s on her way,” Kyra says, pulling back.“She had to grab something at the office, but she promised to be here in time.”
“Then let’s go get our paperwork, so we’ll be set for when everyone arrives, almost Mrs.Barnes.”
Kyra titters, her face flushing to match the pink of her dress.I hold out my arm, ready to escort her down the short hallway to the registrar’s office.Taking it, she lets me lead the way, Nick right behind us.
Fifteen minutes later, the paperwork is all filled out and we’re legal.Well, almost legal.Our marriage license is secured and our appointment with the judge is set, so now all we have to do is say the vows and have the judge sign on the dotted line.
Then we are Mr.and Mrs.Davidson Oswald Barnes.
“Last chance to cut and run,” I whisper to Kyra, slipping her hand into mine as we walk back to the lobby.
“Not a chance.”Kyra smiles at me, the look in her eyes telling me everything I need to know.That last night wasn’t a fluke.That it wasn’t about the moonshine.And that this isn’t only about taxes.“You’re stuck with me, Davis Barnes.”
“I think it might be the other way around, Kyra Murray.”
“Barnes.It’s about to be Kyra Bar?—”
“Are you out of your fucking mind?”
Kyra’s cut off by the angriest shriek I’ve ever heard in my life.One that is so hot it could slice clean through a glacier.It doesn’t take long to figure out who it belongs to.Because as soon as we hit the lobby, my eyes land on the meanest, angriest brunette in Trouble, Tennessee.
Mikayla Murray.
Kyra’s oldest sister.And the family lawyer.
“Seriously!”Mikayla continues, not giving us a chance to answer.“What the fuck?What the actual fuck, Kyra?”
