Page 14 of His Best Man's Baby

Tae held back, but a hand started her feet in the direction Daniel wanted her. Jax appeared at her side, a smile gracing his handsome face. “By all means, bro. This is your day.”

Alise’s displeasure shifted to Jax, and he hurried to correct himself, amusement plain in his eyes. “I mean you know aside from Alise, of course.”

“Of course,” Tae muttered and ignored the response she got from the bride.

Moments later, she somehow ended up behind Daniel, her hands on his waist, and Jax behind her, his hands on her waist, all of them turned to the side, face toward the camera. Both men were ridiculously tall, so she felt like the meat to their bread, which wouldn’t be a bad thing in a fantasy, but not just after Daniel’s wedding. She willed the photographer and his assistant to hurry with the photos.

“Okay, now just you three.” The photographer pointed to Daniel, her, and Jax.

“Daniel,” Alise protested.

“Sweetheart, you took pictures with your friends.”

“Mine weren’t…her.”

Tae sighed. “You know what, I’m out.” She tried to walk away, but Jax caught her hand and dragged her back.

“It’s a picture, Tae,” Jax said under his breath.

“Why do you sound like I’m the one with the problem?” she bit back.

Alise and her girlfriends glared so hard Tae thought she’d catch fire at any second. She could only imagine how the pictures would come out, her in the middle of Daniel and Jax, miserable and trapped. The second all the clicking ended, Tae muttered an excuse and exited the room. She jetted down the hall and found the ladies’ room. Shoving the door wide, she paused at the small crowd and backed out. Another door farther down merited investigation, and she ducked her head in. A conference room presented itself. She slipped in and shut the door behind her, sighing. Her due diligence as Daniel’s friend had been done. She could leave and skip the reception. After everyone headed into the room where she’d spotted the congratulatory sign for the happy couple, and then she would make her escape.

While she leaned against the wall with her eyes closed and biding her time, the door next to her clicked open. Tae groaned and turned to see who disturbed her peace. Alise stood in the archway, offense radiating until the baby’s breath weaved into her silky locks quivered. She stepped into the room and shut the door behind her.

“You and I need to talk,” she quipped.

Tae yawned, touching the back of her fingers to her mouth. “I disagree. Nothing you have to say interests me. Go find your husband.”

Alise bristled. “What did you say to me?”

“Did I stutter?”

Alise stepped closer, but Tae raised a finger.

“Back up.”

“What?”

“Three seconds.”

The woman seemed to rethink getting in Tae’s face and returned to the door. “I’m not going there with you. I see the kind of woman you are, and I’m not letting you ruin my wedding day.”

“You don’t know me to say a word about the kind of woman I am, but I wouldn’t ruin anybody’s wedding day. I think it should be perfect in every way, something to look back on. As Daniel’s friend, I support him.”

“His friend?” Alise put her hands on her hips and laughed. “Who do you think you’re fooling? I know you want him back, but it’s too late. See this ring? It says Danny’s mine. You lost.”

Tae shook her head. “I didn’t know this was a contest, but since you know your husband so well, why don’t you know he hates being called Danny?”

Alise paled, and Tae pressed her advantage.

“Yeah, that’s right, but you don’t care, do you?”

“I love him! And he loves me calling him Danny. It’s our thing.” The simpering turned Tae’s stomach. She should have left no matter who didn’t like it. “I know you’re jealous. He told me how he broke up with you, and you kept chasing after him trying to get back together.”

Tae clenched her jaw. “Oh is that right?”

“Yeah, that’s right.” Alise touched a long French-tipped nail to her red lips. “I’m glad you came. Now you can see for yourself that he’s mine and back off. I let you have that photo session, but that’s it, and make no mistake, those pictures are going suspiciously missing the minute they come in.”

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