Page 81 of The Runaway Bride of Blitzen Bay (Blitzen Bay)

Chapter Thirty-Five

NASH

December 25

Blitzen Bay, California

“She’s something else, huh?”

Gabi hands me two wine glasses as I reach for the open bottle of red.

“Who? Elle?” I say, looking away from her as I pour.

“You know who I’m talking about, Nash,” Gabi says impatiently. “You haven’t taken your eyes off her all week. Or your hands.”

On the way to pick up Elle tonight, I promised myself I would back off. I’m sensing that she’s not ready. But that promise blew up the minute she walked down the staircase at the Holly House. She’s wearing a clingy, low-cut red dress that accentuates every inch of her ample curves perfectly. It was everything I could do not to carry her right back up the stairs into her bed.

I keep my eyes fixed on the wine glasses. My face starts to get hot. “Yeah, she seems great.”

“Really? ‘She seems great.’ That’s all you’ve got?” Gabi leans against the island and crosses her arms as she stares at me.

I look up at her. “I mean, what else do you want me to say? She’s not even twenty-four hours out of an engagement. She’s not exactly available.”

“I was wondering if you realized that. Seems like you’re getting in a little deep—”

“I’m not. I’m fine. We’re just friends. I’m taking her back to L.A. tomorrow. We might never see each other again.”

That thought’s been running through my mind all afternoon, but saying it out loud makes me start to panic a little bit.

Gabi pats my back. “As long as you realize that. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Quit worrying about me. I’m fine,” I say, picking up the glasses as I head back to find Elle.

“You’re my family,” Gabi says as I walk away. “I’m never going to quit worrying about you.”

I walk down the hall until I hear voices coming out of a room in the back. When I walk in, Izzy’s looking at Elle like a prosecutor trying to get an answer out of a witness.

“What? What’s going on?” I look quickly from Izzy to Elle.

“Nothing’s going on, Nash,” Izzy says. “Just girl talk.”

“Hmm.” I hand Elle the wine and put my hand on her shoulder. “I don’t think I like that.”

Elle pats my hand. “It’s all good. Izzy, I heard what you said. Thank you for saying it.”

“What’d she say?” I look at Izzy sternly.

Elle takes my hand and starts leading me out of the room. I don’t budge.

“Izzy? What’d you say?” I repeat.

“Now who’s being nosy,” Elle says, pulling on my hand harder. “C’mon, let’s see if Sam needs help with dinner.”

When we get in the hall, I pull back on her hand and stop her. “Tell me what she said.”

“It’s not a big deal. She doesn’t want you to get hurt. It’s sweet—the equivalent of what Kit said to you about me. We’re lucky we have people who care about us so much.”

“I’m a grown man, Elle.” I put my hands on her shoulders and look directly into her eyes. “Izzy did not need to say that. I’m not going to get hurt and I’m definitely not going to hurt you. That should be the furthest thing from your mind. Okay?”

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