Page 51 of L.O.V.E

Ellis and Lacey laughed. Elvis must’ve made a joke.

Angry eyes caught mine. “I’m sorry, baby. I get nervous and agitated around those two.” She pointed toward Natalie. “You have to understand how hard this is. They hate me. You get that, right?”

I didn’t answer. She wouldn’t have heard me anyway, her attentions back on her screen. Maybe I’d been wrong inviting her to Vegas.

Lacey and Ellis said their I do’s. They kissed. They danced while Elvis sang about wise men and falling in love. We cheered. We followed them to their limo, said our farewells, then watched while the newlyweds were swept away to the penthouse suite I’d gifted them for the weekend.

Natalie stood off to the side and wiped a tear from her cheek, watching passing cars.

Victoria yawned.

Martin clapped my shoulder. “Where are we kicking off the celebration?”

“Mind taking me back to our suite, babe?” Victoria laced her fingers through mine. “The girls are meeting me there. We’ll hit the shops for a bit, give you some guy time, then meet you later.”

I gave her fingers a squeeze. “Sure.”

“Perfect.” Martin rubbed his hands together, giving Natalie his back, a wild look in his eyes that promised trouble. “That leaves you and me and a whole lotta options.”

Yeah. I knew what that meant. Drinks. Gambling. Girls. I’d rather follow Victoria and her friends around than spend the evening babysitting Martin. Then again, if I didn’t keep a close eye on my playboy best friend, he might disappear for days, and we would not have our pilot come Sunday afternoon.

“Sounds like a plan.” I checked my watch. “Ellis made dinner reservations at eight. Should we meet at our suite, say seven thirty?”

Our black town car pulled to a stop in front of us. “Natalie, we’ll give you a ride to your hotel.”

“Oh, no.” She looked at everyone but me. “That’s fine. I’ve got an Uber coming. He’ll be here in five.”

“You can cancel.” She’d refused to stay in the same hotel as the rest of us, the rooms I’d bought.

“Really, it’s fine.”

Martin shoved past and ducked into the car.

“You have a free ride right here.”

“Don’t push, Cole. If she doesn’t want to come with us, it’s fine.” Victoria tugged on my arm. “She’s a big girl.”

Call it instinct, or manners, but I hated leaving her alone on the street. Still, I had no right forcing the subject. “We’ll see you for dinner?”

“See you tonight,” she said to her shoes, gnawing on her bottom lip.

I held the door while Martin and Victoria settled into their seats, then gave Natalie one more glance before folding into the buttery leather.

As we drove away, I refused to look back. Instead, I watched my fiancée, who wore a scowl while she watched Martin, who wrenched his neck to watch Natalie as we pulled into traffic.

Natalie wore a different dress to dinner. Pink straps tied around her neck created a plunging neckline and glorious cleavage, not that I was looking. Her cheeks glowed from too much sun, and she wore little, if any, makeup. Her hair was pulled into a complicated twist on top of her head. Her tone legs were on full display, and her stiff, bare shoulders were the only sign of her discomfort.

I slammed my drink and gestured to the waitress for another.

Natalie’s smile faded when I stood to greet her. “Where is everyone?”

I stepped around the table and pulled out a chair a safe distance from mine. She fell, more than sat, into the cushion.

I settled back into my seat. “Victoria decided to hit the clubs early with her girlfriends. Martin is passed out in my room. Ellis hasn’t returned my texts. It’s safe to assume we won’t hear from the newlyweds tonight.”

“Oh.” She stared at the empty shot glass in front of me. “I bet their neighbors are hearing plenty, though.” She laughed at her joke, then met my gaze. “Get it?”

I was speechless, confused, angered by my weakness around Natalie King. Disgusted by my inability to think straight.

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