Page 67 of She Was Mine First

There, shining prominently on my ring finger, was my five-carat oval diamond engagement ring,

“Oh my God, Beau. This is too much.”

“Nothing is too much for my wife-to-be, Mrs. Hunter.”

Before I could argue, he placed a diamond pendant necklace around my neck and a diamond-encrusted tennis bracelet on my wrist.

“Beau…”

“They belonged to my mother,” he murmured in my ear. “She wore them for her wedding day and passed them down to me to give to my future bride when I turned twenty-one. They’re yours now, darling.”

“You can’t be serious. This is millions of dollars in jewelry.”

“Get used to it, Mrs. Hunter. They’re many more years of diamonds to come.”

My eyes widened. “How did I get so lucky?”

He spun me to face him. “I’m the lucky one.”

He kissed me deeply, passionately, not caring about my red lipstick. All of a sudden, this physical ache surrounded me, consuming me for a moment. Our gravitational pull toward each other was alive and present, taking control of me.

I felt him from across the bridal suite in this castle built for a king and queen. There in the arms of my fiancé, I locked stares with the boy I’d known since I was six years old. Twenty-two years later, my boy had become a man, wearing his own black tuxedo suit.

He’d forever own a huge piece of my heart.

A big part of my soul.

With one look, with no words, he was able to remind me of how much I loved him for always being there for me, and this was no exception.

I swallowed hard, taking in for the first time in what felt like an eternity…

My best friend.

My man of honor.

My first love.

Ethan Carter.

ChapterTwenty

Livvy

Beau excusedhimself to answer a call. Not noticing Ethan stood under the doorframe of my bridal suite as he left out the other door. I grabbed my mouth, turning to see if my lips were a mess, and to my surprise, they weren’t one bit. The makeup artist did say they were kiss-proof, and we proved that theory.

Once I spun around to look at Ethan, he had already closed the distance between us. Quickly catching me off guard, I stumbled back and lost my footing. One second, I stood in the arms of my fiancé, and the next, I stood in the embrace of my best friend.

Placing my hand on his firm chest, I rasped, “These stiletto heels will take some getting used to.”

“Don’t worry. I’m here to catch you if you fall.”

I nervously chuckled, clearing my throat before gaining my composure to stand on my own. After I stepped away, he caressed the side of my face.

“You look stunning, Livvy. White has always been my favorite color on you for a reason.”

“Thank you.” I blushed, bowing my head for a moment before grabbing the lapels of his jacket. “I think the last time I saw you in a tux was prom night.”

With only one sentence out of my mouth, I threw us back to another place and time where I was once only his.

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