Page 63 of One Time Player

I want to fan myself, but I keep my cool.

“You’re looking pretty good yourself,” I praise.

“Do we have a couple minutes to talk?” he asks.

His words turn my excitement into a nervous flutter inside my belly.

“We shouldn’t be late for pictures,” I warn because I’m the queen of escaping commitment, relationships, anything serious really. I know we will eventually have to talk, but tonight I feel like I have too much riding on the line.

He looks disappointed but he concedes, “Okay.” He offers me his arm.

“Let me just grab my purse.” I throw a lipstick inside. “All ready.”

I take his arm and that small touch sets my body aflame. By the time we make our way to the elevator, my heart ricochets in my chest. Evan smells delicious and looks even better.

The ride down in the elevator is quiet and I appreciate it. Evan waits off to the side when I go for some family pictures. He hangs by the bar and eats some hors d’oeuvres with the rest of the bridal party. Some of Amy’s friends come up and talk to him. I don’t mean to be judgy, but they look like they are puck bunny central.

When one girl reaches over and squeezes his arm, I’m seeing red, and my first instinct isget your paws off my man. That right there is my biggest problem. He isn’t my man. He can’t be.

By the time pictures are done, we are whisked off to another part of the hall where there is an aisle set up. The place is covered in all kinds of trees and flowers. My aunt and uncle really did go overboard for this shindig.

The wedding procession takes turns walking down the aisle and then Amy and Hunter exchange vows. Hunter gives her this deep and meaningful speech about the importance of family and finding his soul mate so young, and Amy sounds like she is winging it but maybe I’m wrong. My eyes land on Andrew sitting in the crowd and his lip quirks and he shrugs. I pull my gaze away like I’ve spotted Satan.

Evan sits beside my parents, which is sweet. Mom seems to really like him and Dad, well, he’s his coach so they have their own special relationship. With the vows exchanged the couple kisses and the crowd cheers. We are sent out to the main hall for more hors d’oeuvres and mingling. I make sure to stay close to my parents but it isn’t possible since they know almost everyone here. Daddy still has a lot of friends here from the days we lived in Chicago. Sloane’s mother passes us and I introduce Evan to Mata.

“Nice to meet you.” He shakes her hand.

“Nice to see you settling down,” Mata says. I should mention that Mata, formerly known as Carol, left Aunt Sloane when she was much younger and moved to India where she became a sex guru. She has since moved back to the States but she has some interesting views on life.

“Oh, we aren’t together,” I inform her and her eyes narrow and she looks at us weirdly. “That isn’t the vibe I’m getting. There is some very strong sexual energy between you two.”

Evan, who just took a sip of champagne, spits his drink back into his glass. “Excuse me?” he asks her.

He then gives a look that says WTF?

“Carol, there you are,” Aunt Sloane’s father says. “Come, they want to do pictures.” He pauses when he sees me. “Oh, hi, Patty. Lovely to see you.”

“Hi, Pastor Carmichael,” I reply. “This is my friend, Evan.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” the pastor replies.

“Would you stop calling me Carol?” Mata chides her ex. “Wait, let me call Geraldo, he will want to join the pictures.”

Pastor Carmichael looks frustrated and mutters, “Whatever,” under his breath as he walks away shaking his head.

Evan looks at me. “What just happened?”

“Those are my aunt Sloane’s parents. Her mom is a sex guru. Trust me, it made for some interesting holidays growing up.”

“Sounds like things never got boring around the Sanders’ house,” Evan comments.

“They did not,” I agree. “I think Aunt Sloane said she put her at our table with her new boyfriend. He is a lot younger than she is.”

“Okay, so we are in for an interesting evening,” Evan says. “Is the dude from your past Andrew McNab?”

“Yes.” I wince since even the sound of his name bothers me.

“If he comes your way, I plan on stopping him.”

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