Page 135 of Every Time My Heart Breaks

“Hell yes, I’m sure,” I snapped with a frown. “And it turns out, I’ve basically been in love with her for a while. I just needed a few people to point outwhy. And then, you know, the sex really cemented it for me. So…”

“Sex?” Teagan echoed in surprise. “You mean, you two—”

“Oh yeah.” I lowered my voice confidently to confess, “And it was amazing,mind-blowingsex, too. I’m talking, this is the absolute best, motherfucking sex of my life. That woman is my soul mate, hands down. You don’t even know, T. I mean—”

“Hey, shh. You’re not supposed to kiss and tell about the one you love, you moron.”

“Why not?” I countered. “Excellence like this should be shouted from the rooftops. I’m telling you, she can do this thing with her—”

“Oh my God,” my sister-in-law shrieked. “That’s okay. Idon’twant to know.Please.”

I grinned, always happy to mortify Teagan. “Okay, fine. So you’ll meet me?” I pressed. “At the jewelry shop? In say, fifteen…twenty minutes?”

“Good God, Luke,” Teagan stumbled out. “I mean, not that I’m not happy for you. This is great. It’s the best. But are you sure this is a good time? With everything going on?”

“T,” I rasped, shaking my head. “I can’t think of abettertime. She needs this right now. She needs a win. The whole thing with this dickhead being out of jail is taking over her life and stressing her out. She needs something good to look forward to, a future to help her see that this Freston shit isn’t going to last forever, that itcan’t. So yeah… I want to do thisnow.”

“Well, damn…” Teagan sniffed as if I’d made her cry. “When you put it that way, yes! I’d be honored to help you out.” Then she blurted out a giddy laugh. “This is going to be fun. I’ll see you in a few.”

After she hung up, I blew out a steadying breath and glanced at myself in the mirror that hung in the entrance of my house.

“You’re getting married, big boy,” I told my reflection.

And the lucky bastard just grinned back at me with a smug,Yes, I amexpression.

Whistling to myself, I whipped up a sandwich for a quick, early lunch, then started out the door and headed to my truck.

I didn’t think Freston would sneak out under Gray’s watch, but he’d been able to find Chloe before at Lucy’s, so I glanced around for his ugly red Mitsubishi as I jogged to my truck.

When I didn’t spot it, I climbed in and started the engine, wondering not for the first time how he had been able to locate her the night of her kidnapping. Vaughn had checked Chloe’s phone to make sure she hadn’t been sharing her location with him, so then maybe he’d followed her there. Except he hadn’t immediately approached the house; she’d been inside for quite a while before he’d busted in.

There was something that just felt…off about it all.

And even though I couldn’t figure outwhatwas off, I knew for certain that if he found her again, we’d be ready for him.

I was busy picturing scenarios of physically getting to fight the guy when I pulled up to the strip mall where the jewelry store was located.

“What the…?” I gaped in astonishment as I recognized the faces of at least a dozen women gathered in front of the entrance.

Fucking Teagan had blabbed. Toeveryone, it appeared. I mean, I hadn’t told her to keep it a secret, but I hadn’t been prepared to face nearly every freaking female in the family either.

When I parked and cut the engine, my sister-in-law popped free from the group and hurried to where I was parked.

“Really?” I asked her with raised eyebrows as I climbed out and shut the door behind me.

“I panicked,” she started, wringing her hands in apology. “As soon as I hung up with you, I started to realize what a huge responsibility this was—that you justheapedonto my shoulders at the last minute, leaving me no time for preparation at all. And I began to wonder if I reallydidknow Chloe’s tastes well enough to make this kind of monumental decision for her. So I called my mom as a reinforcement. That was it. But she called Chloe’s mom, who called Aunt Reese, who called—well, you get the point. Anyway… Tada!” She widened her hands and motioned toward the horde that was coming our way. “Look at the bright side, with help like this, we’re going to find you the most kick-ass ring ever.”

“Yikes,” I murmured in a small voice and swallowed thickly just as they reached me.

Chloe’s mom led the parade, opening her arms and grinning big.

“A new son,” she cheered and pulled me in for a hug, then gripped my face and forced me to bend down so she could kiss my cheek. “I’m so happy. From the way you two bickered, I always thought you and Chlo would make a cute couple.”

“Huh.” I smiled vaguely as the rest gathered around me hugging and kissing me in congratulations and just basically showing their support.

“So what kind of price limit are we working with?” someone asked, while someone else wondered, “Is there a certain cut you’re looking for?”

“Oh, Chloe’s a princess cut, all the way,” her sister, Skylar, swore.

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