Page 89 of The Texan's Secrets

He didn’t want to put Misha in the middle of it, but he had to ask. “Does she seem really angry?”

“She didn’t seem angry at all.” Misha paused for a moment in thought. “Unless she lied. But why would she lie?”

Nico tried to keep the misery from his voice. “She’s been ghosting me.”

“Really?” Misha frowned with confusion and concern.

“She’s never going to trust me, never going to give me a chance after this. I blew it big time, didn’t I?”

“You really liked her,” Misha said softly, compassion coming through in her expression.

“I really did.” He’d more than liked her. Preposterous as it sounded so soon after they’d met, he’d begun to think she was the one—the one and only woman for him.

“You should talk to her,” Misha said.

“And say what?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know what all happened between the two of you. Apologize for not being up front. She might forgive you.”

“Why would she forgive me?” He didn’t deserve her forgiveness.

He’d kept a vital piece of information from her while letting their relationship bloom. He’d made love to her over and over again under false pretenses. It was a huge betrayal of her trust.

“Shouldn’t you at least try?”

Nico knew his sister was right He’d hurt Emilia. He’d taken what should have been a magical time being a bridesmaid and complicated it with his selfishness. For that alone, he should tell her he was sorry.

He scanned the room, looking for her distinctive bridesmaid dress. “Where is she?”

He didn’t wait for an answer. Instead, he began striding toward the head table, hoping Emilia hadn’t moved too far away from there.

He wove through the crowd, scanned conversation groups, checked every corner of the empty dance floor. When he finally spotted her, his steps slowed. He found himself delaying the moment of reckoning.

She was chatting with Maggie’s brother, Preston, and his fiancée, Tiffany.

Nico reflexively noted there was a good chance one of them would recognize him. Not that it mattered now. Not that much of anything mattered now that he was losing Emilia.

Even through his dread, he couldn’t help noting how incredibly beautiful she looked as he came up beside her. She was smiling right now, laughing at something Tiffany had said. And here he was about to shatter the moment.

“Excuse me,” he said.

Emilia looked his way, surprise on her face.

“There you are.” She didn’t look angry as she turned. Then again, she was far too poised to let her emotions show in front of others.

“Nico?” Tiffany asked from behind Emilia. “Is that you?”

Emilia’s smile faded and her brow furrowed, and the last hope left him.

“It’s me,” he said to Tiffany. “Can I speak with you for a minute?” he asked Emilia, taking a sideways step to move to a quieter spot.

“You look...different,” Tiffany said.

“Nice to see you,” he told her pleasantly. “Please?” he asked Emilia.

“Okay,” she answered with a nod, looking uncertain.

Fighting an urge to take her hand, he wove their way through the crowd until they came to a quiet alcove. There, he stopped and turned to face her, squaring his shoulders and bracing himself.

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