Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 92140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“You look perfect,” I told her.
She smiled and faced the mirror again. “My face is so pink. I look like I just got off the treadmill.”
I came up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. Kissed her temple and met her eyes in the mirror. “You’re beautiful.”
She placed her arms on top of mine and tipped her head back against my chest. “Thank you.”
“There’s probably no chance we can skip the rest of this wedding, is there?”
“Nope.”
Exhaling, I dropped my arms. “I didn’t think so. Should I go out first?”
“Sure.” She fanned her face. “I need a minute anyway.”
“Okay.” Adjusting my cuffs, I walked to the door and grabbed the handle. Then I looked over at her. “Can we talk later?”
“Do you think that’s a good idea?”
“Maybe not in person. On the phone?”
“Do you think that’s a good idea?”
“Can we at least be trusted to text?”
“Honestly, Zach, I’m not sure. And we were supposed to delete each other’s numbers last night.”
“Did you do it?” I asked.
She hesitated, then shook her head.
“I didn’t either.”
Her cheeks grew even more pink. “We are not good people.”
“I wouldn’t go that far.” I pulled the door open, listened for a moment, then glanced into the hall. All clear. I looked back at her. “I’m not going to stay too long, so why don’t you text me when you get home? I’d like to talk.”
“You’re not leaving because of me, are you?” She looked adorably concerned. “Mason is so happy you’re here, and I’d hate to—”
“It’s not because of you,” I said firmly.
She didn’t appear fully convinced, but she nodded. “Okay.”
I left the room and pulled the door shut behind me.
CHAPTER 11
MILLIE
As soon as the door closed, I let out my breath. Closed my eyes. Listened to the rapid fire of my pulse.
What the actual fuck was I doing?
I’d just banged the father of the groom—at a wedding I’d planned—on my desk while I was on the job!
While my parents were seated at the reception!
All that was bad enough without adding in the fact that the groom was my ex-boyfriend.
I opened my eyes and studied my face in the mirror, taking deep, slow breaths until my complexion returned to its normal color. “It’s fine,” I told the person in the mirror. “It’s all good. You’re going to go out there and act like you’re not a harlot with no moral compass who can’t keep her hands to herself or her panties in place.”
I mashed my lips together to make sure the face didn’t argue, then I gathered my courage and left the room.
Normally, I didn’t stay until the very end of a wedding, but tonight I did. Maybe it was guilt, maybe it was that I wanted to make sure every single detail at the reception was taken care of for Mason and Lori, maybe it was that the sooner I was alone with my conscience, the sooner I’d have to think about what I’d done.
Zach and I didn’t speak again after he left my office, and I was careful to avoid even looking in his direction for fear of establishing accidental eye contact and bursting into flames.
But peripherally, I noticed that he avoided the dance floor, stuck to the side of the room, and conversed with very few people. Around nine-thirty, I realized I hadn’t seen him in a while and figured he’d gone back to his hotel.
I’d probably never see him again, and the thought left a pit in my stomach.
The wedding wrapped up around eleven, and the bride and groom were among the last to leave. Mason and Lori both hugged me, saying over and over again that this had been the best night of their lives and they could not have been happier.
“It was my dream wedding in every way,” said Lori with misty eyes. “Thank you so much, Millie. I know this could have been awkward, but you never made it feel that way.”
I smiled. “I’m glad.”
“You’re the best, Mills,” said Mason, putting his arm around his wife. “In so many ways, this could never have happened without you.”
“I’m happy for you guys,” I said, and I meant it. “So you’re off to Aruba, right?”
“Yes,” said Lori. “We leave Monday.”
“I’m jealous! Have a great time.” For a moment, I fantasized what it would be like to take a trip like that with Zach. No one around who knew us, nothing to hide, just sun and sand and tropical drinks with little umbrellas floating on top. His hands rubbing sunscreen onto my skin. Crazy hot sex between cool hotel room sheets.
What was wrong with me?
When everyone was gone and the staff was tearing down the room, I retreated to my office, ditched my heels, and fell back onto the small couch. Stretching out my legs, I stared at my toes, refusing to look at my desk, where Zach had taken me so roughly. It was intoxicating to be wanted that way by a man so self-possessed and restrained at all other times. I remembered how he referred to himself when telling me about the affair with Mason’s mom. I was a daredevil with a lot of anger issues and a short fuse.