hard to be!” a male voice shouted from the back.
More laughter. Grant went on in a louder voice. “The best-looking and the biggest-hearted. I love you guys.”
“To Adam and Bailey!” The toast rang out, most enthusiastically from Christina. She sent Grant a smile—he really could be sweet.
Grant caught her look, flushed dark red, and sat down.
As the party went on and dancing began, Christina figured she had two choices. She could hide her pain and make sure Bailey had the best day ever, or she could get drunk with the other girls, make a big fool of herself, and maybe try to get laid.
Christina picked option one. She wasn’t much of a drinker and this was Bailey’s day. It wasn’t about Christina and her stupid, messed-up life.
Everyone in town was there, and a few from out of town Christina didn’t know. Adam had invited some of his stuntman friends who were being admired by all the ladies, including Lucy. Carter was walking around with a stranger—a well-groomed woman in a subdued beige silk dress that set off her slender limbs and pretty face. She watched the crowd with interest but stayed with Carter and Olivia, talking quietly to them. Christina noticed other guests eyeing her curiously—they didn’t know who she was either.
Ray was there, but he wouldn’t look at Christina. He’d avoided her at the church and then at the reception, dancing with everyone but her.
Kyle Malory took Christina to the dance floor once, but mostly he wanted to know what was up between her and Ray. Christina said, “Nothing we really want to talk about,” and refused to discuss it. If Ray wanted his brother to know his business, he’d tell him.
By the time the night was well advanced, Christina’s head hurt and her throat ached. No, she realized, her entire body hurt, even her face, from keeping up all this damned smiling. She was happy for Bailey, but also exhausted and heartsore.
Grant was ignoring her, which was fine, but did he have to flirt with every woman in the tent? Christina felt guilty about angering Ray, which made her heart ache even more.
She ended up outside in the dark, under the cluster of live oaks not far from the house. The tall trees rustled in the night breeze, the music and laughter from the tent muted in the distance.
Christina took a few breaths of the soft air, letting it calm her. She could do this. She could make it until Bailey and Adam drove off to New Orleans for their honeymoon. She’d kiss her sister good-bye, wish her well, and wave her off.
Then she, her mother, Olivia, and anyone else who could be recruited, would start cleaning up. Put away the party, and go back to real life. Bailey was starting a new journey—Christina had to keep on going with the old.
She sighed. No use standing around being maudlin and depressed. Bailey didn’t deserve that.
Christina straightened up and took a step toward the path to the tent … and was brought to an abrupt halt. Branches of scrub around the trees had tangled in the big pink tulle bow on the back of her dress, and now they held her fast.
“Great,” she muttered.
She tugged. Nothing. She tugged harder, and froze when she heard fabric rip.
If she tore the dress trying to get away, Bailey and her mom would not be happy. Not only that, Christina would have to walk around the party with the back half of her dress gone, because all of her clothes were at Bailey’s.
“Shit,” she whispered.
Christina heard a step on last year’s fallen leaves, saw the silhouette of a man backlit against the distant tent. She recognized him in a heartbeat, could never forget his broad-shouldered form, his easy stance.
He must have recognized her in return, because he turned on his heel and started back the way he’d come.
“Grant!” Christina called softly. “Don’t walk away. Help me!”
Grant paused, turned, and peered into the shadows. “Christina, what the hell are you doing?”
He stepped beneath the trees, out of the moonlight. Now he was a smudge of white where his tux shirt was, his blue eyes rendered black.
“I’m not doing anything,” Christina said. “I’m stuck.”
“In the mud?”
“No, to the tree.”
It sounded stupid as it came out of her mouth. Grant snorted a laugh.
“What were you doing?” he asked. “Climbing it?”
Christina made a noise of frustration. “I came out here for a breath of fresh air. I’ve got twigs or something tangled up in the dress.”
“Climbing it,”