Just One Scandal (The Kingston Family #2) -Carly Phillips Page 0,4
whole other meaning to women going to the ladies’ room together,” Beck said to his brothers.
Tripp laughed only to be tag teamed by two of the bridesmaids.
“Ooh, you’re cute,” a pretty brunette said.
“I saw him first, Wendy. Go find your own guy.” The proprietary woman grabbed Tripp’s elbow and hung on tight.
Beck’s sibling raised his eyebrows but didn’t attempt to disengage his new appendage.
“I’ll take this one then.” The woman with auburn hair latched on to Drew.
Beck didn’t know whether to be insulted or relieved that none of the women had chosen him.
“I know you!” The bride, who had obviously gotten waylaid because she just joined them now, tripped and fell against Beck’s chest.
He braced his hands on her bare forearms, steadying her as he helped her stand up straight. When she didn’t wobble, he released her and met her gaze. Long blond hair fell in waves around her exquisite face, and blue eyes with a darker rim around the edges stared back at him, reminding him of someone he knew.
“Beckett Daniels, right?” she asked.
“Yes.” There was a familiarity to her features. He knew her, he just couldn’t place her. “And you’re…”
“Chloe Kingston. Linc’s sister.” She treated him to a megawatt smile that had the power to knock him on his ass.
Son. Of. A. Bitch. Linc, his one-time best friend. Now a man he barely spoke to.
“You and my brother are business competitors,” she said and let out a little hiccup. Clearly she was as drunk as her bridesmaids.
“That would be putting it mildly.” But he wasn’t about to elaborate on his relationship with her brother. If Linc hadn’t seen fit to tell her the sordid details, he wasn’t going to go there, either. It was a time in his life he’d much rather forget.
Looking at Chloe, her flushed cheeks, in her inebriated state, he assumed the ceremony had already taken place. “So you kept your maiden name?” he asked. Because she hadn’t introduced herself as Chloe Kingston Something-or-Other.
“Oh, no. No, no, no.” She waved her hand through the air, her long nails a pale white color. “I’m not married.” A deeper flush rose to her face. “I was left at the altar.”
Beck blinked, then stared at her, stunned. “What kind of asshole would stand up a gorgeous woman like you?” Despite her relation to his sworn enemy, Beck couldn’t deny the fact that the girl he’d met in college was all grown up and one hell of a knockout.
“You’re sweet.” She sniffed and he was afraid he’d triggered a crying jag, but she forced a smile instead. “He found someone who completes him,” she said, using quotation marks with her fingers. “And he hopes I find the love and excitement he has.” She finished with more finger quotes.
She sniffed again. “But the bastard did it by text. And I’m celebrating because everything is paid for, and I think just maybe he did me a favor. Even if I sometimes want to cry.” She fluttered her thick black lashes, and Beck was afraid she’d do just that.
He didn’t know what to make of Chloe or what to do with her. On the one hand, he wanted to beat the crap out of the man who’d hurt her. On the other, he needed to remember she was Linc’s sister and he ought to stay far away.
“Anyway.” Chloe interrupted his train of thought, which was going in a direction he didn’t like but which still held some appeal. “I figured why let everything go to waste? So we’re partying! Come with me!” she said, tugging on his sleeve.
He glanced at his brothers, who were preoccupied with her bridesmaids, and rolled his eyes. No matter what they decided to do, he was not going in there and dealing with her brother.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Her wide smile dimmed. “Why not? You want to dump me, too?” Her pout was too fucking adorable, and her words hit him in the gut.
“No, I don’t want to dump a beautiful … umm … bride like you. But Linc and I aren’t on the best of terms.”
“Oh!” Her smile returned. “Well, that’s no problem. Linc’s not here. I made my family go home. I didn’t want to see their sad, worried faces at my non-wedding party.” She flung her arm, gesturing toward the double doors on the far side of the lobby.
“Your brother left you drunk after being … well, he just left?” Beck stopped himself before he reminded her she’d been dumped.