Hard Love (Trophy Boyfriends #3) - Sara Ney Page 0,19
side. Just the tiniest bit afraid, I chance a glance over my shoulder to find her leering at me like I’m a piece of meat.
Avoid that woman at all costs tomorrow night.
I manage to avoid her eyes the remainder of the rehearsal, made slightly easier now that she’s seated in one of the pews, replaced by Madison, who returned from wherever the hell she’d gone off to.
The minutes pass by.
I watch the clock at the back of the church. Stare up at the painted rectory. Watch the florists and planners and workers decorating the church for the ceremony tomorrow.
It’s a goddamn forest in here.
Romance exploding everywhere.
Then.
The whole thing is over, and the entire group is gathering toward the back of the church to discuss who’s riding with who to the restaurant for the rehearsal dinner, a clusterfuck if I ever saw one.
I jingle my keys and make for the exit.
“Bro.” I hear someone call out, but bro could be anybody. Plenty of these dudes could have a brother here.
I keep walking, but a hand clamps down on my shoulder, stopping me.
“Bro.” It’s Buzz. “Bro, can you give Chandler a ride to dinner? She came with me but Mom wants to ride with us and go over some last-minute stuff, so I’m sending Hollis with—”
He needs to stop using the B word before I lose my mind.
“It’s fine.” I cut him off, nodding toward his fiancée’s cousin, who lingers a few feet away, clutching her purse. “We don’t have to discuss it to death.”
My brother glares at me, shooting me a warning look. Can you be nice? he mouths.
I roll my eyes. Duh. I’m always nice.
I force a smile that feels more like a wolf grin, minus the fangs.
Shit. Maybe I am being a dick.
Too late now, as I’m ushered out with the rest of the herd, the wedding planner and florists needing the room to spread out the decorations and arrangements that still need to be placed.
I thought they were going to have a low-key situation, not this fancy, frilly, pretty crap. So many florals the fragrance makes me sneeze.
“Are you allergic to the roses?” Chandler asks as we head toward my truck.
“No.”
Maybe.
Who knows. I’ve never sneezed over flowers before, but I’ve also never been in a room full of hundreds of them, so maybe I am.
I hit the remote to unlock the doors and shoot her a sidelong glance.
She doesn’t look like the type of girl who has a hot pink vibrator stashed next to the bed; then again, I don’t look like the type of dude who has to jerk off a few times a week because he cannot get laid.
Looks can be deceiving.
The smallest running back on a football field can score the most points.
The largest linebacker can miss the easiest block.
The most unassuming wallflower can have a drawer full of sex toys.
I put that out of my mind as I hit the start button for my truck, engine noisily thundering amongst a parking lot full of luxury sedans and sport utility vehicles. Family cars.
“Thanks for the lift.”
“Sure.”
I hope she doesn’t keep talking—I have nothing to say.
“And thanks for helping me move. I don’t remember if I told you that or not.”
She did, only a dozen times last weekend while I was schlepping boxes into her house—as if I had all the time in the world to waste, fucking around with her move, this girl who is going to be my brother’s new family.
In-law.
Family-in-law.
Regardless, Buzz is excited, so I guess I should ease up on the indifference and throw the girl a bone.
Chandler is cute but meek, nothing to write home about. A woman who looks more like a recent college grad, or jailbait. I spare her a glance, keep my eyes to the front, small talk unnecessary.
“You were the one dressed like a lumberjack last week.” Chandler attempts to tease me, albeit shyly, eyes downcast and cheeks flushed.
I grunt, having no response to Captain Obvious, despite having just decided to converse with her for the sake of my brother. If she tells him I was rude, he’ll be pissed. It’s not that I worry about him, but he’ll squeal to our mom, and she’ll chew my ass out. I’m sick and tired of having my ass handed to me by our parents, having gotten more lectures these past few weeks than I did my entire youth.
“This is your brother’s special night—don’t ruin it.”
“You’re a reflection of this family—please don’t ice anyone out with your bad manners.”