The Rivals - Dylan Allen Page 0,352

between us that is at once cadent and capricious.

We are wanton, wild, wicked and so fucking happy.

My lips may say this isn’t real.

But my heart beats with the secret truth…and there it shall have to stay.

Chapter 27

Crash Landing

Regan

“Oh, dear Lord, I feel almost human again,” I groan and lever up to sitting.

I can’t quite meet the eye of the woman who just finished washing my hair. It felt so delicious that I closed my eyes for a few minutes and pretended she was Stone. I might have come if she hadn’t stopped right when she did.

“You’ve got such incredible hair. It’s like the wigs everyone wears; these curls are to die for.”

It’s not vanity that makes my eyes roll. It’s boredom. My hair is unique, but then…so is everyone else’s.

But I’ve learned that attempting to dissuade or explain my resistance to accepting compliments is far more painful than just saying thank you.

I hear a commotion from the front of the small salon. Never one to ignore a fracas, I leave the flabbergasted hairdresser and stroll out front to see what is happening. A very familiar blonde is arguing with the extremely discomposed young receptionist. It’s Hayes Rivers fiancé. Stone’s soon to be sister in law and the very last person I should want to see.

But she’s pregnant, and clearly in distress. The woman at the counter isn’t even looking at her anymore.

“Confidence?” She spins around, her eyes wild with panic before recognition flickers and then fades. She gives me an assessing once over and a confused frown mars her incredibly pretty face and then her jaw goes slack.

Her shocked expression makes me feel like I’m standing there naked.

“Regan Wilde? Wow, your hair... is amazing and…I’ve never seen you look so… young before,” she says after tripping on her words.

“Good to know I look like an old hag normally,” I say in a dry voice before I can stop myself. I forget that my RBF means that my jokes tend to go over not so well.

Her ocean blue eyes widen in horror and then, she laughs out loud.

Hmmm, that’s unexpected.

She puts a hand on my arm, “And you’re funny, too. You know what I mean, girl. You look like you’re sixteen years old. I can see your freckles. You’re stunning all the time, but right now, you look like you’re a sun goddess or something. I can tell you’ve had a great trip.”

Her congratulatory smile makes my stomach dip.

If only she knew. I wonder what she’d say if I told her that I drove a nail into the coffin of my oldest friendship. Before I spent four days fucking, feasting and finding my religion with a man who isn’t my husband, but seems to know me better than anyone else ever has. Oh, and I think I fell in love with him, but it doesn’t matter because there is no hope for us.

Since I can’t say any of that, I focus on trying to help her with whatever I just walked in on.

“I wish I could say the same for you. You look downright distressed. What did I interrupt when I walked up here?” I arch an imperious eyebrow at the young woman behind the counter.

Confidence’s smile dims and she purses her lips. “Oh, I was being a little bit of a diva,” she admits with a sheepish smile. “I wanted to get my hair done. I didn’t make an appointment and they’re booked. I’m terrible at doing it myself.”

“You have an event?” I feign ignorance.

She darts forlorn azure blue eyes back to the young woman behind the small desk before she nods tentatively. “Yes. A beach wedding. At sunset. It’s a surprise, though. So, if you see Hayes please don’t say anything.”

“Don’t you worry,” I assure her. If I see Hayes, all I’ll be doing is moving in the opposite direction.

“I’m so mad at myself, I’ve never been to one of these places, I thought I could just walk down and get a quick blow out.” She bites her lip fretfully. Her hand rests protectively over the small rounded swell of her belly.

I was a pregnant bride, but there was nothing romantic or whimsical about my nuptials. Even in her distress, it’s clear that this is a woman who is in the full flush of love.

My pang of jealousy is tempered by my secret fascination with the idea of happily ever after. It wasn’t in the cards for me, but I love watching it happen for other people, so I