Tailored for Trouble (Happy Pants #1) - Mimi Jean Pamfiloff Page 0,110
and looked toward the tent in the middle of the field, about fifty yards away. It was where Luci said they’d be holding the one hundred weddings later tonight.
When his eyes focused, he spotted Taylor in her white dress, holding a microphone and standing on a podium decorated in a crap load of white flowers and ribbons and wedding bullshit.
“Bennett, I know you can hear me,” she said. Even though she was half a football field away, he felt her eyes on him. “Before you leave, I want you to know that I am…” There was a catch in her voice, and Bennett realized she was crying. A brunette woman he’d never seen before ran up on the podium to comfort her. “Go on, Tay,” the woman whispered, the mic picking up her words. “Say what you came here for.”
Bennett felt his body tense up with anger and so many other emotions he wasn’t used to feeling. Did she honestly believe some speech would change his mind or undo the damage?
Taylor cleared her throat. “Bennett, I am sorry. And I know there’s no excuse for what I did, but I love you.”
The crowd, who’d gathered in front of the wedding tent, began to cheer.
Taylor dipped her head graciously. “Thank you. Thank you.” She held out her hand, pleading for them to let her finish. “But it’s now or never, Bennett. You can forgive the woman who accepts you exactly as you are, or you will lose her forever.” She wiped away the tears from her eyes, and her friend gave her a little squeeze of encouragement. Taylor squared her shoulders and looked out across the field in his direction. “Bennett, you once told me that we were the same, that we saw people and situations for what they truly were. Then can’t you see how truly sorry I am? Can’t you see that I never meant to hurt you?” She sighed. “Please, I’m begging you, please forgive me. Because…”
Bennett stared across the field, the crowd dissolving into the night. He wanted to go to her. He wanted to say he could forgive and trust and be a fucking man…but he simply didn’t know. So much pain weighed him down and until he made right with his demons, he couldn’t truly let go, or be there for anyone, or forgive or sleep or fuck or eat or love.
And that was about all he knew.
She let out a little hiccup before she went on, “Because if you don’t forgive me now, I’ll never be able to forgive you, Bennett. Never.”
What the hell did she mean by that? Forgive me or I won’t forgive you? He looked down at his polished black shoes and then turned toward the parking lot, fuming at her ultimatum. Could she see him? He didn’t know. He only knew that Taylor was the woman he’d thought was for him and the woman he needed to let go of if he hoped to keep breathing.
“Fine, you fucker!” a woman’s voice rang out. It wasn’t Taylor, but her friend who’d grabbed the microphone. “She’s pregnant, and you just lost the chance to be with the one woman who could ever love a rich, famous, totally hot asshole like you! Oops. I mean…asshole! Just asshole.”
Bennett turned his entire body just in time to see a thousand people scowling in his direction, probably willing him to die.
—
Taylor stood frozen on the podium while Sarah remained at her side, screaming to the world that Taylor had been knocked up by Bennett Wade.
Oh, the shame. Wasn’t it bad enough she’d gotten up on the stage in front of a thousand people and declared her love like a fool?
Don’t forget the begging. That was pretty pathetic, too.
But the shame was nothing compared to the heartbreak of seeing Bennett walk away like she’d meant nothing to him or wasn’t good enough to deserve his forgiveness.
And, of course, that heartbreak and shame only felt exacerbated by watching Jack, a big guy with a mean right hook, who was anything but a pacifist despite his Hippocratic Oath, tearing through the crowd after Bennett.
Taylor cupped her hands over her mouth. “Oh no.” Jack’s going to kill him. “Jack!”
She looked at Sarah who grinned from ear to ear. “Go kick his ass, Jack!” she screamed into the microphone. “I’ll make sure all charges are dropped!”
“I can’t believe this,” Taylor whispered, shaking her head as the entire party rushed off to watch the fight.