Wild Girl (Wild Men Texas #3) - Melissa Belle Page 0,37

slightly so we make the barest of eye contact, and he holds out his left hand. I take it in my right, and we walk the last two steps onto the dance floor together.

The song’s already nearly half over.

Just a minute and a half left, Mace. You can do it.

I curse Flip for choosing Erma as I put my left hand on Logan’s right bicep and his free hand circles my waist. I know Gigi must be watching, but Logan pulls me in closer anyway. We move away from the periphery of the floor and further into the circle so that we’re right next to Ginny and Dave, who look like they’re fighting.

Logan leads me away from that minefield, and we settle into place at the back of the floor. He holds me close, and I let him, and we don’t break away when the song ends. It’s not until everyone begins walking off the floor and they announce upcoming toasts that we both start and pull apart.

Then Ginny, guitar in hand, steps up on the stage and sings with Nickel. I stare at her, transfixed by how well she fits with him. I can see her eyes shining from way down here.

When the song ends and Nickel helps her off the stage, she rushes toward me, holding her dress so freely in her hand I’m terrified she’s going to trip on the train and wipe out. Somehow, she makes it over to me, and I catch her just as she stumbles.

“Oh, my gosh!” she giggles. “Did you see me?”

“You sounded amazing!” I hug her. “I didn’t know you planned to perform.”

“I didn’t! Nickel and I had joked about playing together at my reception. Did you see my mama’s face? She’s very angry with me, and I know Dave won’t like it.”

I catch the sparkle in her eyes. “It’s not exactly his decision, Gin. Or your mother’s.”

She looks at me and says in the calmest voice I’ve heard out of her since that stick turned pink—“No, it’s not. Thank you, honey. I’ll see you later.”

The reception’s nearly over. Before heading for the horse and carriage to take me back to the square, I go to the coat closet to grab my shawl I never remotely needed.

As I open the door, I hear noises. I push the door open more and find myself looking straight at the shocking sight of Ginny making out with Nickel.

They stop when they see me, and Ginny tries to straighten out her hair, which had looked so beautiful all evening but now looks all…sullied.

I run out, slamming the door behind me. Logan’s coming around the corner.

“What?” he says. “What is it?”

I lean against the wall for support, thankful he’s the only one seeing my reaction. I try to snap out of my PTSD.

This isn’t your parents. Ginny and Dave are not your parents.

“Ginny…” I point toward the closet. “Nickel…”

Logan walks away from me, pushes open the coat closet lightly, and peeks in. Then, he shuts it and walks back to me. “Welllll…” he says, a frown marring his beautiful face.

I’m shaking. I just need to get away from everything, and everyone—

I turn and run outside.

“Macey!” Logan calls after me. “Hey!”

I keep running, the tears coming down my cheeks. But he catches me by the grove of oak trees.

“Hey.”

He puts his arms around me to force me to stop moving and pulls me into his chest while I weep. I’m nearly as embarrassed as I am sad. About how stupid I was to go along with Ginny when she begged me to tell her Dave was the right man for her.

“I just shouldn’t have listened to her,” I say into his coat. “I should have fought harder to make her walk away. It’s my fault that she married him. It’s all my fault.”

“No, it’s not.” Logan kisses my hair. “This marriage isn’t your fault, and neither was your parents’. You have to let them all go. Let them figure it out themselves. You didn’t cause any of this.”

I wish I could disappear into the ground.

“I think…” Logan hesitates. “You just have so much love in your heart, Macey. Don’t waste it.”

Keeping his arm around me, he walks me over to the first empty carriage and helps me up into it. “I’ll meet you in two minutes,” he promises, and I watch him go find Gigi.

He comes back as the driver’s ready to go, jumping up into the carriage and blocking me from the pre-planned exit camera shots.