Page 2 of Third Time's the Charm
For London. I would do this for London.
“Just...don’t think of him as Jack your ex. Think of him as Jack, some random dude you just met.” Then she nodded toward the Cassidy brothers. “Come on. Get it over with while I’m here for support.”
I grumbled the whole way there.
“Hey Jack, I want you to meet a friend of mine. Jack this is Berlin. Berlin, Jack.”
I glared at her. This wasridiculous.And Jack looked at her like she had two heads.
Zoe rolled her eyes. “Just pretend you two don’t know each other. It’s probably better if you pretend you’re strangers.”
I noticed at least four neighbors and family members staring at us. Probably wondering what the hell we were doing near each other. Hopefully no one was getting any ideas.
“Let’s just agree to stay on separate sides of everything. I’ll stay on the bride’s side sinceI’m in the wedding, and you can stay over here. Hang out with the other sports-obsessed athletes.M’kay?”
I spun on my heel and marched back across the yard to where London—and apparently Olivia—should be appearing any minute.
Except dumbass Jack followed me! “Berlin!”
Ahhhhhh!I will not murder my ex at my sister’s wedding. I will not murder my ex at my sister’s wedding.“What do you want?”
“Do you really hate me so much we can’t even speak to each other?”
I looked to the sky. I thought long and hard. The answer was easy. “Ummm...yes.”
“Why? I’m the idiot who ruined us. I’m the moron who picked work over you.”
The pain stabbed right through my heart like it always did. I swallowed hard to keep from gasping from the sudden ache.
“What else did I do that made you hate meso much?”
“You broke my heart!” I whisper yelled. I had so much anger that wanted to erupt out of me, physically show him how I felt on the inside. “You made me believe in love and, and, and life and marriage. You put this dream in my head. You made me want it. And then what did you do? You left me behind. It hurts because now I want something I can’t have.”
Shit.I wasn’t supposed to actually say the things I thought. It was like ripping off a bandage and showing someone your big disgusting wound inside.
Jack jerked back like I slapped him. Except I didn’t think I did. I even checked my hand but it wasn’t red and it wasn’t stinging, so I probably didn’t. Then he blinked a few times and shook his head. “I’m sorry.”
That felt both hollow and meaningful, which I know makes no sense, but divorce makes little sense, so there you go. “Yeah, well. That’s life, right? We win some, we lose some.”
London waved at me over the little fence. “Look, I gotta go. My sister’s getting married now.”
He nodded, shoved his hands in his pockets. “Yeah. Of course.” He waved me off but...I knew that look in his eyes. It was the same look he got mid-match when he found a hole in the other team’s defense. It was the look he got when he knew he was going to win.
As I walked back to London I thought over the exact words I spat at Jack and realized I made a fatal mistake. Sure, I confessed my anger and let out some much needed fire from my belly, but I also said something very telling.
I basically just told Jack that what I really wanted was the happily ever after he promised me.
And to Jack, that would be a challenge. An opportunity to set things right.To get me back.
I’d never get him to back off now.
As I rounded the corner and found London, Olivia, and Lucy all smiling and vibrating I realized I had one option now.
I had to marry Ryker as soon as possible.
* * *
I was wrong.It was atriplewedding. All three Kaine brothers got married at the same time. Ben to my little sister, London. Olivia to Erik’s teammate, Chris. And Lucy to her longtime love, Scott.
