My stomach flips, my pulse hammers beneath my skin as Lydia’s father continues with his prepared speech. Hayes’ gaze is almost too much, too intense, but he isn’t hesitating. Not anymore. I can see it in his eyes. He’s here. Fully. Unapologetically. And I wish I could read his mind; wish I could crack open that guarded heart of his and see what’s inside.
When Lydia’s father wraps up the short ceremony he turns to us both.
“Since this isn’t a traditional wedding, there won’t be formal vows or exchanging of rings. But I’d like to offer the bride and groom a moment to say anything they’d like to each other.”
Hayes steps forward without hesitation. One hand finds my hip, the other lifts to my chin, cupping it with a gentleness that shatters me and has me losing my breath. His fingers are warm, his touch possessive yet reverent as he strokes me gently. He tilts my face up, his eyes searching mine—deep, unguarded, filled with something raw and aching andreal.
Everything around us fades. The crowd. The venue. The reason we’re even standing here in the first place. It’s just us.Me. Him. Every moment that led us to meet each other and every moment that brought us to reconnect after so many years apart. Every unspoken word hanging between us.
His thumb strokes along my jaw as he wrestles with the words and when he finally speaks, the words shock me.
“I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone in my life, Regan. You’re it for me,” he whispers. And then he’s kissing me.
A kiss that’s fire and devotion, hunger and hesitation, passion and promise all tangled together. A kiss that takes something from me while giving me everything in return. A kiss that fills my mind with thoughts ofso we’re really doing this. And this is real. This is more than a fake marriage now.
When he finally pulls away, his forehead rests against mine, his breath mingling with mine, his heart racing as fast as my own. And then, quietly—just for me, just for us to hear—he whispers,
“This isn’t fake to me anymore and I hope to God it isn’t fake for you either.”
Lydia’s father is close enough to hear his words, but the rest of the crowd, they don’t get that part.
That part is only for me.
My hearing returns in waves, the distant roar of the crowd as they cheer, celebrating what was supposed to be a fake wedding, a staged opportunity to show off the Marshall venue.
But it’s not fake.
It feels like something real, something significant, something life-altering in ways I don’t have the words for yet. And before I can respond to tell him thatthis doesn’t feel fake to me either,Hayes is pulling me into his chest, finally tearing his gaze from mine to look out at the crowd. He pumps his fist in the air with a victorious grin, soaking it all up, but I’m not looking at them because I can’t look away from him.
Because in this moment, standing here in front of everyone that I know and love, held against the chest of the man I wasn’t supposed to fall for—I realize I’ve fallen for him.
And I think he’s already fallen for me.
Chapter 30: Hayes
“Welcome to the family… again, I guess?” one of Regan’s older brothers who I just met, Cash Marshall, grins, clinking his beer bottle against mine gently.
“Thanks.” I smirk, taking a slow sip as my gaze sweeps over the crowd.
The band’s playing something upbeat, the dance floor is packed with people swaying under the soft glow of string lights and the sunset that’s descended across the Marshall property. The original plan included a DJ setup, but at the last minute, Regan insisted on hiring a local band—one more way to highlight the talent that Whitewood Creek has to offer and show potential brides and grooms’ different options for their big day.
I have to admit, she thought of everything.And beyond that, she found a way to turn this whole event into something bigger. It wasn’t just about the wedding; it was about giving back to the community and pumping life into the local economy.
Cash follows my line of sight, nodding in approval. “The venue looks great. Can’t believe you pulled this together so fast.”
I huff a laugh. “You pulled this part together, but Regan pulled off the Manor. I hardly did anything.”
He shrugs like it’s nothing. “I love building shit. Once Colt and Regan had the designs sketched out, I just took it from there. Wasn’t much, really—frame for the elements, a pergola… it all came together. Regan’s dream, real and standing. I’m proud of her.”
“Me too,” I murmur, my focus locking on her as she dances with Rae, Scarlett, and Lydia. She’s laughing, head tossed back, completelycarefree.I’m not much of a dancer, but I gave her a spin a few songs ago, no first dance like a real wedding but I’d wanted to hold her in my arms for a bit, enjoy the way her eyes sparkled under the stars and feel her chest pressed neatly to mine like it belonged. And it’d been exactly what I’d needed before she’d been pulled away to our guests ever since.
It might not be a real wedding, but I’m glad she’s able to enjoy it, especially after everything she put into making this night happen. She deserves so much more.
“Your sister…” I start, “she’s incredible.”
Cash sips his beer, then turns to me slowly. “She is.” Then a pause. “I take it you two have gotten… closer, living together and all this past month.”
I nod. “Yeah. I think so.” I’m not going to betray Regan’s trust by opening up to her brother without her permission, and I have no idea how much they know about the fact that Regan and I weren’t complete strangers when we moved in together.
