Stealing Hearts (Wild at Heart #1)

9. RHETT

9

RHETT

Staring at the words on the website makes them all run together. I scroll through the post and read it again.

“I’m over the moon to be marrying Rhett Walker! He was my brother’s best friend when I was growing up, and I’ve always looked up to him. We recently reconnected, and sparks flew! Who knew that we were written in the stars? I love him to pieces, and I can’t wait to be his wife. I just wish my brother could be here.”

Guilt, sharp and jagged, tears through me.

Marrying Paige is a terrible idea.

Because I remember the look in her eyes when Danny called her out all those years ago for letting her feelings for me confuse her.

I’m not all that sure it was a harmless crush, like she claims.

Maybe it was more.

I feel like Paige and I are a Pandora’s box rigged with explosives, and one wrong move will make it blow up in my face.

Someone knocks on the bathroom door, and I shove my phone in my pocket as my brothers barge in.

Jace slings his arm over Beau’s shoulders. “Look at Rhett. Our big bro is all grown up.” He dabs at his eyes. “I’m getting choked up over here.”

“Shut up, asshole.” My brothers laugh. I try to adjust my tie, but it’s tight, and I feel like I might choke. I glance at the toilet. There’s a possibility I might hurl.

Beau frowns. “You okay?”

I nod, but the truth is I’m kinda shaken up from reading my “wedding announcement” in the Gazette . Paige warned me that Georgia Hightower cornered her at the diner, but nothing prepared me to read about her gushing over me.

I splash some water on my face. It’s all bullshit. It has to be. But it makes me uncomfortable nonetheless.

Mav sticks his head in my bathroom. “We gotta go if you want to be on time for your wedding.” He shakes his head. “Can’t believe you’re doing this. Talk about taking one for the team. At least Paige is awesome.”

Mav would know this because he and Paige grew up together and went to the same college. Really, she’s much more suited to be marrying someone Maverick’s age. Not a divorced single father of two.

What the fuck am I doing?

And why did I think it was a good idea to get hitched without my boys? Since Paige won’t be sticking around after those six months, I figured this transition might be easier for my kids if they didn’t watch me tie the knot. Now, I don’t know.

If people ask me about it, I’m just telling them Gabriel and Austin are on vacation with their mom and leaving it at that.

Maverick nudges me. “Just watch. I’m gonna get drafted, make a shitload of money, and pay you back for all of this crap.”

After I dry my face, I grab Mav in a chokehold and scruff his head. “Don’t worry ’bout us. You don’t need that pressure. Just do your thing and focus on the game.”

He breaks out of my hold and goes to tackle me, but Beau holds him off. “We don’t have time for y’all to go wrestling around on the floor, and Mav, the last thing you need is to break something being an idiot. Come on.”

I point to my little brother. “You think you’re all big and tough, but I can still whoop your ass.”

His chest puffs up, and he hops up and down. “Oh, yeah? I’d like to see you try.”

I laugh and pat his back. I’m just talking shit. My little bro ain’t so little anymore.

Jace drives Mav, and I let Beau drive me because I’m distracted and I need a minute to gather my thoughts.

As we head toward town, Beau lifts a finger off the steering wheel. “Just wanna give you a heads-up. Baylee’s mom rented that cabin off the lake for y’all this weekend. She said you and Paige needed some ‘special time away,’ just the two of you. She said it’s her wedding gift to you. She hasn’t told Paige yet. It’s supposed to be a surprise, so act surprised.”

“Christ.” I scrub my face. “I was hoping to relax with a few beers tonight after I set Paige up in the boys’ room. Thought she could sleep there until they get back, but now we have this damn reception. I can’t even think about that cabin.”

“You can still have that beer, but now it’s with the ultra-romantic backdrop of the cabin. So no one will hear you railing your little wife.”

I growl. “Paige is not getting railed, okay? Get that through your head.”

He chuckles. “Got it, chief.”

After I roll down the window, I tug at my collar. “Is it hot? I’m hot.”

“I have the air conditioning blasting in your face.”

When we park, Beau starts to get out, but I grab his shoulder. “I need a minute.”

“You gonna bolt?”

“I’d never do that to Paige. I just… I’m not sure this is a smart idea.”

“Coulda told ya that, but it’s kinda late now.” He points to Harlan’s Cadillac, which is pulling into a parking spot. He and his wife get out, and I watch them stroll to the courthouse.

I take a deep breath. “I don’t want to hurt Paige.”

Beau gives me a look. “Then don’t hurt her.”

“It’s that easy?”

He nods. “Yeah. Don’t be a dick. Treat her with respect, be kind, talk shit out, and you’ll be okay.”

I scratch the back of my head. “Where’d you learn all that?”

“I read it on a Hallmark card.”

“A Hallmark card said don’t be a dick?”

He chuckles. “It said don’t be rude, but I put it in my own words, okay? Anyway, if you treat her like a friend, you should be cool.”

“How’d you get to be so wise? And how come I don’t know that shit, and I’m older?”

Beau shrugs. “Just don’t forget your mutual goals and the timeline. You just gotta get through six months, and then you’ll be as free as a bird again.”

Six months. Right. Okay. I can do this. “Come on. I don’t wanna be late to my own wedding.”

I’m feeling better about things until Paige stands at the back of the room with her little white dress and a bouquet of white roses.

What the actual fuck? I thought we were doing casual? I’m wearing a suit, one of two I own—the black one, since I wore the brown one to my meeting with Harlan—while Paige looks ready to twirl around a ballroom. She stayed at Baylee’s house last night because Sylvia wouldn’t hear of her staying at my ranch the night before the wedding.

We agreed we’d only tell Baylee and my brothers the real reason we were doing this. That’s too many people as it is, but I won’t lie to my brothers. I need their support right now, so it’s only fair she has someone in her corner too.

The downside to this arrangement is that Baylee’s mom doesn’t have a clue this is all for show, and now I have to figure out our sleeping situation at that cabin.

But first I have to get through our wedding.

The longer I stare at Paige, the harder my heart beats.

Her stunning red hair is piled high on her head with curls tumbling down her slender shoulders. She’s decked out in a fitted, white, silky dress that hugs her gorgeous body to perfection. And she’s wearing sparkling sandals that make her legs look amazing. Should she be wearing that with her hurt ankle? They’ve got a little heel. When she takes a step, I notice how gingerly she walks.

But then she smiles at everyone, and I forget my own goddamn name because she’s so fucking gorgeous, I barely keep my mouth from falling open.

I glance at Harlan, and he gives me a thumbs-up.

Right. Play along, dumbass. Don’t act so fucking out of it.

Baylee’s mom walks Paige down the aisle and kisses her on the cheek before she hands her off to me. “Que Dios te bendiga.”

She just blessed us.

I’m going to hell.

Paige beams up at me, and I feel like someone kicked me. Why am I dragging her into my mess? Danny would beat my ass if he was here.

Judge Tate smiles. “I just wanna say how happy I am to have this job today. I had Rhett and Paige in my Sunday school when they were yea tall. They were years apart, of course, but I’m still tickled about this.”

I wanted a courthouse wedding because I figured it would be fast and impersonal. I didn’t count on having Frannie Tate as our judge.

Frannie gives us another wide smile. “Can y’all turn to each other and hold hands?” We do as she asks.

As I stare down at my best friend’s little sister, I catalogue how much she’s changed over the years. There’s no dirt on her face or knots in her hair. No cuts or bruises on her knees. No candy melted on her hands or undone shoelaces tripping her.

Gone is the little girl who trailed behind me and her brother. In her place is a glamorous, beautiful woman.

I hope she doesn’t notice the dust on my boots, which I should’ve shined.

Frannie holds her arms open. “We’re gathered today before these witnesses to join this man and woman in holy matrimony. May Rhett and Paige comfort each other in hard times, share one another’s dreams, and be each other’s biggest support. May they be the best of friends and love each other unconditionally, and may that love grow stronger every day.”

Jesus. I don’t remember my first wedding being this lovey-dovey, and that was held in a church.

“Rhett, will you have this woman to be your wedded wife, to live together in matrimony? Will you cherish her friendship? Honor and love her? Will you be by her side faithfully, today, tomorrow, and forever?”

Not six months.

Not until I get my loan and pay off shit.

Forever.

That’s what this is supposed to be. These are vows, for fuck’s sake. I always take my vows seriously. Promising to look after my brothers is what got me into this mess in the first place.

Maybe I just need to do what Beau suggested and be sure to treat Paige right, and we’ll get through this.

I clear my throat. “I do.”

When Paige is asked the same questions, she glances at me hesitantly, so I squeeze her hand and wink.

She takes a deep breath. Her lovely smile reemerges, and she says, “I do.”

I wanna keep that smile on her face, so as I look into her breathtaking blue eyes, I try to reassure her. I know she doesn’t have to help me and my brothers. She could’ve told me off and found some friends to stay with, but she’s going through all this trouble to help me cover my ass. And I’ll never forget it.

As I repeat after the judge, I make a promise to myself that I’ll always do my best to protect this woman. “I, Rhett, take you, Paige, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, to love and to cherish, from this day forward.”

Smiling, she repeats the same words, and I grin. She’s so damn cute.

Frannie nods. “May the circles of your wedding bands remind you of this eternal promise. May these tokens of faithfulness remind you of your unending love for one another.” Then she turns to me. “Please place the ring on her finger.”

Reaching into my pocket, I pull out the thin band I bought from Walmart yesterday. It’s a far cry from the diamond-encrusted ring I put on Amber’s finger next to the sparkling diamond I saved up for a year to buy. Another twinge of guilt hits me, but I lock that shit away and try to focus on the beautiful woman in front of me I’ve known more than half my life.

It hits me. How selfless she’s being. Yeah, she’s gonna get her therapy, but I don’t know a lot of people who would do this for my family.

Once again, I repeat after Frannie. “Paige, I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows. I honor you with all that I am and all that I have. With this ring, I thee wed.” As I slide the band on her finger, my chest gets tight.

Paige pulls out a thick gold band that makes me do a double-take. Where the hell did she get that? After she drags it on my finger, she says her part. I swallow as her eyes get glassy, and that tightness in my chest grows.

When she’s done, Frannie opens her arms again. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. Rhett Walker, you may kiss your bride!”

My brothers, who got the memo to go whole hog about this and act like this is the real deal, hoot and holler, and Baylee and her mother cheer. Harlan lets out a wolf whistle. Their exuberance catches me off guard.

It’s the only reason I can think of that makes me take Paige into my arms, tilt her lithe body backwards, and kiss her like my life depends on it.