Chapter 3
EWAN
It is a damn good thing for Huxley Adams Hayes that today is the happiest day of his life. Or else, he might have ended up a dead man.
Actually, he still might.
There is still a very good chance he does not live to see his honeymoon.
Because he dead-ass stood there, looked me in the eye mere hours ago after hugging me like I was dying, and told me he “understood” and the “right woman is out there.” But didn’t have the balls to give me a heads-up that she would be here.
And since I’m the brother that owns the hunting gear store, he should probably worry.
A store that she named.
Fuck me…
Squeals fill the tent, wafting through the spring air, drawing the attention of everyone in attendance.
The women responsible for the high-pitched audible attack don’t seem the least bit bothered, however, all five of them too busy jumping up and down in a group hug, caught up in their own excitement of being reunited.
My heart squeezes, the sight evoking so many emotions all at once.
Including a whole bunch I’m not sure I have names for.
More than anything, it’s the reminder to breathe at the sight of the blue-eyed blonde at the center of the hug huddle. Something I may or may not be failing at right now.
A heavy hand lands on my shoulder, and I flinch, the weight of it catching me off guard.
“Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world…” Milo mutters.
“…and she walks into mine. Ours,” I correct. “She walks back into ours.”
It’s just as much her hometown as it is mine…
My eyes are still trained on Maisey—I couldn’t look away if you paid me—as the girls finally separate.
The versions of Alice Evans, Rose Adler, Emily, Dolly, and Maisey gathered on the parquet dance floor look the same as they did when we were teenagers, the same mile-wide smiles on their faces and mischievous glints in their eyes.
The ones that come when a girl squad is together and joins their powers together like Captain Planet and the Planeteers.
From our spot nestled next to the bar, we have the perfect view of the whole tent.
The event of the season, most of Hickory Hills is in attendance, spread out across the tables, finishing up their meals and heading out to the dance floor to party the night away.
Most of the major moments of the evening—first dance, speeches, cake cutting—have already concluded, so from here on out, it’s pure party time.
Or if you’re the family introvert, sit back and observe.
“You talk to her yet?” he asks, not even trying to pretend to be nonchalant about it.
“And say what?” All the things I should have said ten years ago?
“I can think of a couple things.”
I can think of more than a couple. Problem is, they all should have been said a long damn time ago. And since I didn’t say them then, I don’t get to say them now.
“Can’t avoid her forever,” he continues.
“I’m not going to avoid her for forever. Just for tonight.” And then tomorrow. And however long she’s in town for after that…
“Ewan,” Hux says, coming up behind me.
I whip around, glaring at him. Immediately, he stands his ground, raising his arms. I’m a big guy, but Hux is easily the strongest of the family.
That’s what happens when you’re the family lumberjack—running the lumber and paper division of the family business.
Push comes to shove, I can hold my own against him, especially if I’m pissed enough, but I’d never win. We both know it.
“A heads-up would have been nice,” I seethe through gritted teeth.
“I didn’t know, I swear,” Hux tells me. “Honest to God. If I knew, I would have told you. Promise.”
I tighten my fist, wanting so bad to believe him. To know that my brother has my back.
Another squeal rips through the air, stealing my attention.
I look over my shoulder, waves of golden hair reflecting in the dim lights catching my eye immediately, and I know exactly who that sound came from.
That knowledge solidifies something else in me—a truth that this whole town knows soul deep and is celebrating today. The love of Hux and Dolly.
And Hux is standing next to me right now, worried about my feelings, with his brand-new bride across the room. And there is only one way that would happen.
Maisey’s appearance truly is a surprise.
I nod, unballing my fist and exhaling. Hard.
Because I’m still having to think about how to breathe.
Breathing—the thing that is supposed to be the most natural function on this earth.
But no, not with Maisey Phillips within a hundred feet of me.
All that does is make me forget everything except the most horrible words I’ve ever uttered in my entire life.
This town is my life—with or without you in it…
Regret settles over me, as if it’s not my ever-present shadow, dampening everything around me.
The heavy beat of the music matches my pulse, speeding up as my mind whirs with what to do next.
As much as I want to slip out and go home, there’s no way.
It would be noticed if one of the groomsmen went missing.
Not to mention, we have a big send-off planned.
“Ewan,” Hux says, knocking me out of my headspace.
I look at him, the realization of my silence hitting me.
“Yeah, yeah.” I nod. I turn toward the bar and raise my hand to signal the bartender, who thankfully understands my unspoken request and hands me another beer. I’m not usually a big drinker, but tonight might need to be the exception. “Question then, I guess is, why…”
“To see you, silly!”
Laughter pairs with the slight lilt on the feminine voice cutting me off. Narrowing my eyes, I turn, pretending to glare at my partner in crime for the evening, Emily, who is beaming at me like she’s a small child who just learned where someone is hiding candy.
Reaching out, she takes my beer from my hand, taking a sip, her knowing smirk growing as she waggles her eyebrows and hands it back to me.
“Emily Minerva Barrowcliff, it’s a sin to lie,” I playfully chastise.
“Did you just triple name me?” she scoffs, hand flying to her chest in mock horror. “And I am not lyin’.”
I don’t say anything, letting my facial expression be all the response required as I take a drink.
“Just because you don’t believe me, doesn’t make it a lie.”
Milo snickers. “She has a point.”
Not a good one…
I glare at him, raising an eyebrow. He’s supposed to be on my side.
“Don’t you have a fiancée somewhere?” I ask him, hoping he’ll get the message that he has somewhere better to be. Hell, for that matter, so does Hux. Spinning around, I start to give him the same lip, but find he’s already gone. Presumably to find his bride.
“Listen to the girl,” Milo suggests, slapping me on the shoulder. “Might do you some good.”
“I always liked him,” Emily comments, taking my beer again as we watch Milo walk away. “So, what do you say? Shall we grow a pair and go talk to the pretty girl?”
Classy, sassy, and totally smart-assy—that’s Emily. That’s what makes her so much fun to hang out with. But that doesn’t change my answer.
“No.”
“What? Ewan Porter Hayes!”
My eyes go wide. Did she…
“You are not the only one who can triple name,” she sasses.
Well, damn…I underestimated this one. I knew the sass was strong with the women in this family—there is no way a single family produces our town matriarch, Mrs. Phillips, who in her late nineties is still slinging one-liners, Mrs. Burch, the town gossip, plus Dolly, Emily, and Maisey and not have a strong line of sass.
But still. I had no idea Emily even knew my middle name.
What I do know is that she won’t drop this.
So I’m going to need a better idea to distract her.
Something to get her mind off of the idea of me talking to Maisey.
Thankfully, the wedding gods—and the DJ—have my back.
The music shifts, the heavy dance beat fading into a soft melody, slowing everything down.
“How about a dance, Em?”
I hold my hand out, smiling like I mean it. And I do. She’s my date, and my friend, and I’ve been genuinely looking forward to us spending this evening together. We had a lot of fun together at Willa’s wedding last summer, and my plan was for us to have just as much tonight.
Placing her hand in mine, she returns my smile, letting me drag her out onto the floor. Seconds later, my arms are around her, and we’re moving in time with the music, the whole conversation forgotten. Or so I think.
“Seriously,” Em whispers, her tone a lot softer this time. “Why are you being such a fraidy-cat?”
“Because.”
“Because why?” she pushes.
“You know why.”
She doesn’t. Not really. No one does.
No one except Maisey.
I’ve never fully admitted to anyone that I pushed her away. Or worse—that I’m the reason she hasn’t come back to town since she packed up after college. Something that I know has left many members of this community heartbroken—myself included.
“Because you were a dumb boy who let the girl he was secretly in love with leave town without admitting his feelings for her because he was too chickenshit to open up and put his heart on the line? And you’ve been kicking yourself ever since because you should have just told her that you not only loved her then but that you still love her now? ”
My mouth drops open, as if it completely unhinges, and I stare at her, in total awe. There’s a little more to it than that—okay, a lot more—but fuck me, she nailed it. I’ve never felt so called out in my life. And I have five older brothers and a spitfire younger sister.
I pull Emily closer, sucking in a deep breath, trying to find the right way to respond.
“How’d you…?”
“It’s written alllll over you, buddy. Always has been, since we were kids. Same way as Hux’s devotion to Dolly was. You Hayes boys aren’t as hard to read as you think you are.”
Right. Good to know.
“Which is how I know you’re all messy inside right now, aren’t you?”