Chapter 29
Summer
Brookshire had won over almost every single piece of my heart except for the last, small slither that belonged solely to the man I couldn’t have.
Colton Michaels.
Who was widowed with the sweetest, prettiest little girl I had ever laid my eyes on.
Heather had wrapped her small fingers around my heart and may as well have owned it. Every time he brought her to work, I found myself playing with her or holding her tiny body close to my chest, giving her all the love in the world.
My heart broke for her more than Colton.
This child would grow up without a mother. She would grow up without knowing the true beauty behind a mother’s unconditional love.
My mother and Maddi, who were the only two people on this planet I had trusted with my love for Colton, often questioned me about my feelings towards the child and if my love for Brook was true when the man I had wanted with every fiber of my being was available again.
Brook had opened my heart again and showed me that I could love another.
He was a special man that deserved all my love purely for his honesty and then for the love he showed me every single day. He was the most selfless person I knew, and marrying him seemed like the best decision.
I had finally picked a good guy.
He would never hurt me. It was me who had the power to hurt him, and I prayed every night that I would never do that.
Today, I would marry him.
My parents had nearly invited the whole damn town for the celebration of their first child and only daughter getting married. Thankfully, they hadn’t invited everyone, but the entire staff for both companies had been invited, and every single person had responded they would be there, even Colton.
I tried to push his name from my thoughts.
He wouldn’t consume my every thought – not today, not when I was getting ready to walk down the aisle to Brook in front of our family and friends.
Colton didn’t get to ruin today when I let him have his wedding.
He married her out of obligation, the stupid voice reminded me.
When I had found out about his wife”s passing, I had to know every detail. I needed to know so I could help him. When he told me he knew for years about her terminal cancer, I suddenly understood why he had to marry her, why he couldn’t pick me.
No matter how freaking hard I tried, I couldn’t make myself hate him anymore. Instead, I fought my love for him every single day.
After our conversation at work this week, I prayed he understood, prayed that he wouldn’t be here today. Because if I saw him before saying my vows, I wasn’t so sure I would be able to go through with it, and Brook didn’t deserve that.
---
Earlier in the week
T-Minus three days to the wedding.
Colton had brought Heather to work. The sweet girl was just starting to walk on her wobbly legs, and she moved around his small office with sweet noises of curiosity as she got into mischief as usual.
Walking into his office, I didn’t even bother greeting him as I went straight for his little girl. “Hey, you!” I squealed, and she whirled around, those blue eyes smiling at me in excitement. I picked her up and twirled her around the space, getting her to giggle. I nuzzled her button nose and inhaled her baby scent.
“Good morning, darlin’.”
My heart stopped at the familiar nickname. It had been a long time since I heard it.
“Don’t do that. I’m getting married, Colton.” I moved Heather to my hip, and she instantly started playing with my earring.
“Then don’t marry him. Marry me instead.” He stood and walked over to me, closing the small distance until his hot hands were on my hips, sparks shooting through my skin at the contact.
I wanted to melt into his touch but fought against that urge with every fiber in my being. I couldn’t do this to Brook. I loved Brook.
“No; you don’t get to ask me now. You’re too late.” I took a quick step back, trying to get out of his hold, but his fingers dug into my hips.
“You told me you understood why I had to marry her. She was dying, Summer. I had to do right by her and give her everything she dreamed of.”
I looked away from him to the little girl in my arms who was the mirror image of him. “I do understand, Colton, but I love him, and you have this little one to take care of – not me.”
“Do you love him more than me?” The intensity in his green eyes nearly made my knees buckle.
I swallowed thickly, avoiding the question because no, I didn’t love Brook more than Colton.
“How dare you ask me that?” I pulled back, but his hold was relentless.
“Does he make you feel like this, darlin’?” He leaned forward, his nose skimming my jaw. My heart accelerated, goosebumps washing over me as I stood there and tried to stop my knees from knocking.
“Stop,” I whispered on a moan. His soft lips brushed the underside of my jaw – a whisper of a kiss.
“Does he touch you like this?” His one hand slid over the curve of my ass, and he squeezed it, making me step into him.
“Don’t,” I whispered, not really sure what I was telling him not to do.
“Does he kiss you like this?” His other hand slid up my body, up the curve of my spine, through my newly-dyed, blonde hair until he was cradling my face. And then, he leaned forward, brushing his lips against mine ever so softly.
A tease.
I lifted one of my hands from Heather and touched his face, tracing the roughness, sliding my fingers into his unruly hair. He pushed me back until I was pinned against the wall, and I moaned at the tenderness in his touch.
“Colt.”
His tongue brushed my bottom lip, and I opened my mouth to him, completely lost in his touch and taste. When I felt Heather’s hand on my cheek, I pulled back abruptly, completely shocked that he had seduced me, and I had let him. Kissing the top of the child’s head, I put her down and moved out of his grip.
“Don’t ever do that again. You lost your chance to have me.”
---
I had cheated on my fiancé all because of Colton Michaels.
Looking at myself one last time in the floor-length mirror, I knew my makeup wasn’t going to suddenly get any better, nor would I fall any more in love with the floor-length, white ball gown.
The wedding march started, and I waited my turn, standing beside my dad who was nervously waiting to give me away to the man I loved.
“Should anyone present know of any reason that this couple should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace.” The officiant asked the crowd, and I held my breath.
There was a beat of silence before a loud commotion from the back of the pews drew everyone’s attention.
“I object.” Turning in pure horror, I saw Colton standing there in the back of the ridiculously huge church, holding his sweet little Heather on his hip as he raised his hand, looking downright angry.
This had to be some sick joke.
---
Colton POV
I couldn’t sit there for another minute and watch this bullshit. She didn’t want to listen yesterday in my office? Well, then she sure as hell would listen now in front of everyone.
“I object.” Rising to my feet, I held Heather to me. Her head fell to my shoulder, and she sighed softly, tired from the day already.
“And why is that, young man?” I heard a few shocked gasps from coworkers and family members of Summer, but I didn’t pay them any attention as I exited my pew and walked up the long aisle to get closer to the most beautiful woman I had ever laid my eyes on.
She was a vision standing there in that white dress, looking more like an angel sent straight from Heaven for me to worship than the woman I had come to love.
“I love you, Summer Danvers,” I started and heard Maddi, Summer’s cousin and my biggest fan, squeal to my right.
It was now or never.
“I lose sleep every night, remembering all the things you told me and the way your eyes used to light up every time I entered the room.” I took another step forward, seeing the disbelief clear as day on Summer’s face.
I didn’t look away because if I did, I would lose every ounce of confidence I had.
“You’re all I want, all I’ve ever wanted.”
She shook her head at me. I took another step forward.
“I love how you look back at your car every morning when you park it. I love when you play with your jewelry every time you get nervous. I love that you wear heels to work every day even though it hurts your feet.”
I took a deep breath, watching the fear as it shone in her blue eyes.
“I love the honesty and love that always shines from your eyes. I love your laugh. I love that you can’t have coffee after work because you won’t sleep. I love how you take care of my daughter, how you look at her like she’s the moon and the stars.”
My little girl squirmed in my hold, and I tightened my one arm around her, looking away from Summer for a moment to see Heather rest her head on my shoulder once again, sucking on her small thumb.
I look back to the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on. Her eyes were swimming with unshed tears.
“I know how you like your coffee, what makes you angry, and what makes you laugh. I know and love the taste of your lips. I love the way you feel in my arms, how you melt under my touch and sigh into my embrace. I love when you kiss me like I’m the only man on this planet.” I saw the hint of a smile begin to tug at those plump, pink lips.
“I love everything about you, and I can’t let another day pass without you knowing because losing you would be my biggest regret in life, and darlin’, I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t at least try and stop this wedding.”
A single tear rolled down her cheek, and she quickly swiped at it, blinking the rest away.
“Because as late as I am, and as wrong as this is, I can’t let you marry him. I can’t let you go through with this because I was made for you, and you, my sweet girl, were made for me. Nobody will ever love you like I do.”
I finally pulled my gaze from hers to her fiancé who was glaring at the ground. He pulled his hands from hers and took a step back. She looked between us, looking torn, her brow furrowed, her bottom lip quivering.
I knew she was a second away from bursting into tears because I knew this woman like I knew myself.
She looked out into the pews towards her mother and father, her eyes searching for the right answer.
I wanted to take the final steps up the alter and tell her that it was me, that I was her answer.
But I had to let her pick.
I needed her to pick me.
To pick us.
Brookshire took another step back, pulling his hands through his neatly combed hair. He looked at her in disbelief while my heart barely beat in anticipation of her decision.
Am I enough?
Her father turned and looked at me, his blue eyes softening like he completely understood, almost like he knew all along.
I looked up at Summer and took another step forward, sticking my empty hand out to her, reaching, hoping, that she would pick me.
She took a staggering step back, shaking her head.
My heart knocked against my chest, and I fought every emotion battling inside me.
Pick me.
I wished she could read my mind. I prayed that she could see the honesty and love in my eyes.
I would give her anything she asked for, would love her with every inch of my soul, and cherish the ground she walked on.
I just needed her to pick us.
Her blue eyes darted between me and Heather, another tear rolling down her soft cheek. Then, she turned to look at Brookshire.
My heart stopped.
Pick me, darlin’. Love me more than him.
I just had to pray that our forbidden love was stronger than anything she ever felt for him.
Pick us.