Chapter 6
six
FINN
T he door to the hotel room opens, and Tamra waltzes in with two to-go cups. I recognize the logo from Brewed Awakenings, the coffee shop I quickly got addicted to when I was here for Hudson’s wedding.
“This little town is so cute! I’m so glad you listened to me and agreed to have the wedding here.”
After Tamra saw all my pictures from Hudson’s wedding, she insisted that we get married in Alaska.
She’s always wanted a destination wedding, but I assumed she meant somewhere tropical.
But that’s overdone, according to her, and no one wants to attend yet another wedding on the beach.
She has a point. We’ve been to three different beach destination weddings together. All of them Tamra’s closest friends.
I hate the fact Harper’s accusations still run through my mind this morning.
No part of me wanted to return to Lake Starlight with my fiancée with the chance of running into my one-night stand, but Tamra wouldn’t drop it, and I don’t have much of a choice once she gets something in her head.
It hurt a little that Harper thought I would cheat on my fiancée, but she doesn’t know much about me other than my dick size and the few tidbits we shared when we were forced to hang around one another all night.
At the wedding, Tamra and I were broken up, and I thought it was for good, which I was more than fine with.
Tamra and I had been together for three years.
The relationship had fizzled, and we figured we were better off as friends.
There was no way for me to anticipate everything that went down after I returned home from Alaska.
Now, what would have been an already uncomfortable situation is worse since Tamra hired Harper as our wedding planner.
Hence my visit to see Hudson and Palmer—I wanted to ask them what they thought the best way to handle the situation was.
I’d only gotten so far before Harper barrelled into the room.
God, she looked as stunning as she did when I first met her at the rehearsal dinner. The fire I love about her was on display last night too. I’m drawn to her take-no-bullshit, I-am-who-I-am persona. But as a firefighter, I know better than anyone how quickly a fire can turn and end up burning you.
Tamra comes over and sits next to me in the small living area of our hotel room, handing me my coffee.
“Thanks.” I grab the remote from the coffee table and turn off the sports channel. “Listen, about the meeting this morning. Do you really think it’s necessary?”
Tamra turns from where she’s digging through her bag, a frown on her face. “Of course it’s necessary. How do you expect to plan a wedding when we don’t even live in the state?”
“It just seems like a lot of effort to go to when…”
She tosses her bag on the chair next to her and crosses her arms. “When we’re not marrying for love?”
“Exactly.” I bring my coffee to my lips and take a hesitant sip. The worst is when you burn your tongue and can’t taste anything for a few days. My life is going to be in turmoil during our time here, so I might as well enjoy the taste of the food.
She places her hand on my leg. “You knew what this would entail when you agreed to all of this, Finn. If our plan is going to work, it has to be believable, and anyone who knows me knows I wouldn’t slap together a half-assed wedding.”
She couldn’t be more right. Tamra can be a little high maintenance, as anyone who knows her can attest. If we were in love and this were a real wedding, she’d make her parents pull out all the stops.
I sigh. “I guess I see your point.”
She squeezes my thigh. “You just need to be present for these things, play the role of the doting groom, and we’ll be in the clear.”
The same uneasiness I felt when I agreed to marry Tamra in the first place worms its way through my veins. I hate lying to everyone, but I have no choice. I’m doing this for my family.
She stands, taking her coffee. “We need to leave in twenty minutes.”
“No problem, I’m ready.” I pick up the remote and turn the TV back on. Might as well pass the time watching the sports updates rather than counting down the minutes until I’m in the same room as my fiancée and my one-night stand.
* * *
I park the rental truck on Main Street and soak in the quaint downtown. It really is postcard perfect, and I can’t come up with one reason Tamra wouldn’t want her wedding here.
When I don’t immediately undo my seat belt to get out of the truck, Tamra pats my leg. “This may not be a real wedding, but planning is so fun.” She claps her hands in front of her, excitement radiating off her. “C’mon, let’s go.”
She wouldn’t be as excited if she knew who Harper was to me and the fact that I haven’t stopped thinking about her since I left Alaska.
Last night, I considered telling Tamra what went down with Harper.
After all, we weren’t together, and she’d have no reason to be upset.
But I figured it would only make everything more awkward, so I kept the information to myself.
Not that I think Tamra would be jealous or anything.
She definitely would not. Hell, knowing her, she might tell me I could hook up with Harper as long as I kept it on the down-low.
But Tamra not knowing about Harper, and Harper not knowing the truth about Tamra and me, serves a bigger purpose as well—it keeps me away from the temptation Harper is.
One night with a woman like her is one thing, but extending it to anything beyond that could prove dangerous. I have my issues from my past and being with a woman who is wild and spontaneous and who clearly likes to live life without much thought for the future isn’t the best for me.
And so, as awkward as it is, I’ll walk into Harper’s office today and play the loving fiancé who bows to his bride’s every whim because nothing can jeopardize each of our reasons for doing this. My family is depending on me, even if they don’t know it.
I round the front of the truck and meet Tamra on the sidewalk, sliding my hand into hers. It’s something we’ve done a thousand times, so it shouldn’t be a big deal, but her hand no longer feels as though it fits with mine. It’s like I’m trying on a size too small. It works, but it’s not right.
We walk down Main Street toward Harper’s office while Tamra comments on every storefront we pass, talking about how adorable and charming each business is, from the bakery to the baby store.
I take a big breath when we stop in front of Harper’s office with the Hitched & Happy Co. sign on the front door window.
“She told us to go on in when we arrived.” Tamra releases my hand and opens the door. “Harper?”
I follow Tamra inside as Harper comes out of the back area.
She looks different than any time before.
I’ve seen her casual with her hair in a messy bun like she was last night.
I’ve seen her dressed up like she was for all the wedding events.
Never have I seen her in high-waisted navy dress pants and a short-sleeved cropped cream blouse with her hair slicked back into a ponytail.
This is professional Harper. And it looks fucking fantastic on her.
But that’s no surprise because she’s probably stunning no matter what she wears.
She’s all smiles to Tamra, not sparing me one glance let alone two. After she shakes Tamra’s hand, it’s Tamra who puts her hand on my back to introduce me. I’m a fucking slimeball who Tamra has no idea knows what Harper looks like underneath that pantsuit, nor the fact that I want to see it again.
“And this is my fiancé, Finn.”
Harper’s gaze meets mine, but I’m pretty sure she’s looking over my shoulder instead of at me. Her fiery temper from last night isn’t there, nor the playful spirit when we met at the rehearsal dinner. There’s only what I’d classify as cold indifference, though Tamra doesn’t notice.
Harper nods. “Good to see you, Finn.” She gives all her attention to Tamra.
A dagger right in the heart.
Maybe this is how she is with all the grooms. I can’t imagine a lot of grooms really give a shit about what color the flowers are and whether the chair covers match the designated wedding color.
Harper waves and leads us over to her desk. Through my own reprimand, I shamelessly check out her ass in her pants. Fuck, I’m an engaged man. I can’t be checking out another woman.
I hold out Tamra’s chair for her, and after she’s seated, I take the chair beside her, opposite of Harper’s desk. Once we’re settled, Tamra shocks me by intertwining her fingers with mine.
Harper’s eyes fall to our adjoined hands before she raises her gaze to me, then her posture goes rigid, and she concentrates on her computer screen.
“All right, let me just open your file so I can see my notes from our conversation. Just to confirm, are you still hoping to have the wedding at the end of October?”
“Absolutely,” Tamra says, turning to me with a wide fake smile. “We’re anxious to make it official.”
She’s not lying. It’s just not for the reasons that Harper assumes.
I do my best to give a natural smile back to Tamra.
“All right, well, that’s a little more than two months from now, so that is going to limit where the wedding can be held. What kind of ceremony and reception are you dreaming of?” Harper’s eyes don’t detour to me once, all her attention on Tamra.
I’m surprised how much her ignoring me is bothering me. I shouldn’t be worrying about Harper. I should be focused on making sure this wedding goes off without a hitch so that Tamra and I both get what we want.
“I had this idea that we could do something different—maybe get married at night under the Northern Lights. Wouldn’t that be beautiful?” Tamra shoots me some fluttering eyelashes, and I want to say she’s laying it on a little thick.