Chapter 3
As the maid of honor, it was Jules’s duty to walk down the aisle escorted by Tippin’s younger brother Kyle, who was a longtime friend of Jules’s. All the while, she was aware of Brock’s presence amongst the wedding guests. She could feel his eyes on her and took it as a good thing that he was noticing her. Of course, how could he not notice her? She was traipsing down the aisle in a wedding, after all. What else was Brock supposed to look at right now?
When Kyle delivered her to the designated position by the altar, she casually shifted her view to Brock and caught gazes with him. He offered her a smile that did wonders for her mood.
Maybe she was being paranoid by fretting that something was off between them. She was just nervous because she’d never felt this way before, and she didn’t want to jinx the relationship. That had to be what was happening here. In the past, she felt stifled when a guy came across as too needy. Now, she was the one feeling that way. She certainly wouldn’t mind if Brock texted or called more often. It had been a week since they’d spoken, and she was more than a little antsy.
Don’t star e, she warned herself. Break eye contact.
Even as she did so, attraction ignited in her like a flame that whooshed through her body and licked down to her toes. Brock was handsome in a rugged way, with his chestnut brown hair and dark eyes. When she’d first met him, his hair had been super short. Now, it was longer on top but tapered around the sides and back. The top strands of his hair were slightly sun-bleached, giving them a reddish tint. He actually looked stylish. Who would’ve thought? His tough-guy vibe made him even more irresistible.
Of course he was tough. He was a retired Navy SEAL, after all, and made his living helping people in difficult situations. It didn’t hurt that he was in tip-top shape with ripped muscles. The guy even had a six-pack. She’d noticed it the last time he came into town, and they went to the gym and worked out together. That was quite the experience. She’d thought she was in decent shape, but good grief, she couldn’t hold a candle to Brock. The guy could bench press three hundred and fifteen pounds, which was an impressive feat in and of itself. However, she’d been downright shocked by how limber he was and how he could hold his own in a yoga class. Even the instructor made a remark about his agility. In characteristic Brock style, he deflected the praise, saying offhandedly that his flexibility was owed to his love of rock climbing.
When Jules first met Brock, she assumed that he worked for the same agency as Tippin. However, she’d since learned that Brock worked for billionaire philanthropist Sutton Smith, who mentored Fitz and helped him start his agency. Fitz was Tippin’s first cousin and owned the Billionaire Bodyguard Agency with his wife, Charli. Sutton Smith and Fitz often worked closely together and shared resources, which is how Brock ended up working as Zoe’s bodyguard. As Brock explained, working for Sutton Smith’s agency gave him the opportunity to help not only billionaires but anyone who happened to need their services. Jules could certainly appreciate that altruistic mindset. She’d gone into her profession because she wanted to help others. In that way, she and Brock were like-minded.
A hush settled over the crowd as Zoe stepped up to the aisle, escorted by Dad, whose face was brimming with both joy and pride. His chest was expanding to the point where Jules feared the buttons on his tux might pop off. Seeing his expression made Jules smile. Dad’s plan had come together like a charm, and he couldn’t resist the temptation to gloat a little. Well, good for him. He deserved it. Had he not played matchmaker and insisted that Zoe get fake engaged to Tippin, then the two of them never would’ve gotten together.
Tippin was zoned in on Zoe as if she were the only person present. It was obvious that he adored her. He always had, which is why he gave her so much crap back in high school. Jules glanced at Tippin’s socks and had to snuff out a giggle. He was wearing high waters that showcased his unicorn socks for everyone to see. Zoe was gonna pitch a fit, and Tippin was probably counting on it. He loved razzing her.
The ceremony was beautiful. Jules couldn’t help but shed a few tears, especially when she saw the glow on her sister’s face. As the officiator pronounced them man and wife in a loud, official tone, Tippin dipped Zoe back and gave her a long, thorough kiss that had the crowd cheering. Mom and Dad were both grinning from ear to ear, their eyes glistening.
Tippin lifted his and Zoe’s joined hands in triumph and then led her back down the aisle. Amidst the fanfare of cheering and whistles, the bride and groom rode off on a four-wheeler, which Mom no doubt was stewing about. Then, the wedding planner primly announced that the reception would be held back at the ranch.
A line of ATVs were waiting to taxi the guests to the pristine backyard that boasted a large patio and shimmering swimming pool. Mom had put her foot down when it came to the reception and insisted on pulling out all the stops. Tippin balked at the elaborateness of the event, but Jules could tell Zoe was secretly pleased that Mom was determined to put on the dog. Jules could almost see the wheels turning in her sister’s head and knew that Zoe was thinking about all of the amazing shots she would get for social media.
Mom certainly knew how to throw a party. She’d hired a barrage of workers to set everything up the day before. The backyard was a feast for the eyes, with thousands of tiny white lights strung over the pergola and every other possible location. Enough floral arrangements and plants had been brought in to rival the botanical garden. A full-course dinner of prime rib prepared by a five-star chef would be served with several mouth-watering sides. Dessert would consist of a large variety of homemade donuts cooked on the spot. Mom hired a band and brought a portable dance floor in so they could dance the night away under the stars.
Dad stepped up. “Honey, do you want to catch a ride back with us?”
“Y’all go on ahead. I think I’ll hang back and talk to a few of the guests.”
A sly grin curved his mouth as he glanced in Brock’s direction. “Seems like it might not be long before I have both of my daughters married off.”
Heat flamed her face as she let out a nervous chuckle. “I don’t know about that.”
“I do,” he said like it was a statement of fact. “I saw how Brock looked at you during the ceremony. He’s a goner.”
“Really?” Hope flickered in her breast. Dad had no idea how badly she needed to hear that right now. She’d always considered herself to be a self-assured person, but this thing with Brock was totally throwing her off.
“Really,” Dad assured her. He hitched up the waist of his dress pants, his voice going deep with authority. “I’ll have to catch up with him at the reception—set down some ground rules moving forward.”
Her jaw went slack. “You wouldn’t dare.” She was about to say more but stopped when she saw the wicked glint in Dad’s eyes. She swatted his arm. “Stop harassing me.”
“It’s a father’s prerogative, I’m afraid.” His eyes twinkled with mirth.
“Don’t say a word to Brock about any future plans,” she warned. “We’re taking things slow.”
“I won’t do anything to embarrass you,” Dad said easily. “Just don’t go too slow. Your mother and I would like to have at least one or two grandchildren before you and your sister cart us off to a care center.”
“No chance of that happening.” Seeing his surprise, she added. “The care center part.”
He pressed his lips together in thought. “Brock’s a harder nut to crack than Junior. Of course, I’ve known Junior since he was in diapers.” His eyes lit with amusement. “I had a pretty good idea that he’d salivate over the guitar.”
“Uh, huh,” she drawled, “and the fact that Tippin’s dad is your best friend and business partner didn’t hurt.”
He gave her a sheepish grin. “I’m all about taking advantage of whatever tools are at my disposal.” He dipped his head. “I wonder what it’s gonna take to get Brock to propose,” he mused.
Her eyes popped open wide. “Dad,” she exclaimed, “it’s waaay too early to go there.”
He grinned like a possum. “No harm in being prepared.”
She shook her head, knowing she couldn’t do a thing with her dad. Tall and huskily built with a ruddy complexion and silver hair, Clayton Sterling was the picture of a successful rancher who delved into a myriad of other ventures with his trusted friend Emmett Armstrong by his side. Dad prided himself on being a master negotiator and loved to play matchmaker, as evidenced by Zoe and Tippin.
“Be nice to Brock,” she admonished. “And don’t lay it on too thick, or he’s liable to run for the hills. This isn’t the same situation as Tippin, where he was in love with Zoe since they were kids. Brock and I are just starting out. We need time to evolve.”
He scrunched his eyebrows. “You’re not a couple of relics from the dinosaur age trying to evolve into the modern world. You’re a young, vibrant couple in a relationship with loads of potential.”
“What makes you so sure that Brock is the one for me?”
His expression grew tender. “It’s written all over your face.”
She rocked back, not liking that she was so transparent. “Really?”
“I know you care about him deeply, and that’s saying a lot. You’ve never felt like this about anyone before.”
Her eyes misted as she hugged her arms and blinked rapidly. Dad knew her too well. “It’s true,” she admitted.
“Don’t look so forlorn. This should be one of the happiest times of your life.”
“Yeah,” she sighed.
“It’s okay to put yourself out there, honey. That’s the only way you’re gonna grow. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
She couldn’t count the number of times she’d heard that line. It was one of Dad’s mantras. “I know,” she said with a trace of impatience. The last thing she wanted right now was a lecture.
His perceptive eyes probed hers. “Is everything okay between you and Brock?”
She offered a wooden smile. “Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”
He studied her. “You tell me.”
Both of her parents knew that Brock was married before and had a son. Jules had told them that Brock dealt with some rough stuff during his service as a Navy SEAL. There was no way it could be all smooth sailing with those impediments. “We’re good,” she said firmly.
He settled back down. “Good.”
“Clayton,” Mom called, motioning to him with her hand. “We need to go.”
“See you at the homestead, honey.” Squeezing her arm, he trotted off in Mom’s direction.
Meanwhile, Jules tried to decide if she should approach Brock or let him come to her. She threw a covert glance in his direction and saw him talking to Fitz and Charli. Okay, she was being ridiculous. She and Brock were a couple, and she was a grownup—perfectly capable of making the first move. Dad had seen Brock watching her during the wedding ceremony. That was a good sign. Straightening her shoulders, she strode towards them, trying to ignore the persistent hammering of her heart against her ribs. She was intercepted by Dean, of all people. Gah! The guy just couldn’t get a clue.
“Hey,” he began with a jovial smile. “Fancy meeting you here.”
“Hey, Dean.” She looked past him, anxious to get to Brock.
“You look fantastic.” He gave her a longing look.
Good grief, when was this guy going to buck up and move on? Were his puppy-dog eyes supposed to make her feel sorry for him? It wasn’t working. Dean had conveniently forgotten about his petty tantrum that night in her kitchen before he stormed out, leaving her to clean up the glass and water with an injured foot.
“You must be thrilled for your sister. Weddings are a big deal,” he said with deep meaning.
“Yeah, I’m thrilled.” She forced a smile. Several awkward beats passed. “Well, it was great to see you. I’d better skedaddle. There’s someone I need to speak with. If you’ll excuse me …”
His jaw tensed before he nodded. “Of course.”
She adopted a cheerful tone as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Enjoy the reception.” Just please stay far away from me.
“I will,” he said heartily.
As she moved past him, he caught hold of her arm.
“Jules?”
She stopped and turned back around. “Yes?”
He searched her face. “Save me a dance tonight?”
Her throat tightened. “Um, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She looked down, noting that he was still holding onto her arm.
As if reading her mind, he immediately released it. “I was hoping we could be friends,” he sulked.
“We can,” she responded automatically and then winced inwardly at the white lie. She wanted nothing more to do with Dean. “It’s just that I’m with someone. And he wouldn’t like me dancing with anyone else.”
Surprise streaked over his features. She could tell from the way his jaw was twitching that he was visibly shaken. “Uh, o—kay.” He gave her a remorseful smile. “I guess that’s that,” he said in a practical tone.
“Goodbye, Dean. I wish you well.” With that, she hurried away before he could say anything else.
Draping on a bright smile, she stepped up and greeted Brock with a warm, “Hey.” She was going to kiss him on the lips but stopped in her tracks when she saw his uncomfortable expression. Her heart nearly stopped as her fears bubbled to the surface, making her hot and then clammy cold.
“Hey,” he responded with a tight smile. “Good to see you again.”
Hurt battered her insides. Why was he being so formal? So stiff? She gave him a questioning look. Something she couldn’t discern flashed in his dark eyes. He was standing right in front of her, but he might as well have been a thousand miles away. Despair clutched her like a tourniquet. Her instincts had been right on the money. Brock was pulling away.
He motioned. “You remember Fitz and Charli?”
“Of course.” A bolt of hot anger streaked through her as she aimed a glare at Brock before turning her attention elsewhere. She’d met Fitz and Charli the night of Zoe’s makeup line launch—when Tippin proposed.
“It’s great to see you again,” Fitz said as he gave her a hug. Charli immediately followed suit. At least they were acting normal. Confusion rattled through her. What was wrong with Brock? She thought he cared as much about her as she did him. What had changed?
“It was such a beautiful ceremony,” Charli began.
Fitz sported a sly grin. “I guess Tippin chased and chased Zoe until she finally caught him.”
Both Charli and Fitz laughed. A smile was the most that Jules could muster under the circumstances. Brock remained stone-faced.
Charli looked from Brock to Jules. “Is everything okay?”
“Great,” Jules said breezily. “Why do you ask?”
Charli looked thoughtful. “The two of you seem a little tense.”
Jules remembered from meeting Charli before that the woman was a straight shooter. Not one to mince words.
Fitz stepped closer to Charli and linked his arm through hers as he chuckled smoothly to ease the tension. “Maybe it’s just hard for Jules to see her sister get married.”
“I’m so happy for her,” Jules said honestly. “This has been a long time coming.” She pressed on a smile. “Like I said, I’m great.” She was a terrible liar. Everyone could see right through her.
Fitz looked at Brock. “Maybe this guy’s tired of us trying to put pressure on him to relocate to Carmel and join our agency.”
“We only hire the best,” Charli piped in.
“The best is right.” Fitz turned his attention to Jules. “You saw Brock’s handiwork firsthand when he was protecting Zoe from the henchman Nico Ventura hired.”
“I did. Brock saved all of our lives that night.” Jules locked gazes with him as a deep sadness overtook her. She looked at his mouth, remembering how his urgent kisses had lit her on fire. She was so in love with this man that she hardly knew what to do with herself, and he was going to shatter her heart into a million pieces.
Fitz jumped back in, his voice earnest. “If you’re worried about Sutton, then I can have a talk with him. Sutton has lots of capable men on his payroll. Surely, he wouldn’t mind spreading the love. We could really use a man of your expertise. Give it some thought, would ya?”
“Hon, give it a rest,” Charli inserted as she gave Brock an apologetic smile. “You heard what Brock told us earlier. He’s trying to work things out with his former wife so that the two of them and their son can be a family again. I can certainly respect that. Family comes first, after all.”
“What?” Jules gasped. Her hands began to shake as she lasered in on Brock. “Is that why you’re acting so cold and formal?” Did she really just say that out loud? Normally, she was much more in control of herself in social situations. Well, not today.
Anguish twisted his features. “I was gonna tell you. I just didn’t want to do it today at Zoe’s wedding.”
“I’m so sorry.” Charli’s face turned red. “I had no idea that the two of you were involved.”
“We’re not,” Jules snapped. “Not anymore.” It was all she could do to hold back the avalanche of tears pressing against her eyes. “Excuse me,” she said to Charli and Fitz as she stumbled away.
Brock went after her. “Wait.” He caught hold of her hand. “Jules, please.”
She whipped around to face him as tears blurred her vision. A hard laugh scratched her throat. “I could feel you pulling away from me, but I thought I was being paranoid.”
“I’m not going back for Adrian. I’m going back for Trevor. He deserves to grow up with both of his parents.”
“And what about you?” she fired back. “What about all of those things you said about Adrian being so manipulative and how you worried that she had a personality disorder? Was that all a lie?”
He jammed a hand through his hair. “No, it was all true.”
Her voice went shrill. “And yet you’re going back? I thought you were smarter than that.” The outburst drew the attention of the people around them.
Brock lowered his voice. “I have to do what’s best for Trevor. He needs me in his life now more than ever, especially with a mother like Adrian. Please try to understand.” He gave her a pleading look.
Tears slipped down her cheeks. How could she compete with that? It was a lost cause. “You should’ve thought about all of this before we started a relationship.” Her chest heaved up and down as her breath came faster.
His eyes deepened with regret. “I know. I’m so sorry.”
“Save it,” she barked.
“I never meant to hurt you.”
“Well, you did.” She took in a ragged breath, trying to get a handle on her emotions. She’d thought she could build a life with Brock. In one moment, it was all ripped away. Maybe this was payback for the long string of guys that she’d dumped. If that were the case, then the payback was brutal.
Desperation coated his voice. “The time I spent with you has been incredible. I will always care about you. You have no idea how much I wish things could be different.”
“Do you love Adrian?” She eyed him in a challenge.
He rocked back. “Don’t do this. You know I love you.”
He’d never spoken those words to her before. Plenty of times, she’d imagined how joyous it would be to hear him say it. But they were sharp blades that cut her in every direction.
“I don’t know anything anymore,” she muttered.
They eyed one another as silence engulfed them. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs, hurling out hurtful things, but that wouldn’t do either of them any good. And it was Zoe’s wedding day. She couldn’t cause a scene. So she did the only thing she could. “Never contact me again,” she snapped as she turned and marched away.
Somehow, Jules managed to make it through the reception. It helped that Brock was nowhere to be found. She knew this because Dad certainly tried to hunt him down.
Jules could only assume that Brock had left, and that was well and good. Her mother noticed that something was off and asked if everything was okay. Jules pasted on a smile and lied through her teeth, knowing that if she opened up to Mom right now, she’d completely lose it.
After the elaborate sendoff of the bride and groom, which included sparklers and bubbles, Jules complained of a headache and told her parents that she was going home to her house to get some rest. “I’ll see you both tomorrow,” she promised.
It wasn’t until she got in her car that she was able to let her pent-up emotions go. She ugly-cried in heaving gasps as she drove, welcoming the blackness of the dark night that surrounded her. Thankfully, the traffic was light, so she didn’t have to worry about being crammed with bumper-to-bumper cars.
Her phone rang. She ignored it, her frenzied state commanding her attention. She had so many emotions tumbling inside of her that she couldn’t make sense of any of them. She was so fighting mad at Brock. She was furious at the utter unfairness of the situation and felt guilty for being resentful of a seven-year-old boy who had a right to have his father in his life on a daily basis. If Brock had been planning to go back to Adrian all along, then he shouldn’t have led her on. Even though she’d never met Adrian, Jules detested the woman. She certainly knew how to pull the strings to get Brock to go running back to her.
Well, good riddance!
She tightened her hold on the steering wheel, letting the hot tears gush rivers down her cheeks. The fact that Brock admitted that he loved her made the pain even more sharp.
Her phone rang again. No way was she taking any calls tonight.
She looked up and realized that the stoplight was turning red. She hit her brakes and came to an abrupt stop that jarred her entire body.
She waited … and waited.
When her phone rang a third time, she pulled it out of her purse and answered with a terse, “Hello.”
“Jules, where are you?” her cousin Nikki exclaimed. “Did you take off right after Zoe and Tippin left?”
“I did. I have a killer headache. I’m heading home.”
“Your mom said you had a falling out with your boyfriend.”
The light finally turned green. She pushed her foot on the accelerator, holding the phone to her ear. So much for her trying to keep a lid on the matter. Mom had been onto her the entire time. “Yeah.” She heard the tremble in her own voice. “It’s over,” she said dully as more tears rushed to her eyes.
“I’m sorry,” Nikki lamented. “I’ll meet you at your house. We can order some pizza and gorge ourselves until we want to puke.”
She crinkled her nose. “I don’t know that I’m up for that tonight.”
Nikki’s response was immediate. “Okay, no pizza for you. I’ll eat, and you can watch.”
“Not tonight.”
“I won’t take no for an answer. Oh, and in case you were wondering, I’m spending the next several days at your house.”
“Really?” Jules loved her cousin, but she really needed some time alone right now. She needed time to process everything that had happened. And she needed to figure out how to move forward without Brock. A lump formed in her throat as she swallowed it down, willing herself to get tough. “I thought you were staying at the ranch with my mom and dad.”
“And have Uncle Clayton try to make me his latest matchmaking project? No thanks.”
The grief cleared for a fraction of a second as Jules barked out a chuckle. “Dad’s always up to something, and Mom’s not much better. It’s a miracle that she didn’t try to introduce you to Dean at the reception.”
“The smooth-talking realtor with the nice hair and ultra-white smile?”
“That’s him.”
“Yep, she introduced us.”
“Speaking from experience, I’d stay far away from that one if I were you.”
Nikki laughed. “Don’t worry. I had his number from the get-go. The guy’s way too needy for my taste.”
“Amen!”
Jules got stopped at another light. The stars were definitely not in her favor tonight.
“So I was thinking that you and I could take a trip to Glen Rose.”
The mention of the town where Alyssa Robert’s parents lived caused Jules to stiffen. “What’s in Glen Rose?”
Nikki bubbled with excitement. “Fossil Rim Wildlife Center. I’d love to book a safari and check out the animals.”
Jules took in a long breath. She hadn’t been to Fossil Rim since she was a kid. It was a cool experience where one could drive through the preserve and get an up-close look at exotic animals.
“Come on,” Nikki urged. “We should go. I heard they have a great barbecue joint in Glen Rose. I know how you Texans love your brisket.”
She grunted. “I’ve seen you put away your share of brisket, Miss Alabama.”
“Touché. Whaddaya say?”
It wasn’t as if she had anything else to do this weekend. “Okay,” she relented. “We’ll go.”
“Fantastic,” Nikki punched out.
Jules’s dad and Nikki’s dad were brothers. Nikki grew up in a small town in Alabama. From the time she was a teenager, Nikki was chomping at the bit to spread her wings and escape the doldrums of small-town life. The second she graduated from high school, she spent a few months backpacking through Europe. When she got that out of her system, she went to college and majored in journalism. Now, she traveled the world writing articles for travel magazines, blogs, and websites. Nikki was free-spirited to the nth degree. Jules enjoyed living vicariously through her spontaneous cousin and loved hearing all about her adventures.
She looked up at the light. Still red. Would it ever turn green?
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of light.
She turned to see fast-moving headlights coming straight for her.
A scream tore through her throat as she braced for the impact.