Chapter 33
Logan
As soon as my brothers meet Gigi and hear about our engagement, they want to go out and celebrate with “just the guys.” I try to fend them off, but once Blake gets involved, there’s no stopping them.
“You’re fucking engaged?” Blake mutters under his breath as we cool down the horses outside the barn. “You’re still married to Macey.”
I drag him away from my brothers so they can’t overhear. “Let it go,” I say to him.
“Right.” He shoots me a quick smile. “You want me to ignore the fact that the woman you’ve had a thing for forever is currently your wife, and yet you proposed to another woman? You can deny your feelings for Macey all you want to, but I don’t buy this engagement for one fucking second.”
“Well, you’re going to have to buy it.” I give him a hard stare. “And don’t interfere.”
“Okay, so then can I meet her?” Blake says. “Reid says she’s blonde and hot.”
“She’s…fine.”
“Fine?” Blake laughs. “Well, where is she? Let me meet her.”
“Later.”
A long while later if I can help it.
At Blake’s insistence, we all go to The Cowherd. Mr. and Mrs. Henwood are both sitting at a table, and they wave at me with more enthusiasm than normal. I exhale a breath of relief when Macey’s not working behind the bar, but Blake frowns.
I glare at him. “I know what you’re doing,” I mutter to him.
“What?” he says all innocently. “I’m just looking forward to seeing how you and Macey are going to navigate your new reality. You know, the one where you can’t relentlessly flirt with each other.”
Reid overhears and breaks into a chuckle. “That will be interesting to see.”
“Shut up and let’s go get our drinks.” I stride to the bar and greet George, who immediately grabs a bottle of whiskey.
“I’m fine with just a beer,” I tell him, but he waves me off.
“You’re the man of honor around Darcy this evening,” he says.
“What does that mean—man of honor?” I ask him in confusion.
George glances up at me. “Um…”
I narrow my eyes at him. “What are you talking about?”
Before he can respond—
“So you’re the hero!” says a male voice I don’t recognize.
I glance over my shoulder at a gray-haired man holding a microphone. “Logan, right?” He steps closer. “I’m Ed Wades from Channel Five. I was hoping to meet the newly-crowned Mr. Darcy.”
“I’m sorry.” I give him a hard stare. “What?”
“The owner of this fine establishment called our station about an hour ago. He told me you and your fiancée are the couple who will finally break the curse and free Jane Austen’s ghost.” He shoves his microphone underneath my chin. “Care to say a few words?”
I shove the microphone away. “No. No words.”
“But you’re marrying here on July fourth,” the reporter adds.
I do a slow turn until I meet the eyes of Macey’s father, who gives me a tentative thumbs-up.
“July fourth?” I say out loud.
“That’s right,” Mr. Henwood says. “Already on the calendar. I just called your mama, and she thought it was a great idea.”
July fourth. That’s Macey’s birthday.
And the idea of marrying here, where Macey works and practically lives…it’s like a knife to the heart.
I excuse myself, needing time to think.
But as I walk away from the reporter, Blake follows.
“I know how to help,” he says to me.
One look at the determined gleam in his eyes, and I grab him by the shoulder. “Don’t,” I warn him. “You’ll make things worse.”
But Blake’s already turned away and is headed back to the reporter. “You worry too much, Wild.” He throws his hand up in a wave. “I’ve got this.”