Chapter 2
I promise to always be by your side. Or under you. Or on top of you.
“Violet.” Tripp’s voice stuck in his throat, but he didn’t think she heard the catch as he approached her at the elevator doors, trying not to stare too hard at the way her dress hugged her perfect ass.
She turned in surprise, giving him a big smile that he felt all the way to his core.
She had on a light purple dress, which he knew was in tune with the rest of the bridal party, even for the rehearsal dinner.
It was covered in little sparkly flower things, but his favorite part was the way the material dipped between her breasts.
Because he was absolutely obsessed with Violet Morgan and had been for as long as he could remember. He’d been way too young for her before, but that hadn’t stopped his teenage heart from falling for her.
Now they were both adults and there was nothing stopping them from being together—if he could convince her that he wasn’t Sarah’s irresponsible, annoying little brother anymore.
Because he’d seen a spark in her eyes at the bakery.
It had been short lived, but the energy between them…
she definitely found him attractive. And that was a start.
“Tripp, hey. I hope you got a little rest after I dragged you around today.” Her dark blond hair was down around her face in soft waves, and her emerald-green eyes… Well, let’s just say teenage him had written very bad poetry about them.
“I had fun today. The cake samples alone made it worthwhile.” You know, and getting to spend most of the morning and part of the afternoon with the woman of his dreams.
“There are definite perks to my job.” She stepped onto the elevator with him, her mouth curved into a half grin.
Her lavender and lemon scent was fresh and the same as he remembered years ago.
She was only five years older than him, but by the time he’d hit high school, she’d already been off in college—and he’d ceased to exist for her.
Then he’d been dumb enough to try and kiss her when he’d been home on his first leave.
He’d been barely twenty, drunk and it had seemed like a good idea at the time.
At least she didn’t seem to hold it against him.
“So, any questions about tonight or what you’re supposed to be doing?” she continued.
“I read the very thorough email your assistant sent me,” he said with a laugh. “I’m surprised you’ve let someone else take on anything with this wedding.”
“Sarah insisted…and she was right.” Violet grinned. “It’s been weird to step back from doing everything, but I’m still involved.”
“Not tonight.” He held his arm out for her as the elevator doors dinged and opened up.
“No, not tonight.” The cheeky smile she gave him hit him right in the chest. And when she set her hand on his arm, he felt the innocent touch right up to his shoulder.
His heart raced out of control, but then they ended up out on the sidewalk, surrounded by the scents and sounds of the city and everything clicked back into place. “So tell me about Ian’s brothers,” he said as they made their way to the Italian restaurant where the rehearsal dinner was being held.
It was only two blocks away and a favorite of his whole family.
And Violet’s family, who would also be at the wedding.
But tonight was just Sarah and Ian’s close family, plus the bridesmaids and groomsmen and a few close friends.
He’d missed the actual rehearsal at the church last night because his flight had been bumped to today.
But Oliver had sent him enough details that he knew what to do. Basically, he needed to walk down the aisle when told, then stand where he was told to. Pretty sure he could handle it.
“I don’t think we have enough time,” she murmured.
“They’re…a lot. The four oldest, including Ian, are all stairsteps basically.
Oldest goes from Luca at thirty-five, to Ian, then Matteo and Enzo, who’s thirty.
Aldo is twenty-three and the baby. Everyone loves him and he’s my favorite too. Mostly because he’s the only sane one.”
“Sane one?”
She lifted a shoulder with a faint laugh.
He loved the way the cut of her dress exposed her neck and shoulders—and he couldn’t stop imagining what it would be like to kiss his way down the column of her neck.
“At the last family gathering he was the only one who didn’t end up in their family pool. Fully clothed.”
“You’ve had dinners with their family?”
“Oh yeah. They love me, what can I say?” She grinned again. “And I’m pretty sure Ian’s mother wants me to marry one of her other sons. She’s always telling me that ‘I’m a good influence’ and that she would be a great mother-in-law. Subtle, she isn’t.”
Tripp forced out a laugh, but yeah, he didn’t like the idea of that at all. “Have any of them asked you out?”
“Any? How about all of them. Except Aldo, and he’s the only one I would even consider.
I mean, not really, because he’s so young, but he’s my favorite.
” She whispered the last part. “Ian’s kind of wild,” she continued.
“But only with his brothers. They seem to bring out the crazy in each other. And he’s good for Sarah.
You’ll see. She laughs all the time with him. I love the two of them together.”
“I can hear the smile in her voice every time we talk,” he admitted, even though it went against his nature to like anyone his sister was with.
Only because she’d been an incredible sister and he didn’t think anyone would ever be good enough for her.
Especially not her loser ex. But Violet was right, because Sarah was different now, he heard it every time she talked about Ian.
“Here we are. You ready?” Violet squeezed his forearm and looked up at him with affection.
He couldn’t be sure, but there might be more than merely affection this time. Or maybe he was projecting. But he thought he saw more than a spark of interest in her eyes. And after that moment at the bakery, he wasn’t letting this chance go.
If she gave him the opening, he was shooting his shot with Violet Morgan.