Chapter Five – Let It Burn
Chapter Five
Andie
LET IT BURN
Performed by Shaboozey
Thankfully, the storm that had swept through Swift Rivers the day before had blown over the mountains just before Maisey and Beckett’s wedding rehearsal last night.
But it had meant a last-minute scramble today.
We dried chairs and rails and laid extra runners so wet earth wouldn’t cling to guests’ shoes or, worse, Maisey’s gown, but everything was ready well before go time.
I was grateful Misty had been ready to come on board so quickly and jumped right into the thick of things.
She worked alongside the staff and me like she’d been part of the team for years, learning names and catching on to our rhythm while we were in the middle of the typical wedding day chaos.
By the time I slipped into my bridesmaid’s dress, I actually found myself looking forward to the ceremony instead of worrying about what might still go wrong.
The wedding at the waterfall unfolded as softly as the leaves drifting around us.
Autumn branches arched over Maisey and Beckett, the copper and gold leaves framing her dark hair and sage-green eyes.
When she stepped onto the runner, her gaze locked on Beckett’s, and her smile was bright enough to make my chest ache.
Sunlight caught the beads scattered across the halter of her dress and sent sparks of light into the air, while organza and chiffon whispered across the forest floor behind her.
The love she looked at Beckett with almost felt tangible.
The gaze he sent in return was equally fierce. He’d chosen to wear a tuxedo instead of his firefighter Class As, and the dark jacket cut across his broad shoulders while the vest echoed the forest, drawing warmth from his brown eyes.
As I stood beside Fallon, listening to their vows, my chest tightened.
I was full of joy for them, but the quiet ache of dreams I’d once believed would come true for me were layered below it. The kind of dreams where you think love could actually be safe.
When the photographer finally finished with the wedding party, I jumped into a golf cart and sped toward the riverside marquee near the hotel to make sure everything was ready for the bride and groom. I was thrilled to find Misty had already ensured everything was ready.
“Just enjoy the party,” Misty assured me. “I got this.”
For the first time in eight years, I did just that. I sat at the tables as a guest. I laughed, and ate, and even danced with Maisey’s and Beckett’s dads, as well as Sweeney, one of Parker’s former SEAL teammates who’d gone into business with him at the jump school outside town.
But when raised voices threatened the pleasantness of the day, I hurried to the tent doors to find Josh Cleaver and Cooper going at each other. A few of the guests who’d wandered outside, either for the restrooms or just a stroll down by the river, were glancing surreptitiously their way.
“I refuse to be treated like I’m a criminal,” Josh said, glaring at Cooper.
“And I refuse to keep a man on my team who doesn’t have an alibi for the night of the raid,” Cooper’s voice, deep and dark, snarled back.
“Fuck you. I shouldn’t have to give you an alibi.
I’m the one who’s proven himself in this department.
Not you with your Hollywood good looks and your high-handed manner.
I don’t plan on falling to my knees and worshipping you like the rest of the damn town.
You want someone to suck your dick, ask someone else. ”
“If I wanted my dick sucked, believe me, you’d be the last one I’d ask. Your pride means you’d be a shitty partner. Consider yourself fired, Cleaver. Turn in your gun and your badge on Monday.”
“Damn—”
“Enough!” I hissed, stepping up between the two men and darting an eye in the direction of the tent. The music was loud. Through the opening, I could see Maisey in Beckett’s arms. They were laughing and smiling. Happy.
Thank goodness.
“Don’t you dare ruin this day for Maisey and Beckett. Either of you.”
Josh looked a bit chagrinned, but Cooper’s face was an impassive wall.
I turned to Josh. “If you care about Maisey at all, you’ll stop this right now.”
“Don’t worry, I’m out of here,” Josh said, storming off toward the parking lot.
The few people who’d stopped to watch were already gossiping behind closed hands as they hustled into the marquee.
I whirled back to Cooper. “What is wrong with you?”
Surprise lifted his brows. “Excuse me?”
“You clearly have anger issues. I’m not sure how you made it so long in the LAPD, but I can tell you that people here aren’t going to put up with a sheriff who blows his top at the smallest provocation.”
Instead of angering him further, as I’d suspected it would, his lips actually twitched.
“You think this is funny?” I hissed, stepping closer so I could keep my voice low. “Ruining someone’s wedding, bad-mouthing a deputy the town adores, terrorizing kids…that all seems hilarious to you?”
His momentary humor was wiped away, and I realized my mistake in stepping closer when he reached out and caught my arm.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t panic but a fierce attraction that spread through me like 100-proof vodka.
I wasn’t sure which was worse, knowing a man had put his hands on me without my permission once again, or the stupidity of being drawn to someone who rippled with anger. Violence.
My body made the worst choices.
Except for Ben. He’d been sweet and kind and…
Dead. He was dead.
“Havoc, let’s get one thing straight. I love my son more than anything on this earth and would slit my own wrists before I terrorized him. You got me?”
A warning rang through me that I could barely hear over the pounding of my blood in my ears. Desire and fear tangled together.
The dim light spreading out from the tent turned his dark-blond hair nearly black.
The thick waves were uncharacteristically slicked back tonight, and it put his strong jaw and a dangerously seductive cleft prominently on display.
His eyes, usually a baby blue spiked with an icy fire, were nothing more than dark wells.
“Let me go.” I knew my voice shook, and I hated that he heard it.
He dropped his hands as if I’d burned him and stepped back.
“My apologies.”
I didn’t offer anything in return. Didn’t wait to hear more. Instead, I fled into the safety of the crowded marquee and almost ran straight into Misty. She put her hands out to steady me, but the touch, coming so soon after the tumult of emotions outside, only had me jerking away.
“Hey, are you okay?” she asked, brow furrowing in concern.
I inhaled slowly, counted to five, and then exhaled. “Yes. Everything’s fine. Are we ready for the bouquet toss?”
She looked out into the twilight, curiosity on her face, but then nodded.
I brought up the project management app we used and checked the wedding’s schedule, letting my focus on the job chase away the unease of the encounter with Cooper Wylee.
I wouldn’t let him get to me. Not with his suave good looks or the anger that boiled near the surface. And I wouldn’t let him ruin the remainder of this evening for Maisey either.
I’d send her off to the honeymoon suite in the hotel with nothing but good memories.
I glanced back outside, but Cooper didn’t appear in the entrance. Good. Maybe he left just like Josh had.
Why the hell was a piece of me disappointed at that thought?
Maybe I needed to head back to therapy. But when I could never really be honest with the psychologist, it defeated the point. I’d never be able to share what had happened or my worst fears.
But I could concentrate on my life and my friends and the goodness of the moment.
And that was exactly what I intended to do.
? ? ?
Two hours later, my calm had mostly returned as the party wound down. Maisey and Beckett had said goodnight in a shower of rose petals and made their way to the hotel as the last of the guests ambled home, and the cleanup crew went to work.
Misty had been going nonstop for hours, moving at a pace that reminded me of Fallon’s energy. I imagined she would have happily stayed until the last glass had been whisked away, but I told her to take off. I needed the routine of another event winding down to settle me further.
“You’ve done an incredible job, Misty. You stepped right in like you’ve been here for years. Go home. Enjoy the win.”
“It’s a very interesting place. I’m going to have even more fun here than I’d expected.” She winked and headed out of the tent.
The wink flashed me back in time to another wink, another smile, and for two seconds, the panic I’d felt when Cooper had grabbed my arm swelled again before I shoved it back. I really was being ludicrous. I was giving old memories and one broody sheriff more power than either deserved.
I made my way around the tables, turning off the faux tea lights in the antique lanterns we’d arranged amongst the fall garland and white gourds on each table.
Another successful wedding in the books.
The wooden dance floor and marquee would come down tomorrow morning, and it would look like nothing had ever happened.
Until the next wedding, which was a holiday-themed one in the middle of November.
If we could finalize the deal on a semi-permanent venue, we might actually have it up for that wedding as well as the charity event in December.
I was crossing my fingers, hoping Fallon would agree with me that the one I’d picked that resembled an eighteenth-century conservatory would fit with the castle’s motif.
The faux wrought-iron frame held a domed roof and dozens of real-glass windows and would be a graceful addition to the property.
After ensuring the cleaning staff was almost done, I stepped out of the tent, ready to go home, to find Beckett’s large, black dog wistfully staring in the direction the couple had disappeared.
The Labrador and greyhound mix still wore the cute little bow tie to which the wedding rings had been attached.