Chapter 134 (1/2)
“How are you two? It’s been a year now, hasn’t it?” His voice betrays the emotion he’s trying to hide.
“What about you? You and that blonde. What was her name?” This aisle is a lot longer to walk down than it looked from the hallway. “Oh, yeah, Eliza or something?”
He chuckles. “Ha-ha.”
I like to give him shit about a fan-turned-stalker of his named Eliza. I know he hasn’t slept with her, but it’s fun to tease him when I see him.
“Baby, the last blonde I had in my bed was you.” He smiles. My feet catch, and Hardin grips my elbow, steadying me before I fall face-first onto the white silk covering the aisle.
“Is that so?”
“Yep.” He keeps his eyes toward the front of the church where Landon stands.
“You put your lip ring back in.” I change the subject before I embarrass myself further. We walk past my mother, sitting quietly next to her husband, David. She looks slightly worried, but I give her credit when she smiles at Hardin and me when we pass. David leans into her, whispering something, and she smiles again, nodding to him.
“She seems much happier now,” Hardin whispers. We probably shouldn’t be talking as we walk down the aisle, but Hardin and I are known for doing things that we shouldn’t do.
I’ve missed him more than I’m letting on. I’ve only seen him six times in the last two years, and each time only made me ache for him more.
“She is. David has been an incredible influence on her.”
“I know, she told me.”
I stop again. This time Hardin smiles while helping me continue down the never-ending aisle. “What do you mean?”
“Your mum, I’ve spoken to her a few times. You know that.”
I have no clue what he’s talking about.
“She came to a signing last month, when my second book came out.”
What? “What did she say?” My voice is too loud, and a few guests stare at us for much too long.
“We will talk after this. I promised Landon that I wouldn’t ruin his wedding.”
Hardin smiles at me as we reach the altar, and I try, I really do try, to focus on my best friend’s wedding.
But I can’t keep my eyes or mind off the best man.
Chapter seventy-nine
HARDIN