by K. A. Linde
I frowned slightly at the way he’d said it. The way he’d scrunched up his face. The immediate denial. It wasn’t like I was looking to get married. Far from it. But I’d stopped to consider it. I’d said yet in my head. That was a huge step forward, but eventually, I wanted to get married. Maybe even to Hollin.
Hollin frowned. “What?”
I laughed, brushing it off. It was stupid. A month ago, I hadn’t even wanted to date him. “Awfully quick about that Abbey.”
He pressed a kiss to my lips. “It is Julian next. That’s all I’m saying.”
“Someday, dude,” Jordan said, clapping him on the shoulder. “Someday, you’ll have to grow up.”
“That day is not today,” Hollin said. “Marriage is a trap.”
That sounded more like his issue with his mom. Marriage had to seem that way to him after what he’d gone through. Maybe it had nothing to do with me at all, and I was reading into it. I didn’t need to read into anything with Hollin. He always said exactly what he was thinking with me.
Annie caught my attention and rolled her eyes. She mouthed, Men.
We both laughed.
She sidled up next to me. “Jordan was the same way, I swear. And then, bam, he couldn’t live without me.”
“Sounds right.”
I pushed it from my brain. One day, I’d get there, just like everyone else.
And when he glanced back at me and smiled, I knew I was far past gone. I wanted it to be with Hollin. I wanted everything with him.
32
Hollin
Today was the wedding, but that wasn’t what I was excited for. It was in second place to my brother coming home. The tour was officially over, and he was off until he had to get back into the studio and work on a new album. Normally, he’d hole up in LA, but things were different. Now, he was coming back home.
Nora had wanted to come with me to pick him up from the airport, but she was too busy with the wedding. She was still furious with August and Tamara. Not that I could blame her. I’d gotten a bunch of boxes and helped her pack up her apartment. She was currently living in my guest room. Dad had offered for her to stay with him, but she hadn’t wanted to. Moving back home would have felt like a defeat. I didn’t know how she was putting on a happy face. She was a professional—that was for sure.
Having Campbell home was going to help her, too.
Campbell had given me directions to pick him up from the private terminal where he had his own suite. He was driven straight to the airplane, and all of his baggage was handled exclusively. Lubbock was a small airport, but it still had all the luxury for when celebrities came through.
He’d argued that I didn’t need to pick him up at all. They had BMWs to cart him around as part of the service. But I’d called him a pretentious prick, and he’d agreed to let me pick him up.
I pulled up in front of the private entrance, and a second later, he exited, looking like the rockstar he was—Ray-Bans, leather jacket, and all. Campbell had always had his own style and never cared what anyone thought. But since he’d gotten famous and had designers working with him, he’d grown from a little punk kid into what he was now. And as ridiculous as it was, he could even pull off leather pants.
“Hey, fucker,” I said as he opened the door.
He shot me a look. “At least you keep me down-to-earth.”
“That’s what I’m here for.”
He slung his leather duffel and rolling suitcase into the back and dropped into the passenger seat. “Fuck, it’s good to be out of the airport. The last leg across Asia was rough. I’m going to be jet-lagged for days.”
“You up for this wedding?”
Campbell ran a hand back through his hair. “Yeah, sure. Why not? If I fall asleep on my feet, it’s not my fault.”
“I’ll be sure to let Peyton and Isaac know.”
Campbell yawned. “Wake me when we get there.”
“You’re going to want to be awake to hear this.”
He tipped his head at me. “Hear what?”
I explained to him what had happened with Nora, August, and Tamara. His expression went from puzzled to furious in a matter of minutes.
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Nope. I saw it myself.”
Campbell’s face darkened further. “Where does he live?”
“Plotting an arson?”
“Ah, good call, brother,” he said. “I was thinking we beat the shit out of him, but sure, let’s burn his house down.”
I laughed sardonically. But Campbell looked serious. I’d told Piper that I was glad Campbell hadn’t been there. He had a temper. It always ignited around our dad. They’d almost come to blows a few times when he was in high school. I worried about his image out on the road if he ever lost it like that in public. But so far, I hadn’t seen anything. I hoped August wasn’t stupid enough to show his face. It would take a lot of effort to not let Campbell cave his face in.
“Nah, we’re not going to do anything else.”
Campbell ground his teeth together. “He deserves to pay.”
“Yeah, he does. But it’s not up to us.”
“How is she?”
“A mess.”
“Fuck,” Campbell said. “Well, I guess I won’t sleep then.”
I nodded at him. He understood in the way that only my brother could. Nora was a total wreck. She might try to play it off at work, but I was there when she came home at night and cried herself to sleep. It wasn’t healthy, and I didn’t know what to do other than be there for her.
“It’ll help to have you around. When are you going back to LA?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. The rest of the band went home. Michael was up my ass to get back to his wife and kid. As if it was my fault. We’ll see how long the record label will let me have downtime before demanding a new album.”
“You have any material for it?”
“Yeah. I wrote about a hundred songs on the tour, but they all suck.”
I laughed. “You say that about them all.”
“Because it’s true.”
“Whatever. Everyone loves your music.”
“Yeah. Just takes a lot more than my lyrics for it to become music. The group together makes it not suck.”
“No plans to go solo?”
Campbell shot me a look. “Ask me how often I get asked that in interviews.”
“Bet the band loves that.”
“Yeah, they fucking love it,” he said sarcastically. “And no, I have no plans for a solo career.”
He was on top of the world. I was glad that he wasn’t going to leave everyone else behind now that he’d gotten there.
I let him rest as I drove us to the winery. The wedding wasn’t until this afternoon, so I’d let him get a power nap to combat the jet lag, but I wanted Nora to see him first. When I parked, Campbell woke groggily and all but fell out of the door.
Nora was running around frantically, directing the event. But when she caught sight of Campbell, she dropped everything and darted forward in her crazy high heels. They collided, and he hugged our sister tight.
“Hey, shrimp,” he said with a laugh.
“I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Me too. Good to be on this side of the planet.”
“You look like shit,” she said.
He ran a hand back through his hair. “Thanks.”
“And leather pants?” She cringed. “Seriously?”
“Thank God I have siblings,” he said with a shake of his head.
“You’re not wearing them to the wedding, right?”
He snorted. “No. Hollin’s got me covered. I will be perfectly presentable.”
“No guyliner?” Nora asked with a smirk. It was the first real smile I’d seen from her in a week.
“You two are the worst,” Campbell said.
“Obviously.” I faced Nora. “What’s the schedule looking like?”
“Peyton is in hair and makeup. Piper, Peter, and Annie agreed to help with set
up. They’ll be leaving here any minute for hair and makeup. I have a long list of last-minute things that need to be done.”
“Tell me what to do.”
Campbell groaned. “Direct me somewhere to nap.”
“Baby,” Nora said affectionately.
I pointed Campbell in the direction of the offices. There was a couch that his long limbs wouldn’t fit on, but it would be better than nothing. Nora listed off everything that she wanted me to do, and I followed her through the barn, which was decorated beyond comprehension, and out back to where the ceremony was being held.
The chairs were in place, but much of the remaining decor hadn’t been put up yet. Except for a large wooden altar that was currently being installed. My eyes narrowed as I recognized the two figures in front of it.
“Is that Bradley?” I asked, grinding my teeth together.
“Yeah. He made the altar. He’d agreed to do it for Piper before they broke up. I’ve been the main contact though.”
“What is she doing over there?”
Nora huffed. “Flowers.”
Piper was attaching a cascade of flowers to the wooden archway. She and Bradley were talking, and she kept tilting her head back and laughing. They looked a little too comfy for my taste.
“I’m going to go say hi.”
“Hollin,” she said softly. “I have a lot of shit to do.”
“Then do it. I’ll be right back.”
“Try not to be an ass.”
“No promises.”
She rolled her eyes, but she was staring past me to where my girlfriend stood with her ex. She swallowed at the sight. Nothing was happening with Piper and Bradley, but it was reminiscent enough of August and Tamara. She quickly turned away.
I stomped down the aisle toward Piper. She had her back to me and was laughing at something Bradley had said. I grabbed her around the waist, and she shrieked in surprise. Then, my lips were on her. And, yeah, I was being an ass, but she was mine.
Piper pushed me away with a laugh. “Hollin, stop it.”
I arched an eyebrow. “No chance in hell.”
She shoved me again and lowered her voice. “Be nice.”
Nice? Yeah, no, I had no interest in nice. I wanted Bradley to know exactly where he stood right now. And that was not at Piper’s side. They’d dated on and off for years. Years. How was I to compete with that? She’d always ended up going back to him. Time and time again. Obviously, this time was different because we were together. But I didn’t want him to get any ideas.
“Hey, Hollin,” Bradley said, offering me his hand.
I stood taller and shook it—hard. “Bradley.”
“I was…just finishing up here.” He glanced at Piper, and something passed between them. She frowned. “Have fun at the wedding.”
He brushed past us and stormed away from the altar he’d built for the wedding.
“Hollin, Jesus,” Piper said with a huff.
“What?”
“You don’t have to be like that. You won. Isn’t that enough?”
I balked at her anger. “So, I’m supposed to stand around and let you two reconnect?”
She rolled her eyes. “We weren’t reconnecting. We’re friends. I have no interest in him, and you know that. You didn’t have to rub it in.”
“Why not? It’s fun.”
But she pulled away from me as I reached for her again. “I should go apologize. I don’t want him to think poorly of us. It’s mean.”
My eyes rounded. “You’re going to go apologize to him?”
“Yeah, I am. Just because he wasn’t right for me doesn’t mean he’s a bad guy.” She pressed a kiss to my lips. Her expression softened. “You already have me. Isn’t that enough?”
I tugged her against me again and stole another kiss.
She laughed. “I’ll be right back.”
She slipped through my fingers and disappeared after her ex-boyfriend. I glowered at his back. It might have been mean, but I was unaware I was supposed to care about his feelings. I didn’t want to upset Piper, but she was mine to kiss whenever I wanted. Was it so bad to want Bradley to know it, too?
33
Piper
“Bradley, wait,” I called as I rushed off after him.
But he kept trudging across the open field, back to his truck. I jogged to keep up with him, glad that I hadn’t had hair or makeup done yet.
“Wait.”
He slowed to let me fall into step beside him. “What are you doing, Piper?”
“Trying to apologize.”
Bradley raised his eyebrow. “Why? You got what you wanted, didn’t you?”
“Don’t be like that.”
“Like what?” he asked. He jerked his head again, facing forward. “It’s fine.”
“It’s not. I didn’t want to rub it in or anything. We’ve been friends a long time.”
“You’re not rubbing it in,” he ground out.
I shot him a look. “I know you’re pissed.”
Bradley stopped abruptly in the grass and faced me. “Fine. I’m pissed. Are you happy? Is that what you wanted to hear? Seeing you with him makes me want to set something on fire.”
I winced at the analogy. “I don’t joke about setting things on fire anymore.”
He sighed and put a hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I hate what happened to the winery, but I hated even more that I couldn’t be there for you that day. And just…Hollin?” he asked in exasperation. “Hollin fucking Abbey, Piper?”
“I know. I didn’t think it’d ever be him either.”
“Did it start before or after we broke up?” Bradley demanded.
“After!” I said quickly. “Of course it was after. We didn’t even like each other.”
“You were wearing his shirt,” he reminded me.
“I swear, that was unrelated.”
Though…I had been attracted to him then. It had been the start of it all. Even if it hadn’t been the day that we hooked up. Not that I planned to tell Bradley that.
“I can’t believe you would pick him. You hated him for years. He’s a player, and you know it.”
I sighed. I was never going to be able to make this okay with Bradley. Maybe it was stupid to even try. “I don’t want to discuss Hollin. I came here to apologize. That’s it.”
“Whatever. If you want to date the guy that every other person in town has dated, then by all means,” he said, looking off in the distance, as if the thought pained him. “I didn’t take you as a girl who would enjoy being second or third or fourth choice. Hell, a hundredth choice. He literally picked every girl in town over you. And I…I picked you over everyone else.”
I wanted to respond, but what could I say? He wasn’t wrong. And it wouldn’t be enough either way.
Bradley realized I wasn’t going to say anything else, shook his head, and stomped the rest of the way to his truck. I didn’t follow him. I’d said what I had come to say. It was understandable that he was upset, but it didn’t change how I felt about Hollin.
I headed back toward the altar, but Nora had already sent someone else to finish putting up flowers. She flagged me down.
“You’re up for hair and makeup.”
“Where did your brother go?” I asked her.
“I put him to work.”
I sighed. Well, that talk would have to happen later. Hopefully, he wasn’t mad that I’d gone after Bradley. But there wasn’t anything I could do about it now. I needed to get ready.
The rest of the day went at lightning speed. We finished hair and makeup, and Jennifer showed up to take hundreds of pictures. Peyton and Isaac had a first look, and we took more pictures. Seeing Isaac’s face when he got a glimpse of Peyton in that Cunningham Couture dress was the sweetest moment. I loved it so much for them. Aly pranced around through the pictures in her white-and-pink tulle dress. She made everyone laugh, and Jennifer insisted that the pictures were all the better for the natural smiles.
The wedding itself was short and sweet, just as it should be. Lots of laughter as they read their own vows. Tears as they choked up in the middle. Applause when they kissed. Isaac scooped up Aly and carried her out of the ceremony with her on one hip and Peyton on his other side. It was exactly what I’d always wanted for my sister.
We stayed behind for more pictures. This time with our entire family. Dad helped Abuelita into the shot. She’d been unsteady on her feet, and I’d been glad that an usher had escorted her into the venue.
After we stood for family pictures with both sets of families, we finally migrated into the barn. Isaac and Peyton initiated their first dance and encouraged everyone to get on their feet and join them.
I hadn’t talked to Hollin again since the problem with Bradley this morning. I’d been too busy with all the wedding stuff. But he walked right up to me as soon as the DJ called for everyone to dance.
He swept me up into his arms. “You look beautiful.”
My lips tilted up into a smile. “Thank you. I like this suit.” My hand ran down the front of his charcoal suit. “Are you still mad about earlier?”
“Mad?” he asked with a furrowed brow. “Of course not. I was the ass. Nora reminded me multiple times that I was the ass.”
I laughed. “That sounds like her.”
“Yeah. She keeps Campbell and me on the straight and narrow.”
“I’m glad. Because you know the thing with Bradley was nothing. He was jealous, and I should have let it go.”
“It’s all right, Piper.” His gaze shifted behind me for a few seconds and back to my face. “We all have exes. It’s all complicated.”
“Yeah,” I said with a shrug and then leaned my head against his chest.
“So…who is Blaire’s date?”
I followed his gaze and found Blaire in a mint dress, dancing with a guy that I’d only seen from social media videos. “Ah, Nate King. Mr. Thirst Trap.”
“Excuse me?” he asked.
“Yeah, he takes videos of himself, like pulling up his shirt and winking at the camera.”
Hollin gave me an incredulous look. “Porn?”
