“It’s my fault.”
Three days of replaying every moment from Saturday and I still couldn’t figure out what exactly had happened. But I remembered every second. From the fountain to the chapel. The image of her—writhing beneath me with that hair spread out in silky strands across a white pillow, that mouth parted in ecstasy—was branded on my brain.
A surge of blood rushed to my groin. Damn it. That, too, had been a constant the past three days. It seemed I couldn’t think of Eloise and not get hard. I frowned, pissed at myself, and cast my gaze to the windows.
“You do want to get this annulled, though, right?” she asked.
“Yeah.” No question. “The sooner the better.”
“Phew. Thank God.” The air rushed from her lungs. “Just checking.”
Annulment was the only option. So why did her relief bother me so much?
I shook it off, facing her with my arms crossed over my chest. “I’ve got a good lawyer. I can reach out to him and get the process moving.”
“Okay. Obviously I’ve never done this before.”
I wished I could have said the same.
“Should I get a lawyer of my own?” she asked.
“If that would make you feel more comfortable.”
“Maybe. I don’t know.” She tugged her bottom lip between her teeth, thinking about it for a moment. “I’ll let you know.”
“’Kay.” I nodded. “Better give me your phone number.”
“Right.” She pulled her phone from her jeans pocket, waiting until I recited my number.
A moment later, my own dinged from where it sat on the kitchen island.
“Anything else?” I asked.
“No, uh, yes.” She gave me an exaggerated frown. “I have some things happening. Good things, I hope. But this was sort of, um . . . irresponsible. And it would be great if we could keep it a secret.”
“A secret.” It wasn’t like that hadn’t occurred to me too. But just like her relief, it burned.
“Yes, I really need this to be as quiet as possible. Especially from my family.”
“So you’re asking me not to tell Foster.”
“Exactly.” She sighed again, more of that irritating relief.
“To lie to my best friend.”
A flash of panic crossed her gaze before she clasped her hands together, shaking them as she pleaded, “Please, Jasper. My family will freak out about this. And my entire future hangs in the balance here.”
That was a bit melodramatic. Or it should have been, but there was nothing but sincerity on her face. And desperation. “We can’t hide this forever, Eloise.”
“Not forever. Just until it’s annulled. I’d rather tell people that we messed up and fixed it than have an audience while we’re in the process of unraveling a mess, you know?”
A muscle in my jaw flexed as my teeth clenched.
“So, is that a yes? You’ll keep it a secret?”
Fuck. I really hated lying. And not telling Foster felt like a lie by omission. But maybe she was right. Maybe it would be better to at least get the annulment started before announcing this marriage.
Unless we couldn’t get an annulment and this turned into a complete clusterfuck. I’d save that headache for another day.
“Fine,” I clipped.
“Thank you. Okay, uh . . .” Eloise pointed over her shoulder for the door. “I’ll get out of your way. I need to get back to work. And just call me, I guess, when you hear from your lawyer.”
My gaze dropped to her ass as she walked away, taking in her slender curves and the long line of those sexy-as-fuck legs.
My body’s reaction was instant. Heat flooded my veins. No good would come from me fantasizing about Eloise. Yet I couldn’t tear my eyes away.
She slipped out the door, the wide curls in her hair bouncing as she jogged down the stairs. The door to her car slammed closed, and moments later, the sound of her tires on the gravel disappeared, leaving me alone in silence.
“Marriage.” I chewed on the word and spit it out.
A secret marriage.
Foster was going to beat my ass for this.
We’d been friends for years. Best friends. We’d met when I’d started going to the gym where he’d trained in Vegas. The two of us had clicked instantly. He’d needed a stronger trainer, someone to push him beyond his limits. In turn, he’d challenged me too.
His career had given me a purpose. His wins were mine. So were his failures.
If he did retire, it would be the end of an era for us both. What next?
“I can’t do a damn thing until I get an annulment.” Or a divorce.
I balled my fists, an undercurrent of frustration buzzing beneath my skin.
A fuckup. I hated fuckups.
Normally, I’d spend a few hours in the ring with Foster, throwing punches and kicks, fighting until the frustration ebbed. But if I called him, he’d want to know why I was angry. He’d want to talk.
And I’d just agreed to keep my damn mouth shut.
So I headed for the stairs, ignoring the bags that needed to be unpacked and the laundry that needed to be washed.
I changed out of my jeans and boots, swapping them for sweats and tennis shoes. Then, with my earbuds in and loud music blaring, I headed outside and started running. It was at the end of Alderson Road that my phone dinged, the chime drowning out the music.
Digging it out, I kept running as I read Foster’s text.
Make it home?
I typed out a quick reply. Yep
Sorry they couldn’t get you on our flight
Yeah too bad
Foster and Talia had returned to Montana today too. When I’d told him I was flying back earlier than originally planned, he’d sent me their itinerary in the hopes I could join them.
Except I’d requested the later option, not wanting to see Foster yet. Not before I’d spoken to Eloise. Maybe because I’d known it would be hard to keep the truth to myself.
A secret? How was I supposed to keep this from him?
There were things Foster didn’t know about me. He knew I’d been married once, but I hadn’t shared those details.
No one knew what had happened.
No one but Sam.
Except this was entirely different. Eloise would be his sister-in-law before long. Of that, I had no doubt. That made us brothers by law.
My feet stopped. My heart hammered.
Not from the run, but from the reality.
Fuck, he was going to be furious. There was a chance this would end our friendship.
“Damn it.” I bent, swiped up a rock from beside the road and threw it as hard as possible into the forest. It hit a tree with a loud thwack, then dropped with a muffled thud.
Foster was one of the only people in this world I trusted wholeheartedly. He’d earned it by confiding in me his ugliest truths.
He’d told me about his history with Talia. The mistakes he’d made years ago. His desperation to win back her heart. His willingness to give up everything for her love.
Talia and I didn’t know each other well, but the fact that she’d been willing to let go of the past, to forgive Foster, well . . . not a lot of people had that strength of character.
They’d both given me their trust.