A Winter Wedding

But she had no choice. She had to go back to Nashville. What else could she do? Her career was there.

She knew, as soon as she returned, Derrick would start pushing her to forgive him for Crystal so they could go ahead and get married, as they’d originally planned. But his indiscretion with Crystal wasn’t the biggest obstacle standing in their way. She no longer loved Derrick enough to marry him.

The conflict she felt made her stomach churn. She didn’t want to end her relationship with Kyle. But what choice did she have? She knew what her career demanded; she also knew it wasn’t what would make him the happiest. How could she even focus on him in the next six to twelve months?

While the others noshed on chips and salsa, shrimp and dip, cucumber sandwiches and other appetizers, she declined all offers of food and sipped at the water she’d requested instead of the champagne everyone else was drinking. She certainly didn’t feel like celebrating, she thought as she watched Kyle laughing with his stepbrother across the room. She and Kyle had mentioned that she’d be returning to Nashville to record a very special song, but they hadn’t added that she wouldn’t be coming back. These were their three days, before everything changed, and they weren’t about to ruin or waste them by taking others into their confidence.

“Are you bored yet?” Baxter asked, stopping by the refreshment table for another glass of champagne.

“No, I’m fine,” Lourdes said with a laugh.

“Too bad you won’t be here for the wedding,” he said. Then Riley called him over and he left Lourdes alone, enabling her to study Kyle some more.

He was handsome, the kind of handsome she’d close her eyes and dream about when she was back home. She couldn’t keep from staring at him tonight, or acknowledging that he looked even better in the nude...

Kyle glanced over, caught her watching him and smiled.

How was it that instead of living with the heartbreak of losing Derrick, she was feeling that rare but giddy sensation of falling in love?

“Your face brightens every time you look at him.”

Lourdes turned to see Olivia and felt the heat of a blush. Of all people to notice how Kyle affected her...

Or maybe it was logical that Olivia would be more aware of what was going on with Kyle than the rest of the group. She’d probably been keeping a pulse on that since they split up. She’d have to, in order to maintain the careful balance necessary for them all to get along.

“There’s no one else quite like him,” Lourdes admitted.

Olivia’s lips curved in a conspirator’s smile. “Trust me. You’re speaking to a convert. I may not be in love with him in that way anymore, but I’m a big fan of Kyle’s.” She popped a chip into her mouth. “So you’re over Derrick, then? That’s all in the past?”

Lourdes detected a hint of concern. They were happy for Kyle, but they also wanted to be sure she wasn’t playing him. “For the most part. We’ll still work together. At least we’ll try.”

Olivia smiled. “I hope that turns out well for you.”

“Thanks.” In an effort to shore up her decision, Lourdes told herself she could get over Kyle as easily as she had Derrick. Her first Nashville boyfriend had once told her she wasn’t deep enough to fall in love for real. Maybe he was right—and, if that was the case, she was doing Kyle a big favor.

It was better for both of them that she was going back to Nashville, getting back to work. She knew she loved music, knew she wanted to be involved in that. All the rest was...less clear.

“It’s different when the right person comes along,” Olivia said.

Was that what had happened with Brandon? He’d come along and Olivia had somehow known? How? And was Kyle, not Derrick, the right man for Lourdes? Or was there someone else, someone she’d meet later?

“How do you know when you’ve found the right person?” she asked.

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