“He’s like…Beckham big deal, babe.”
“Posh Spice’s husband? Oh shit! He’s hot!” Gareth and I burst out laughing, and Leslie bites her lip and covers her mouth. Theo shakes his head at her as she says, “I’m sorry, Gareth.”
Gareth chuckles. “No offense taken. I’m not as big as Beckham,” he winks playfully.
“You should be offended. I’d like to apologise on behalf of my wife for this entire encounter. Keep up the great work. And good luck this season.” Theo and Gareth exchange a matey handshake. I attempt to walk by him, but Theo surprises me by pulling me in for a hug. “Don’t run,” he whispers in my ear. I pull back, my brow furrowed. “Just don’t run. It’s worth it,” he repeats, clearly unfazed by Gareth, whom I can feel shooting daggers behind me.
Doing my best to shake off Theo’s unexpected propaganda, we greet the rest of the bridal party, including Frank. “Christ, Vi, you look as if you belong on every teenage boy’s splattered ceiling!”
“Frank! You’re disgusting,” Finley crows and whacks him on the arm. “Hi, Vi, you look beautiful.”
We exchange pleasantries with the rest of the family. But just when I think we’re going to graze right past Hayden since his back is turned, Frank clears his throat loudly and unsubtly barks out, “Hayden, you Wanker!”
Hayden’s head pops up curiously and he turns. His serious grey eyes find mine instantly. Heat blossoms between us, and I feel a blush move up my neck and fill my cheeks. I glance down at his white button-down dress shirt, beige tweed-fitted trousers, and brown braces that Leslie says Americans call hipster suspenders. I’m going to ignore the fact that his trousers are tailored to his build within an inch of their life. I’m not going to notice the taut fabric of his cotton shirt around his sculpted biceps. I don’t care about how he’s not wearing a tie, so two popped buttons reveal just enough of his sculpted chest to remind me of how he looks shirtless. And who really cares that his copper blond hair is disheveled in that artful way that makes it look like he’s just fucked someone’s brains out.
Deep breath.
“Vi,” he begins and reaches his hand out to me.
Before his fingers can graze mine, Gareth swoops in, turning his back on Hayden and firmly gripping the side of my arm. “We need to keep the line moving.” The set of his jaw is demanding, but looking at Hayden’s hopeful expression on the other side of him makes me pause.
“Just a minute, Gareth,” I say softly, my eyes never leaving Hayden’s.
“Vi,” he warns.
Ignoring him, I shove past his barrier-acting body and see a flicker of relief smear over Hayden’s face with my approach. Shooting him a tight smile, I stick out my hand.
“What?” Hayden asks, frowning down at my outstretched hand.
“A platonic handshake,” I offer, wiggling my brow.
He huffs out a laugh. “Don’t be ridiculous. There’s nothing platonic about you and me, Bunny.”
I paint on a forced half smile and reach out and grab his hand, clutching his cuffed wrist firmly with my other in warning. I move in so my voice is a mere whisper on his mouth. “Don’t call me that. You lost the right to call me that the moment you stomped all over my heart last week.”
Hayden’s face falls. “I need to talk to you,” he replies, eyeing my pink lips with a hunger that makes my inner sex kitten stir.
“You lost that right too, Hayden,” I say, my belly fighting hard against the annoying fear of rejection that I still feel in his presence even though it’s me pushing him away right now. “You see, I’ve realised something this past week that you should know.”
“And what’s that?” he barks, annoyed.
My eyes turn to slits. “You’re no different than all the other men that have cast me aside for dead.”
His frustrated eyes turn glossy and panicky. “Of course I’m different,” he croaks. I move to step away from him, but his hand grips mine to the point that I could wince. “No, Vi,” his voice trembles.
I smile sadly at him. “None of this matters, Hayden. Just as I feel unlovable, you can’t accept love. Let’s not make this harder than it has to be.” I move to walk away and he yanks me back toward him, his hand crawling around my waist in a desperate attempt to pull me against his body.
In a flash, Gareth is beside me, gripping Hayden’s forearms so hard I can see his knuckles turning white. “You’re done, Hayden,” he threatens.
Hayden instantly lets go, staring at me like I’ve just committed the ultimate betrayal. And with that, I turn and walk away, holding my head up high and praying to the good Lord that he can’t see my shoulders shaking with my silent sobs.
PLAN A