Bedding The Best Man (Bedding the Bachelors Book 7) (20 page)

They sat together, drinking their beer in silence.

“I’ve done a lot of thinking while I was away,” Eric said. His voice was quiet, introspective. “Not just about Brianne and me, or about you. About my life. Who am I, what I really want, that sort of thing.”

“That’s not like you,” Gabe said.

“Neither is leaving my fiancée at the altar, but what are you gonna do?” He wasn’t in the mood to joke, obviously.

“What did you decide?”

“Maybe this was for the best.” Another swig of beer. Another cryptic silence.

“In what way?”

“I don’t want this life.” Eric looked at Gabe, shrugging. “It’s not for me.”

Gabe was horrified. “What’s not? Are you talking about killing yourself?”

Eric glared at him. “No, idiot!”

“Then what do you mean?”

“The whole world I was raised in. It’s fine for my parents, it’s what they want. But it’s not in my blood. Not any more. I want something simpler. I’m moving to Utah permanently.”

Gabe’s mouth fell open. Of everything he’d thought he might hear, this was dead last. But he supposed it shouldn’t have been. Eric had always enjoyed his visits to Buffalo Falls. “Are you sure?”

Eric nodded. “Definitely. Arrangements have been made. I just want to start over. Lead a simple, quiet life. I like myself more when I’m there. Sad but true.”

Gabe raised his bottle. “Here’s to the simple life, then.”

Eric grinned, touching his bottle to Gabe’s.

They sat in companionable silence for a while, Gabe marveling at the way life had turned out. He’d spent so much time envying Eric for his money and his good fortune at having scored Brianne, while Eric just wanted to live a quiet life at a hardware store in the middle of nowhere. It seemed absurd.

“What are you gonna do?” Eric turned his head, looking at Gabe.

“About Brianne, you mean?”

“You two need to be together. Sack up and go after her.”

Gabe laughed. “She hasn’t spoken to me since the night you called her, man. I don’t know that she wants to.”

Eric looked around. “Uh, man, in case you didn’t notice, you’re totally saving her life today. You’re her knight in shining armor.”

Gabe rolled his eyes, shoving Eric. “Shut up.”

“I mean it. If this doesn’t score points, what will?”

Gabe was thoughtful. “I’m not doing it it to get on her good side. I only wanted to help her.”

Eric smiled. “I know. That’s why you’re perfect for each other. She would do the same thing. Anyway, she’ll be here today. She can’t ignore you forever.”

“I don’t know. She could try.”

“Well I’m here. I’ll finally talk to her. Not today obviously, but tomorrow, when it’s all done. In the meantime, what can I do to help?”

Chapter Twenty

“I’m going crazy,” Brianne said, running from place to place. “I’m pretty sure I’m literally about to lose my mind.”

“Chill the fuck out, boss,” Evie said, grinning like a crazy person. “It’s all coming together.”

“I wish I had your confidence,” Brianne muttered, packing the last of the favors into boxes and handing them off to the guys loading the trucks. “This has been both the shortest and longest few weeks of my life, I swear. How did time fly by so fast?”

“No idea,” Evie said. “Isn’t it awesome?”

One day, Brianne would ask Evie how it felt to be an adrenaline junkie. “I got into event planning because I wanted a nice, interesting, un-crazy career. I wanted to be my own boss so I could take it easy. What the hell was I thinking?”

Evie laughed, taking one last look through her trunk to be sure nothing was being left behind. She was going to check out Leland’s event, with the permission of the magazine’s staff, as long as she promised to keep her mouth shut and didn’t try to influence any of the guests.

Leland was holding a morning event followed by a brunch, evidently—nothing special there. After the brunch, the hundred guests would be heading to the campsite. Evie had overseen the rental of four luxury party buses for transportation to the site. The guests, chosen by the magazine, knew they were spending the night at a campsite, that there would be a formal dinner served, and that physical activities would be included. Bri could only hope they packed accordingly.

“I still wonder what that snake is doing for his event,” Brianne mused, getting her things together in the car before leaving. “I shudder to think, honestly.”

“He’s so old-school, it’s ridiculous. No way he has the imagination to come up with something like our event. Don’t sweat it.”

“He’s skilled, though.”

“He thinks size and grandeur are all it’s about.” Evie gave Brianne a hug before getting into her car to head over to Leland’s. Brianne, on the other hand, was going straight to the camp site.

She pep-talked the hell out of herself the entire way. She would win this contest. Her business would succeed beyond her wildest dreams. It would be amazing. She would be amazing.

But Gabe would be there, too. He’d insisted on it, and it wasn’t like she could say no after all the help he’d given her.

It would be a big event, lots of people, lots to do. But it was unrealistic to think they wouldn’t see each other.

Only she couldn’t think of that right now. With the ease of practice, she shoved thoughts of Gabe aside and focused on work, but she was able to do that only because she was resolved in what needed to happen after the event.

She needed to face Eric. She still loved him, just not the way she loved Gabe. Not the way he deserved to be loved. He was a good person. It would have been a mistake for them to be married, because she didn’t love him the right way. She was grateful to him, now, for leaving. And to her subconscious, for driving him away.

* * *

Arriving at the camp site was like arriving at some fairy grove in a magical forest.

“Wow,” she breathed, feeling goosebumps rise over her skin.

This could work. This could really, actually work. She just might win.

A village had sprung up, seemingly out of nowhere. The dozens of yurts had been arranged in groups of five, each around a smaller campfire. Those small groups formed a larger circle around a massive fire pit. Lights and lanterns were strung here and there, between and around the yurts. It was magic.

A path had been set up, designated by two rows of potted trees strung with lights, leading to the stage and dance floor. There really was a feeling of grandeur, like an amphitheater. Musicians were tuning up, dancers were stretching and practicing.

Off to one side were tents, set up especially for the caterers. More than a dozen aspiring chefs were doing prep work and checking the conditions of their hot plates and refrigerators. Everything seemed to be working fine.

She checked the condition of the yurts. They were gorgeous, just as the one she’d been in with Gabe was. A fire pit, chandelier, lanterns, futons, pillows everywhere.

It was all perfect. Just as she had envisioned.

Tears came to her eyes. He had done this for her, all of it. He had made it possible, and worked so hard to do it. And he acted as though it was nothing, like she could expect it from him. Like he would do more, if she needed it.

Once she composed herself, Brianne found the tent which had been set up for her. She opened it, and gasped.

It was filled with flowers. Pink roses—her favorite. Dozens of them. Her eyes filled again, and this time her chin quivered and her hands covered her mouth.

“You like it?”

She whirled around, shocked to hear not Gabe’s voice, but Eric’s.

She stared at the man she’d dated for six years. The man she’d been going to marry. The first thing she felt was relief. Affection. Then anger.

“You? You did this?”

“I helped a little, but it was all Gabe. He wanted to be here to see your reaction, but he got called over to the generators—there’s an issue with one of them, but he’s working it out.”

“I can’t believe you’re here. Why are you here? How did you even know I’d be here?”

“Gabe came and hunted me down about a week ago.”

“What?” Brianne whispered. “I—I didn’t know.”

“No, I supposed you didn’t given you’re not really talking right now.”

He knew that, too? “So Gabe’s got you caught up on everything?” She cringed inside, wondering if Gabe had told him everything? That they’d slept together. Multiple times. It wasn’t that she was ashamed exactly—she and Eric hadn’t been together at the time—but she still didn’t want him thinking she’d gone from him to Gabe so easily. It hadn’t been easy. It had just been…right.

“All I know is that you two admitted you have feelings for each other, that he was with you when I called, and that I was, once again, a big reason why you both are still apart.” He looked uncomfortable. Hurt. And even though he didn’t admit it, Brianne knew
he
knew she and Gabe had been intimate.

“God, Eric. I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I didn’t even admit to myself how I felt about Gabe until you left. But I do care about him. I think I love him. But I love you, too.” Tears filled her eyes and Eric immediately came to her and took her in his arms. He held her tight.

“I know you love me, Brianne. I love you, too. But please… Please say it out loud. Admit it to both of us. You don’t love me the way you love Gabe.”

She sobbed, her tears falling even as she clutched him closer. He was so tall and muscular. Handsome and kind and smart. Why? Why couldn’t she have loved him the way he deserved? But in the end, why didn’t really matter.

When she’d calmed a bit, she pulled back and stared into his eyes. “I—I don’t love you the way I love Gabe, Eric. I’m sorry, but it’s true.”

He nodded and caressed her cheek with his knuckles. “I know. And I’ve suspected it for a long time, even before you called out his name in your sleep, Brianne. So don’t take all the blame on your shoulders. If I’d done the right thing, I would have confronted you about it a long time ago.”

She bit her lip as fresh tears threatened to overwhelm her. “Where have you been, Eric? Why did you stay away? We should have talked.”

“Talking wasn’t what we needed, Brianne. We needed time apart. Time for us both to see we could survive without the other. Time for you to have your chance with Gabe.”

She hugged him again, laying her head on his strong chest. “Even with you being gone,” she said softly, “we still managed to fuck things up.”

“Maybe,” he said. “But I have a feeling you’ll be able to work things out. Won’t you, Gabe?”

Brianne stiffened. Straightening, she turned to see Gabe standing behind her.

He was staring at her with a blank expression, and for a horrible moment, she wondered if he thought what he’d seen meant she’d chosen Eric over him.

“Go to him, Brianne,” Eric said, giving her a light push.

Without another moment’s hesitation, Brianne walked up to Gabe. She stared up into his eyes, but he glanced behind her. She turned around and Eric was gone. When she turned back, she took his hands in hers. “Gabe—” she began.

“Bri, we are so fucking in,” Evie shouted.

Chapter Twenty-One

Brianne and Gabe stared at one another for a second before Gabe squeezed her hands and pulled away. “I’m going to get back to work. Come find me when you’re done here. Okay?”

She wanted to scream at Evie for interrupting them, but instead she just nodded at Gabe.

“Fuck,” Evie said when Gabe was gone. “I’m so, so sorry I interrupted you.”

“No. It’s okay. How was Leland’s event? Was it really that…underwhelming?”

Evie nodded. “That’s a word for it.”

“So tell me before the guest arrive.”

“Okay, but I have to change. Brianne, I swear to God. He’s so stuck in the past, like I said. It was at an art gallery, and a group of pastry chefs recreated several of the best pieces.”

“Well, that’s interesting.”

“That was the most interesting part about it. I mean, it was beautiful. Don’t get me wrong.” Evie was talking a mile a minute, leading Brianne as she hurried to her tent to get changed. She stepped inside and sighed. “This is gorgeous!”

“I know, I know. Tell me more!”

“So what was I saying? Oh, right. It was beautiful. You know, flowers, bunting, string musicians, the whole nine yards. Very upscale.” She slid out of her dress, pulling another one on and gesturing for Brianne to zip her. “Then, after the meal was served, the silent auction was held, and there was the opportunity to learn how to paint a little still life—imagine a bunch of boozed-up socialites wearing massive, flowing smocks to cover their clothes. It was hilarious. But, I will say, the guests seemed to have a good time. It was pretty tried-and-true.”

Brianne bit her lip as Evie freshened her makeup in the gilded mirror hung along one side of the tent. “Well, everything here’s as good as can be. We’ve been working all day and I really think it couldn’t be better.”

“Honey, we’re gonna nail this.” Evie beamed at Brianne. “So enjoy it, already.”