Series: Fever Falls Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 81426 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81426 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
I’d never allowed myself to.
With everyone else, when I got close, I ran. It was likely a side effect of growing up with a man who never let himself get close to anyone after we lost my mom.
“You okay?” Cam touched my shoulder.
“Yeah,” I replied, surprised he’d noticed I was a little down. I wasn’t sure if I should make an appointment to see if I needed to get my medication adjusted, or if it was normal weird moods I’d had lately.
The music started then, and everyone stood. I watched as Rush and Lincoln walked down the aisle together, wearing black slacks, white shirts, and burgundy vests. When they parted in the gazebo, each going to one side, they looked at each other, watched each other, and fuck if I didn’t feel how much they loved each other. It radiated off them, this cloud that filled the whole area, and…it was perfect. So goddamned perfect, even though there was still an ache in my chest. Maybe it would always be there, and maybe that was okay.
Beau’s brother, Kenny, and Ashton’s friend Wyatt were next. Kenny had the biggest smile on his face, and when I looked around, I realized it made everyone else smile too. He had that effect on people.
Then it was Ash and Beau. The two of them came from opposite directions, meeting together at the end of the aisle. From the beginning they had decided they wanted to walk down together, rather than one waiting for the other. They had black and burgundy vests with bow ties, but the rest of their clothes matched those of the wedding party.
My eyes, along with everyone else’s, were riveted on them as they shared vows they’d written themselves and Beau’s mom officiated. There were rings and promises, and then Beau cupped Ash’s face, wiping the tears away with his thumbs. Ash smiled, leaned in, and they were kissing and everyone was clapping and cheering.
When my eyes found Rush…he was looking at Linc, wanting that, wanting what they had with his Red, but then, then his eyes found me, and fuck if I didn’t see the sadness there. The truth getting pounded into me that oh God, Rush knew I’d loved him…and that he felt guilty.
I shook my head, telling him it was okay. That I wasn’t in love with him anymore, not in the way I had been. That I was ready to move on, and I wanted him to as well.
That we were okay. We’d always be okay.
CHAPTER SIX
Camden
I was so scared, Cam. So afraid of how attracted to you I was. It was electric. I’d never felt anything like it. I couldn’t deny it, when I’d spent my whole life denying it with others. ~ Letter from Henry
The wedding was weird in a whole lot of ways.
After the ceremony, we went inside for the reception. Something was going on with Jude. I could feel it, and it had been impossible not to notice the way he’d been looking at Rush all day. I got it, I did. Rush was his best friend. Jude had told me how alone he felt most of his life unless he was with Rush or his family, and fuck, he’d been in love with him, but yeah, it made something strange twist in my chest.
But then…fuck, I’d catch him watching me. He’d been doing it ever since the night with Melinda, but it intensified today. It wasn’t the way he watched Rush, with a sort of resignation and fond memories; instead, it was with this goddamned craving I’d been starving with from the moment I first set eyes on him.
Jude wanted me.
I just didn’t know if he planned to do anything about it.
And I also didn’t know why. Did he want me for me or to forget Rush?
I took a drink of my beer—I wasn’t much of a champagne guy—and felt his eyes on me again from across the room. He was talking with Rush, and when I cocked a brow at him, he flushed and glanced away.
“Hey, you.” Sawyer took the seat beside me.
“Hey, you. How you doing? Haven’t seen you much the past couple of weeks.” It was something I was still getting used to, the transition in our relationship. His whole life, Sawyer had come to me, had needed his big brother, and he didn’t anymore. And when he needed someone to lean on, he had Carter. Which yeah, I was happy as fuck about. Sawyer’s happiness had always been the most important thing to me, but it was still odd. I’d been told I liked to be needed, but whatever.
“I’ve been busy at Fearless, and Carter and I went to see his mom again, remember?”
“Yeah, I know.” I took another swallow, finishing off my beer. It was my one and only drink of the night because I’d have to drive later. “You’re all in love and shit.” I winked, and Sawyer laughed.