Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
“I am. It’s a lot, but…wow. It’s a love you can’t even comprehend. You’ll see someday.”
Sooner than someday, but Trees kept that to himself for now.
“Look.” Laila pointed across the room discreetly to the familiar guy not actually wearing his cowboy hat today.
Despite Matt’s insistence otherwise, he had approached Madison, who was dressed in a flattering pastel purple dress. The cowboy was flirting hardcore and showing off those dimples. She didn’t look immune.
“Good for them.” He grinned.
“Fingers crossed,” Laila whispered as the two made it onto the dance floor, where Matt spun Madison into his arms and held tight. “They are both good people who deserve to be happy.”
“I don’t think they need luck.” Even across the room, he could feel their chemistry.
Tessa sidled up to them then. “You’re seeing this, right?”
Trees smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”
“I tried to tell him.”
“Me, too. But I think he’s on board now.”
“I think you’re right,” she drawled, then laughed and kissed Zy like a newlywed should.
The deejay called him and Laila up to the front to cut their cake. The photographer took a billion pictures, and Trees nearly lost his mind with impatience, but his wife slid a bite of the sweet dessert onto his tongue, and he groaned as the flavor exploded in his mouth. He did the same to her, then they heeded the clinking of forks against glasses and kissed.
“Speech. Speech. Speech!” the crowd chanted.
Reluctantly, he pulled away from Laila’s lips and wrapped his arm around her as Zy brought him the mic. “Thank you, everyone, for coming today to celebrate my wedding to the most amazing woman, the one God put on this planet just for me. Probably because she’s the only one who can put up with me.”
Their guests laughed, and Laila shook her head, mouthing, I love you.
Trees pressed a peck to her lips again. If he took the kiss any deeper, he would only get lost in her sweetness, so he pulled back. “When people ask where we first met, I say an alley. When they ask where we first fell in love, I admit it’s an RV. Our courtship wasn’t glamorous, and nothing has been easy. But there’s no one I want to do life with other than you, Laila Scott. I love you, now and always.”
Guests aahed and wiped their tears while he sent Laila a questioning glance. Did she want to share their baby news with everyone else yet?
She gave him a little shake of her head. It was their special secret, just for them…just for a bit longer.
He nodded in agreement, then they sealed their love and their special day with a kiss that convinced him all over again that they belonged together forever.
July
10 p.m.
Three years later
Matt Montgomery cursed as he stared out the window at the pouring rain. He’d lived here for three years and there were still things he didn’t understand about this goddamn state. Like swamps everywhere, hungry gators, and a community who spoke a version of French that sounded nothing like the language he’d learned in high school. As if that wasn’t head-scratching enough, now he had to contend with a summer rain that lasted for days and felt like a hot, sticky blanket.
Why did he still live here? Right, because he liked the people and the Southern hospitality. He loved his job.
And you keep hoping she’ll come home…
With a curse, he turned away and paced the house he’d been renting since deciding not to return to Wyoming. He had no business thinking of Madison Archer. Or rather, Madison Archer-Pershing. It had been three years since Trees and Laila’s wedding, when he’d spent that absolutely mind-blowing weekend in a hotel suite, sharing champagne, cheese fries, laughs, and great sex with her. Now, she was very much married to some bigwig senator’s son. She’d moved out of the bayou and moved up to the world of wealth and influence—two things he could never give her.
That realization was the big turd on top of a giant shit sundae.
His phone buzzed and he pulled it from his pocket, praying it was work. He could use a little adrenaline and action to take his mind off Madison and spice up his night.
Instead, it was a text message from Casey, his latest friend-with-benefits. As usual, she didn’t beat around the bush.
Rain turns me on. Let’s fuck.
Normally, he would. In fact, since news of Madison’s engagement to Senator Winston Pershing’s grandson, Todd, had splashed across newscasts and social media, Matt hadn’t turned many offers down. A hookup at a bar here and a sexy neighbor sleepover there? Why not? A blind date? A flight attendant? A random hookup at a grocery store? Check, check, and check. Hell, even a former client, a gym pal’s little sister, and an ex’s best friend. He’d totally been game. When he’d met Casey at a community food festival and they’d gotten to talking about mutual acquaintances, she’d pointed out he’d already fucked two of her friends. They’d apparently left with smiles, and she wanted some of that for herself. At the time, it had seemed perfect.