Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
I don’t say goodbye because it’s not goodbye, and I refuse to put that finality on our phone call. Instead, I hang up, and I cry because I do miss him, I do love him, and I want more than anything to go home to him.
But I know I can’t.
My sisters raised me to be a strong woman, and I need to remind Riggs of that.
CHAPTER 35
Riggs
I feel like all I’ve done is drive for the last twenty-four hours.
I had to.
Or I would have gone crazy.
One thing was for sure; I couldn’t stay in my so-called home without her. I realized very quickly that my lonely cabin isn’t a home.
Home is Clara.
I know she told me not to come to the wedding, but I couldn’t stop myself. I have no intention of walking over to where the ceremony is being held, but I just had to see her. I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t function, and as I expected, the moment I set eyes on her, I felt as if I could breathe again.
My love stands at the end of all her sisters in a lovely light-blue dress that hugs the curves of her body before flowing down her legs. The top is tight, strapless, outlining her breasts and making it really hard not to close the distance between us and devour her. Her hair is up in a high bun, small tendrils falling along the column of her neck. A neck that is begging to be nibbled on.
Fuck, I miss her.
I lean against a tree in an overflow parking lot, watching as the wedding unfolds. Tears burn my eyes as I drink her in, and I run my fingers along my beard, wishing I were touching her. I hate that we fought yesterday. I hate that I was an eejit and I said what I did. I should have ignored Alex or even told the truth. Just said fuck it and forgotten about everyone else. I should have just focused on Clara, but I know for sure I’ll never repeat that mistake.
I don’t pay attention to Alex moving around the happy couple to hold Elliot’s swollen belly, and I can’t help but envy him. He has his world in his fingertips, and I was dumb enough to deny mine. From this day forward, I’ll never do that again. I’ll get her name tattooed across my forehead if she wants. I want everyone to know she’s mine. As I gaze at the girl of my dreams, I vow along with the happy couple that I’ll never do anything to have her question my love. I’m well aware I’m a bit of an eejit, but I know how to love that girl.
She was made for me to do just that.
Swallowing past the emotion in my throat, I take in where Dan sits and then Coleson and Dimitri Titov. The wedding is small, just how Ciaran and Louisa wanted it. He was upset when I said I couldn’t make the wedding. While I let Clara down more than I care to admit, I let Ciaran down too, which is another reason I’m here. I have to make it up to both of them.
I watch as the minister says that Louisa and Ciaran can kiss, and then I furrow my brow when Alex starts to guide his heavily pregnant girl toward the aisle before he calls out, “Sorry, Elliot’s in labor.”
Everyone gawks, and even I’m surprised, but Elliot just says, “No worries! Everything is fine. I’m fine. Alex is fine. Just gonna go have a baby!”
I start toward the chaos, but before I can reach them, Alex and Elliot are in the car and driving away. Everyone stands around the little reception area, all trying to figure out what to do. I notice a little bandstand by the cake and the champagne flutes. With my heart in my throat, I start for it just as I hear Louisa say, “Well, this day was never meant to be about us.”
Ciaran scoffs. “It’s only about us.”
I reach for the microphone, chuckling to myself since they’re both right. I tap on the mic and everyone turns, but my eyes are only for her. She parts her lips as she steps toward me, a flush running up her neck. “Riggs?”
I lick my lips, my mouth going dry at how fucking nervous I am. Get it together, Riggs. You want her. Tell her. “Sorry to interrupt this beautiful affair, and I know I said I wouldn’t come, Clara, but I couldn’t bear to be away from you any longer.”
I watch as Dan comes to stand beside her. “McCoy, what are you doing?”
I hold up a finger at him, and Clara sets her hand on his chest. She’s about to say something, but I can’t let her. “A couple days ago, I held what should have been the greatest prize of my life in my hands and gave a speech.” I swallow hard. “Now, I know that the greatest prize of my life is standing right there.”