Defenseless (Salvation, #5)(47)

“Duh!”

When we pull into the driveway, Mark surprises me by taking my hand. He shifts his body toward me and his green eyes bore into mine. I wait for him to say something, but he just sits with our fingers intertwined. “We need to leave in a few hours for Jackson and Catherine’s wedding.”

“Okaaay.” I’m confused by the tone in his voice.

“We don’t have long.”

“Mark?” My brow tightens. “You okay?”

“Never better.”

This reminds me of the time he got all weird on the plane because of the conversation he had with Jackson and what he thought he knew about me. We’ve spent almost all of our time together, so I don’t think it’s that, but he’s acting really odd right now. I turn my mind back to when he almost said those three little words, but . . . I don’t know.

“Let’s shower,” I offer. Maybe his mood will switch.

“You just want me naked.”

Of course that snaps him out of it.

“You know me oh, so well.” My playful tone makes him smile.

After our long and very dirty shower, we pack an overnight bag and head off to the vineyard. Mark and I make small talk and laugh about stories of old missions. I wish I could tell him more, but I can’t. Instead, I’m vague, but he doesn’t push. It’s a nice thing about our relationship, that there’s an understanding that work sometimes can’t be shared.

“Wow!” I exclaim as we turn into Keswick Vineyards in central Virginia. “This place is breathtaking.”

The driveway is a little dirt road that hugs the vines. We travel until a huge white house comes into view. It has grand pillars and a gorgeous fountain in front. The dirt road circles around it, giving a magnificent picture. Everything is crisp. The greens are deep and rich. The white of the house is stark, and makes everything feel elegant. I can see why they’d pick this place. It’s perfect.

We park off to the side and Catherine rushes to the car. “Charlie! You came!” Her smile is luminous. She’s the image of a blushing bride. Catherine is so happy, so hopeful, so full of life.

“After phone call number eight, I knew I couldn’t say no,” I tease her.

“I’m persuasive,” she winks. “This is my best friend, Ashton.” A gorgeous redhead comes forward. Her blue eyes are stunning. No wonder Mark had a thing for her. Thankfully, he told me their story and how they never really dated. It was more of a, we could, but we won’t situation. Neither of them were willing to make an effort, but remained good friends.

“So, you’re the girl who tamed the idiot.” She smiles and embraces me. “It’s so nice to meet you.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” I reply.

I’m not a jealous person. But I can’t help but hold a slight bit of curiosity about her. I know she had been seeing their friend, Quinn, but still. Mark is a hundred times better catch—at least in my opinion.

She laughs. “Believe nothing you’ve heard. Especially if it’s from him.” She lets go of me and walks over to Mark. She punches him in the arm playfully then they hug. “It’s good to see you, Twilight.”

“Quinn here?” He asks with an edge to him.

“No.”

“Fucking Asshole.”

“Let’s not ruin today with talk of the douchebag.” Ashton smiles before turning to Catherine. “It’s not every day I get to see my Biffle get married.”

“Biffle?”

“Best friend for life,” Catherine explains. “Ashton has her own language. It’s ever growing with her made up words.”

“Whatever!” she says with her hand up as she saunters away.

I’ll need to drink to keep up with this group. It’s funny how Mark is so integral to so many people. He fulfills a different role for each of them. For Natalie, he’s her support in some ways, only more brotherly. With Catherine, he’s more playful and again brotherly, but more annoying. With Jackson, he’s his rock. He stands beside him, will fight for him, and he has this seriousness around him. Then, when he’s with me, there’s a side no one else gets to witness—something just between us. Then again, he sees something within me that I’ve never shared.

Catherine giggles. “Come on, we’re having wine and hors d’oeuvres over in the picnic area.”

Mark takes my hand and we follow her over. When we arrive, Jackson immediately stands, kisses my cheek, and hugs Mark. When he sits down, Catherine perches herself on his lap. God, they’re so in love.

Ashton makes a choking sound when they start to kiss. “You two need to just get this over with so we can all stomach food.”

“Oh, shut up.”

Mark laughs. “She’s not kidding. You’d figure by now it would’ve worn off.”

Jackson regards Catherine and then brushes her hair back. “It’ll never wear off. When it’s right, it’s forever.”

I’m not sure whether to laugh or swoon.

Mark grabs his drink and guzzles it. We spend the evening this way, drinking wine and eating until the sun sets. The lights from the fountain set off a glow. The night is so beautiful, it makes me wonder how I would feel if I were the bride.

“Okay, people.” Catherine slaps her legs and stands. “We’ve got a big day tomorrow.” She gazes at Jackson as he pulls her in his arms. “A day I feel like we’ve waited forever to get here.”