Falling for the Groomsman (Wedding Dare, #1)(21)

They weren’t over.

After showering and dressing in a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, he picked up his wedding itinerary. When he got married, if he ever got married, it would be simple and low-key. No waltzes or scheduled meals or…what was today, anyway?

Ah, the scavenger hunt. Yeah, that wouldn’t work either.

He grabbed his gear and filled it with the few essentials he could scavenge from his hotel room. Maybe he would pack a sleeping bag and camp out under the stars tonight if the mood struck. Take a break from the incessant chattering and socializing and schmoozing. Just him and the stars. Hell, maybe he could even find a way to get Christine to camp out with him.

They could start over again.

Yeah, he had a better chance of seeing a pig fly wearing a purple f*cking tutu than he did of convincing her that she should spend some quality one-on-one time with him. She’d made it pretty clear she wanted nothing to do with him after that come-and-run stunt she’d pulled last night.

Good thing he didn’t give up easily.

He threw in a bottle of vodka he’d bought at the store, collected his sleeping bag, and headed into the hallway. At this rate, he’d be lucky if he had enough time to grab a quick breakfast along the way. He would get to the meeting point, make certain he didn’t pair up with anyone besides Christine, and if that failed? Then he’d split on his own.

Drink. Think. Plan.

And by the time he was done, he’d know what to do with her. He walked in smooth, even strides and squared his shoulders, looking straight ahead for the first time in he didn’t even know how long. No more looking back for him.

The past was dead.

…

Once he grabbed a blueberry muffin and a black coffee from the coffee shop, he walked out into the bright sunlight and headed for the scavenger hunt. As Tyler bit into his meal, he studied the person walking in front of him. She looked familiar but he couldn’t quite…

Aw, hell no. She wasn’t that grown up, was she?

“Sophie?”

Sophie turned around and eyed him before smiling, walking backward. “If it isn’t my future brother-in-law himself, in the flesh. You’re late.”

“So are you,” he pointed out, taking another bite. “And you’re going to run into something if you don’t turn around.”

“Yes, father.” She rolled her eyes and spun around, walking beside him. “I lost track of time. You?”

He grinned. “I kind of slept in.”

She lit up her phone. “I’d say so. Rough night?”

“You could say that,” he muttered. “You enjoying yourself so far? Fitting in with the girls, causing trouble, and breaking hearts along the way?”

Sophie lifted a shoulder and gave him a small smile. “A girl never tells. How about you? Fitting in with the girls?”

He snorted. “Oh yeah. You know it.”

“Is that why you slept in? Were you fitting in with one a little bit too late?”

Tyler pointed his muffin at her. “That’s enough of that talk, little sister.”

“I’m not your little sister.”

He swallowed a bite. “Might as well be after this wedding.”

She laughed. “I think I’ll pass. I heard how protective of the girls you are.”

“Who told you that? Let me guess. Kady.”

She smiled, her eyes on the crowd in front of them. When she caught sight of Kady standing with the other bridesmaids, she waved good-bye to Tyler and headed toward the bride-to-be.

Alone, he scanned the crowd. He spotted Christine’s red hair instantly. She had her back to him, but he could tell by the way she stiffened that she knew he’d arrived, even if he hadn’t caught her watching. She laughed at something the tall, dark-haired Brock said, and he stiffened.

Oh, is that how she wanted to play? Did she think he would get jealous because she was flirting with another man—a man could take what she offered and thank her with the flawless Southern charm that only a man like Brock could pull off?

Well, shit. It was f*cking working.

She belonged to him.

Maybe he should cut out even earlier than he’d been planning. Escape before Kady realized he’d shown up. He’d find a nice quiet spot, camp out, and relax. Christine stood across the group, talking to Kady, and he stood alone, standing on the edge of the crowd. He finished off his muffin and double-checked his bag for supplies. Being an Eagle Scout had ingrained some lifelong habits in him.

One of those? Never go on a hike unprepared for anything and everything to go wrong. He found his lighter, water bottles, vodka, a few protein bars, flashlights, and a sleeping bag. He dug deeper and snorted. So, he still had bunch of condoms from the last time he used this bag, but his compass was nowhere to be seen.

Eagle Scouts hadn’t taught him that one.

He heard a loud sigh and glanced up, squinting into the sun. Christine stood in front of him, tapping her foot impatiently. She looked as if she were ready to skin someone alive, and from the looks of it? That someone was him. “Yes?”

“According to your sister, we’re partners,” she said, hands on her hips. “I wouldn’t suppose you had anything to do with that, would you?”

“No. I’d been planning on sneaking off alone.” He looked down at his itinerary, determined to ignore her attitude. Looked like he was getting his wish without even having to try. Him and Christine off in the woods alone. “But I’m not exactly complaining about the change of events, either. I can’t wait to spend some more time reconnecting. Learning more about you. Last night was eye-opening for me. How about you?”