Tell Me You Crave Me (Search and Seduce #3)(14)
“You know it.” East might not have changed like Matt had, but he did take his job seriously. Rescuing people and keeping up his medic training were essential to his mental health. He needed to feel…needed. He and his closest friends made up the core of the team, and East’s specialty was medical training. He didn’t just search and rescue, he cured. At least he tried. After being an EMT for years and reviving overdosed users or the abused and battered, he’d finally recognized how angry he still was at his mom. Every time he’d seen someone OD, he’d seen her, until he couldn’t take it anymore and shifted into the outdoors version of the rescue bit. Broken limbs, hydration, and CPR were on a different scale with lost hikers than with strung out junkies.
There wasn’t much room for growth in S and R. He was at the position he was in, loved it, and that was it. Good enough for him. There didn’t need to be any kind of goal or endpoint. Which was why he couldn’t do anything to f*ck with his setup. If anyone found out what had happened with Natalie, not only would he lose his friends and family, he’d likely have to find a new job because staying in Beaufort wouldn’t be an option. Her family was the name of the town. And no way in hell would a scandal like East and Natalie hooking up be allowed to thrive. Lemon-Anne would have a damn conniption.
“Well, I have some best man duties for you,” Matt said, not bothering to go into pleasantries. Not that they were needed. Especially since the longer East was in his presence, the more he realized that he’d just had sex with Matt’s little sister—
Fuck. Now he was thinking of Natalie naked again.
He shook his head.
“You okay?” Matt asked. “You having a stroke or something?”
“I’m fine, just a headache,” East lied. He blinked several times, trying to get rid of the image of Natalie in nothing but frosting.
So much for fading away…
“Since we’re moving everything last minute, I need you to help with some stuff to make sure it all goes smoothly,” Matt started. “Bridget is freaking out about every detail.”
“Sure, man, I can handle the bachelor party,” East said. He’d had some sweet spots mapped out in Connecticut, but he could definitely throw a party around these parts, too.
Matt laughed. “Forget the party. I need you to do more than that.”
“You did not just say ‘forget the party.’” East held a hand over his chest like Matt had just shot him through the heart with his words.
“There’s so much, East. I promise you can still throw the bachelor party, but I need your help with other shit, too.”
East nodded. “Of course. Anything.”
“Look after Natalie.”
Except that.
“What? I don’t need to look at her,” East said quickly.
Fuck, that had come out wrong. But he needed to just stop talking about her, because any minute Matt would see right through him and Jesus…when did it get so hot in here?
“Bridget is bouncing between here and Connecticut for the next two weeks, and I’m helping her move everything, so I’ll be back and forth, too. And one of her bridesmaids can’t make the wedding now, so place settings are off and the bridal party is uneven.” Matt shook his head like this was some dramatic devastation, and East couldn’t help but wonder if there was about to be some kind of Oprah moment here. Man, his buddy was like his brother, but the boy was whipped. “Anyway, it’s a mess, so Bridget is asking Natalie to fill in as the final bridesmaid.”
That last part registered real quick.
“Wait…Natalie is now a bridesmaid?”
“Yeah, and she needs a dress and all kinds of other stuff…” Matt pulled out a list from his pocket, one that was clearly written in feminine handwriting. Likely Bridget’s. Poor Matt just frowned at it and looked overwhelmed, then handed it over to East. “Here. Just do all this stuff.”
East looked over the list. “I can do…” He ran down the list of items again. “None of this.” Then he pointed at one of the line items. “What the hell does ‘get bodice fitted’ mean, anyway?”
“I don’t know,” Matt said and threw his arms up. “Something about the dress Natalie will have to fit into. Can you just help her? The switching of bridesmaids is freaking Bridget out the most. And you know Natalie. She’s…”
Right then, East looked up from the list and almost wanted to smack his best friend. He knew what he was about to say, and for some reason, he already didn’t like it.
“Natalie is just awkward with this kind of stuff,” Matt finally finished. And yep, East kind of wanted to smack him. Which was dumb. He also wanted to say that there hadn’t been a damn thing awkward about Natalie last night. Which would have, of course, been even dumber.
“Just look out for her,” Matt said. “I heard what you did last night.”
East’s heart stopped.
“You did?”
Matt nodded and smiled. “My mom was already chewing my ear first thing this morning about Natalie’s failed date. But rumor mill had it that you went after her to make sure she was okay.”
“Right…” East said. “That.”
“If I can’t be around to look after her, it helps to know that you will be. I don’t want her feelings hurt or some * manipulating her. I’m glad you were there last night. Man, the thought of some random guy taking advantage of her bothers me. Besides, you have all your tux stuff done, and she doesn’t know any of the other bridesmaids, and they aren’t even coming to Beaufort until the rehearsal anyway. She could use a big brother right now. My mom is on her ass about dating, and I know she’s having a hard time.” Matt stopped and seemed to realize how many words he’d just spewed. “Just…help me out. Help her out.”