Something doesn’t feel right about this whole thing. “He’s still on that business trip he couldn’t get out of?”

Courtney took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. I knew just talking about him upset her.

“Yep. When Tyler suggested changing the wedding date, Meg freaked. The place they are getting married at has a year-long waiting list.” She let out a giggle and said, “I never thought I would love Meg as much as I do right now!”

“So, I guess we’re heading to New York in two weeks.”

She smiled and said, “I can’t wait for you to meet my family.” Her smile faded, and she looked away.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” I asked as I turned her face back toward me. I hated seeing her upset or frightened.

“Shit. I just realized something. This whole time I was preparing not to go to the wedding, and now that we are, I only have two weeks to prepare you for my dad.”

My heart dropped in my stomach as I watched Courtney get up and head toward the shower. She was mumbling something about her dad, his guns, and his baby girl.

Oh yeah. That sick feeling just got about ten times worse.

The moment we stepped foot into my parents’ house, Reed had my mother, my sister Sissy, and Meg all wrapped around his finger. My father, on the other hand, kept calling Reed the little motherfucker, even when I begged him to stop. I knew, deep down inside, he loved Reed. My dad could see how happy Reed made me, and that was all my father cared about—my happiness.

I was sitting in a chair next to my grandmother as she showed me how to crochet. I was attempting to make a baby blanket. I would do about ten rows, and then Grams would check it and rip out at least three rows, saying I was doing it too loose or too tight. I was beginning to get pissed-off.

Tyler came and sat down next to me as I worked on my pale yellow blanket.

“Hey,” he said as he hit my knee.

I smiled up at him and replied, “Hey yourself. Are you getting nervous? Tomorrow is the big day.”

His eyes lit up, and I knew that look. I’d seen it almost two months ago in my own eyes.

He shook his head and said, “Nah. I’m just ready to make Meg happy until the day I die.”

I smiled and nodded my head as I looked out into the kitchen. Reed was laughing at something my father was saying, and when he looked at me and winked, I had to catch my breath.

“He makes you happy,” Tyler said.

I snapped my head back and looked at him as I smiled probably the goofiest smile ever.

“He makes me so happy. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my life,” I said as I peeked back at Reed.

Tyler took in a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair. “Courtney, can I ask you something?”

“Sure. You can ask me anything.”

“What happened between you and Noah? I mean, I really thought you liked him, and I know he liked you. I know something happened because Noah told me he was in love with you, and you destroyed him.”

My breathing picked up, and my hands started to shake. I quickly looked at Reed, but he’d moved, and now, his back was facing me. I need him. Reed, please turn around.

“Court? Are you okay?” Tyler asked as he touched my hand.

I jumped and pulled my hands back.

“Jesus Christ, Court. What in the heck is wrong? You look like you saw a ghost.”

I swallowed hard and somehow built up the courage to talk. The whole time, I kept my eyes on Reed. “Tyler, I don’t want to talk about Noah—ever. Please just let it go. It was in the past, and I’d like to keep it there.”

“He was right.”

I snapped my head and glared at Tyler. “Excuse me?”

“Noah—he told me if I tried to talk to you about him, you would get mad and say you didn’t want to talk about it. Court, I have to ask. Did you cheat on him or something? He’s still hung up on you after all these years. I mean, he’s moved on finally, and he is engaged now…”

That poor girl. If she only knew what type of a man she was marrying…

“And he seems happy now, but when he asked me not to—”

I was pulled out of my moment of daydreaming, and I stared at Tyler. “When he asked you not to what?”

Tyler stood up and gave me a weak smile as he slowly shook his head. “Nothing. Never mind. I’m just really glad you’re here, Court. I love you and Sissy more than anything.”

I smiled as I stood up and set my piece of work to the side. “I love you, too.”

“Congratulations on the baby again. I’m really glad you found Reed and that he makes you happy.”

I gave him a kiss on the cheek and grinned. “Thank you, Tyler, and yes, Reed makes me beyond happy.”

As I watched him walk away, I had the strangest feeling come over me. I felt like that sixteen-year-old girl again, deathly afraid to be alone because he might be here. I found myself looking around.

Tyler was saying good-bye to everyone. He was heading to his bachelor party. He had asked Reed to go, but then he’d made the comment that Reed would most likely feel out of place. Tyler had almost seemed like it bothered him to say that, but he’d said it. Reed had no desire to go, but it still pissed me off, and I had every intention of talking to Tyler about it after the wedding. My parents had made me promise to wait. They had also been upset by how rude Tyler had acted, and it took everything out of me not to junk-punch him.

I watched as Tyler walked out the door. I turned and looked out the window as I watched him walk down the sidewalk and up a little ways. He jumped into a Toyota 4Runner that took off down the road. I glanced over to my right, only to see Reed staring at the retreating 4Runner also. I put my hand on my stomach and tried to push down that awful feeling I hadn’t had in so many years.

He’s out of the country, Courtney. He can’t hurt you any longer.

When I looked back at Reed, he was staring at me. He smiled that smile of his and made his way over to me.

When he pulled me into his arms, he whispered in my ear, “Let’s stay at a hotel tonight.”

I closed my eyes and held on to him harder. I had told my mother that I didn’t want to stay at the house. I couldn’t bear the thought of Reed being in the same bed where Noah had done those things to me.

I hadn’t even had to tell Reed my anxiety over it. The first night we had gotten here, he had gone up to my room ahead of me. When I’d walked into my room, I’d seen he had built a little tent on the floor. When I’d crawled into it, blankets and pillows had been on the floor. I’d looked at him, and he’d told me we would be camping for the next few nights. I had thrown my body into his as I’d cried and told him how much I loved him.