Read Summer Fling: Compass Girls, Book 3 Online

Authors: Mari Carr & Jayne Rylon

Summer Fling: Compass Girls, Book 3 (24 page)

Jade hesitated. “Vivi. I don’t think you’re supposed to drink with the medication you’re on.”

“Good lord, child. Are you trying to kill me? I don’t want any tequila. I just want to pretend.”

Jade handed her grandmother the empty glass with a giggle. “Here you go.”

Vivi looked around at each of them. “You’re all so very beautiful.”

Jade felt a lump form in her throat. From the expressions on her cousin’s faces, she knew they felt the same way she did. For today, they had their loving, wonderful grandmother. If they could freeze time, hold on to this moment for the rest of eternity, Jade had no doubt every single one of them would.

“Can I say something, Jade?” Vivi asked.

Jade nodded. “Of course.”

They lifted their glasses. “Here’s to my Compass girls. May each of you find happiness, laughter and love.”

They licked the salt, drank the tequila and sucked the limes. Then each of them took a turn hugging their beloved grandmother as the tears began to flow.

Vivi swiped at her eyes. “Enough of that. Today is a celebration. Let’s not waste it crying. It’s time to head down.”

They laughed, then Jade followed her grandmother downstairs—wobbling on the high heels she’d donned—her cousins right behind her. She’d break her damn neck before the day was over.
 

The sound of her mother’s music drifted in from the backyard to greet them. Jade loved to listen to Mom play the guitar, to hear her beautiful voice. She smiled, letting the magic of the day, the warmth of the tequila and the sheer joy of being surrounded by everyone she loved envelop her.

For the first time in a long time, Jade felt good. Really, really good.

They walked out a side door, gathering out of sight of the wedding guests, the groom and the best man. Liam would be standing next to Daniel near the rose-laden arch Jade’s uncles had constructed for today.

Jade watched as Jody hugged Sienna before taking Seth’s arm.
 

“Let me get your mom to her seat, Sienna, then I’ll be right back for you.” Seth gave his daughter a quick kiss on the cheek. They walked around the corner of the house together, Aunt Jody already wiping away tears.

“This is it,” Sienna whispered.

Jade smiled at the excitement in her cousin’s voice, marveled—and even felt a twinge of jealously—at Sienna’s complete lack of nervousness. “I’m so happy for you, See.”

Sienna smiled at her. “I was worried about you last night. Afraid today would be too hard for you. I know you and Liam broke up.”

“I’m fine. Promise.”

Her cousin studied her face. “You are?”

Jade paused to consider the question, then she shrugged. “Let’s just say I have a goal and with any luck, by the end of the night, everything will be okay.”

Sienna sighed. “I wish I was a less selfish person so I could ask you what the hell you’re talking about, but I’m excited and having trouble focusing.”

Jade laughed. “You’re getting married to Daniel. At this moment in time, that’s all that matters.”

They took a few steps toward the back corner of the house, halting when Jade muttered, “Shit.”

Sterling turned to look at her. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t walk in these heels.”

Hope frowned. “You were supposed to practice.”

Jade tilted her head. “Oh yeah, Hope. Because heels are really practical footwear for tending bar and training rodeo bulls.” She tried to take another step, her ankle twisting awkwardly. “Crap.” She attempted several more shaky efforts before frustration kicked in. Bending down, she pulled off the size-nine death traps, relieved when she found herself on steady ground once more.

Sienna laughed as Jade rubbed her feet in the soft grass and released a long sigh. “That looks pretty comfortable.”

Hope gasped when Sienna toed her shoes off as well. “But…but…we spent days looking for them.”

Jade giggled, understanding Hope’s dismay. She’d been roped into shopping detail during what they jokingly referred to as Sienna’s Bridezilla phase. There had been a month in the spring when Sienna had sort of flipped her lid, insisting that everything for the wedding had to be perfect. Poor Hope had suffered the most, spending close to a week trudging behind Sienna as they scoured every shoe store within a two-hundred-mile radius looking for the perfect pair.
 

They weren’t sure what Daniel had done or said to rein in Sienna’s control-freak episode, but they’d bought a fifth of Jack to thank him for it and promised him more if he managed to keep her calm until the wedding. Jade grinned when she recalled the wedding gift she, Hope and Sterling had purchased. It was two open-ended tickets to tour the Jack Daniels distillery in Tennessee. While Sienna wouldn’t get the joke, Daniel certainly would.
 

“Sorry, Hope.” Sterling kicked hers off, her eyes closing in bliss. “But damn, that grass is so cool. Feels amazing. Try it.”

Hope blew out an exasperated breath but followed suit.
 

Sienna grasped Hope’s and Sterling’s hands, who used their free hands to pull Jade into the circle. “My barefoot bridal party. I love you girls so much. Thank you for being my best friends.”

The music changed, the strains of the wedding march starting. Seth peeked his head around the corner of the house. “You girls ready?”

They nodded, then formed their line. Sterling would lead, followed by Jade. Hope was serving as Sienna’s maid of honor, so she would walk in just before the bride, who was being escorted by Uncle Seth. Jade glanced down, wondering what Liam would think of her in her bridesmaid attire. Her mind raced over the past, and it occurred to her that the only time he’d likely ever seen her in a dress was at Hope’s sixteenth birthday party. They hadn’t known each other then, so she doubted he even remembered it.

She stepped into the yard, letting her gaze take in the scene. Her family had outdone themselves with the decorations. The entire area was a sea of colorful flowers and pristine white chairs. It was beautiful, but Jade didn’t take long to admire it.

Instead, she searched for Liam. She caught only the briefest glimpse of him before the crowd stood and blocked him from her line of sight. Obviously, Sienna had come into view. She kept looking for him as she traversed the aisle, her heart racing when she finally spotted him in his tuxedo.

He’d never looked more handsome. She smiled at him and he returned the gesture, his gaze holding hers as she stepped to the front, then took her place to the side of the altar. She drank in every gorgeous inch of him.
 

Even as Sienna reached out for Daniel’s hand, Jade and Liam didn’t break the connection, neither of them able to look away.

She listened as Sienna said her vows, told Daniel all the things he meant to her. It was as if her cousin had peeked into Jade’s heart and stolen the words. For the first time in her life, she truly understood what all the fuss about love was.

It was overwhelming, powerful. Amazing.
 

As she looked at Liam’s beloved face, she recalled what her father had said. Understood why Liam was different, special. Unlike other men who had sought to change her, to break her spirit, Liam let her be herself while keeping her safe, protected.

She’d started this summer full of a white-hot anger she feared would consume her in flames.

Liam found a way to tame the fire. He never sought to extinguish it or snuff it out. Instead, he controlled the burn, made it rage in beautiful ways.

Once the I Do’s were spoken and the kiss exchanged, Jade’s mom began playing once more—the wedding party’s cue to walk back down the aisle. Sienna and Daniel led the line as the crowd clapped and cheered. Wyatt stepped forward to usher Hope out, while Clayton claimed Sterling. Liam walked over and offered his arm.
 

“You ready?”

While she knew he only meant to ask if she was ready to go to the reception, her answer meant something else entirely. “Yeah. Let’s do this.”

He gave her a funny look, but in typical Liam fashion, he rolled with it, escorting her down the makeshift aisle and toward the large tent where dinner would be served. The Whitacre brothers were set up and playing a slow, country song. They’d likely keep the music soft until after the meal, when they’d speed up the pace and keep everyone on the floor, dancing until the wee hours.

 

Liam led her to her seat at the head table, then claimed the chair next to her. He’d intended to give her space today, much as he had last night, but something about her demeanor gave him hope. She wasn’t avoiding him, wasn’t trying to keep as much distance between them as humanly possible. Seeing her last night, watching her try to steer clear of him had hurt. Badly.

He’d left the rehearsal and polished off three stiff bourbons before falling into bed. He’d woken up this morning with a killer headache and a sinking feeling in his stomach that told him Jade was going to give him the brush-off once and for all today.

Then he’d seen her, walking down the aisle in her pretty sky blue dress, her eyes bright, her smile genuine and the pain went away.

“You look incredible.”

She smiled at him. “So do you.”

“Jade, I—”

“Liam—”

They laughed when they both started talking at the same time.
 

Liam toyed with the stem of his wineglass. “Let me go first?”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“I’m sorry.”

She frowned. “Why? I’m the one who left.”

“You were right when you said I lied to you. I never intended for this to be a summer fling. I misled you even though I knew how much you wanted to protect our friendship. I’ve spent the last week going over all the ways I fucked this up. I did everything wrong, Jade.”

“No.” She shook her head, tried to say more, but Liam continued to explain, needed her to understand how bad he felt.

“I tried to trick you into giving more than you were comfortable with. You were upfront right from the beginning. About all of it. And if friendship is all you’re able to offer, then that’s what I want. I’ll accept that and live with it. Because I can’t imagine not having you in my life.”

Jade wiped away a tear as she glanced around the room. Folks were milling around, congratulating the bride and groom, looking for their seats at the tables. “Can we go somewhere else for a minute?”

He nodded. They’d serve dinner before introducing the wedding party and kicking off the dancing. Liam steeled himself for the worst as he took her hand and led her away from the tent. Jade prodded him on until they reached the large front porch, leaving the noise of the crowd and the music on the other side of the house.

“You weren’t wrong, Liam. I was.”

He started to argue, but Jade cut him off. “You offered me everything—your trust, amazing sex…and your heart. I’m the one who should be saying I’m sorry, the one who should be on my knees begging for forgiveness. I was a coward and an idiot, making excuses. I’ve spent most of my life running from this, from love and happiness. And I don’t even know why.”

“It’s okay.” He grasped her hands in his, hard-pressed to stop the smile her words evoked. “I don’t want an apology from you, Jade.”

She tilted her head. “Well, I don’t want one from you either.”

Her tone told him she was actually ready to fight him. He laughed. “So I guess it’s safe to say the fling is over?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I’d like to drop the time limit, make this relationship a little more permanent. If you’re okay with that?”

Liam studied her face, searching for any lingering doubts. What he saw took his breath away. She was finished fighting against this. She was all-in.
 

“I love you, Liam.”

Those words were the greatest gift he’d ever received. “I love you too, Jade Compton.”

He bent down and kissed her. After a week without her, thinking he’d lost her for good, Liam struggled to keep it light. He longed to drag her away from the party, to sneak away to his place where he’d keep her in his bed for the next six dozen years or so.

Jade groaned when he pulled away. “Ugh. We have to go back, don’t we?”

“I’m afraid so. Come on, kiddo. You and I have never danced together. I like the idea of taking a spin on the floor with you.”

“I can’t dance.”

He lifted her arm and twirled her once. “I’ll teach you.”

Jade laughed and started to follow him, then tugged on his hand just as they reached the backyard once more. Her eyes betrayed her surprise at how quickly and easily they’d mended the fence. Doubt crept in. “Can I come home?”

He’d never heard a sweeter request in his life. She considered Circle H her home. He nodded. “God, yes.”

“Can I quit my job at Compass for good and work with you training the cattle?”

“Absolutely.”

Jade gave him a mischievous grin. “Can I buy Spurs?”

He chuckled. “If you want to.”

“Can I ride Fearless?”

Liam cupped her face, drawing her nearer. “Never. Not in million years.”

She laughed. “Fine. Can I ride you?”

Other books

Dana Marton by 72 Hours (html)
Wesley and the Sex Zombies by Portia Da Costa
Ballers Bitches by King, Deja
His American Fling by Brogan, Kim
Angel Face by Stephen Solomita
My Irresistible Earl by Gaelen Foley
Mountain Bike Mania by Matt Christopher


readsbookonline.com Copyright 2016 - 2024