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thanks to all the heavy lifting she did in the stables. So what the hell
was his whole you’re you and I’m me crap all about?
    Well, that was it then. Almost ten years she’d been existing
with the heat between them always present. And she always had the chance of
maybe. Maybe just got shot to shit. So time for a new game plan.
    She picked herself up—literally, off the ground—and
straightened herself again. Brice didn’t deserve the satisfaction of seeing how
upset she was. She would just hold her head high, keep her shoulders back and
act as if nothing happened. No, of course she wasn’t devastated. That’s just
silly.
    Though her lungs were still burning from her sob session,
she took a deep breath and blew out slowly. Her head was pounding and her knees
wanted to fold. But she wasn’t a folder. Full steam ahead. She opened the
closet door and walked toward the parking lot, determined to not let him see
her sweat.

Chapter Three
     
    Mary Ellen held back tears as she watched her best friend
marry the man of her dreams. The smile on Trav’s face when he first saw Ariel
at the end of the aisle created in the camp garden was heart-melting. And
Ariel’s permanent glow as she floated down the aisle on her father’s arm was
breathtaking. But it was their quiet, solemn, handwritten vows for each other
that nearly broke her down.
    It was her best friend. She was entitled to sniffle a
little, right? But outright crying, no. She’d done enough of that in the past
twenty-four hours, thank you very much.
    She watched—and gave a watery laugh—as Trav took hold of
Ariel’s shoulders and dipped her old-Hollywood style before giving her a kiss
that had every female heart sighing.
    Twenty minutes later, after helping the ushers direct guests
to the camp banquet hall, she reported back to the decorated gazebo for photos.
    “Go ahead and take a spot to the right of the bride,
darling.” The photographer half dragged her into position. To the right of
Ariel, and directly in front of Brice. The man who had avoided her all day as
if she were leprosy on a stick. Lovely.
    “Hold it. That’s great. Now everyone smile for me.”
    Mary Ellen held her breath and did her best to shove
thoughts of the jerk aside. Happy thoughts. Happy thoughts. Smile. Except she couldn’t help but feel his suit jacket brush her back with every
breath. And did he have to breathe so freaking loudly?
    “Okay, I’m going to have the bride and groom sit down on the
steps there, and everyone lean in around them, like you’re framing them. Great,
nice work.”
    “Can you see down my dress?” Sarah called out, making
everyone laugh.
    “You’re looking good, sweetheart,” the photographer
reassured her.
    “Ass,” Pete muttered.
    “Easy, buddy. He’s not poaching.” Trav shook his head with
amusement.
    “Got the shot. Bridal party, you can relax and stand up for
a sec while my assistant switches out the lights. Bride and groom, this way for
a few couple shots while they fix the setup.”
    They all straightened and shook out their muscles after
crouching in an uncomfortable position. Trav held out a hand and helped Ariel
climb down the stairs, following the photographer to a bench surrounded by
early flowers. Brice’s arm brushed her back more than once as they wiggled
around, readjusting their clothing and bodies. She waited a beat, then two. Just
let it go. Ignore it. Be the bigger person.
    She was never very good at being the bigger person.
    Whirling around, she poked her bouquet at Brice’s chest. “Do
you have to breathe so hard?”
    His face went from shock to annoyance too quickly. “I’m
not.”
    “You’re breathing down my neck, literally. Feels like I’m
running with the bulls and one’s about to ram me up my ass.”
    Pete snickered and got an elbow from Sarah.
    Brice jerked his head toward them. “He’d know. Right?”
    Mary Ellen’s mouth dropped open all by itself. How could he…
Why would he… “What the hell