Face-Off at the Altar Read online

  Closing his eyes, he shook his head, and Baylor laughed, pulling away as they both looked back at Jayden.

  “Shut it, Sinclair. You know I’m yours.”

  “Damn right you are, Sinclair,” Jayden said, such heat in his eyes.

  Jealousy ate Markus alive at that moment. He wanted that. He wanted that undying love and admiration that his best friends had. He wanted it with Mekena so damn bad, but it all just seemed unfixable. Hell, forgiveness felt unattainable. Everything seemed out of reach. Like an uphill battle he’d never win. But Markus was made for winning. Every time he was down, he got up and he fought for what he wanted. Yeah, he needed a reminder every once in a while, and it was usually Baylor giving that reminder. But once he got his head out of his ass, he fought. He fought for everything, and he wasn’t about to let that change now.

  Sitting with her hands in her lap, Mekena watched as Jayden, Baylor, and Markus came back around the table, taking their seats as Autumn gushed with happiness. “You came back. I thought you would be mad at me!”

  Markus laughed as he sat down, leaning into her. “Mad at you? Because you outed your daughter and me and almost got me beat up by your big, strong sons? Never, I love you, Mom!”

  Everyone snickered, well, everyone but Mekena and Benji. Benji looked just as miffed as she was sure she looked. It was just so frustrating. Markus was getting around with God and everyone, while she was busy pining over him. It was irritating and pretty damn infuriating! How Mekena had gotten through dinner thus far was beyond her. Not only did everything he said and did get under her skin, she couldn’t keep her damn eyes off him. Every move he made, she saw. Even if it was just to reach for his beer or the way his face wrinkled up in such an adorable way when the soup was served, she saw it, and man, she was disappointed in herself. Why did he matter? Why did she want to watch him? She needed help. Like professional damn help. But she’d have to worry about that later. First, she had to get through this damn wedding week.

  With a roll of her eyes, she fully expected dinner to continue to be awkward, for everyone to be hung up on what Markus and Lucy had done, but they weren’t. Within seconds, everyone was joking and carrying on as the rest of the courses came out. It was mind-blowing, but then…was it? It happened so long ago, and it was obvious Lucy was head over heels in love with Benji. It just gutted Mekena though, the forgiveness. She wished she could have even an ounce of it. The ability to forgive like they had.

  “So karaoke tomorrow, right?” Lucy asked, looking around the table as she held her spoon up, some of the pudding on the end of it.

  Everyone agreed as Benji said, “I hope Angie starts feeling better. I bet she would love that.”

  “Angie is sick?” Mekena found herself asking, and everyone looked over at her, probably because she hadn’t said much during the whole dinner.

  “Yeah, she’s got a bug. She’ll be okay, just needed some rest,” Lucy said, resting her chin on her hand as Benji leaned into her.

  “Maybe we should go check on her, get settled in since we have the skate party with the Assassins tomorrow afternoon.”

  Skate party? “Am I shooting that?”

  “Whoa, leave your guns at home, Mekena,” Jace teased, and she rolled her eyes.

  “You know what I mean.”

  “I think Libby is shooting it since you’re invited and all,” Lucy said warmly. Avery grinned over at her, and Mekena knew she had no way out. She wasn’t much of a skater, and she sure as hell didn’t want to go anywhere she didn’t have to since she knew Markus would be there.

  “Won’t that be fun, Mekena! We all know how you love skating,” Avery teased, but no one else knew she was a horrible skater.

  When Markus chuckled, she glared over at him as he said, “Yeah, I can’t wait to see that.”

  Markus looked surprised, while Avery rolled her eyes.

  So what if she couldn’t skate? She’d just hang out because she had to go. She wouldn’t give Markus the satisfaction of thinking he was right.

  Even though he was.

  Standing, she held her hands up. “Dinner was amazing, so beautiful. Thank you so much for inviting me, but I have an early morning. So, excuse me. Thank you again.”

  “Oh, we’re all heading out, I think,” Lucy said, and as she did, everyone started standing, gathering their things and saying good-bye. Since Mekena didn’t really have anyone to say bye to except Avery, which she had already done, she made her exit, hoping to get to the cabin before Markus. She wanted to be in her room, the door shut and locked before he even got there. Only three more days and then she could kick him out into the main hotel since she couldn’t bring Mr. Right in there.

  Going out into the chilled air, she wrapped herself up in her arms and started around the main house for the pathway to her cabin. The night sky was so clear, dark with sprinkles of beautiful white lights. She loved the October sky; it was her favorite. Fall in Nashville was unforgettable, and she hadn’t realized how much she missed it. The brisk air, the orange and red leaves, and how she wanted nothing more than to wrap up in a blanket with a cup of coffee and a good, big book. Or even cuddle with Mr. Right and watch some Netflix.

  She only felt like that when she was in Nashville. Nothing about Florida made her want to cuddle or drink coffee. Lie on the beach, yes, but there was nothing like a big blanket, a fire, some coffee, and a good book as the sky sparkled with lights. She missed it here a lot and, in a way, wanted to come back. Not that she would. She had a life. A life she was going to love one day. It was coming, she just knew it.

  When she heard a stick break, she looked behind her to see Markus only a few steps behind her.

  “Not a late night?” she asked as she turned, looking ahead. Why she asked him that was beyond her.

  “Nope, got an early morning.”

  “Surprising.”

  “No, really. I don’t do much.”

  “From what I hear, you do a lot.”

  “Guess you’ve been lied to,” he threw back, and she glared.

  “Happens a lot. Lots of lies. All the damn time,” she snapped, and she heard his intake of breath.

  “Mekena—”

  “Nope, gotta go,” she said and started walking faster to the cabin. Annoyed that she couldn’t enjoy the night sky, she furrowed her brow as she made it to the cabin, opening the door and walking through it with more force than needed. She went to slam it, but he filled the doorway.

  Walking back a few steps as she looked up at him, she found herself out of breath. He looked amazing. His shirt was wrinkled and pulled in spots from where he had been carrying Dawson all day. His tie was out of place and he had crumbs all over his pants, but he was just so big, so handsome, and damn it, why did she still want him? Why did it make her heart flutter at the thought of him carrying Dawson all day? Why did her insides burn with the need to fix his tie? Why was he so fucking irresistible to her?

  Frustrated, she said, “Stop following me.”

  “Wasn’t following you. We’re staying in the same cabin, in case you forgot.”

  “How can I forget? You leave shit everywhere!”

  “Oh,” he said, looking around as he shut the door. “I hadn’t realized. I’ll pick up. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize unless you mean it,” she threw back at him, and he held her gaze, his eyes going darker than the sexy butterscotch they usually were. She hated the way he made her feel, the wildness he brought into her soul, reasons why she had steered so clear of him for the last year and a bit. She had been so infatuated with him and then it turned into more, and he broke her heart. Somewhere in there, she should have learned, but apparently, her girly parts were not listening.

  “That sounds loaded, and I’m not sure where to go with that. I was just making sure you got home safe, and I’ll clean up. Sorry.”

  “I’m fine,” she yelled. Why did she yell that? God, she was a weirdo. “And don’t feed my cat!”

  His brows pulled together. “I didn’