Blue Lines: The Assassins Series: A Loveswept Contemporary Romance Read online

  Yup. He was Prince Charming.

  She had cheered for Fallon and Lucas since the day her sister told her about him, and would never forget meeting Lucas Brooks outside her family’s wine company. He looked like a lovesick fool, and she couldn’t help wanting to help him. Man, so much had changed since then. A small smile crossed Audrey’s face as she thought that within a week, Fallon and Lucas would be married. They had been through so much, and thank the sweet baby Jesus, Fallon finally got her head out of her ass and saw what was right in front of her.

  The perfect man.

  Sigh.

  When Audrey’s eyes drifted over to where Elli Adler and Harper Titov sat, her envy grew. Elli and Harper were the epitome of happy women. Both were married to amazingly gorgeous, sweet hockey players … sigh … and both had perfect little children … another sigh. It wasn’t fair, they were like a club. An “I’m married to a sexy hockey player; have amazing children; and life couldn’t be better; and oh! I look good while doing it all!” club.

  It was sickening, really.

  When she glanced over at Piper and Reese Allen, Harper’s twin sisters, she felt a little more in control. They looked as miserable as she felt, and that alone made her feel a tad bit better. She had heard about the twin sisters but hadn’t met them until recently. Reese was a gorgeous brunette with hair all the way down to her bottom. She had moss green eyes, full lips, and the sickest style imaginable. She actually looked more like her older sister, Harper, than her twin. Reese had just moved back from New York to open a dance studio in Nashville, and from what Audrey heard, she was good at getting what she wanted.

  It was nice to meet Reese, but Audrey didn’t click with her the way she had with her twin sister. Piper was a hoot. When Audrey went to Tiffany’s to buy Fallon’s bridal gift, Piper was her sales clerk, and Audrey knew from that moment on that she would be her friend. Unlike Reese’s dark features, Piper’s were fair. Her hair was light brown and her eyes were an intense blue. She had the same full lips and cute button nose as her sister, but hers were in a very petite package. Piper was shorter than Audrey, and that was saying something. But all in all she was a doll, and Audrey just adored her.

  Piper glanced up and smiled as Audrey made her way to the spot beside Fallon. When she sat down, her sister looked at her, grinning as she held out a shot glass. “You’re behind!” she said. “Drink!”

  Audrey obliged, not only because Fallon asked her to, but because she needed to forget her conversation with Levi. As the five women threw back shots, Elli sat on the side, watching.

  Audrey felt bad as she smiled over at her. It had to be hard for Elli to watch a bunch of women drink when she couldn’t. But being the sweet person she was, Elli didn’t seem to mind.

  “Please get your tubes tied after this one!” Audrey said as the alcohol burned down her throat. What the hell had Fallon given her?

  Elli nodded. “Already planned. I’m done. No matter what Shea says.”

  Harper hiccupped before giggling. “Whatever. He’ll knock her up a week before the procedure! He’s on a mission!”

  The women laughed as Fallon shook her head. “So is Lucas,” she noted before taking another shot, then shook her head. “I’m pretty sure if he had his way, I’d be pregnant now, and thank God that didn’t happen! I wouldn’t be able to fit in my dress!”

  The girls all nodded while Audrey shook her head. “It wouldn’t matter anyway, since you won’t pick a damn dress!” she retorted, and everyone laughed. “Thank God she’s narrowed it down to two. But still! The wedding is a week away!”

  Fallon shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know what I want. I’m about to walk down that damn aisle in a raincoat! Lucas would love that!”

  That had all the women laughing drunkenly, as Audrey watched Fallon blush. A smile tugged at Audrey’s lips, and even with all the jealousy eating away at her, she loved that her sister was so in love. It was good to see Fallon happy. Audrey had spent years watching her living day to day just to get by. Now she lived for a man who loved her more than he needed his next breath, and for a son who thought she hung the moon and the stars.

  She was so lucky.

  Audrey stood up, smiling down at Fallon, “Well, if it’s a damn raincoat, please let it be white, while my dress is sparkly as all hell!” The women all cheered as she raised her glass in the air. “To the indecisive bride-to-be!”

  “To the bride!” everyone chanted along before tapping their glasses together and drinking their shots. Audrey slammed her empty glass down before letting out a loud “Yeehaw!” that was returned by the many patrons at the bar. She grinned as she fell into the seat beside her beautiful sister. Fallon wrapped her arms around her neck, grinning happily back at her.

  “I’ve missed you,” Fallon whispered in her ear. She was drunk, and Audrey had to giggle. She was close to drunk too; those last couple of shots were doozies.

  “I’ve missed you too,” she whispered back.

  “I’m nervous.”

  Audrey smiled as she shook her head. “Don’t be. It’s gonna be fantastic.”

  “But what if I pick the wrong dress and Lucas doesn’t marry me?”

  Audrey sighed. Her sister was entirely too insecure for her own good.

  “Never gonna happen. Lucas loves you something serious. Like you said, you could show up in a raincoat and he would be happy.”

  Fallon nodded, then leaned her head against Audrey’s, looking deep into her eyes.

  “You’re the best sister ever.”

  The tears came fast, filling Audrey’s eyes as she looked into her sister’s caramel-colored ones. Fallon was the most beautiful woman she had ever known. She deserved the world, and Audrey knew that Lucas would give it to her. But now wasn’t the time to cry, even if they were happy tears. Audrey leaned over, kissing Fallon on the cheek before breaking their embrace to scream, “Let’s dance!”

  * * *

  As Audrey made her way to the bar from the dance floor, she had to admit the night was a huge success. And she hadn’t even thought of Levi once. She was too busy having a blast with her sister and their friends. With the music pulsing around her, she leaned against the bar and ordered another round of drinks. As she waited, the pain unexpectedly began to rip through her. Even though she hadn’t been thinking of Levi while with her friends, he was now heavy on her mind. She dreaded going home, knowing that when she got back to her condo he wouldn’t be there. It made her want to die inside. No matter how much alcohol she drank, or how much fun she had, it would end tonight, and by tomorrow she would be all by herself once again.

  “Someone as beautiful as you shouldn’t be sad.”

  Audrey looked over and then up, locking with a pair of ocean blue eyes. She blinked as she took in the hotness that stood beside her.

  Wow.

  A strong, square chin was covered in blond stubble, his nose had a pronounced bump, his top lip thin, while the bottom lip jutted out a little, just begging to be bitten. His hair was in a messy, tousled cut, and reminded her of the sparkling vampire she often fantasized about, and while “Flightless Bird” by Iron & Wine instantly played in her mind, her eyes drifted down his neck to his broad shoulders. She could see he was strong, but not overly muscular. What he was—was perfect. Her eyes met his again and she couldn’t breathe. He oozed sex. She couldn’t believe how quickly she got turned on just by looking at him.

  She breathed in and out a few times before croaking, “Excuse me?”

  She watched as his lips moved. “I was wondering why someone so beautiful looked so sad,” he said.

  Audrey’s eyes left his mouth, to gaze into his eyes. “I’m not sad,” she lied.

  “Yes, I think you are.”

  He had an accent.

  Sexy.

  “I’m fine. My sister is getting married, that’s probably why I look sad.”

  He shook his head. “Isn’t a wedding a good thing?”

  She smiled again. “Of course it is, but I’m lo