After he’d seen her working in that bar, he hated the way he’d felt having to keep his feelings for her hidden from Joe. Trying and failing to ignore the deep sense in his gut that Lucy was his. That those feelings he had that felt so fucking huge meant nothing and would come to nothing was too much to bear.
But he couldn’t leave things like this. If nothing else, they needed to at least clear the air.
Lucy wasn’t going to give him a damn inch, though.
“We’re out back!” Darcey called.
Lucy raced off ahead of him, and was out the kitchen door and stepping into the backyard before he’d shut the front door. Talking wasn’t going to happen today, not when she was going to run every time they were in touching distance of each other, and not in front of all these people.
He cursed under his breath and went out to join them, but pulled up short when he saw the yard. It’d been decorated with flowers. They were everywhere. And there was an arch set up, covered in roses near the back. He walked over to Joe, who was standing with Hugh, who he also noted looked kind of pale.
“What’s going on? Everything okay?”
Joe glanced at Adam. “Hugh’s getting married.” He patted his brother on the back. “Now he’s having second thoughts…ow!”
Hugh scowled at his brother. “I’m not having second thoughts. Idiot.”
“Hang on…what?” Adam shook his head like a cartoon character. “I thought…fall…autumn leaves and all that shit.”
“I said that to throw you off,” Hugh said.
“Yeah, ’cause me and Adam were totally on wedding watch.” Joe shook his head. “Every day Adam would walk into work and say, ‘I wish they’d set a date already.’ Ow! Goddamn it. Quit hitting me.”
Hugh shoved Joe and took a deep pull of his beer.
Adam clapped Hugh on the back. “Why the nerves?”
“I hate being the damn center of attention, you know that. Neither does Shay. That’s why we went with the whole surprise thing. Kept it small, just our friends and family, yanno?”
“Yeah, of course.” Adam glanced around the yard. Hugh’s mom was there, Darcey’s little brother Noah by her side, and Shay’s friends from the trailer park and a few other people he didn’t recognize. Lucy was over talking to Shay’s old neighbor, now her neighbor, Edna. Lucy looked fucking gorgeous.
He tore his eyes away, back to Hugh. “You’ll be fine. There aren’t that many people here. Today’s about you and Shay. Once you see her walking toward you, you won’t see any of us. It’ll just be you and her.”
He had a similar reaction whenever Lucy walked into a room. Everyone else faded into the background and it was only the two of them.
Joe grinned. “Aw, that was sweet. It’s almost like you know what you’re talking about.” He winked and gave him a nudge. “Anything you want to tell us?”
Adam froze. “What?”
“There is a woman, right?”
Adam hoped they didn’t see the guilt scrawled all over his face. “You know better than that.” The words felt thick on his tongue.
Thankfully, he was saved from any more of Joe’s interrogation by Darcey.
She strode over, wrapped her arm around Joe’s neck, and yanked him down for a kiss. When it ended she smiled up at Joe’s surprised expression.
“What? I like weddings,” she said.
Joe’s brows shot up. “Yeah? How much?”
“A whole lot.” She held his gaze, winked, smacked him on the ass, and walked away.
Joe couldn’t take his eyes off his woman, but a scowl rearranged his features. “She totally did that on purpose.”
“Did what?” Hugh grumbled.
“Left me with a boner and no way to take care of it.”
Adam shook his head and lifted his hands. “I’m getting a beer.”
Hugh’s giant paw shot out and fisted the front of Adam’s shirt. “You’re not going anywhere.” He scowled. “The wedding’s about to start. You need to be up front with me.”
“What? Why?” Adam glanced at the front, where a somber looking woman stood. The celebrant?
Hugh frowned. “You’re a groomsman.”
His friend said it like it should be obvious. Adam guessed it was. Guilt slammed into him so hard he would have staggered back if Hugh hadn’t chosen that moment to yank him forward. Adam collided with the big bastard, followed by a lung rattling back pound.
“You’re as much a brother to me as that numbnut,” he said angling his head to Joe.
“Hey, I resent that,” Joe growled. “Now, can I get in on that hug or what?”