but…Hell, I think I’m in love with her. Deidre,” Rich clarified.
Tristan dropped the ball. “What? Are you kidding? What about the wedding?”
“I’m sick of thinking about the wedding. That’s all Jayne can talk about. All she sees. Deidre treats me like I’m the best thing that ever happened to her. The most important thing in her life.”
“Probably because you saved her life,” Tristan countered, wanting, needing to say something. Anything. An image of Jayne, bright-eyed and smiling, flashed in his mind. He couldn’t believe Rich was doing this to her. “It’s a crush. Deidre will get over it.”
“Maybe I don’t want her to get over it. Maybe I like being somebody’s hero.”
Damn. Tristan thought for a minute. “How long has this been going on?”
“Not long,” Rich admitted. “A couple of weeks, maybe.”
“You’ve got to talk to Jayne.”
Rich stared at Tristan as if he’d grown antennae and a third eye. “Why?”
“You can’t get married if you’re in love with someone else.”
“I’m not canceling the wedding.” Rich set his jaw. “I asked Jayne to marry me, and I will marry her.”
Uh-oh. Tristan knew that mulish tone of Rich’s all too well. “What about Deidre?”
“I’m trying to figure that out.”
“Better figure it out fast, because you can’t have both.”
“I know.” Rich looked miserable. “Look, just don’t…Don’t say anything to Jayne. Promise me you won’t.”
Tristan had kept his mouth shut. But his guilt over knowing the truth had made it difficult for him to face Jayne the next time he saw her, and each time after that. He’d thought by ignoring her he would buy Rich the time he needed to make the right decision.
Wrong.
Rich had ignored the matter, forcing Tristan to keep his best friend and Jayne from getting married. He didn’t regret his actions one bit. But dragging up the past and telling Jayne what he’d done to engineer her discovering Rich’s cheating now wouldn’t help anyone. She’d admitted she wouldn’t have wanted to marry Rich. She was moving on. Rich was getting married. Tristan was finally getting to spend time with Jayne. It was better to bury the past.
“It wasn’t you,” Tristan said finally.
The doubt in her big blue eyes hit him right in the gut.
You don’t like me.
The problem was he did like her.
He’d always liked her.
Too much.
And for that reason he’d kept his distance from her and limited his contact with her. Even after the breakup. For all their sakes.
Yet he was here now, and he wouldn’t want to be any-where else.
“It was me,” he finished.
She smiled crookedly. “Yeah, that’s what the guy always says.”
He winced. “I’m…sorry.”
“Hey,” she said. “I’m sorry for putting you on the spot like this.”
“No worries.”
Her closed-mouth smile turned into a wide grin. His pulse kicked up.
Man, she really had a great smile. He took another picture of her.
“Knock it off,” she said, but her eyes gleamed with laughter.
“Professional photographer, remember?” A gull flew overhead, its sharp white wings contrasting with the cloudless blue sky. He turned his camera from her to the bird. “It’s an occupational hazard.”
“I’d say it’s more a hazard for anyone who happens to be around you.”
“Having your photograph taken isn’t a hazard.”
“Some cultures believe being photographed steals a part of your soul.”
“I’m not a soul-stealer,” he said. “I’m only after the image. The best photographs tell a story, and can often be described by a single verb.”
She took another slug from her water bottle. “Well, as long as you aren’t stealing souls, I suppose it’s okay, but please don’t go overboard.”
He gave a mock bow. “Your understanding is much appreciated, since my camera follows me everywhere. No questions asked.”
“Sounds like a perfect relationship for you.”
“It is,” he admitted. “My camera packs light, doesn’t hog the bed, and never gets upset when I don’t remember its birthday.”
“Men.”
“We are what we are.”
A breeze caught the ends of her hair. He snapped her picture again.
She sighed.
“I’m not going overboard,” he said.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.
