To say I’m not looking forward to sharing best man and maid of honor duties with Aria March is an understatement.
“You, too,” Mason says, squeezing my hand tight before letting go. “I’d invite you to join us, but…”
“No worries, I get it. Not all friend groups mix as well as we’d like.”
“True.” Mason casts a glance back at the coaster’s exit, but none of the people streaming out look familiar. Looks like we’re safe for a few more minutes. He turns back to me. “Usually I’d feel fine about heading off with you for a while and meeting up with them later, but Aria’s had a pretty hard night. I feel like I should stick around for moral support.”
My brows lift. “Oh, yeah? How so?” I ask, surprised to find I’m curious.
But then, why shouldn’t I be curious? I’m a nice guy, but even nice guys enjoy tales of the suffering of evil ex-girlfriends from time to time.
“Her ex is suing for full legal and physical custody of the baby,” Mason says with a sigh. “Even though he hasn’t seen Felicity in months and refuses to send Aria a dime in child support. He’s such a complete sack of shit it seriously boggles the mind.”
“Sounds like it,” I say, meaning it.
Evil ex or not, just from the one night I spent in their company, it was clear Aria adores her baby girl and Felicity worships her mama. What her ex is doing is cruel, and absolutely not in his daughter’s best interests.
Mason’s scowl deepens. “Yeah, apparently, he got remarried and decided that means he’s better for Felicity than her single mom, which is, of course, ridiculous.” He glances over his shoulder again. “But don’t say anything about it to anyone, okay? I probably shouldn’t have mention it, but—”
“Don’t worry about it. I would never share your family’s private business,” I assure him, happy to change the subject. I don’t like feeling anything for Aria, especially not empathy or compassion. “So why aren’t you riding? Afraid of heights?”
“I get motion sickness,” Mason mumbles with a shrug.
“Wimp,” I tease, making him laugh.
“Fuck off,” he says. “I can still ride the carousel, man. I’m a total badass on the carousel.”
I laugh. “I bet. I’ll let you get to that. Just wanted to ask if you planned on taking the boat out tomorrow. If not, I thought I might go fishing.”
“Can I get back to you later?” he asks. “Lark and I were planning a picnic on the island in the middle of Lake Elsie, but after what happened with Aria I don’t know if she’ll be up for it.”
“What about Aria?” The light, feminine voice drifts through the air from the ramp behind Mason.
A beat later, I look up to see Aria March pushing through the exit gate ahead of her sisters, looking so gorgeous that every man near the exit turns to stare.
Chapter Six
Nash
Since they were girls, the younger March sisters have been the talk of Bliss River. With their wavy blond hair and big brown eyes that radiate sweetness, Lark and Melody are the kind of All-American beauties that belong on a plastic tub selling fresh-churned butter. Or on a 4H poster, encouraging kids to get involved in raising baby farm animals.
But even before I knew her personally, I always thought Aria was the most stunning of the three. Even when I hated her, her clever green eyes made my heart beat faster.
Tonight is no exception.
Even in a pair of cut off shorts and a green tank top, with her hair pulled into a ponytail, she manages to look elegant, poised, and a little too well-bred to be wandering around a backwoods Georgia town. The electric energy that hovers in the air around her is reminiscent of actors and rock stars and other people with too much charisma for their own good.
I wasn’t surprised to hear she’d run off to Nashville with a record producer. I was surprised to learn the guy had replaced her with a younger model so quickly. Even back before she’d grown into her long legs or learned that self-assured way of holding herself, Aria wasn’t the type of girl who was easy to forget.
After that summer at camp, I hadn’t dated anyone for over a year. Some part of me hadn’t been able to get over her, no matter how badly I’d wanted to.
“Did I hear my name?” she asks, stopping beside Mason, her sharp gaze shifting back and forth between us.
Mason’s expression is unreadable, as always—he has one hell of a poker face—but I’m betting I look guilty. I can’t help feeling like I shouldn’t be in possession of secret family information about Aria, not when there’s clearly no love lost between us.
“I was just telling Nash that Lark and I might cancel our boat trip tomorrow,” Mason says smoothly.