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Everyone’s having the time of their lives, and I’m a miserable, sad sack of shit.

“She’s beautiful,” Jordan says, nudging me with his elbow, making me wince. “You should go talk to her.”

“Hell, no.” I take a sip of the champagne, make a face, and set it on the empty tray of a passing server.

“Why not?” Th

is from Cannon’s fiancée, Lady Susanna Sumner. That’s a mouthful, am I right? She’s nobility, her dad is an earl or whatever—I have no idea what that means—but it feels like Cannon is marrying into the royal family. He’s become a huge celebrity in the U.K. these last few months, which is crazy.

“She dumped me a few days ago,” I say, my voice tight.

Susanna frowns. She has the biggest blue eyes I’ve ever seen and they’re blinking up at me at this very moment. “Look at her right now. She seems so sad—as sad as you. I’m sure she didn’t mean it.”

“Oh, she meant every word she said,” I say with a chuckle that doesn’t hold even a hint of humor.

“Sometimes we say things we regret.” Susanna rests her small hand on my forearm. “Haven’t you ever said anything you regret?”

All the time. I have numerous regrets, most of them having to do with Maisey.

“I think Susanna’s right,” Jordan says, and she turns to gape at him, which makes me think this doesn’t happen often. “You should go talk to her.”

“And what do I say to her?” I ask him.

Cannon chooses that moment to appear by his future wife’s side, slinging his arm over her shoulders. He’s been the hit of the night, dancing with all of my mom’s friends, joking with the guys, taking photos with everyone, and having the time of his life. For being such a large, quiet man, he definitely knows when to turn it on and socialize. “Tell her how you really feel,” he says to me just before he drops a kiss on top of Susanna’s blonde head.

“How do you even know what we’re talking about?” I ask him irritably.

“It’s all you’ve been talking about since we got here,” Cannon answers, shaking his head. Like he’s disappointed in me. “Man up and let her know that you’re willing to do anything to make this work.”

How can I admit putting myself out there—one more time—is terrifying? I sound like a wimp. “What if she rejects me again?” I ask. That’s my biggest fear. She rejected me once already a few days ago. She’s most likely going to do it again.

Is this some sort of revenge thing because of what I did to her when we were teenagers? God, I hope not.

“She won’t,” Jordan says quietly, with all the assurance of someone who’s got the love of his life by his side and has zero fears.

I don’t know what to do.

“If she does reject you, then at least you tried.” Susanna smiles up at me. “And you can’t regret that. You have to at least try, right?”

She’s right. They’re all right. But when can I talk to her? Now? In the middle of my parents’ party? They haven’t even cut the cake yet.

“I’ll be back,” I tell my friends just before I leave them to walk across the room.

“Go get her!” Susanna yells after me, making me crack a smile.

The first real smile I’ve had in days.

I search the crowded room, but I can’t find her. And so many of the women are wearing similar dresses, it’s hard to discern who’s who. I find her sister, but Brooke tells me she hasn’t really talked to Maisey since she arrived.

It’s like she’s disappeared.

I head for the outside patio and that’s where I find her. Hiding in the farthest corner, away from everyone, sitting on the rock ledge, the 1920s flapper clutching her iPhone—such a contradiction.

A beautiful one.

My heart cracks at seeing her, and I’m afraid it won’t close back up until she agrees that we can make this work.

With determined steps, I make my way over to Maisey.


Tags: Monica Murphy Forever Yours Romance