Page 168

“But after you’d made your choice.”

“How gentlemanly.”

Cooper continued, “My plan was actually to stand up and object. And then to make a speech about how I couldn’t let you marry the wrong man—when I knew that I was the right one. I had a whole argument written out on an airsickness bag.”

“That’s romantic,” I deadpanned.

“Isn’t it?” Cooper deadpanned back.

“I can’t believe you wrote a speech,” I said.

“I can’t believe you faked a faint,” Cooper said.

“It was good to see you that day,” I said.

“It was agony,” Cooper said, “to see you.”

“So you stopped my wedding—and then you went back to London.”

“Sure, I mean—I’d called in sick to work and left the country.”

“And then you came to Ashley’s wedding, too.”

“Yeah. I went back, regrouped, got a job offer in Austin, got a haircut, bought a few extra vests, and came here planning to do the exact same thing to you that you’ve been trying to do to Finn.”

“Hold on. Have you been a double agent this whole time?”

Cooper shrugged. “Why do you think I asked your mom to make you room with Harmony?”

“Mymomwas in on this?”

Cooper nodded. “So was Ashley.”

“No, no,” I said. “Ashley was the architect of the whole thing with Finn.”

“She was playing both sides of the field,” Cooper said.

I shook my head. “Ashley was trying to set you up with Bridesmaid Two!”

But Cooper just raised his eyebrows, likeWhy do you think she was doing that?

I gasped. “Waseverybodyin on it?”

“Just the important folks.”

“This is appalling!” I said then, feeling like I should be outraged. “How dare you!”

“It’s no worse than what you were doing.”

Fine. He had a point there.

I frowned. “Were you actively working against me? Was theresabotageinvolved?”

Cooper shook his head. “I just wanted to change your mind.”

“About Finn?”

“About me.”