Page 92 of Lucky Haven

Haven

On the morning of Zane and Hope’s secret wedding, I take my birth control pill like a good girl, even though Cash and I haven’t had sex since that night and probably won’t ever again.

I’m still sharing a bed with him, but I read until I fall asleep, and he accepts that I don’t want to talk.

Today is a day for setting that aside, though. We can figure out what comes next for us after tonight.

All the men are over at Ridge’s cabin. Luna kicked them out, and the house is a girls-only zone. I’m on Bellamy duty, reading her books in the library while a photographer Zane hired from the city takes pictures of her pretty mama getting her makeup done by Mercy.

The three-year-old is wearing a white cotton dress covered in little embroidered flowers, and she keeps interrupting the story to show me another favourite flower.

“This one is pretty because it’s pink,” she says solemnly.

“It really is.”

“What’s your favourite colour, Haven?”

“It used to be yellow.” Like the conservative cotton dress I’m wearing today. Perfectly appropriate for a morning wedding on a ranch. “But I really like green. But now I love black.”

Cash dressed head to toe like an outlaw. That’s my favourite colour.

I redirect her to the book. “Can you turn the page for me?”

“I want to go see Zane.” She kicks her feet. “Can you take me there?”

My heart squeezes. I want to sneak over to the cabin, too. I want to see Cash so, so much. More than he deserves. “Not just yet. But soon, okay? We’ll go see them soon.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Cash

We’re all dressed nicely—Luna didn’t raise slouches—but Zane is wearing a goddamn suit.

I whistle as he settles his jacket into place. “Look at you.”

He looks almost fucking shy.

“Are you blushing?” Dax asks from where he’s sprawled on Ridge’s couch.

“He sure is.” I pat Zane’s cheek.

“I want to look good for her. I want her to have pictures that we can print extra big and put on the wall, you know?”

I hate how much I understand that sentiment.

Haven deserves that kind of man, someone who could give her a home and a family and wedding pictures so special, they get framed.

This time last year, I would have said none of us would ever be that kind of man. We’re all broken in different ways. Ridge has a deep-seated fear he’s violent like our dad. I know I got my most reckless tendencies from him, although I don’t like to think about it too much. So did Dax. And Zane…Zane spent his whole life trying to repair our messed up reputations.

And then he met Hope, and everything changed.

Now he’s jumping through hopes to make this as special as he can for her.

Like… they didn’t want to see each other before they exchanged vows. They’re already living together, and they had the world’s shortest, secret engagement. But this tradition matters.

I clap Zane on the shoulder and he gives me a big hug.

And then the fucker starts crying. It’s enough to make me feel some kind of way, and I give him a tight squeeze.