Friends. We’d never be just friends. But if that was what she wanted to do, then I could work with it. I slipped my hand into hers, and we shook.

Then she smiled. A real, unforced Bethy smile. “This is a good thing. Jace would want this. Right?”

I shook her hand and let go as she pulled it away. “Yeah. He’d want this. He’d want to see you happy.”

Bethy nodded. Then she turned and headed toward the group. I didn’t follow her, though. Not yet. I had to let the moment soak in. Bethy was ready to forgive me. We were going to be friends.

I looked over to see Woods watching me. I nodded my head and grinned at him before making my way over to receive my instructions, along with the rest of the guys.

“There’s the last one,” Thad said, pointing at me as I walked up. The lady with her hair up in a bun and an iPad Mini in her hands looked like she was the boss.

“Height problem,” she announced. “Della has you with Braden, but Braden is too short for you. Even with heels. Most women are too short for you, but Braden will be barefoot on the sand. It’ll look bad. Let’s see,” she said, scanning something on her iPad. “Where’s Bethy?” the lady asked.

“Yo, Bethy!” Thad called out, and Bethy turned to look over at us. “Come here.”

She walked toward us, her skirt dancing in the breeze. I hated knowing Thad was admiring the view, too. I was going to have to set him straight.

“Yes. Much better. She’s at least three inches taller. Not such a massive gap,” the lady said as she looked at Bethy. “Thad, you will be escorting Braden. And Tripp, you will be escorting Bethy. Now, for your positions,” she said, walking off with her back straight, pointing and barking commands at everyone in her wake.

“Yeah, but Tripp’s the best man, and Braden is the maid of honor. Aren’t they supposed to walk out together?” Thad asked. I shot a warning glare at him. If he had any intentions where Bethy was concerned, I’d remedy that real fast.

“This is my job. I’ll make it work. I don’t need your help,” the lady snapped at Thad, who shut the hell up.

I glanced back at Bethy. “You good with this?” I asked her. I was fucking thrilled about it, but I didn’t want to make her do something she didn’t want to do. I’d deal with the drill sergeant if I had to.

She shrugged. “Sure. Friends, remember?” she replied matter-of-factly.

I watched the breeze play with her skirt as she walked away.

“Friends, huh?” Rush said, coming to stand beside me.

“Yeah. She’s decided we can be friends,” I told him, not taking my eyes off her. She said something to Della, who glanced over at us and then back at Bethy. I saw Bethy nod, and Della looked relieved.

“I tried the friends thing with Blaire once. It lasted less than a week before I was stripping her naked in the back of my Range Rover. Good luck with that,” Rush said in an amused tone before walking off.

He didn’t have the history with Blaire that I had with Bethy. It would take a hell of a lot longer before I made that kind of headway with Bethy.

He had no idea what I had to overcome with her.

Bethy

“An Betty, see me!” Nate’s little voice called out. I spun around to see Nate in Rush’s arms as they walked into the rehearsal dinner. Rush bent down to set his son on the floor, and then his little legs were off and heading straight for me. Laughing, I opened my arms for him.

“My best fella is here,” I said as his little arms wrapped around my neck. Nate had been only a few months old when Jace drowned, and I’d spent a lot of time with Blaire during the months afterward. I couldn’t be alone. Watching Nate when they’d needed a sitter had been good for me, and we’d bonded.

“I flew in da pwayne,” he announced as I picked him up in my arms.

“You did! Was it fun?” He flew in his grandfather’s jet quite a bit.

“Yeah,” he said, nodding. Then his eyes lit up as he spotted Grant. “Dare’s Until Gwant,” he said, pointing. “See me, Until Gwant!” he called out. Grant turned his attention toward Nate’s voice, and a grin spread across his face. Grant made his way over to us.

“Hey, bud!” he said, holding his fist out, which Nate hit with his own fist. The fact that Rush had taught his two-year-old to fist-bump was too funny. He also wore his baseball caps backward and drew pictures on his arms with a black marker whenever his mother wasn’t watching. He wanted “pictures” on him like his daddy.

“See, my Betty,” Nate said, patting my chest.

Grant chuckled. “Yeah, I see your Bethy. Did you fly in with Papa Dean?”

Nate nodded his head. “We flew da pwayne.”

“I bet you did,” Grant said.

“See Wywa Kate,” Nate said, wiggling in my arms as Harlow walked in holding Lila Kate in her arms.

I took the hint and set Nate down. His little feet took off running toward Harlow and the baby.

“I think he may love your little girl more than me these days,” I told Grant.

“Don’t let it get to you. She’s hard to compete with,” Grant said with a grin. “I need to help Harlow with the wild man,” he said before chasing after Nate. I watched as Grant caught up with Nate and scooped him up in his arms so he could see Lila Kate.

Nate was a charmer, and he’d make the complete rounds of the room before he remembered I was here and came back to see me. He loved to play the crowd.