Perfectly Pink - An It's Always Been You Romance (Complete)

Chapter 5

Mary fled down the hall, up the stairs, not stopping until she was in the safety of her room.

Her heart was threatening to burst out of her chest, and it wasn't from the running. These feelings scared the hell out of her.

Something had happened in that library, something she didn't understand. She'd never felt anything like it. Everything was going swimmingly. Simon was scratching the itch gnawing at her for months now. Ever since he walked into Emily's hospital room after almost two years of never setting eyes on him. Looking all flustered and cute and oh so delicious.

They hadn't seen much of each other until the days before the wedding. Finn had sequestered Emily in the Lake House and Mary rarely visited Bridgetown. She claimed it was because country living was not her cup of tea, but it had more to do with the way Finn glared at her. Emily may have forgiven her for what she did, but Finn was not giving up on that grudge.

Simon was never far from Mary's mind. As her dreams kept reminding her. Seeing him had ignited a flame deep inside, one that first flared when she was a teen. And Simon had not disappointed. Making her feel wanted and sexy. Desired. But that last round, it was different. Unlike anything she'd ever experienced before. With anyone.

It was like Simon could see inside her, and she him. In his baby blue eyes she saw the possibilities, the acceptance, the emotion. And she couldn't unsee it. 

Grabbing a glass from the bureau beside her bed, Mary poured herself a glass of the thank you wine given to the wedding party and downed it all in one go. She poured another attempting to steady her nerves.

She was not going to end up with Simon. He was a great lay but that was all it was, all it could ever be. Mary Montgomery wasn't destined to be with a lowly bartender.

Twenty minutes later her hair was fixed, her make-up perfect and her outward calm was back in its proper place. Exiting the safety of her room she worked her way back down to the reception that was just starting.

Mingling among the guests she avoided black-suited men with dark hair. When she spotted her friend and fellow single bridesmaid Sophie, Mary sighed with relief and made her way over to the end of the head table she was leaning against.

"Where have you been?" her friend asked.

"I needed a little reprieve from all the 'happy' couples." It wasn't exactly a lie.

"Hmmm, well you certainly looked refreshed. You're almost glowing as much as the bride."

Plucking a glass of champagne off a waiter's tray, she brought the liquid to her lips, trying to hide her blush. "Well, what are our prospects for this evening?"

"You know how it is. The ...ahem...older we get, the less and less single men show up at these things."

Mary chuckled mirthlessly. Sophie was one of her only single friends left from their group of gals. Everyone else was either married off or at least living with their long-term partner. The sad fact was Sophie should be married now if her fiancée hadn't been killed by a drunk driver. Their love had been the epic kind, love at first site, devoted to each other, destined to hold hands in their ninety's kind.

"He's cute"

Sophie tilted the stem of her champagne glass in the direction of the bar. Right at where Simon was standing with two of Finn's army buddies. Her mouth went dry. Sophie had to choose him.

Simon had put himself back together, except for his hair. There was no way to get those luscious curls back in line after rolling around on the floor with her. It only made him look hotter.