79. Reese

I sit at the head table next to Skyler. I’m an interloper—not a part of the bridal party, but family just the same. Marnie looks gorgeous in her wedding gown. It’s creamy white and satiny, draping her body like a water nymph. Dusty looks completely, utterly entranced by her.

All the guys look pretty sharp in their matching tuxes. I’m wearing a dark red dress that skims my curves. Skyler has his hand on my thigh, sneaking the skirt higher and higher under the covered table.

He holds an innocent conversation with Ben Pierson, one of his classmates, while his fingers threaten to skim my panties. I brace my hand over his wrist, forcing it back down my thigh. The only visible sign of our hidden struggle is the hint of a smile on his lips.

He's telling Ben about our apartment in Boulder. He complains about the old plumbing and drafty windows when we’re back home, but when he’s telling his friends about it, his eyes light up.

Funny, how after just a few weeks, Colorado has become home, and Silver Bend has loosened its hold on my heart. I know it was tough for Skyler to leave his buddies behind, but now we’re closer to his brother and his Uncle Don. Cody’s talking about making the move next fall.

Ben moves on and Skyler leans in to whisper in my ear. “Did I mention I like this dress?”

I grin, shivering a little when his lips brush my neck. “You might have mentioned it.”

His fingers glide up the slit in the side of the skirt. “This needs to go higher, though.”

“Any higher and everyone would see my underwear.”

He grins, biting his lip at the idea. “Would you like me to modify it for you?”

“Are you going to rip it off me?”

He nips at my ear. “Would you be sad if I did?”

“Just buy me another and we’ll call it even.”

He takes my hand and puts it on his lap. I slide it up his thigh, intending to exact revenge. My fingertips skate along a very chubby shaft and suddenly I’m wondering how long is polite to stay at the reception.

Skyler puts his arm around my shoulder, and I lean into him. We watch Dusty and Marnie move to the center of the dance floor for their first dance.

Dusty’s sister, Sienna, stands to the side holding their baby. She’s a precious little thing with Marnie’s dark hair. It’s a little early to say, but it looks like baby Naomi got Dusty’s blue eyes. She’s a beautiful baby, but my gaze is drawn to the bride.

I watch the material of her dress flow around her like water. “That dress is just stunning.”

I glance up at him. “Did you hear she made the wedding cake?”

His fingers toy with the strap of my dress. “It’s nice.”

“It’s not nice. It’s a fucking masterpiece. All those pressed flowers? And she used honey from Dusty’s bees. Did you know he has bees?”

“I did know that.”

He runs his fingertips up my neck. “Should we have her make our cake?”

I’m not sure I heard him correctly. I crane my head to look at him. “What cake?”

His fingers toy with a curl that’s slipped out of my bun. “Our wedding cake.”

“Are we getting married? This is news to me.”

His free hand covers mine. “If you said yes, I’d marry you right here and now.”

My lips pull into a lopsided grin. “Might steal Marnie’s thunder if we did that.”

“Would you say yes? If I asked you?”

My cheeks start to warm up. “I guess you’ll just have to ask and find out.”

His thumb brushes over my lower lip. “That’s not a no.”

I smile. “It’s not a no.”

He kisses me and I’m vaguely aware that the DJ is yammering on about something. It’s not until Andy is tugging at my arm that I realize they’re calling the single women down to the floor. I resist her surprisingly strong grip. “But I’m not single.”

She pulls harder. “You’re not married yet, either. And neither am I. We’ve got to light a fire under these guys’ asses.”

Skyler grins at me. “I think Andy means business. You better go with her.”

Sighing gustily, I let her pull me away from Skyler. All I really want to do is drive back to the hotel. There’s a crisp white hotel bed with our name on it.

But instead, I gamely let Andy pull me to the center of the dance floor. Marnie is standing there alone, facing a group of chattering single women. She turns, showing us her back. Holding her bouquet in both hands, she prepares to launch it.

One.

Two.

On the third swing, she turns and marches over to the group. I don’t like the determined look in her eye. Or the way she’s bee-lining towards me.

She pushes the bouquet into my arms and the watching guests cheer and hoot in response. My cheeks catch fire and I glance at Skyler, who’s smiling at me, clapping along with everyone else.

He climbs to his feet, meeting me just off to the side of the dance floor. “You got the bouquet.”

“Yeah. What the heck was that about?”

He shrugs, glancing around. “Want to get some air?”

“If it’s away from all these staring guests, yes, please.”

He takes me onto a wooden deck that overlooks the sprawling golf course. It’s unseasonably warm for April. A soft breeze glides over my shoulders and I stare up at the starry sky. “We may have the mountains, but they have the stars. You can’t see them like this back home.”

I turn around and my stomach drops.

Skyler is on one knee. “Is it too soon to ask?”

I’m too overwhelmed to respond coherently. “Don’t you need a ring?”

He grins. “Check the bouquet.”

I glance down at it and sure enough, tied in the center is a sparkling diamond ring. He takes the flowers from me, loosening the ring. Gathering my hand in his, he looks up at me. “Reese Olson, will you marry me?”

My eyes start to burn, and I nod. “Yes.”

He climbs to his feet, slipping the ring on my finger. Then he pulls me against his body, pressing his lips against mine. Pulling back, he tucks my head under his jaw and takes a shaky breath. “You said yes.”

“I did.”

“I would have kept asking if you said no. I would ask again and again and again.”

His hands feel warm and strong on my back. “I let you go once and felt your pull each and every day.”

“I felt it, too.”

“I’m sorry, Baby. I won’t make that mistake again. I’m yours now for as long as you want me.”

“Forever?”

“Longer than that.”

Thank you for reading Teach Me How.

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Jordan Trygg is an independent author. Every review and rating matters.

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Want more Silverbend stories? Check out the trilogy featuring the dreaded Pierson siblings.

Summer Elliot is out for revenge. And her ex-boyfriend’s brother is the best man for the job.

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Summer

This is it.

This is the moment where my biographer will look back and say, that was the day Summer Elliot snapped and lost her ever-loving-mind.

I’m not sad that my ex is engaged.

I’m pissed.

Like… punch a hole in something pissed.

Might have been nice if someone had given me a heads-up. Warned me before I drove my unsuspecting ass out to the lake for the weekend.

But no. It was a lovely surprise for all. I get the feeling that they didn’t expect me to show. Judas. You leave these people alone for one year and they forget you exist.

There’s blame to go around. Maybe I should have asked more questions. I’m not as active in our group chat as I used to be. After the whole Bryce debacle, I sort of threw myself into my career.

You would think someone could have warned a girl, though.

I saw it on their faces the second I walked up. That oh shit look. Quickly followed by the poor thing look.

Damn it.

Trinity snaps a few times in front of my face. “Are you going to need medical assistance? Should I call for help?”

Yes. Probably. “I’m fine.”

I’m most certainly not.

Because add to my growing list of catastrophic issues, Trinity Pierson is not so little anymore.

Maybe I should have come back more often after graduation. Gone to a few of the football games, like my old high school friends still do. If I had, I would know that Trinity is now easily a foot taller than me. He’s filled out.

And has that rugged, easy-going farm boy look that is both disarming and electrifying.

If there’s a moral to be learned in all this, it’s that if you don’t keep up with every last friend you’ve ever had, the consequences are dire.

My fingers twitch, curious to know if that scruff on his jaw is soft or bristly.

Fuck it. Asking nicely isn’t winning Trinity over. He’s always been a stubborn little shit. Time to use my feminine wiles on him.

I step closer, reaching way up to brush my fingertips across his jaw.

So soft. “Come on, Trinity. I’m desperate here.”

That last line came out even breathier than I intended. I’m having a hard time squaring Ben’s annoying little brother with this giant standing in front of me. He’s just so much more than I expected.

He’s going to drive Bryce bonkers. Burn the pity right off my turncoat friends’ faces.

I’m starting to question if they’re still my friends. A smarter woman would recognize a viper’s nest when she sees it and leave. But I’m not smart. I’m petty. And proud.

And there’s no way I can back down now.

I let my hand drop away. “I probably seem pretty shallow.”

“Wasn't thinking that.”

His voice is low and just a little gritty.

“I was.”

A tired laugh pushes its way through my chest. “So, how about it? You want to help me with a little petty revenge?”

He pulls his cap off, revealing sun-bleached hair. His fingers comb through the short waves before he firmly tugs the cap back on. “You were really banking on me saying yes to this, weren’t you?”

“I mean, yes? You were always stirring up shit when you were a kid.”

He fights a grin. “Me? You’re thinking of someone else.”

“Ah. So, somebody else set the pigs loose in the girls' locker room?”

He presses his lips together, laughter dancing in those pretty gray eyes.

I pretend to scowl. “Those pigs ate my brand-new running shoes, Pierson.”

He puts both hands on his lean, trim hips. “You still mad about that, Elliot?”

He’s drawn my attention to his flawless abs, and the way they’re almost fluttering up and down.

Ho-ly shit. He’s nervous.

It’s a revelation that both shocks me and fills me with hope. Almost giddy with adrenaline, I ease closer, gently poking him in the stomach. “You owe me.”

His gaze locks with mine and I’m snared. My own breath comes too shallow. My heart starts racing, leaving my confidence in the dust. He’s making it very difficult to lord power over him.

After a few seconds that seem to stretch for hours, he bends down and grabs a coil of rope. “Get back on the dock.”

My heart dips. “Why?”

“I need to tie the boat off so that I can go get my trailer.”

I tilt my head. “And then?”

He laughs, giving me a lopsided grin. “And then we’ll go put on a show for your friends.”