A Reason to Love Read Free

would never have liked her hanging around with him. Back then, he’d had a well-deserved reputation for running wild.
    He watched her walk away, telling himself he was just making sure she was all right. Even so, that wasn’t the reason he admired the gentle sway of her hips and that thick tumble of wavy red hair that reached nearly halfway down her back. The combination was the kind of thing that grabbed a man’s attention.
    Now that he’d gotten a better look at her, he realized Melanie had changed a lot since the last time he saw her. That must have been nearly ten years ago, right after high school when she’d left Snowberry Creek to go to some college back east. In those days, she’d been cute enough despite the dark-rimmed glasses that had threatened to overwhelm her delicate beauty. Melanie had been shy, and he’d always suspected she’d worn those glasses as armor to hide behind.
    Not anymore, though. Now that she’d regained control of herself, she moved with more confidence. It looked good on her. Maybe later she’d catch him up on her life. That is, if she was still speaking to him after the wedding.
    She glanced back in his direction and frowned, a reminder that it was time to get with the program. He hustled his ass around to the other side of the building and traded his cap for his helmet. He’d rather ride without either one, but he also didn’t want to draw the attention of the police on his first day back in town.
    After tonight, though, all bets were off. He revved the engine and roared off to catch up with Melanie.
    •   •   •
    Ten minutes later, Spence followed Melanie’s car into the church parking lot. She pulled into the last available slot while he drove his motorcycle onto the grass and turned off the engine. When he took off his helmet, he could hear music coming from the church. Evidently, the wedding was already in progress. His temper instantly flared hot and furious.
    He’d been running on the edge like that ever since he woke up in a hospital to find out all of his friends thought he was dead. He might not have died after their vehicle had hit an IED, but there’d been plenty of times in the following months that he wished he had. That part of his life had been filled with darkness, pain, fever, and fear. Rather than get sucked too far down into the mire of the memories ripping through him, he dug his fingernails into the palms of his hands, using the small pain to help him focus on the present.
    He didn’t want to miss a single minute of what was about to happen.
    Melanie caught up with him. “It sounds as if they’ve already started. I’m guessing we’ll have to wait to be seated until after the bridal party is up front.”
    When they slipped inside the narthex of the church, Callie and her father were already halfway down the aisle. Spence leaned closer to Melanie. “You can go on in, Mel. I think I’d better watch from out here.”
    That much was true. He wasn’t sure he could keep his mouth shut if the minister actually asked if anyone had any objections to the marriage. Hell yeah, he did. However, even if he did want to kick Nick’s ass up and down that aisle a few times, Callie didn’t deserve to have her big day ruined with a brawl.
    He watched as Mr. Redding lifted Callie’s veil and kissed his daughter’s cheek before stepping back to join his wife in the front pew. Mrs. Redding pressed a tissue to her eyes as she watched her daughter move up to stand beside the groom in front of the minister. With a huge lump in his throat, Spence forced himself to look at the man who used to be his best friend.
    Watching Nick hurt too much, so he dragged his gaze to the woman standing next to Callie. Leaning forward a little, as if that small distance would help bring everything into focus, he recognized Bridey Roke. It made sense that she would be Callie’s maid of honor.
    Shit.
Leif was up there, too. He should’ve expected him to be there, but his presence