In a Broken Dream (The Broken Series Book 4) Read Free Page A

glittered more than any other diamond I’d seen. It was flanked on either
side by two smaller but equally brilliant diamonds, which were tucked inside the
platinum band.
    Cenia
smiled. “Roger wouldn’t allow me to answer him when he proposed. He said he
wanted me to meet his family first, so I’d know what I was getting myself into.
He held onto the ring the whole time we were in Tennessee. I didn’t give him my
answer until last Sunday. Since he proposed in the church parking lot, I
thought it best to give him my answer there. Instead of voicing my response, I
gave him this little fill-in-the-blank book I purchased that was entitled I
love you because... I filled in the blanks, popped in a few photographs of
the two of us, and wrote: ‘Yes, I will marry you,’ on the very last page.”
    “That
is so sweet,” I gushed.
    “That’s
when we had sex in the parking lot,” Roger clarified.
    “Roger!”
Cenia exclaimed. “We did not have sex in the church parking lot!”
    Roger
glanced at the couple sitting at the table across from us. “She can’t keep her
hands off me,” he explained.
    The
waitress set a mango martini in front of me before handing Jase and Kadyn their
sodas. “Have you decided what you’d like to eat?” she asked, completely oblivious
to the trouble Roger was stirring up.
    “I’d
like the mango chicken salad,” I replied, stifling my laugh.
    “Make
that two mango chicken salads,” Cenia corrected.
    “Bacon
cheeseburger, medium well,” Kadyn said.
    “I’ll
have the bacon cheeseburger, well done,” Roger replied.
    “Same
for me,” Jase announced.
    “Wow.
You guys certainly made that easy on me,” the waitress noted with a warm laugh.
She gathered our menus before walking away.
    “To
Cenia and Roger, lifelong friendship, and love,” I announced, raising my martini
glass.
    “To
Cenia and Roger,” Kadyn and Jase chimed in. We clinked our glasses together
before raising them to our lips.
    Cenia’s
eyes met mine as we set the drinks aside. “I know you’re dealing with a lot
right now, with everything that happened in Ukraine, so I completely understand
if you aren’t up for this, Kri, but I was really hoping you’d be my maid of
honor.”
    Kadyn
gave my hand a gentle squeeze underneath the table.
    My
heart clenched. I was already reminiscing about Michael’s proposal and the
wedding we’d been planning, but I really wanted to be there to support Cenia. I
had to believe that the joy I’d feel in seeing her marry Roger would outweigh
the pain caused by my loss. Tears pooled in my eyes. “Of course, Cenia. I would
be honored to be in your wedding.”
    Cenia
skirted the table and gave me a hug. “Thank you, Kri. We are going to have so
much fun, just you wait and see!”
    The
waitress returned with our food a few minutes later. She set the mango chicken
salads in front of Cenia and me before handing Kadyn, Jase, and Roger their
bacon cheeseburgers.
     I
swiped a French fry from Kadyn’s plate. He caught my hand mid-air and forced it
to his mouth so he could eat the fry. “Kadyn!” I exclaimed indignantly.
    Jase
laughed before offering me one of his fries.
    “Thanks,
Jase,” I replied. I gave Kadyn a smug look and popped the fry inside my mouth.
    Kadyn
just rolled his eyes.
    Roger
waited for the theatrics to die down before narrowing his attention to Kadyn.
“I asked you here for the same reason. I’d like you to be my best man.”
    Kadyn
grinned. “I’d be honored, Roger. Have you guys set a date, yet?”
    Roger
nodded. “November seventh.”
    The
smile fell from my face. “Of this year?” I exclaimed. “Are you guys insane? That’s
less than three months away!”
    Cenia
laughed. “Don’t worry. My mom’s got most of this covered. We just need to pick
out invitations, a dress, the tux, Roger’s ring, and a cake. I’ve got a whole
slew of aunts and cousins who’ll be helping my mom manage the rest.”
    “Where
are you getting married?” I asked, digging