Susanna Carr - The Bridesmaid's Best Man

“What does that have to do with me?” she asked. She grabbed the water bottle, careful not to graze her fingers against his.

“I have to find out what caused the accident. She had a wild lifestyle a while back. Her family wants to know if she’s still into that. If they need to get her some help.”

“I don’t know anything about Heidi,” she reminded him as she took a sip. Her throat didn’t seem to want to cooperate as Cole watched her drink. She wiped the water away from her mouth with the back of her hand. “I don’t think I can help.”

“You have access,” he pointed out.

She glared at him. “Is this about you going to the wedding? I already said no.” She didn’t even have to think about it. The word had fallen from her lips. She had been stunned by his request. How could he ask her on a date—even a fake one—when he had broken her heart? Didn’t he have any feelings?

“I need more than a wedding invite,” he explained. “I need total access. The rehearsal dinner. Behind the scenes.”

“It’s not necessary.” Angie shook her head and started for her car. “Heidi may be out of the wedding, period. She has a head injury.”

“But the people at the bachelorette party would be there,” he said softly.

She stopped and turned. “You don’t think it was an accident.”

“It could be an accident. The police think so, and I haven’t seen any information about her blood alcohol level,” he admitted. “I think someone may have tried to hurt Heidi. It probably had something to do with her private life. I just don’t know how they did it.”

“Private life?” She thought that was an odd choice of words and she thought about the other comments he’d made about Heidi. She lifted her chin when she realized what he was trying not to say. “You mean drugs. That’s why you asked if she was on something.”

His eyes widened with admiration. “Good catch. I don’t know if she’s still using.”

She pursed her lips as she tried to remember how Heidi had acted over the past few days. “I haven’t seen any signs of it.”

“You weren’t looking for signs, but maybe if I hung around while you were preparing for the wedding...” he said hopefully as he let his words trail off.

Angie sighed and crossed her arms. “Why do you have to drag me into this?”

“Why won’t you let me be your date?” he countered.

“I think it’s obvious.” It didn’t matter if it was a pretend date. Spending a day with Cole would remind her of what she once had with him. What she had lost.

Cole’s jaw tightened. “Are you taking someone else?”

She went still. Angie would love to lie and avoid any discussion on her nonexistent love life. But it wouldn’t take much for him to find out the truth. “No.”

His blue eyes darkened. “Will someone get jealous if you take me?” he asked stiffly.

She wanted to scoff at the suggestion. “No.”

He spread his arms out. “Then what’s the problem?”

He didn’t get it. How was that possible? For a private detective, Cole Foster was oblivious. “I don’t have to give you a reason.” She turned and marched to her car.

“Come on, Angie,” he said right behind her.

“After all,” she said, “you didn’t give me a reason why you broke up with me.”

“Is that what this is all about?” His voice rose with incredulity. “I told you why I needed to break up with you.”

“You weren’t ready for a relationship.” She yanked her car door open. “It’s you, not me.” She threw the water bottle into the backseat with more force than necessary. “Something about how I deserved better.”

“You do,” he said quietly.

She wasn’t going to fall for the sincerity in his voice. No, what Cole really meant was that he deserved better. “Are you dating anyone?” she asked huskily as the emotions clawed her throat. “Wouldn’t she be upset if you started hanging around your ex? Or would she understand that it was just for an assignment?”

“There hasn’t been anyone since you.”

Angie didn’t realize how much she needed to hear those words until he had spoken them. If he’d been in a relationship with someone else, it would have destroyed her. “I find that hard to believe,” she said hoarsely.

“It’s true.” He took a step closer. She took a step back and bumped up against her car. “I’ve spent all my time and energy building up my agency.”

“And what’s up with that?” she asked, her voice rising. “Not once did you talk to me about having your own business. You were passionate about what you did. About working with Missing Persons.”

“It’s still what I do,” he said, his eyes sparking with annoyance. It was clear he didn’t want to discuss it. “My agency specializes in tracing people. Reuniting families.”

“I thought everything was fine and then it was like you changed overnight.” And it wasn’t easy to ignore when his abrupt change occurred. It was right after she lowered her guard. Once she started taking charge in the bedroom.

Her face burned as she remembered that. She had felt sexy and desirable. Strong and assertive. She thought Cole loved it. That he wanted her to reveal this side she didn’t share with anyone else. Those moments had been special. Intimate.

She had only been fooling herself. Seeing what she wanted to see. She thought they were solid as a couple, but she was blindsided when he dumped her two weeks later. He had walked away, saying he couldn’t give her what she needed.

But what he really meant was that she was undesirable. Unwanted. Her fantasies were not his. She couldn’t give him what he needed. She had given him everything but she hadn’t been good enough.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you.” His whisper was heavy with regret.

She straightened up and offered a tight smile. “I’m over it,” she lied. “I just thought you were different from the other guys.”

Cole frowned. “What do you mean by that?”

“That you weren’t in it for the challenge.” What a few men had tried to do in the past. To take on Angie Lawson. Soften her up and tame the tomboy.

* * *

COLE TOOK A step back and stared at Angie. “You think I dated you because I like a challenge?”

Angie was a challenge, all right. She was stubborn and impatient. Independent almost to a fault. She was brazen but he also saw the insecurities she tried to hide.

“I don’t know why and I don’t care,” she declared. “All I know is that I’m not going to put myself through that again.”

“Angie, our time together meant a lot to me. I can’t tell you how difficult it was to leave you.” It had been the hardest thing for him to do, but it had been necessary. He had started to think he could be with Angie forever. That she could fall in love with him. But that was a fantasy. Even if he tried harder and tried to be better, he wasn’t worthy of love. His family had proven that to him years ago.

Cole stepped away from Angie and looked down. He didn’t want her to see the struggle in his eyes. “Angie, it’s very hard for me to ask, but I need your help.”

He felt her hesitation. She was the kind of woman who automatically offered her help, but it was different now. He knew how awkward it was to offer help to someone who had once discarded you.

“You were always there when I needed you.” He hated how his voice cracked. Hated how much her loyalty had meant to him. “And I was there for you.”

“We were a couple then,” she said softly.

“You are still very important to me.” She was the most important person in his life, but he couldn’t tell her that. Angie wouldn’t believe him, anyway.

“So important that you couldn’t stay in touch?” she asked bitterly.