I breeze through the front door of Elegant Brides fifteen minutes after our scheduled appointment. Rhett is manning Animal Haven so Mo can shop for a wedding dress. There was no way Claire, Tess, and I were going to miss out on this. Claire took a day off, Tess closed up shop for the afternoon, and I’m officially done with college. So here we are.

“You’re late,” Claire says, not looking up from her phone. She’s sitting in a plush, pale pink chair, and the smile on her face tells me she’s probably texting with my brother Trevor.

Or worse yet…sexting. I shudder at the thought.

“Sorry, I hit traffic.”

“Traffic?” Tess furrows her brow. “In Heaven?”

Tossing my purse on the floor, I collapse onto a chair beside Tess and without thinking much of it, reply, “No, Houston.”

“Houston?” Claire tucks her phone in her purse and looks up. “What were you doing in Houston?”

“I—” Dragging the word out, I try to come up with an excuse and then decide to go with the truth. “It’s none of your business.”

Tess lifts an eyebrow.

“You’ve been spending a lot of time in Houston,” Mo says from the dressing room. “And according to your brother, your clinicals have already ended, which can only mean one thing… Adley Allen, are you hiding something from us? A man, perhaps?” she sings, stepping out from behind the curtain.

Her words don’t even process in my brain because all I can concentrate on is the gorgeous white dress my soon-to-be sister-in-law is wearing.

“Mo,” I breathe, standing up, Tess and Claire close behind me. “You look stunning.”

“Really?” she asks, biting her lip. “You don’t think it’s too…”

“Sexy?” Claire offers.

“Yeah, that.”

I shake my head. “Rhett is going to swallow his tongue when he sees you. And have I mentioned that he’s the luckiest man in the entire world?”

“Hey.” Claire pouts. “I’m dating your brother too.”

Laughing, I wrap an arm around her shoulders. “Trevor and Rhett are both the luckiest men in the world. Now if we can only find women for Cooper and Beau.”

Mo, Claire, and I turn toward Tess. Her eyes widen. She throws her hands up and takes a giant step back. “Oh, no. Don’t look at me.”

“Why not? You’d be a perfect addition to our family,” I say.

“She’s right.” Mo nods. “You and Coop would make a great couple. And you’re already friends, so it’s a win-win.”

“Absolutely not.”

Mo shrugs. “Fine. Beau it is. Hey…” She snaps her fingers and looks at me. “I’ve got the perfect idea. I can pair her and Beau up at the wedding.”

“No,” Tess protests. “I don’t need you to set me up. I’m more than capable of getting my own date.”

“I love it,” I say, ignoring Tess.

Claire nods. “They’ll have to walk down the aisle together—”

“And sit together at the reception,” I add.

Mo’s eyes widen with excitement. “And we can have one of those awkward couple dances that everyone hates, and they’ll have to dance together to some sappy love song.”

“Yes!” I hold up my hand, and she delivers an enthusiastic high five, but when I turn around, Tess looks anything but excited. “What?”

“I’m not going to date your brother.”

“I said that once too,” Claire says. “Didn’t work out so well for me.”

“Yeah, well, I have more self-control than you.”

“Mmm-hmm,” Claire hums. “You say that now. Wait until you’re trapped in a tiny bathroom with his humongous erection pressed against your hip. I bet you won’t have self-control then.”

“Well, I won’t have to worry about that because Beau and I will never be trapped in a tiny bathroom together.” Tess takes a breath and continues. “And why are we talking about me when Mo is standing here in the most gorgeous dress I’ve ever seen?”

I point a finger at Tess. “This discussion isn’t over, but you’re totally right.” I turn toward Mo. “I don’t care how many dresses you’ve picked out to try on today, this is my favorite.”

Mo takes a shuddery breath and steps in front of the mirror. With her eyes locked on the dress, she runs her hands over the lace bodice and down the A-line tulle skirt. “But you haven’t even seen the others.”

“Then go try them on, but I’m telling you now, this is the dress you’re going to choose. It’s delicate and elegant, just like the woman wearing it.”

“I don’t know that anyone’s ever used the word delicate to describe me.”

Mo is the owner and operator of a local no-kill shelter. Animal Haven is her life, and on any given day you can find her in a pair of jeans, a flannel shirt, and her favorite pair of Ariats.

“They will when they see you in this dress.” Taking her by the shoulder, I guide her back to the dressing room.

Wrapping her arms around my neck, Mo pulls me in for a hug. “I love you, Adley.”

“Aww,” Claire says, joining in. “I love group hugs.”

“Thank you, guys, for coming today. It means the world to me,” Mo says, holding out her hand to Tess without letting me go.

Tess wrinkles her nose. “I’m not much of a hugger.”

“Get used to it. As soon as my mom finds out you’re going to marry Beau, she won’t stop hugging you.”

“She’s right,” Claire says, tightening her hold on Mo and me. “Vivian is a hugger.”

“Come on, Tess,” Mo encourages.

“Fine.” Tess joins the group hug, albeit loosely. “But I’m not going to marry Beau.”

A throat clears behind us, and we all look up at the shop owner. She’s standing at the back of the room, a stack of dresses draped over her arm. “Sorry to interrupt; I was just wondering if you’re ready for the next dress.”

Mo disentangles herself from our arms. “I’m ready.”

“Great.” The chubby older woman scurries into the dressing room to hang up the other dresses and then reaches for the zipper on the back of Mo’s dress. “Let me know if you need help—different sizes, a drink of water, or anything really. I like to give the bride and her friends space to talk and explore, but I’m here if you need anything.”

“Thank you.” Mo smiles graciously. “I appreciate that.”

“All right.” I clap my hands, rubbing them together. “Let’s do this.”

With an excited squeal, Mo turns for the dressing room while Claire, Tess, and I sit down.

“This is going to be a long afternoon,” Tess whispers.

“Just remember that when it’s your turn,” I say, pulling my phone from purse so I can text Lincoln.

“If I ever get married, I’ll probably elope.”

“When, not if. And if you rob me of seeing my oldest brother tie the knot, I may never forgive you.”

Tess tosses a breath mint, smacking me in the head. I fumble, but manage to catch it before it falls to the ground.

“I don’t want to hear another word about Beau,” she says.

I run my fingers across my mouth in a universal zipping it motion and pop the Tic Tac in my mouth. I unlock my cell and type on the screen.

I made it.

Lincoln’s reply is instant. Good.

One word, nothing more.

When we’re together, he’s attentive and kind, always asking me about life and school and how I’m doing. But when we’re apart, he’s distant, which was fine when we started up this tryst.

But that was five months ago, and things have changed—at least for me they have. What started as fun and exciting has developed into so much more. Lincoln is kind and thoughtful, and he takes care of me in a way no one else ever has. I’m pretty sure I made a mistake when I put restrictions on our relationship, even if it made sense at the time.

Chewing on the inside of my mouth, I sigh.

“What’s wrong?” Claire asks.

“Oh, um, nothing.” Tucking my phone back in my purse, I give her my full attention.

She gives me a look that says nice try. “Does it have anything to do with why you were late?”

“I thought we were done talking about this.”

“Mo was right. It’s a guy.” Claire shakes her head. “Only a man could put that look on a woman’s face.”

Tess nods, and my eyes dart between the two of them. “What look?”

“Like you got laid, and it was the best damn sex you’ve ever had, and while you’re basking in the glory of an intense orgasm, you’re also worried you’ll never experience it again.”

Claire and I both stare at Tess, and she shrugs. “What? I’m perceptive.”

Claire blinks and turns to me. “I was going to say the look of love, but I like her explanation better. Is she right?”

Love?

I love the way he hums when he’s cooking dinner. And I love the way he makes sure my gas tank is always full. I also love his sleepy smile in the morning and the feel of his hand curled around my hip at night.

But do I love him?

No way.

Right?

Lust, maybe? A strong like? Pre-love?

A thousand lies sit on the tip of my tongue, but these are my friends—my family—and I’ve stretched the truth enough over the last several months.

I nod. “It’s a guy, but I’m not in love with him.”

Tess hoots. “I knew it! And you’re totally in love with him,” she says, dancing in her seat.

With a gleam in her eye, Claire scoots to the edge of her chair. “Who’s the lucky man? Do I know him?”

“I’d really rather not say.”

“Is it Ben?” Tess asks.

“The sexy mailman? No. But it’s a compliment that you think he’d be into me.”

Claire cringes. “Please tell me it isn’t Joseph.”

“No,” I laugh, remembering the time Mo set Claire up with her accountant.

“Lincoln?” Mo asks, poking her head out from behind the curtain.

Talk about hitting the nail on the head. “What is taking you so long?” I ask.

“I need help with the zipper.”

I stand up and motion for her to turn around.

“Am I right? Is it Lincoln?” she asks, looking over her shoulder.

I pull the zipper up and clasp the hook at the top. “I’m not going to tell you guys his name, so you might as well drop it.”

My best friend, Abby, is the only person who knows about Lincoln. She even met him once when I needed an emergency pickup on the way to a clinical. I hadn’t planned on telling her, but, hey, a secret of this magnitude is hard to keep to myself.

Mo turns around. “Can I ask you one question?”

I hold up one finger. “One.”

“Whoever it is, is he good to you?”

“Yes.”

“Is the sex great?” Claire asks. “Because that’s really important.”

“That’s two questions.”

Tess shakes her head. “Nope, one question per person. My turn. Are you happy?”

“Wait. Answer my question first,” Claire says.

“The sex is phenomenal, and yes, I’m happy.”

Tess smiles. “That’s all that matters.”

Mo steps around me to stand in front of the mirror. Claire and Tess ooh and ahh over the sequined material, and I take a step back.

Is that all that matters?

The night Lincoln kissed me for the first time, I would’ve said yes, all that mattered was that I was happy, because at the time I needed easy, and that’s exactly what he was willing to give.

No-strings-attached sex with a gorgeous cowboy.

There’s not a damn thing wrong with that.

But now, here I am. Twenty-four years old—almost twenty-five—with the career of my dreams at my fingertips and a man I have no idea what to do with, and while I am happy, I’m not so sure that’s enough anymore.

Mo giggles, bringing me back to the room and what I’m here for. With a hand propped on one hip, she poses in front of the mirror, and while I feel excited for her and my brother, I can’t help but feel a little lonely.

Grabbing my phone again, I shoot a text to my friend Abby.

Am I stupid for sleeping with Lincoln?

I watch three dots dance across the screen and then read her reply: Do you want my honest opinion, or do you want me to tell you want you want to hear?

Really? Do you usually just tell me what you think I want to hear?

Okay, honest opinion it is. You’re not stupid. Naïve, yes, but not stupid.

That wasn’t so bad. Except… Naïve?

For thinking you could sleep with him and not develop feelings. Things like this never end the way we want them to. Someone always gets hurt, and I don’t want that someone to be you.

I’m not going to get hurt.

Are you thinking of breaking up with him?

We’re not actually together, are we?

You know what I mean.

I think about it for a second and then type out a reply: Should I break things off with him?

Do you want to?

I don’t even have to think about that. The answer comes way too easily. No.

Then don’t.

But what if I want…more?

More what? More sex? More dates? More than his body?

All of the above?

I don’t think it’s possible for you two to have more sex without your vagina somehow falling off. But…if you want more, then go for it. Just take things slow. Men like Lincoln spook easily.

I don’t think we can move much slower. It’s been five months, and we’re in the same spot.

Her reply comes a second later. Because you built a fence around your relationship. Tear that fence down. Mix things up. Show him he’s more than short term and you’re more than a nursing student.

You’re right.

I always am.

“Adley.”

I put my phone away and stand up. “I’m sorry, what?”

Mo tilts her head to the side. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I am now.” Plastering on my best smile, I run my hand over Mo’s dress. “I still like the first one better.”

“Me too,” Claire, Tess, and Mo say at the same time.

We all laugh, and Mo steps back into the dressing room. “Two dresses down, twenty-two to go.”

Oh boy.