Chapter 1

The rest of the family burst into laughter.

Lucas Harlow's cousin, Spencer Harlow, clapped him on the shoulder and waggled his eyebrows.

"What's wrong, Lucas? Don't tell me you and Katherine have already slept together. We're all family here. There's nothing to be embarrassed about!"

My face instantly turned bright red, and I hurried to wave away the accusation. "No, we haven't. We really haven't."

I turned toward Lucas, expecting him to step in as gently as he normally did and steer the conversation in another direction.

Instead, Lucas didn't even look at me. His gaze remained fixed on the newlyweds' bed, and beads of cold sweat had formed across his forehead.

His aunt, Nora Whitmore, failed to notice anything unusual. She marched over, grabbed Lucas by the arm, and tried to push him toward the bed.

"Oh, come on! You're the only unmarried man for miles around. If you don't bless the newlyweds' bed for good luck, who will? Hurry up and get on there. Bring them some good luck!"

"I said I can't do it!" Lucas suddenly raised his voice and ripped his arm from Nora's grasp. He used so much force that she stumbled backward and nearly collided with the closet.

The laughter ceased in an instant.

Everyone froze, staring at Lucas in confusion.

He seemed to realize that he had lost his temper. After giving me a guilty glance, he quickly looked away. "My stomach's hurting. I need to use the restroom."

Without another word, he pushed through the crowd and hurried out of the room.

His mother, Beatrice Collins, immediately stepped forward to smooth things over. Taking Nora's hand, she offered her an apologetic smile.

"That boy has been running around helping with the wedding all day. He must be exhausted, and now his stomach is acting up again. Nora, please don't take it personally. The bride will be here soon. We'd better finish getting everything ready."

I remained where I was, staring in the direction Lucas had gone as my uneasiness continued to grow.

Lucas had always been an easygoing guy. He never lost his temper without a reason, yet the look in his eyes earlier had obviously been filled with fear and guilt.

What was he so afraid of?

…

That night, Lucas tossed and turned the entire night.

I lay awake, staring out the window. For the first time, I didn't turn toward him and put my arms around him as I normally did.

Whenever I shifted in bed, Lucas would instinctively pull me close. That night, however, he kept his distance. He was avoiding me, which made it clear that he was hiding something.

My gut instincts told me that something was wrong, but I couldn't bring myself to think about what it might be.

…

At the wedding the next day, Lucas remained distracted. While making the rounds for the customary toasts, he accidentally spilled his drink on another guest's clothes.

"Lucas, what's going on with you today? Are you feeling sick?" I asked with concern as I used a napkin to dab at the spill.

"I'm fine. I probably didn't sleep well last night."

Lucas forced a smile and closed his hand around mine, his grip painfully tight.

Just then, the glass doors to the hotel ballroom opened, and a woman wearing a loose, ankle-length dress strode in.

Nearly everyone at a small-town wedding knew one another, so the woman's arrival immediately made her stand out.

But the moment I recognized her, I froze.

The woman was none other than Addison Cooper. She had gone to high school with Lucas, and she was also his first love.