Free The Wedding Agreement by Elizabeth Hayley

it.”
    â€œI’m very impressed.”
    Nina gasped, eyes wide. “Maybe I can use some of them for your wedding.”
    Alex couldn’t keep the confusion off his face. “What do you need flowers for?”
    â€œFor me to throw down the aisle. I get to be the flower girl, right? My friend Jasmine got to be in hermom’s wedding. She got a pretty dress. I get a pretty dress, right?”
    Alex didn’t know how to respond. He mentally scolded himself for not anticipating this question, especially since Nina had already asked about dress shopping several times. But now that she’d directly asked to be the flower girl, how could he tell her no? Especially in front of Tessa. He knew it would only make it harder on her when he had to break the news that the wedding was canceled, but he found himself agreeing anyway. “Of course.”
    â€œYay!” Nina was bouncing with excitement.
    Tessa was looking at Nina, her smile genuine. It remained firmly in place when she brought her gaze up to look at Cass and Alex. “Would you guys like to come in? Maybe we could sit and get to know each other a little.”
    Tessa seemed to be extending an olive branch, but Alex couldn’t help but be wary. It felt a little like he and Cass were Hansel and Gretel, and Tessa was trying to lure them into her lair with promises of sweetness, while her true motive was to cook them alive. He spared a glance at Cass to gauge her feelings about the invitation.
    She shot him a placating smile. “Sure. That’d be great.”
    Tessa pushed the door open wider as Nina bounced into the house. Cass and Alex lingered in the entryway as Tessa shut the door and turned to lead them through her home. They ended up in a cozy family room, Nina kneeling on the floor in front of the television, Pete sitting on the couch, thumbing through
Men’s Health
.
    How cliché.
    Pete looked up as they walked farther into theroom, surprise clear on his face. He stood abruptly, dropped the magazine on the dark-finish coffee table, and extended his hand toward Alex. “Hey, Alex. Good to see ya.” Though he smiled, his staccato words revealed his discomfort.
    Not that Alex could blame him. Alex had never been in their home before, and his interactions with Pete had been limited in the years Pete had been living with Tessa. The longest conversation Alex had ever had with the man was when he’d cornered Pete in the parking lot of the gym he owned, and Alex had told him in no uncertain terms that if Pete ever hurt Nina, Alex would do things to him that would prevent Pete’s family from having an open casket at his funeral. And after waving around a file that detailed every recordable aspect of Pete’s life since birth, Alex interpreted Pete’s blanched face as evidence that the message had been received. The meeting had left their interactions even more strained than they would’ve otherwise been. A scared Pete was a law-abiding Pete. Not that the guy had more than two speeding tickets and one trespassing charge from when he and his buddies had broken into their high school as a senior prank. But still, a little fear never hurt anybody.
    â€œGood to see you too, Pete. This is my fiancée, Cass.” Alex gestured toward Cass, who stepped forward to shake Pete’s hand.
    â€œNice to meet you,” she said.
    â€œYou too.” Pete’s gaze swiftly tracked over Cass’ body.
    It might have been a professional hazard—a customary assessment any personal trainer would make of an obviously fit person—but Alex didn’t appreciate it. He wrapped a proprietary arm around Cass’shoulders and gave Pete a look that had him shrinking back slightly.
    â€œPlease sit. Can I get you anything to drink?” Tessa offered.
    â€œNo, thanks,” Cass responded. “I’m fine.”
    â€œI’m fine too. Thanks.”
    They all sat: Pete and Tessa on the love seat and