The Perfect Mix (Keller Weddings Book 1) by Kenna Avery Wood Page A

small windows on the side of the door. She couldn’t see anything but the hallway.
    When she glanced up, Beckett’s brows were drawn together. She slumped against the door. “I can’t believe this.”
    “Breathe, Anna,” Beckett said. “Do you want me to go get your mom? Or Jillian–”
    “No.” She grabbed his hand before he could reach the handle. “Please don’t.”
    He peered into her eyes. “What’s wrong?”
    “She’s out there. Catrina Whitmore.”
    His fingers curled around hers and he guided her to a chair in the dim room. “Who’s Catrina Whitmore?”
    Anna pressed her hands over her face and blew out a breath. “She’s the woman Tom cheated on me with.”
    {}{}{}
    That asshole. Beckett clenched his hands into fists. “She’s actually out there?”
    Anna nodded, her hands still covering her face.
    How dare she come in here. Who cared if she was the mayor’s daughter? She had to know who owned this place. She couldn’t be completely clueless. And it was probably Tom who’d put her up to it.
    Another thought occurred to him and he gritted his teeth, speaking in a measured tone. “Is Tom out there?”
    Her hands fell away, and the blood drained from her face. “You think he is? Beckett, no–”
    “Wait. Hold on.” His heart squeezed at her look, ached at what she was going through. “We don’t know if he’s out there.”
    Anna stood, and he was surprised to see her hands shaking. He clasped them between his own and found them cold. He rubbed them to infuse some warmth back into them.
    “It doesn’t matter if he’s out there,” Beckett said. Although he couldn’t imagine Tom would have the guts to walk right into a business his ex-fiancée’s family owned.
    “It doesn’t matter?” Anna asked, incredulous. “How can you say that? Beckett–if he’s out there…you don’t think…” Her eyes lifted to his. “You think they’re getting married?”
    Beckett’s gut clenched. He wouldn’t put it past Tom. And sending his fiancée in here was a low move–but also just like Tom.
    “If he comes in here, your family will tell him to leave,” Beckett assured her.
    “They’ll realize who Catrina is soon enough. I’m surprised Jillian didn’t already put it together.”
    He wasn’t. They would have realized sooner if Anna had told them anything more when it was all happening, but she’d only said Tom had been cheating and then been secretive about the rest.
    “He’s such an asshole,” Anna murmured.
    He wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned into his embrace, resting her cheek on his chest.
    “It’s fine.” Beckett said, his voice soothing. “They’ll realize it’s her and she’ll leave.”
    “Better if they kick her ass out of here.”
    He chuckled, and after a moment, heard her laughter as well. The scent of her shampoo wafted up, and before he could help it, he breathed in deep. It was a punch to the gut. To be this close to her and not be able to do anything but support her. He couldn’t ask her out now, couldn’t kiss her, couldn’t do anything. Not with the situation she was facing.
    “First the mouse and now this,” Anna said, easing back. He reluctantly let go. “I’m sorry.”
    “Why are you apologizing?”
    She ran a hand through her hair. “Because it’s not–I mean, you don’t have to be here dealing with this. I just…panicked. You can go if you need to.”
    “No.”
    Her eyes flashed to his. “What?”
    He folded his arms. “I’m staying in here with you until you feel comfortable enough to go back out there. Or until she leaves.”
    She studied his expression, eyes wandering his face like she thought he was lying. Finally, she said, “Thank you.”
    “Of course.” He took a step closer to her, completely ignoring his previous thoughts. Who cared if it wasn’t the time? He needed to say something . “Anna, you’re…”
    Before he could get the words out, words he’d been dying to tell her for years, the door opened.