Read Online Busted: Promise Harbor, Book 3 by Sydney Somers - Free Book Online Page B

to lean across the seat so he could breathe her in, then realized what time it was. He started the car. Josh was probably already wondering where he was since he hadn’t mentioned anything about taking Hayley.
    Half a dozen times at least he found his gaze straying from the road to the intriguing woman next to him. How had he missed seeing how attractive she was in high school? He should have noticed that wild spark in her eyes, heard that contagious laugh and felt his own rise in response.
    Hayley ran her fingers through her hair. “Do I still have grass in it?”
    “No.”
    “Then why do you keep looking at me like I have two heads or something?”
    Unsure whether being called out for staring bothered him or impressed him—both probably—he shrugged. “I wasn’t expecting you to look so amazing.”
    Hayley shifted in her seat. “It’s just a little makeup and a dress.” A glimpse of the girl who used to fade into the background, when she hadn’t been neck deep in trouble, surfaced.
    “It has nothing to do with makeup or the dress.” She could be sitting next to him in a clown suit and a giant foam nose and she’d still be sexy as hell. He tried to think of which women from his past he could say that about and came up empty.
    The crowd gathering outside the church took instant notice of their arrival, more than a few stares following him as he grabbed Hayley’s hand and led her across the street and into the church.
    Her fingers tightened around his and he returned the squeeze, letting himself hold on to her long after he’d found a spot for her close to the front. He would have lingered if he hadn’t spotted Josh off to the side of the altar.
    “Cutting it a bit close, don’t you think?” Josh’s smile was a little too bright as Jackson reached him. He whistled low when he noticed the bruise on Jackson’s face. “Tell me the other guy looks worse.”
    Jackson glanced back at Hayley and the slight discoloration on her cheek that her makeup hadn’t completely masked. “Not quite.” He decided to change the subject. “I tried calling you this morning.”
    His friend fiddled with his jacket, then his collar. “Had some stuff to take care of.”
    “Everything good, man? Last night you said some stuff.”
    Josh cut him off there. “I’m good.” He gave Jackson a friendly slap on the back. “I think it’s almost time to get started.”
    Jackson searched his friend’s face a moment longer, then nodded. Josh knew what he was doing, right? One of them had to have their shit together, and after last night the whole church knew it wasn’t Jackson.
    He stole another glance at Hayley, marveling at the cute blonde who seemed to be looking at everyone in the wedding party but him. She’d actually spun him around last night and slapped handcuffs on his wrists with enough force to stun the hell out of him.
    There was far more to Hayley Stone than he would have guessed, and he couldn’t wait to unravel the mystery of how she’d gone from rebel to rescuer. Considering that she’d carted him outside to wait for a patrol car with people grumbling about the arrest the entire time, he knew there was still a lot of the rebel left in her.
    A minute later the bride came down the aisle, and while most of the crowd’s attention shifted to Allie, Jackson continued to watch Hayley. She glanced his way finally, and he winked at her before turning his attention to being there for his friend.
    “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to unite this man and woman in holy matrimony,” the reverend began.
    “Oh, hell no.”
    Jackson scanned the church, hunting for the source of the voice.
    “Gavin?” Pretty as a model from the cover of a bridal magazine, Allie sounded like she’d swallowed something the wrong way.
    At the other end of the church, a man strode toward them. Jackson didn’t recognize the name right away, but the guy looked vaguely familiar.
    Movement from the corner of his eye snagged his