Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

There was no way Tara's wedding could be anything less than spectacular. It had to be big-grand enough that everyone would know the Fergusons and the Warrens were joining forces.

Dylan stayed quiet, listening as the two Mrs. Fergusons started daydreaming about what his and Tara's future kids might look like.

Tara glanced over and saw his dark mood. She nudged him with a smile. "You think I'm being too stubborn, don't you? But Dylan, you used to say you liked how I always had to come out on top, no matter what. Sure, you're a little different

these days, but deep down, I know you haven't changed."

Dylan dropped his gaze, lost in his own thoughts.

He only snapped back to reality when Mrs. Ferguson spoke up.

"Dylan, let's set the wedding for three months from now. I'll just tell everyone that marriage certificate you posted on social media was a joke."

No one would ever bother to check if it was real anyway.

Dylan put his glass down. "Clara is my wife. I'm not divorcing her, Mom, I—"

He didn't even finish before Mrs. Ferguson started coughing uncontrollably.

The vibe in the room changed in an instant. The people who'd been sitting so close suddenly felt like strangers.noveldrama

Mrs. Warren looked at Tara.

But Tara didn't flinch. Instead, she turned to comfort her grandmother. “Grandma, I'll handle it. Don't stress about it anymore. Just focus on picking out a good date for the wedding in three months, okay? Trust me I've got this."

Mrs. Warren, who'd been fuming just moments before, just sighed.

"You stubborn girl. I shouldn't have come today. You young people sort it out yourselves."

Mrs. Warren and Mrs. Ferguson went way back-they'd been close since they were young. If it weren't for that, the two families never would have raised Tara as the future Mrs. Ferguson.

Mrs. Ferguson stood up to walk Mrs. Warren out, reassuring her as they went. "Dylan just needs some time. Don't worry, we'd never treat your family unfairly."

Their voices and footsteps faded down the hall.

Dylan stayed where he was, not moving. He heard Richard sigh.

Richard drained his drink. "This won't be easy. Tara's not the type you can just brush off."

A woman who could make it in the architecture world wasn't going to back down with a few words.

That stubborn streak was in her bones. And with the Warren family's background, Tara had always believed that anything she wanted would eventually be hers.

Footsteps sounded in the hallway. Tara came back, having walked the two Mrs. Fergusons out.

She looked at Richard. "Hey, bro, are you guys headed out tonight? I haven't seen Nicholas and the others in ages. Let's go grab some drinks."

Tara got along with both of them-her upfront, no-nonsense attitude and relentless energy earned her plenty of respect from the guys around her.

She turned to Dylan, completely unfazed by his earlier coldness.

"Dylan, you should come too. Whatever's going on with us, we've known each

other for years. We can still be friends who share a drink, right?”

Just like Richard said-Tara was anything but easy to get rid of.

*

Later, in the Moonlight Lounge's private room, Tara poured a drink and handed it to Nicholas.

"Nick, I heard you and your sister had a falling out. That true?"

Tara was a few years older than Nicholas, and right now she looked like she was settling in to enjoy the show-determined to catch up on all the drama she'd missed.

Nicholas had been worried about seeing her tonight. Everyone knew Tara liked Dylan, and since he and Dylan were close, he'd felt awkward about getting too chummy with her.

But Tara was so relaxed and open about everything that if the guys started acting

weird, it would just make them look bad.

"We're fine now," Nicholas said. "Worked it out."

Tara didn't know the details between Nicholas and Scarlette-rumor had it that after Scarlette left the Greenard family three years ago, the siblings barely spoke, and Scarlette might even have a boyfriend now

Back when Tara left town, all she knew was that Nicholas was the ultimate sister's

boy. For him to ever fight with his sister? That was wild.

She turned to Jackson. "I sent you a wedding gift, you know. Not sure if you ever got it. But you don't look too happy with your wife. If you get married again, I'll send another one."

Jackson grinned, the corner of his mouth quirking up. "You might need to send it

soon."

Thanks to Tara's easygoing vibe, the tension in the room faded.

Only Dylan kept quiet, lost in his own world.