Page 129 of Insta Bride

If we were getting back together tonight, I refused to let him think he’d out-grand-gestured me.

I hated losing our banter fights. I refused to lose the only one that mattered.

Elena to Hunter: I need Ronan’s deets

Hunter: Isn’t one guy in love with you enough?

Elena to Hunter: I need Ronan’s number

Hunter: Ronan is into single-serve blondes

Elena to Hunter: Some would say the same thing about Kye

Hunter: I don’t want to help you do crazy

Elena to Hunter: You mean like steal a bride on her wedding day? Or take the bride on her honeymoon without the groom?

Hunter: Well played.

Ronan hadn’t expected my call. Being Hunter’s friend didn’t buy me more than a promise to make a call on my behalf. Half a dozen phone calls later and I had a reason to escape the confines of the rooms and sneak down to the hotel lobby and coffee shop.

Even though I sat in the back, hoodie over my hair still in rollers, a gorgeous blonde girl in cut offs and These Are My Flying Monkeys on a black touring t-shirt didn’t need to ask before claiming the seat opposite.

“Neve?”

“Yes, but only my family call me that. I’m Sydney and you must be Kye’s wife, Elena.”

“How do you know Kye?” I hated to ask, but it seemed to be a common question when I met women.

“Who else do you think came up with the idea of grabbing his thoughts and putting them to music.”

“That was you? I thought—”

“My guys, my band, my idea. They write the music, but I do the publicity.”

“Oh.”

I’d known Ronan was connected to The Flying Monkeys, but I had no idea how. Only that somehow, they’d created a song and used their influence to take over all radio stations and playlists. Thousands of TikTok videos had been created overnight and almost everyone wanted Elena to choose Kye.

“So, are you sure about this? You could get kicked out of the competition.”

“The only thing I want to win is the grand gesture.”

“Oh, this is going to be fun!” Sydney laughed, checking her phone and replying to a text. “Complicated relationships are my specialty and competitive lovers are my jam.”

“But, aren’t you—”

I was silenced by Australia’s sexiest rockstar striding through the lobby, veering towards the coffee shop and squeezing behind Sydney in the same chair.

“My dirty blonde,” he mused, ravishing her neck.

“My dirty everything,” she moaned her response. “Xav, Elena. Elena, this is my main complication, Xavier Galis.”

“A beautiful name for a beautiful woman.” He offered me a hand and didn’t try to overpower the handshake.

“Thank you for the song. I can’t even imagine—”

“My man, Devon, owes Kye a solid from back in their Army Cadet days. Happy to bring love to the world, one couple at a time.”