He wasn’t wrong about the fairytale stuff, but I didn’t blame Chrissy for that at all. For what was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime event, it only made sense to go all out and make sure everything was perfect.
Plus, even though I knew of Chet, I didn’t know him all that well. He had been a few years ahead of me in school, so even if he’d had a crush on me back in the day, it must have been pretty short-lived.
And since Shayla and Dolly Hall were his family, anything I said over dinner might potentially be used against me at a later time.
“So, how have you been?” Inwardly, I cringed at my abrupt change of topic. “Shayla told me you’ve been doing well.”
I’d honestly forgotten whatever she’d said about Chet, other than something about a childhood crush, and I sure as hell wasn’t about to bring that subject up with him.
All I needed was a way to get through the evening and a pleasant distraction if my private worst-case scenario involving Cooper and Nolan came true.
Then, as if my thoughts had summoned them, they appeared before me.
My stomach sank as Cooper’s eyes met mine, and soon after, I locked gazes with Nolan.
For the longest, most uncomfortable moment of my life, it seemed like we were the only three people in the room.
To my left, Chet happily answered my question, seemingly oblivious to the fact that I was dying inside. I couldn’t even comprehend his words over the deafening rush of my heartbeat in my ears while I hoped and prayed that the guys weren’t assigned seats anywhere near me.
I quickly turned back to face Chet and forced myself to concentrate on only him.
“I’m so glad we have this chance to catch up!” I gave him my best fake smile and hoped like hell he hadn’t realized I’d missed almost everything he’d just said. “Please keep going. Tell me everything.”
With Chet satisfied by my attentiveness for at least a few minutes, I risked a glance back toward the other end of the table.
And... no. Thank God. They didn’t even seem to be within earshot as they sat down. Whoever did the seating arrangement considerately put those guys as far from me as possible.
They were still within my line of sight, and they continued staring right back at me, which counted for back-to-back awkward moments.
“And my mom gave me a reference to work down the street with—”
Even though I wasn’t exactly paying attention to whatever Chet was talking about, a part of me still cringed at the mere mention of his mother, Dolly Hall.
Just keep smiling. Just keep smiling. Don’t let anyone see you sweat.
But lord, that was easier said than done.
I was thankful Cooper and Nolan made it safely through the storm. I was also super thankful they weren’t, like, sitting on either side of me. That would have been the ultimate nightmare scenario.
Whatever. It didn’t matter anymore, did it? The three of us were already far too close, being a few yards away from each other for the first time since high school. And it felt... yeah, just like I’d feared.
Horrible.
Awful.
Rage-inducing.
And at least a dozen other feelings and emotions that I hadn’t even had time to process.
I wanted them to leave. I wanted them to stand up and walk out the door, so we could all pretend that none of this had happened.
That we had never even ever met.
That would be best for everyone involved.
Second best? If they stayed far away from me and minded their businesses, and stopped staring at me.
I didn’t want them in my life, and I didn’t want to be a part of theirs.
Period.
End of story.
So why did I find myself stealing another glance in their direction?
And why had they grown up to look like a couple of gorgeous hot underwear models?
And why did I imagine them in nothing more than underwear?
Chapter Three
Poppy Evans
I’d spent the past half hour watching the clock, tapping my foot, and doing everything possible to gracefully end my conversation with Chet without looking like the asshole who stood up to leave the rehearsal dinner before anyone else.
Pretty sure we weren’t officially done until Chrissy and Vic said we were done.
“Oh, I guess we’re winding down here.” Chet frowned as he peered down the table toward our soon-to-be-married friends. “How has the time flown by so quickly?”
“Really? We’re finished?” I belatedly realized I sounded a little too eager as I took a last sip of wine and grabbed for my purse. “I mean... yeah, it has gone by super fast. Crazy, right?”
I didn’t even catch what he said after that—ugh, poor Chet. I owed him coffee or something after how distracted I’d been. But distracted with good reason.
To be precise, two good reasons, who both stared at me with a renewed urgency.