Billionaires Runaway Bride

Was this chick for real?

I must have had a look on my face because Parker squeezed my arm. “Be nice.”

I looked up at him. “I’m always nice.”

Rachel stood by the door and cleared her throat. Parker jogged over to her and held the door. She exited the diner, and he quickly turned around and flipped me off with a wide grin on his face.

I matched his grin. Even though I knew Rachel was bad news, my best friend was, unfortunately, blissfully unaware of it.

Chapter Seven

Parker

The traffic getting to the airport was horrendous. Rachel had chosen a midday flight. I wished she would have let me handle the reservations. The best times to travel were either really early in the morning or after rush hour. It was something I told her a bunch of times, but for some reason, it never stuck with her. She decided to go with a time that was convenient for her and the rest of the people within a fifty-mile radius.

Rachel’s text tone went off for the hundredth time since we got into the car.

“Ophelia is already there,” she whined.

“I can’t move all of these cars, Rachel,” I said a little annoyed. Without having a job, her outlook on life was a little skewed.

“Well, can you get off at the next exit and take back roads or something?”

“No, I can’t. This is the most direct route. Can you turn off the ringer on your phone? I need to concentrate, okay?”

Rachel pouted her red lips.

I reached for her hand and she moved hers away. “I’m sorry, this is stressful. And with all the plans for the wedding, my mind is a little jumbled right now.”

“Well, I’m stressed too. I’m leaving this all to you, and I have no idea what sort of wedding I’m coming back to.”

She also didn’t need to be leaving at this critical time in planning. We had to secure the vendors as soon as possible so we’d actually have food and music at our wedding. “It will be fine. I’ll let you know all the decisions I make, so it will be like you were there.” Although I still wasn’t sure why she wouldn’t be there. I understood bachelorette parties, but not weeks before the wedding when the actual reception and ceremony hadn’t been planned yet. And Rachel called this a ‘vacation,’ so I assumed I’d be footing the bill for her actual bachelorette party too. I didn’t mind spending money on her; in fact, it was the only time she ever seemed happy was when I gave her my credit card. And if I could see her smiling, I’d give her all of my money. She deserved it.

“I hope we’re not going to be late for the flight,” Rachel murmured.

“That’s why I wanted to leave early. We should be there in plenty of time.”

“We better be, or else you’re going to have to pay fees for us to switch.”

I bit my tongue and concentrated on the road.

If I thought the highway was bad, the people weaving in and out of the terminal drop offs was like participating in some crazy driving obstacle course.

“Right there,” Rachel pointed out the window.

“Yes, I know,” I said glancing over at the sign for the airline. “I need to get over there first.”

“I see her!” Rachel said excitedly. She clapped her hands together a few times with glee.

I managed to make it to the curb without incident. I popped the trunk and got out of the car to get Rachel’s bags. I rolled them to the curb for her.

I looked around, but she wasn’t by the car. Her door was wide open, and I found her closer to the entrance of the airport, hugging Ophelia. I brought the bags to her.

“This is going to be sooo much fun, maid of honor!” Rachel had referred to Ophelia with her official title since the day after the proposal.

I greeted Ophelia and she gave me a quick, terse smile. I had some idea how Sienna felt when faced with Rachel. Ophelia was a tough nut to crack. She was permanently single and not supportive of Rachel in any relationship. I supposed she wanted them to be single together, but that wasn’t going to happen.

“We should go,” Ophelia said. “We’re already cutting it close.”