“She’s going to wear the color you pick. I promise. She’s not going to pass up the chance to be in the wedding so she can say something rude to you on your actual wedding day too.”
“If she makes me cry on my wedding day—”
“I’ll trip her and then, oops, I stepped on her face. So sorry. Must have been the dress she picked that made her fall.”
Megan laughed finally. “You can’t step on my sister-in-law’s face.”
“If she makes you cry on your wedding day, watch me.”
Megan looked in the mirror and gave her eyes a final pat with the tissue. “We should get back out there.”
I nodded. “Claire’s probably spreading rumors about your kitchen floor.”
“She would,” Megan said conspiratorially. “Thanks, Lil.”
“What are maids of honor for?” I jumped off the counter, linked arms with her, and pulled the powder room door open.
“Do you want to sleep over tonight? So you can actually drink? We have the guest room all made up.”
“I can’t.” Nor did I want to, with Justin lurking about. “I’m going dress shopping with my mother and Amy tomorrow.”
Megan laughed, all trace of her earlier misery gone. “That’s so cute! They’re looking for a dress like she’s actually getting married?”
I groaned. “It’s like a toddler playing dress-up.”
Megan nodded distractedly, then saw someone near the front door and called out, “Maria!” Untangling my arm from hers, she rushed off to greet her newest guest.
I looked around. I could stick to Megan’s side all night, but with her running around in manic hostess mode, that didn’t seem particularly appealing, even though it was the safest option. Better to mingle a bit and then make an early escape. I had a sip of my drink left. Justin wouldn’t still be in the kitchen, right? I drank the last drops and decided to risk it for a second and final drink.
The room was more crowded, but I didn’t see Justin, so I mixed myself a new martini. I speared as many olives as I could and walked toward the living room to see who else I knew.
Then an arm dropped heavily around my shoulder, and I looked up in revulsion at the one person whose arm I truly did not want around me. “Um,” I said uncomfortably, moving out from under it. “What’s up? How are you?”
“How are you?” Justin asked. “Really? That’s all I get?”
“Do you want an olive?” I held up the pick from my drink.
He bent down and bit one of them, sliding it off the spear, looking up at me as he did it. I felt nauseous. That was the opposite of sexy. “It’s a start. I was surprised I didn’t hear from you after the engagement party.”
“Oh. Uh. You were?”
He nodded, leaning in way too close. “After you just left like that without saying goodbye. We have unfinished business. And you owe me for my shirt.”
Why did Amy have to get engaged on a night when I was around a guy who makes my skin crawl?
I laughed nervously. “Oh. Yeah. That. I was—I was a little drunk. I’d just gotten a call from my sister and—”
He leaned closer still, his breath sour from the beer in his hand. “I don’t need excuses. I just want to know how you’re going to make it up to me.”
“I—um—I—” I slipped my phone out of my purse, unlocked it quickly, and hit “Send” on the message to Becca.
My phone rang seconds later.
“I—oh, wait, I have to take this,” I said. “Hello?”
“Hey, Lily,” Becca trilled cheerfully. “It’s an emergency.”
“An emergency?” I repeated for Justin’s benefit. “Uh-oh. What kind of emergency?”
“Jesus. I don’t know what kind. A camel bit me? How’s that?”
I choked back a desperate laugh. “Oh—wow. That sounds—serious.” I looked up at Justin. “Excuse me. Sorry!” Holding the phone to my ear, I weaved my way through the crowd and onto the deck just outside the kitchen. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” I breathed heavily into the phone.
“That didn’t take long. What happened?”
“Do you have the wedding website up?” She didn’t, but she typed in the address. “It was Justin. As soon as I walked in, he made some dirty comment and then he just grabbed me and asked how I was going to make it up to him for leaving without saying goodbye the morning after the engagement party. And oh my God, Bec, it was the skeeviest thing ever.”