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Penny was glowing, not just with happiness, but also from the tan she’d acquired on her honeymoon. Her blush lace sheath dress perfectly complemented her golden complexion and long red hair.
“It definitely does,” Penny agreed as Brooke gave Caleb a congratulatory hug.
He looked devastatingly handsome in his suit and tie, although he tugged at the collar uncomfortably as soon as Brooke let go of him. Caleb was sweet as pecan pie, but the very definition of the strong, silent type. Which made him well-suited for Penny, whose sunny personality was outgoing enough for the both of them.
Brooke introduced Dylan, and they chatted about the wedding and their honeymoon in Cabo San Lucas for a few minutes, before the next guests arrived and the newlyweds excused themselves to welcome them.
“They seem really great,” Dylan said as he and Brooke made their way toward the bar.
“They are.”
Brooke had known Penny for nearly seven years now, although they really only saw each other when they were with Olivia. Speaking of Olivia, she’d spotted Brooke from across the room and was making a beeline their way with Adam in tow.
“Hey, hot stuff!” Brooke greeted her. “Told you that dress would look killer on you.”
“Not bad, right?” Olivia lifted Adam’s hand over her head to twirl under his arm in the lavender chiffon bridesmaid’s dress she’d worn as Penny’s maid of honor at the wedding in Virginia. She’d fretted that it would be too pale against her nearly translucent complexion, but it was just the right amount of color alongside her fair skin and hair.
Brooke tugged Dylan away from the bar to make the introductions. “Olivia and Adam, this is my friend Dylan Price from back home.”
Dylan shook Adam’s hand and then Olivia’s. “Good to meet you both.”
Olivia gave him a friendly smile. “I’ve been hearing Brooke talk about you for years. It’s nice to finally put a face to the name.”
“Uh oh,” Dylan said as he collected their drinks from the bartender and passed Brooke her white wine. “I hope she hasn’t been sharing embarrassing stories from our youth.”
“No, she has not, and now I’m mad she’s been holding out on me.” Olivia leveled a challenging glare at Brooke as they all wandered away from the bar. “If there are embarrassing stories, I have to hear them.”
“There are no embarrassing stories,” Brooke said, cringing inwardly. Dylan had way too much dirt on her. The last thing she wanted was to open up that can of worms. “Nothing embarrassing ever happened to either of us, so I guess we better change the subject.”
Dylan’s eyes glinted with mischief. “What about the watermelon slushy?”
“Yes, Brooke, what about the watermelon slushy?” Olivia echoed, bouncing on the toes of her champagne pumps. “Do tell.”
Brooke rolled her eyes. “It was nothing. I accidentally punched through the bottom of my slushy cup with my straw, and it got all over me.”
Dylan bumped his shoulder against hers. “The part of the story she’s leaving out is that it happened in the middle of the mall when she was talking to this guy she had a huge crush on.”
Brooke shot a warning look at him. “Listen, buster, you better check yourself before you wreck yourself. Or would you like me to tell them about your first kiss?”
Dylan’s expression went from smug to panicked. “There’s no need for that, now.”
“No, there’s a need,” Olivia said. “I have a mighty need.”
“Okay, so we’re in sixth grade,” Brooke said, dodging as Dylan tried to cover her mouth with his hand. She raised a warning finger at him. “Stop that, or you’ll make me spill my wine.”
“Oh my god, please don’t tell this story.” Dylan dropped his forehead to her shoulder, hiding his face in exaggerated shame.
“Well now you’ve piqued my interest too,” Adam said, smiling as he sipped his wine.
“It’s not that bad,” Brooke said, knowing Dylan didn’t actually mind. She’d seen him tell this story himself plenty of times. He was just playing up his embarrassment for entertainment value. “So…sixth grade. We’re at a party at Jenny Guidry’s house, and like the idiots we were, we decided to play spin the bottle.”
“As you do,” Olivia commented, nodding encouragement.
“Sure,” Adam agreed, nodding alongside her in unison.
“So Jenny Guidry starts us off, it being her house and all. She spins the bottle, and it lands on our boy Dylan here.” Brooke laid a hand on Dylan’s head and gave his hair a playful ruffle.
“In my defense,” Dylan said, lifting his head, “I was very naive and had no idea what I was doing. I’d just seenDumb and Dumberand thought that was literally what kissing was supposed to look like.”
