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“Ah, yes. I could see how she’d be unhappy with you sleeping with her cousin. But none of this proves he doesn’t care for you. He does, which is why what you’re playing at is so dangerous. So please. Detach yourself. Leave the boy where you found him when we go home in a few days,” she said as she stood. “And for God’s sake—don’t tell your father I had an affair with a horse trainer. I’ll never hear the end of it.”
With that, she left me sitting on the chaise, listening to the trickling water of a fountain dribbling into the pool, trying not to think about my mother having sex with a man tasked with teaching her equestrian show jumping.
All this time I thought she hated Remy because she was a snob.
Well, she was a snob, but she was also worried about me.
Her behavior last night was inexcusable, but something pricked my heart at the knowledge that she was trying to protect me, in her way.
Lord, the bar was so very low.
I picked myself up and carried myself to her driver, requesting a ride to Cass’s. But for the entire ride, all I could think was how very confused I was.
35
floppy squids
JESSA
As I folded the tiny knickers Cass was taking on her honeymoon, she paced the length of her bedroom, reciting her vows with her veil whipping behind her and her wedding shoes clipping on the hardwood.
“I, Cassidy Winfield, promise to love you, Davis McGrath, unconditionally and forever. I vow to stand beside you through life’s ups and downs, to commit to a...partnership of equality, trust, and respect. On this day, I choose you as my husband, and together, we will forge our path in life—why are you looking at me like that?”
I smoothed my face. “Like what?”
“Like something smells funny.”
“Well, it’s just . . . that sounds awfully . . .”
She groaned, slapping the sheet of paper on her thigh when her arms flopped. “Boring? Like a wedding manual? Like a robot wrote it? Ten years I’ve had to figure this out! Ten stupid years waiting on this day, and the best I could do was rip off a bunch of stuff from The Knot.”
“You could have at least used AI.”
“I’d laugh if I wasn’t freaking out.” She flopped into the chair at her childhood desk. “Watch, Davis is going to say the perfect thing, and all I’ll have to offer is a tax return.”
“Well, let’s try and sort it out. Do you have a pen—oh.” She threw the paper and a cup of pens in the bin. “Later, perhaps?”
She huffed and stood again, walking to her floor-length mirror to inspect her reflection. “Everything just feels wrong. Does everything feel wrong to you?”
I frowned, my hands pausing mid-air, a silky, hot-pink scrap of underpants dangling from my hand. “Does...what?”
She fussed with her hair. Smoothed her shirt. “I’ve eaten too much cornbread since I got here. Damn Linda and her demon recipes. Look—I’m getting a pimple too.” She stretched her face out with the jut of her jaw. “Shee? Right dare. And I started spotting! I have an IUD, haven’t had my period in a year, and now that I’m about to be in Greece on my honeymoon, here comes the crimson tide. Look, even my stupid shoes are rebelling.” She kicked off one heel at a time and displayed her ankle. “I’ve been wearing this terrible footwear around for a month and they still give me blisters. I think I’m jinxed. Do you think I’m jinxed?” She whipped around and rushed over, her blue eyes wide. “Oh God. Maybe I’m jinxed, Jess.”
I laughed, grabbing her by the shoulders. “Whoa, okay. Let’s take a breath, shall we? There we go.” I waited for her to complete a cycle. “No, I do not think you’re jinxed. I think you’re stressed and exhausted, but certainly not cursed.”
She let out a long breath, her shoulders relaxing a little as she gathered up the lacy hem of her veil. “Davis left to stay with the guys. You know, so our wedding night would be more special.”
“Whose terrible idea was that?”
“Mine,” she said, groaning. “I know this is supposed to be the happiest day of my life, but I cannot wait for it to be over. I wish we’d just eloped.”
“Well, hindsight and all that.”
“And now I have to stay here all by myself. Although, I could take the opportunity to watch some preparatory porn. You know, for science.”
“Of course, science,” I said, chuckling. “It’s going to be perfect.”
Her eyes went all big and glassy. “Promise?”
