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Aiden pulls up to park his Jeep in line with the Range Rovers and kills the engine. Then I hear a loud shout from outside.
I open my door and step out, my muscles sore from being tensed with anxiety for half the day. Stephanie is strolling out of the main house wearing a white bathing suit cover-up underneath a sash that reads Bride To Be.
“You made it!” she squeals, rushing forward to grab my shoulders and pull me into a tight hug.
It feels good to see her after so long. We’ve both been busy with life and haven’t made the time to get together as much as we promised we would. Suddenly, I’m more glad than ever that I made the effort to come this week.
“And Aiden! I’m so glad you could come too. The guys will be happy they aren’t outnumbered,” she says with a laugh as she pulls him into a hug as well.
Stephanie’s always been the sort of person who could win anyone over with persistent enthusiasm and charm. It doesn’t hurt that she’s beautiful. Dark skin, hazel eyes, infectious smile—growing up, she never had to endure an awkward phase like the rest of us. Even braces looked cute on her.
“Now that you two are here, the party can really get started! Come, come!” She grabs my hand and starts tugging me toward the house.
“Oh, I have to get my bags,” I say, pointing back to the car.
“We have help for that.”
Well then…
“Everyone! Everyone!” Stephanie says, gathering the group’s attention once we’re inside. “I’d like to introduce my friend Maddie. Some of you have met her before, but she’s one of my oldest friends. We played Barbies together—that’s how deep our roots go. And this is her boyfriend, Aiden.”
BOYFRIEND.
I glance back at him. If he’s upset or weirded out by the boyfriend comment, I can’t tell. He offers a nod to the group, and then one of Stephanie’s friends wastes no time in bringing me a sash of my own. All the girls are wearing them, so I duck my head and let her drape it over my shoulders.
“Now you’re official!” she says with a smile.
“Not yet! Let’s get you a drink!” Stephanie says, dragging me over to the group lingering in the kitchen.
I’m not close with anyone here except Stephanie, but I’ve met a few of them over the years. Even still, we reintroduce ourselves. Isabella works with Stephanie at her mom’s interior design firm. Cadence moved in with Stephanie last year. Then there’s Dante, who proudly proclaims himself to be Stephanie’s bridesman.
“I feel bad for whoever is going to be standing next to me at the altar because I am going to look fierce,” he says with a wink, and we all laugh.
But it’s honestly the truth. With his curly brown hair and square-cut jaw, he’s extremely handsome.
I glance back to see Aiden talking to Elliot and another guy. Their conversation is hard to pick up, but I catch Elliot asking Aiden a question.
“Is Texas Monthly where you’ll stay then?” he asks. “Have you thought of moving to L.A. or New York? Trying for one of the big publications?”
I don’t hear Aiden’s reply to that because I’m tugged aside by Dante so he can make me a drink.
“You two talk. I’m going to make sure the rooms are sorted,” Stephanie says, scurrying away.
“Oh, okay.” I follow her departure with my eyes, unable to wipe the smile off my face.
“Okay spill. Tell me everything,” Dante says, leaning toward me.
I laugh. “What do you mean? About myself? Umm…well, I live in Austin, and I work at an advertising agency—”
“Boo,” he interrupts. “No offense, but I don’t want to hear about work. Blah. How long have you and your boyfriend been together?”
He picks up a slice of grapefruit and squeezes it into a glass, carefully cupping his hand around it so juice doesn’t spray onto the counter.
It takes me a second to realize he’s talking about Aiden. I look back to see him still talking to some of the guys, and the girls have joined them now too.
I can’t remember Aiden’s lie from the other night. How long did he say we’d been dating? I decide to be vague just so I don’t get us in trouble.
“Not long,” I supply, watching him make my cocktail.
“Is it serious?”
“Oh, umm…yes?” Then I backtrack. “Though he might tell you something different.”
“Ah, men. So difficult to pin down. I’ve been with my partner for nine years now, and if you ask him, he’d say we’re still getting to know each other.” He rolls his eyes. “Come on, let’s go make him jealous,” Dante says, handing me my drink then curving around the island so he can take my hand in his.
He leads me over to the group of people and Aiden watches our approach, his attention pinned on Dante’s hand on mine.
