“Oh, I’ve already had one,” I said, waving her off and holding my cup to my chest.
Josie walked by, snatching it from my hand and passing it to Mom. “Too bad, so sad. Looks like you’re going to have another.”
“You know,” I said, narrowing my eyes, “I forgot how pushy you can be.”
She snorted. “If anything, it’s gotten worse. Get used to it.”
Mom passed out the shots as Lennox cleared her throat. “Here’s to men and horses, and the women who ride them!”
“That’s a new one,” I murmured, smirking into my cup before letting this shot join the one I’d just taken. “At least you got good tequila.”
“Don’t offend me. Of course, I got the good tequila,” Lennox scoffed. “What do you take me for? An amateur?”
“My daughter, the tequila connoisseur. Lord help me,” Mom whispered, downing her shot with a grimace. “No more shots. Could someone please make me a margarita on the rocks with extra salt? Two limes, please.”
Josie elbowed Lennox in her side. “And she says she isn’t extra.”
“I heard that!” Mom called as she turned and began fussing with covered dishes. “Now, someone make me that drink while I get dinner ready.”
Three margaritasand two shots later, I was sitting on the couch and staring at the ceiling while Josie and Lennox chatted next to me. What was I doing? I was going to hate myself tomorrow. It was nearly midnight, and tomorrow was the last day of camp. Showing up hungover wasn’t quite the plan, but it looked like it was inevitable.
“How’s the wedding planning coming along?” Josie asked, pulling me back to the present. “Get him to budge at all?”
Lennox sighed into her cup, downing whatever was left. “Nope,” she said, popping the P. “I still want to elope, but he isn’t having it. He wants the big white wedding and all the stuff that comes with it. I told him with all the things he’s done to me, a white wedding was the last thing we were going to have,” she joked.
I couldn’t help but laugh. The thought of Bishop being the one who wanted to make a big fuss out of declaring his love for my sister was honestly the cutest thing I’d ever heard, but strangely, it kind of fit him.
Bishop had a difficult start to life, and I knew there were a lot of insecurities and demons he was battling on his own. The fact he’d opened up enough to want to do this, to believe he and Lennox deserved a big celebration in front of their friends and family, was a testament to how far he’d come. Before they’d gotten together, I was sure he was going to be a bachelor forever. It wasn’t that he had any shortage of options, but they never stayed long—whether that was his doing or theirs, I wasn’t sure. I never pried.
“Okay, but that’s kind of cute,” I said, turning to face them.
“I know, but I’d much rather have something small in the middle of a field and then go on one hell of a honeymoon, ya know? Or grab y’all as witnesses and run away to a beach.”
Josie noisily slurped at her drink. “Why don’t you want a wedding? It seems like that’d be right up your alley.”
“The wedding industry is a total sham. They charge out the ass because they can, because they know people will pay it.” Lennox scrunched up her face like she’d tasted something awful. “Plus, I am not conventional, so why would I want to do one of the most conventional things?”
“You’ll do it for him, though,” I said.
Lennox’s eyes softened, a smile tipping the corner of her lips. “Yeah, I will. The things I do for that man, I swear.” Then she nudged Josie. “What about you? When are you and your baby daddy getting hitched?”
Josie rolled her eyes, but there wasn’t a hint of annoyance. “We want to wait until Stella gets a bit older before we do anything, but,” she bit her lip and looked down at her hand, “we’re going to look at rings next month.”
“Mr. Romantic isn’t going to plan some elaborate surprise?” Lennox asked, placing her hand on her chest. “How disappointing.”
“Well, since the ring is going to be onmyhand, he wants to make sure it’s something I really love,” Josie said, straightening her shoulders. “I mean, I don’t think it’s any secret we’ll get married eventually. We’re kind of obsessed with one another.”
“Really?” Lennox and I said sarcastically, busting out laughing when it came out at the same time.
“Yeah, yeah,” Josie muttered, waving us off. “Judge me all you want, but you and Bishop are always sneaking away for lunchtime sex breaks. Don’t think I don’t know!”
Lennox shrugged. “Can’t help myself, honestly. Have you seen the man?”
As I listened to my sisters taunt and tease one another, I couldn’t help but feel a little left out. It was stupid, and I was absolutely going to blame the alcohol for bringing out my insecurities, but hearing them talk about their futures with such surety had me feeling nauseous.
Or maybe that was the alcohol. Who knew? Certainly not me. Certainly not now.
Faking a yawn, I stretched my arms over my head. “I think I’m gonna crash, girls. I’m struggling to keep my eyes open.” I pushed to my feet, leaning forward to grab ahold of the empty cups when a hand shot out and grasped my wrist.
