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“Fine,” I grumbled, stomping toward the parking lot. “But we aren’t staying long at that stupid party.”
“See you soon. Love you.”
“I love you too.” Hanging up, I looked around for any sign of the twins. Spotting one of Monroe’s bodyguards, I marched toward them.
The guard stood outside of a monster of an SUV. The thing was bulletproof, probably even bazooka-proof if Gian had his way. The thought made my lips twitch as I approached. The guard turned and opened the back door, and I saw the twins inside already laughing and seeming to be having a good time.
Before I climbed in beside them, I took off the gown and folded it over my arm, then slid in beside Mila.
“That dress is pretty,” Monroe commented, handing me a glass of champagne.
“Thanks.” I tossed back the contents of the glass before holding it out for a refill. If I had to wait to get my man alone, I planned on having a nice buzz going on beforehand.
Mila poured me half a glass, and I only glared at her until she topped it off. “That’s your last glass until after you get ready,” she informed me.
“Whatever,” I grumbled unhappily as the driver pulled into the slow flow of traffic leaving the school.
“I know you wanted to go home and bone my brother,” my best friend said with a wicked grin. “But he’s got plans of his own. He wants to make today special. It’s important to him.”
Guilt hit me dead center, and I lost my pout. “Okay, okay. I’ll try my best. But I’m just…”
“Horny?” she supplied, making Monroe snort the expensive champagne out her nose and causing us to burst out laughing.
“Yeah,” I said while Monroe coughed and tried to get the bubbles out of her sinus cavity. “I haven’t been without it this long since I was fifteen.”
One of the guards turned in the front seat, making sure Monroe was okay, but we shooed him away, already taking care of her. The drive to the store was quick and full of more laughter from the three of us.
The store was already decked out and ready
for our grand opening, but we still had a few things left to do before we could let customers in. When we walked in, Aunt Willa and Mom were already waiting with two younger women I recognized from the twins’ double wedding. They’d done their hair and makeup for the event and were supposedly makeup artists to the stars.
“This is a little much, don’t you think?” I muttered as Mom grabbed my hand and tugged me over to the corner where we’d set up the nursing mother’s area. “It’s just a party.”
“Maverick wants everything perfect,” Aunt Willa said as she sat down across from me. Mom took the seat beside her, and the two women clasped hands while keeping their eyes glued to me. It was a weird picture for me to witness. Aunt Willa was all kinds of huggy, but Mom, not so much. Yet the two of them were practically clinging to each other’s hands.
“Is everything okay?” I asked, concerned.
“It’s great,” Mom said with a small smile. “You just sit there and be pampered.”
I sighed and glanced around for Mila. “I need more champagne!”
“Coming up,” she called from somewhere in the store. “Just getting your dress options for the party sorted out.”
“You’re all acting really weird.” I lifted my brows at the two moms. “Have you guys been drinking?”
“Maybe,” Mom said with a wink. “Like I said, just sit there and be pampered. Don’t you worry about us, little girl.”
When my hair was done, the other woman started on my makeup, but I wasn’t allowed to look in a mirror to see how I looked. Muttering under my breath at how crazy everyone was acting, I stood with my champagne glass in hand and went to get dressed.
The moms followed Mila and me into one of the huge dressing rooms in the back. We’d wanted to make them spacious enough that a mother could take her stroller and toddler into them and still have room to move around freely. With the five of us in the room, we still had plenty of space to stretch out.
But as I walked in and saw the selection of dresses hanging on the wall, I realized that we weren’t just going to a party.
“Where did you get wedding dresses?” I demanded, turning to frown at the four women.
“Lyric knows someone,” Mila said with a casual shrug. “I ordered ones I thought you might like in your size. We can send back the ones you don’t choose. The only problem is these all came off the rack because it was so last minute. So, the fit might not be the greatest.”
Suddenly, the realization of what was actually happening hit me, and my eyes filled with tears. “Mav planned a surprise wedding?”
