Lily sidles up beside me. “You know, I swear there’s something they’re not telling us.”
I nod. “I think you might be right.” There’s something they’re not telling us, that’s for sure. As much as I know I should keep my nose out of it, I can’t help myself when a plan forms, and I turn to Lily.
“Hey, do you both fancy grabbing a cocktail after this and then coming to mine for dinner?”
“I’m game if Avery is,” she replies as the woman in question comes to join us as she stuffs her purse back into her bag.
“Avery what?” she asks.
“Fancy grabbing a cocktail and coming back to mine for dinner once I’ve paid for these?” I ask, holding up my underwear.
“Yes, and yes.”
“Excellent.” Lily follows me to the cashier and whispers to me when Avery is out of shot. “What are you up to?”
“Nothing. What makes you say that?”
She shrugs. “No idea, but you have this gleam in your eye like you’re up to something.”
“If you must know, Mason is coming, and he’ll be picking us up.”
Lily’s eyes go wide before she chuckles. “Hmm, well, this should be an interesting evening.”
I’m called forward, and my items are run through the till. I just hope this doesn’t backfire. I know there’s some tension and animosity there, and it might be better if they sort it out before my wedding.
It’s not until we’re two cocktails down and Mason is burning up my phone that I realise we should have been there, ready for him to pick us up.
“Shit, we need to go,” I say, and knock back the rest of my margarita.
“What’s the hurry?” Avery asks.
“Our ride is here.”
“Whoops,” she replies with a giggle, slides out of the booth, and starts making her way to the exit.
“Oh shit,” Lily says, jumping to her feet and nearly knocking her half-finished drink off the table in the process, but by thetime she’s halfway through the bar, Avery is already leaving with a cocktail glass still in her hand.
Shit, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.
Chapter Twenty-Six
CALEB
I swear Jessica is trying to make me go grey early. Bottomless brunch with the girls may not have been the best idea.
My phone buzzes.
Mason: Got her!
Thank fuck. She was meant to meet him ten minutes ago and didn’t show up. My first instinct was to get in my car and go track her down myself. My heart pounds against my ribcage. Even now, I worry about her when neither I nor Noah are with her.
Me: Is she okay?
Mason: I’ll let you decide that for yourself.
Okay, that sounds ominous.
I find Noah at the oven, checking on the food. He’s been cooking a lot more lately. I think it’s his way of keeping busy.
