“I think someone needs to call Granny. This is pretty bad. She’s been in here for hours.”
No.
“Hell no,” Dex said. “Mom doesn’t need to be here for this. She’s busy enough getting ready for that baby shower.”
“What about Granddad?” Raven asked. “Should we tell him?”
“That would be a double hell nah,” Duke muttered. “We got this, bubble gum. No parents needed.”
“I’m calling my dad.”
No!
“If you pick up that phone and call Tristan’s fun-killin’ ass,” Duke warned, “I will—”
“Fuck it, I’m waking her up,” Dallas announced.
And I’d officially had it. “I’m up!” I shouted, opening my eyes. I peered at the faces of many of my siblings and my niece staring at me like I was lab specimen. Grabbing a pillow, I smacked Duke upside the head. “Get out of my room.”
“Shit,” he grunted, recovering fast and bopping me in my face. “You gone stopping hitting me, B. I told y’all to leave her grumpy ass alone.”
Sitting up, I glanced at each of them. “You told them right.”
Dallas sat down on the bed. “We have that wedding today. We RSVP’d, and we can’t miss it.”
I fell back on the mattress and rolled over, pulling my comforter over my head. “I’m not going to that shit. I’m staying home.”
“Getcho ass out of the damn bed.” Dex tugged on my blanket.
Duke thumped me, and I smacked his hand. “Stop,” I hissed.
“That’s what you get, punk,” he said. “Get ready. We need to be at the church in an hour.”
I jumped out of the bed and walked to my bedroom door. “Okay, that’s it. Leave me the hell alone. I’m not going to that damn wedding.”
My siblings filed out of my room, too slowly for my taste. Raven stayed behind. I squeezed her chin. “It’s not your fault, baby. Dallas was right. This is on me.”
My niece shot me a sad smile. “Okay, but I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize anymore. Now, go on. Send my condolences to the happy couple.”
“Don’t you mean well wishes?” Raven asked innocently.
I shrugged. “I meant what I said.” I waved at her and closed my door.
Attending the wedding of an ex was not my idea of a good time. The moment I’d received the invitation for Aiden’s wedding to the new love of his life, I’d tossed it in the trash. It was only after the monumental guilt trip my mother had lain on me that I’d agreed to go.
Strangely, Aiden was the only man who’d been my “boyfriend” twice. Our first relationship had lasted just long enough for me to know he wasn’t the one. And I damn sure wasn’t the girl for him. The reason I knew that was because I’d cheated on him after one day. Granted, we’d been in the sixth grade, but still…I couldn’t pass up Sour Patch Kids and Faygo Red Pop. Franklin Bell had all the goodies, so I’d agreed to go with him instead of Aiden. Which made Sunday School pretty awkward.
During college, Aiden had asked me out again. For some reason, I couldn’t tell him no. I’d cared about him; I’d loved him. He’d been a bit of a nerd, a bad dresser, a terrible kisser, and very deliberately celibate; but he was respectful, nice-looking…an overall good guy.Too good for me.
Despite my best intentions, I’d hurt him. While some part of me had wanted it to work, I’d known it wouldn’t last. He’d wanted a virtuous woman, and I wasn’t it. I was young, full of myself, and determined to make my own rules for my life. In the end, I’d been bored with him and couldn’t force myself to stay, no matter how much I’d cared.
Breaking up with him was the hardest thing I’d had to do—so hard that I’d cried when it was over. And I didn’t shed tears lightly. The worst part? Losing the friendship we’d built since childhood. For years, he’d hated to see me coming, which was why I’d avoided him at all costs. Not because I was scared, but because I didn’t want to hurt him anymore. In the end, though, he’d become the man I always thought he’d be. Gentle, kind, handsome, and giving. All the things I hadn’t wanted back then. All the things I didn’t think I wanted now.
A knock on the door pulled me from my reverie. Bliss poked her head in. “Sissy, Mom called. She said you’re going to the wedding.”
Rolling my eyes, I told her, “Fine. Give me half an hour.”
