Page 49 of Something like Desire

I glare at her, and she just looks at me like she’s challenging me to fight or something.Ugh. I never really liked her anyway.

Gia taps her bottle against my full glass and some of my champagne splatters in my lap. She cheersed me so hard I’m surprised the glass didn’t instantly shatter. She proceeds to tilt back her bottle and swallows a giant gulp. “This day is going to be the most fun chaos of my life,” she cries.

The other bridesmaids glance at her uncertainly.

“Driver?” Gia yells. “Please crank the music. It’s time to get this shitshowstarted.”

The car is alive with Beyoncé, and Gia stands up and opens the sunroof, dancing with her head peeking out. The last thing I need is for her to get crapped on by a seagull, so I gently pull her hand to get her to sit again, but she twists out of my grip and keeps going with the borderline exotic dancing. A car full of guys beeps at us and tells her to pull her top down.Good lord. And the wedding hasn’t even started yet.

When we finally get to the venue, Gia’s polished off the entire bottle of champagne, and she’s definitely taken thefuck itattitude to heart. My pep talkmighthave backfired.

“Hey, maybe slow down on the drinking...?” I suggest again. “As your sister and your maid of honor, I’m telling you that you need to stop or you will one hundred percent regret it.”

Gia just grins at me. “I feel calm for the first time since Mark proposed,” she says, waving both of her hands around to the classical music like she’s at a Mozart-themed nightclub. “This ismyday, baby.”

Gia’s never called me “baby” before. Hopefully the seriousness of the vows will be enough to sober her up... because at this rate, the only way this is going to end is with her head in the toilet or fast asleep in the bridal suite.

Why did I think starting Gia on the mimosas was a good idea? Mark might just kill me.

When it’s time for the wedding ceremony to begin, Gia’s at least half in the bag. She’s the loosest I’ve ever seen her, and I used to wish for times like this, but drunk-on-her-wedding-day Gia...? She’s too carefree even for me.

“I can’t wait for this day to be over,” she whisper-hisses at me. “I just want to hurry up and get to the honeymoon part. The stress-free part no one can ruin, you know? Thehot sexpart, if you know what I mean. Hubba, hubba.” She widens her eyes at me like some kind of depraved psycho and despite how concerned I am, I laugh.

“You’ve been waiting for this dayforever,” I remind her. “You’re going to enjoy it...especiallyif you don’t have another sip until after the meal.”

“You’re not the boss of me,” Gia says in a childish, petulant voice. She takes a glass of champagne off the cart one of the hall attendants pushes by and downs it in a gulp. “Yum,” she says. “I should have taken up drinking sooner.”

Maren approaches from across the room. She eyes Gia and shoots me a knowing look. I shrug and shake my head slowly.

“Hey, you two,” Maren says. “I got sent out to let you know that everyone’s seated and Mark’s ready at the front whenever you are.” She turns to Gia. “You really look beautiful. You have this...brightglow to you.”

“That’s the fucking booze,” Gia slurs sweetly.

Maren gives me a look and leans in close to me. “Do you need help?” she whispers.

“I think it’s too late,” I whisper back. “A few bottles too late.”

Maren squeezes my hands comfortingly and shoots me one last concerned look before disappearing back into the ceremony space.

Dad appears behind us, in a dark gray suit with a cream shirt and navy-blue tie. There’s a smile on his face, but I catch an air of nervousness about him, the way he’s shifting from one foot to the other.

He glances at us and then scans the room. “Gia, you look lovely,” he says. “And of course you do, too, Lexi.”

“Thanks,” I say.

“Thank you, Daddy-o.” Gia hiccups loudly and giggles.

I follow Dad’s gaze as it darts around the room. “Is Claire with you?”

Dad’s face flushes. “I’m not sure if she’s going to make it. She wanted to come but I’m not so sure it’s a good idea. It’s... complicated.”

“I don’t want to talk about that mumbo jumbo right now,” Gia says, waving a hand dismissively. “No serious talk. Just fun and that’s all.”

“Okay, well, I will say this,” Dad says and rubs the back of his neck. “It wasn’t my idea to invite Claire to this wedding. That was all you two.”

“Fine. We get it.” Gia drapes an arm around him. “We’ll deal with all that later. We’d better get this show on the road. Ready to walk me to my man?”

Dad leans in to take a closer look at Gia, eyes widening slightly. “Are you...drunk?” He sniffs her breath. “My god, Gia, you smell like a distillery.”