Page 14

“What?” Kit cackled. “That was hot.”

Lydia choked back a laugh as Zann swung a kick at Kit’s ass and said, “Fuck off, Hawthorne.”

That, of course, only made Kit laugh harder. “You two really hit it off last night, huh?”

Lydia hummed and looked up at Zann, and her heart fluttered at the tender smile she found looking back at her. “Yeah,” she said. “We really did.”

“Look, all I’m saying is—” Kit broke off suddenly as her gaze fixated on something at the far end of the room. “Damn. Who is that?”

Zann shared a look with Aspen as they both turned to see who had caught Kit’s eye. The woman was tall and lean, with legs a model would kill for and a chic, chin-length bob that perfectly accentuated her sculpted cheekbones. Zann had no idea who she was, but she could see why she’d grabbed Kit’s attention.

“That,” Aspen said, her voice taking on a resigned tone that sounded eerily like the one her mother, Fern, would adopt whenever they got into trouble, “is Shannon Quincy. She’s one of Eve’s bridesmaids,” she elaborated as she turned back around to jab a warning finger in Kit’s direction. “And no.”

“What?” Kit blinked innocently. “Why?”

“Seriously?” Zann chuckled, arching a brow at Aspen. “Is that, like, going to be your catchphrase for the week? You told me the same thing when I asked you about Lydia.”

Aspen shook her head. “I—”

“Sorry about that,” Lydia said as she rejoined the group after stepping out to take a work call. “I wish I could say that it won’t happen again, but…” She tossed her phone onto the table as she dropped into her chair, and Zann’s pulse stuttered when Lydia turned to her with a smile that somehow managed to be both mischievous and sweet at the same time. “What did she say when you asked about me?”

“No, apparently,” Kit supplied, her dark eyes twinkling with mirth.

“Oh?” Lydia hummed. When Zann just shrugged and nodded, she smirked and patted her thigh. “Funny. Eve told me the same thing when I asked her about you.”

Thank god you didn’t listen, Zann thought as she caught Lydia’s hand and turned it over so she could hold it. Her stomach swooped as Lydia’s long fingers spread so she could lace hers in between, and she bit her lip to try to control the ear-splitting smile she could feel wanting to break free.

“And clearly,” Aspen groaned, gesturing accusingly between them, “you two totally heeded that warning.”

“Yeah, well, you can bump your failure tally up to three, because I’m going to be ignoring you, too,” Kit declared. She tossed her napkin onto the middle of the table as she rose to her feet. “Her name is Shannon?”

Zann laughed when Aspen pursed her lips and just glared at Kit instead of answering, and then laughed harder when Lydia piped up, “Yep! She’s a lighting designer in LA.”

“Excellent.” Kit grinned and threw the table a jaunty wave as she turned toward where Shannon was chatting with Eve, Michael, and Bonnie, a quiet Thai-American artist who was Eve’s remaining bridesmaid. Zann had only spoken to her briefly earlier, but that short conversation was enough to make her worry that the woman might not survive the week.

This wasn’t exactly a crew for introverts.

And Bonnie had seemed very, very introverted.

“I hate you all,” Aspen grumbled.

“Yes, well,” Lydia said, her tone matter-of-fact, “if she’s busy chasing tail, she’ll be too busy to give us a hard time, so you can just deal with it.”

Zann nodded. She hadn’t really thought of that, but it was an excellent point.

Aspen pulled a face that said she didn’t disagree. “Still…” She scrubbed a hand over her face. “I was really hoping to avoid drama this week.”

“If there is, I’ll shut it down,” Zann promised. “You’ll get the big romantic wedding your mushy butch ass has always dreamt of, don’t worry.”

Aspen rolled her eyes as her gaze drifted once again to Eve, and there was no missing or mistaking the joy that lit her entire face when Eve looked up and caught her eye.

Zann sniggered and bumped Lydia with her shoulder. “Cute, right?”

“In a cavity-inducing way,” Lydia agreed.

“Oh, fuck you both,” Aspen sassed, though her tone was warm and perfectly devoid of reproach.

“You are so incredibly whipped, and I am living for it,” Zann teased. Lydia’s hand tightened around hers, and she looked over at her with a smile. “Am I wrong?”