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CHAPTER ONE
Cassie felt the all-too-familiar ache in her shoulders telling her she had been sitting in the same spot, staring at the textbook in front of her, for far too long. Shutting the book with a slam, she rubbed her blurry eyes, untwisted the pencil from her hair, and tossed it on her desk. With a groan, she arched her back and heard it crack in response to her stretch.
“You know that if you crack your back too much, one day it will freeze that way,” Cassie’s best friend, Callie, walked around the corner and scratched Cassie on the head. “Don’t youevertake a break?”
“It’s yourfacethat will freeze when you make an uglyface, dummy. But to answer your question - not if I ever want to graduate from the University of Oklahoma,” Cassie moaned. “And you do that much longer I’ll be falling asleep instead of studying.”
“You really don’t remember, do you?”
“Remember what?”
“Hell-O!” Callie said, pointing to the massive ring on her left ring finger, the diamond catching the light seeping through Cassie’s open blinds. Callie, her best friend, roommate, recent graduate from Gaylord School of Journalism at OU, and former professional basketball team cheerleader had just gotten engaged to the Oklahoma City Thunder’s MVP, Kyle Kelly. Kyle suffered a knee injury during the last game of the NBA championship series, which ruined his career. Even though his basketball career was over, Kyle always said that he never lost because he won the girl. Gag Cassie with a spoon.
“I’m going to…help you size your ring?” Cassie asked with a snarky grin.
Callie threw a pillow at her head. “No, you goof! You promised you would go dress shopping with me and Aria today. And let me tell you, missy,” Callie continued, knocking Cassie in the head with the pillow she threw at her a second ago, “You aregoing!The books and the learning and the wealth of knowledge will still be here when you get back.”
“Says the girl who has already graduated,” Cassie muttered under her breath. “And it’s Aria and me, Ms. Broadcaster in the making. Get your grammar together.”
Callie’s face fell. “It’s okay if you can’t go, Cass. I know how hard you work. I just, you know, I don’t have well, a mom. My dad isn’t the best at picking out wedding dresses, Kyle’s mom and sisters are in North Carolina and you and Aria are my girl family. So it’s okay. Just study and –”
“Okay, okay! Enough with the guilt trip already! I’ll go!” Cassie shook her hair loose and gave her best friend a glare. “Happy now?”
“Extremely! Don’t forget we have to pick out your and Aria’s dress, too,” Callie said, giving Cassie’s shoulders a hard shake. “I’mso excited!At this time in two weeks, I’ll bemarried!”
Cassie rolled her eyes and grinned. Even though they were ridiculously cheesy, it was obvious how in love her roommate was with the NBA star.
Callie paused when the duo heard the front door open. “Where’s the weddingwhorewho is leaving us for a gorgeous, sexy, fantastically athletic and wealthy NBA player to live the dream of being a rich housewife all the days of her life?” Aria, also a cheerleader for the Thunder and who happened to be the girls’ other best friend, ran in the room and took a flying leap on Cassie’s bed.
“Aria, I’ve told you that I’mnotgoing to be the next Real Housewives of Oklahoma County reality TV series!” Callie protested, throwing a pillow at Aria. “I’m going to get a broadcasting job andutilize my degree.”
“You’ve been doing way too much throwing of my pillows, Cal. And you and your big boobs,” Cassie said to Aria, “And all their perky bouncing are going to break my bed if you don’t stop taking diving leaps on it from the bedroom door!” Cassie threw pillows at her friends.
“What flew up her ass?” Aria asked, completely ignoring Cassie’s admonishment as she bounced to her feet on the bed and proceeded to pirouette in circles on top of the mattress. “She should be in a good mood – we’re goingdress shopping!”Aria jumped off Cassie’s bed to the floor and held a nailed it gymnastics pose. “And we get to spend lover boy’s money on abig, expensive one!”
Callie groaned. “Itoldyou, Aria. Kyleisn’t buying my dress!That’s something my dad wants to do for me. I’m going to let him, so we can’t spend a fortune!”
“I forget Maxi pad is a poor high school teacher,” Aria said, flipping her long auburn locks over her shoulder and finger-combing the haphazard strands. Aria was the only one Cassie knew of that could get away with giving Callie’s dad a nickname that was shared with a feminine hygiene product. But, like most people, Aria had Max Thompson wrapped around her finger. Her bigger-than-life personality was too endearing not to love. “But isn’t Kyle paying for everything else?”
Callie sighed and rolled her shoulders. “Yes, he insisted, even though I told him no.”
“Did you lose a bet?” Aria asked impishly. Callie and Kyle had actually gotten together when Callie lost a bet during a game of horse, a basketball shooting game. Callie’s rule had been to never date a professional basketball player. Now she was marrying one.
“No, I didn’t lose a bet! He just wants to be nice, that’s all.”
“You know what that means, don’t you?” Aria asked.
“Do I even want to know?”
“More of your daddy’s money that can go toward the dress!”
Cassie and Callie looked at each other and shook their heads. Aria’s dad owned A Shot of Whiskey, a hip, cool bar in downtown Oklahoma City. Aria worked there and made ridiculous amounts of money in tips alone. Add that to her Thunder salary and the fact she was an only child to one of Oklahoma City’s richest restauranteurs, Aria had no concept of a fixed budget.
“What? I’m thinking at least a grand.”
“A thousand dollars?! For a dress!? I don’t even like to wear dresses!” Callie shrieked. “Forget it. I’m eloping. This is crazy.”
