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“And he’s pretty good-looking, too.”
“I know, okay,” I cry out. “But I can’t do it. I can’t date someone I’m not happy with, don’t you get it?”
Stacey hugs me. “It’s okay to tell him no. He shouldn’t have gone through all the effort to come see you, not knowing what the outcome would be. This isn't a movie.”
"Feels like it could be," I mumble.“He’s staying in town until the wedding in case I change my mind. That’s just making things harder. And what’s more…Brett saw us.”
“Saw what?” Kelsey asks. “You told Charlie you’re not interested. There’s nothing to see.”
I nod. “You’re right. I just feel like somehow, this is going to come back and bite me in the ass. I wish Charlie didn’t fly all this way to see me. God, what an idiot!”
“I see what you mean about him being a neanderthal,” Nina says, finally speaking up.
I blink at her, and then I burst out laughing.
The girls join in, and suddenly, the whole thing is funny. Funnier than it really is, but it’s good to let go.
“Come on, let’s get our drink on. We can all do with the wine,” Stacey says.
“You have no idea,” I say with a groan.
I’m more than ready to drown my sorrows and my fears and my frustrations in alcohol. Too much is going on at the moment for me to have to handle sober.
When we get to the room, we take our wine glasses and make ourselves comfortable in the living room. Nina unpacks one of the drinking games on the coffee table and starts to explain how it works. While she talks, I let it all go. I forget about Charlie and Brett and my past. I forget about love and lust and flings and the fact that all of this is happening at a wedding.
Tonight is all about partying and celebrating Stacey’s marriage to Marc, the man of her dreams. I’m not going to think about anything, I’m not going to worry about anything, I’m just going to be happy for my friend and make sure that she gets the night she deserves.
The more I drink, the lighter I feel. My sorrows start to drop away, and I feel happier than I have all day. This is what I needed.
By the time we’re good and tipsy, we get into our dresses, put on makeup and shoes, and head out the door. Bodyguards arrive.
"What's this?" Stacey asks.
"I hired them to look after us for the night," I say. "I'm not taking any chances with the paps ruining the night, and you get to relax."
Stacey hugs me. "You know just how to make things perfect."
I grin, feeling good about myself. I'm doing everything right as the MOH and best friend, and tonight is going to be epic.
We leave the hotel with our bodyguards. When they bock off the paparazzi outside the door, and we get to the club without a hitch, I know it was a good idea. Maybe I should hire them for the day of the wedding, too.
I'll run it by Laura later.
Nina comes to me when we stop outside the club.
“This is great,” she says. “Are you okay?”
I blink at her. I didn’t think she would worry about me.
“I’m okay,” I say. “It’s just a lot to deal with, but tonight, I’m not going to care.”
“Good. Because men aren’t worth worrying away your girl time over.”
“You’re right,” I say. “You’re so wise.”
She grins. “That’s what happens when you’ve been dating as long as I have. You realize that if you don’t have a life without a guy, you’re never really going to live. That’s why I can party without Adam.”
“You guys seem to have a good relationship.”
“Yeah, it’s good enough for me to stick around. But you have to wait for the right guy to come along, you know? And if Charlie isn’t the right guy for you, that’s not your fault, and it’s not his. So quit worrying about it.”
I didn’t think ?I was worrying about it. But now that she mentions it, I realize that I was worrying about it all the time.
“Thanks, Nina,” I say. “You’re really great.”
“Sure,” she says with a smile. “Let’s go get Stacey drunk.”
She loops her arm through mine and we walk into the club with the other two.
