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“So, what are you doing with yourfreeday, then? More work?” She’s being passive-aggressive.
“No, I just planned on seeing the sights. Nothing in particular.”
“By yourself?”
“Yes,” I say, equally passive-aggressive. “I need somemetime.”
Thank goodness our food arrives, and the topic of tomorrow is soon forgotten.
After that, dinner continues with no more incidents. My mom, miraculously, doesn’t even mention The Mistake at all. Guess my apologies at least worked on her. For the first time in forever, I’m able to end a meal with my family without feeling like a filthy cockroach who let all of them down. I’m feeling even a little optimistic about the future.
I look up at Archie who’s also looking at me. Every time I’ve gazed in his direction tonight, his eyes have been on me. Is it because of him that I’m feeling this new confidence? Because I’ve known that no matter what, there’d be someone at the table 100 per cent on my side?
And will I be able to keep believing in myself next week when he’ll be gone? Yes, I feel like something in me has healed for good this week, but I’ll sure miss his hands, and his mouth, and, yeah, his Princess Sofia. But I’m afraid what I’ll miss the most will be his heart, even if it’s never been mine.
I finish my wine and put the thought away. We still have three more nights together.
We’re waiting for the desserts when Tucker’s phone pings. He reads the text, and I swear he blushes.
“Sorry,” he says, standing up. “I have to go, there’s an emergency with the… uh… flower delivery.”
“This late at night?” Mom asks. “What could it possibly be?”
Winter goes into bridezilla mode at once. “Is it serious? Fixable?”
“Yeah, yeah.” Tucker waves her off. “Nothing I can’t solve with a phone call, but I’d better go now. Can you ask them to put my share of dinner on my room? I’m in 451.”
The room next to Archie, I realize with a swallow. I hope the walls are thick.
Dad waves his request down. “Don’t be silly, young man, tonight’s dinner’s on me. And thank you again for all the hard work you’ve put into organizing the perfect wedding for my daughter.”
“No trouble at all, sir. Well, I’ll see you all tomorrow.”
Tucker says goodbye one last time and walks out of the restaurant, leaving the rest of us to endure at least another hour of chit-chat before we can make our escape.
The bill arrives exactly seventy-five minutes later, not that I’m counting. Dad puts it on his room tab, and we get up to walk toward the elevators. The six of us can all fit inside, so we all go in one trip. Archie and I strategically keep to the back on opposite corners. Thankfully, Winter and Logan are on the first floor and my parents are on the second.
The moment the elevator doors ding shut after my parents have gone, it’s as if someone has shouted, “Ready, steady, go!” Archie and I fly into each other’s arms and kiss like two people who’ve been eye-flirting for the past three and a half hours and can’t wait to tear their clothes off.
When the elevator doors swish open, I make to follow Archie outside but bump into a solid wall of muscled back instead.
“What’s up?” I ask, peering around his shoulder.
“That sneaky weasel,” Archie whispers. “Flower emergency, my ass. Looks like Tucker is banging that actor’s assistant. I called it, didn’t I?”
“What? Are you sure? How can you tell?”
“They’re making out outside his room.”
“Let me see.” I peek my head forward between the elevator doors, which have already tried to close on us twice.
Down the hall, Penny is leaving Tucker’s room, but the goodbye is taking forever. They’re kissing on the threshold, making out like a pair of horny teenagers. We can’t go into Archie’s room with them in the hallway and risk being spotted.
Archie reads my mind, because he asks, “How long do you think that’s going to take?”
“Too long,” I say, pulling him back inside. “Let’s go to my room.”
One floor down, we tumble out of the elevator into the hall, which is thankfully clear of people. Giggling like two idiots we kiss and touch all the way along the corridor.
