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“No, no!” I shook my head. “We’re friends. We’ve been friends forever. We grew up together.”
“So?” Lena shrugged. “That doesn’t mean you can’t be into him.”
I wrinkled my nose. “I don’t think I could ever beintohim. We’ve known each other way too long for that kind of thing. We’re pals. He and I could never hook up or anything like that. It would never work.”
The three of them were quiet for several seconds. And then Julia started laughing. “Bullshit.”
I was shocked by her outburst. “What?”
“You heard me,” she teased. “We said his name and you turned three shades of red under that pretty olive skin of yours. You’re blushing again.”
I tried to brush it off. “It’s not like that,” I said. “We get that all the time. People have been asking us if we’re a couple since we were teenagers. But it’s never been true. Luke is four years older than me.”
“I would say you definitely have a crush on him,” Caroline said. “I know that look.”
“No.” I shook my head again. “It’s really not like that.”
“Someone doth protest too much.” Lena chuckled. “It’s okay. He’s a handsome man. Very attractive and really smart.”
“And good,” Caroline added. “Luke is like the little angel sitting on Leo’s shoulder. He’s the voice of reason. My man is a wildcard. He needs Luke to guide him.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “It’s always been like that. Luke is always the voice of reason. Leo and I had plenty of bad ideas. Luke was the one who would make us stop and consider the consequences. He could see five steps ahead. Leo was always the guy running full speed ahead.”
They all laughed. “That makes sense,” Caroline said. “This is why Leo and I are so dangerous together. Dangerous but fun.”
“You two are a bad decision waiting to happen,” Julia joked.
“But fun.” Caroline grinned. “Lots of fun.”
I hoped the subject was done. I didn’t want rumors to get back to Luke. “I’m going to get the dress,” I said and rushed back into the changing room. I carefully put the dress on the hanger and dug the credit card out of my purse. It didn’t have a big limit, but I could cover the dress.
As we checked out, I couldn’t help but feel relieved that the dress shopping was over. It was one less thing to worry about leading up to the wedding.
“Should we get lunch?” Caroline asked. “We can go over the plans for the bachelorette party that is less party and more of a girl trip.”
I heard thecha-chingof a register in the back of my mind. “Sure.” I smiled.
I didn’t want to be the party pooper. I paid for the dress and carefully put it in the back of my car before we walked to a restaurant down the block.
“What’s this party?” I asked.
“We’re going to Maine for a quiet retreat,” Caroline said. “We’ve already got reservations. My friend who dropped out already paid the deposit for her half of the room. We don’t have to pay for the rest of the trip right away. We have a month.”
My stomach sank. It sounded expensive. But I had a month. I could find some freelance work. “That sounds fun and relaxing,” I said. “Just send me the information and I’ll get you the money.”
ChapterEleven
Luke
Istood in front of the full-length mirror, examining myself in the new Armani suit I had purchased just for the pre-wedding party. The charcoal grey fabric hugged my shoulders and tapered at the waist, giving me a sleek and sophisticated look. The tie, a deep navy blue, perfectly complemented the suit and brought out the color of my eyes.
I didn’t normally care all that much about my appearance, but tonight, I wanted to impress a certain brunette. It had been a week since that horrible lunch with Emmy. We had not seen each other since. We texted a few times and exchanged a few emails, but nothing face-to-face. I knew it needed to happen eventually. Tonight was as good a time as any.
I took a deep breath and smoothed down the front of the jacket. It was a chance for me to dress up and celebrate with Leo and Caroline before they tied the knot. The party was like a reception before the reception. It was all about relaxing and having fun without worrying about the wedding plans.
As I adjusted my cuffs, I felt a surge of confidence. The suit made me feel like I could conquer anything. It was the perfect combination of style and comfort, and I knew that it would impress the other guests at the party. And Emmy. Sometimes, it was hard to remember I wasn’t the chauffeur’s kid relying on charity to get by. Leo rubbed elbows with a lot of the who’s who of Boston these days. I did sometimes, but not always. I still felt like the poor kid wearing hand-me-downs. I felt successful but I didn’t think I had really arrived just yet. I still had a way to go. I was sure I would get there.
With a final glance in the mirror, I grabbed my keys and made my way out the door. The night was full of possibilities, and I couldn’t wait to see what the evening had in store. As I drove to the luxury hotel where the party was being held, I felt just a little cocky and a lot confident in my new Armani suit.
