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Clearly, that wasn’t going tohappen.
I climbed out of the truck as Brody got my bags from the back, handing them off to thepilot.
“Picking up Amanda,” I heard him say to Jude. “We’ll see you up there.” Then he was off, without a glance in my direction, heading back through the rain to histruck.
We.
I tried to squeeze out a smile as Jude grabbed me up in a hug, all muscles and killer dimples, and planted a kiss on my forehead. At least someone was happy to see me. I hugged him back, grateful for his solid comfort. He asked how I was doing and how my flight was and I did my best to answer, but I wasn’t sure my words made anysense.
Brody wasn’t even coming on the plane withus.
He was going to getAmanda.
Amanda.
I felt every letter of her name stab myheart.
I had no idea who Amanda was. Unfortunately, as far as I could guess, bimbos were never named Amanda. Smart, beautiful girls were namedAmanda.
Amanda, who was going to my brother’s wedding withBrody.
Fuck. He had adate.
Agirlfriend?
Which meant… No. Fuck, no. I wasn’t going to tell him. I watched him peel out in his truck, and I made the decision, fast; I wasn’t going to tell himanything.
What good would that do? He was already pissed at me for what I’d done—for leaving the band, for leaving everyone behind six-and-a-half years ago. For leavinghim. He wasn’t going to be any happier about the reason I didit.
He wasn’t going to hate me anyless.
“Jessa! Fucking! Mayes! You beautiful AWOL bitch, get your ass overhere!”
I turned to find Roni stepping out of the restaurant. She strut toward me through the rain, arms heldwide.
“Roni!” I gave her a big hug and she laughed, jumping us both up and down with little-girl joy. Fair enough, since Roni and I had been friends since high school. And I really hadn’t seen her in a long time. Like most of my friends back home, I remembered her looking younger than she actually was, but time had been good to her,too.
Tall, dark and the sort of sexy that had been known to cause at least one major traffic accident, if anyone could take focus off my arrival at my brother’s wedding, it was this girl. A girl who could turn any situation into a party; whether it was booze, drugs, or an epic hook-up you were in the mood for, Roni was your girl… a girl who’d once hookedherselfup with Zane Traynor, my brother’s lifelong friend-slash-nemesis and the insane—and insanely gorgeous—lead singer ofDirty.
When I’d asked her to be my date for the wedding, she was incredibly keen, and I wasn’t naive as towhy.
“Zane is in the wedding party,” I reminded her as she hooked her arm through mine and we followed Jude down the walkway toward the float plan dock. “Can I trust you to behave somewhat? This is a wedding, not an orgy. I think my brother’s new wife will be a little perturbed if the two of you turn it into one.” I didn’t worry that she’d take offense at the warning; we both knew it needed to besaid.
“My orgy days are long behind me,” Roni lied with a grin. “Anyway, been there, done Zane. You know I never go back for seconds.” Then she winked at Jude as she climbed onto the plane. I watched Jude’s gaze fall straight to Roni’s ass in her skin-tightjeans.
Yeah, with Roni in the room, no one was even going to noticeme.
One couldhope.
I followed her, taking one of the leather seats and shaking the rain from my hair. Jude climbed in behind me and the pilot welcomed us on-board, launching into the safety spiel. I really should’ve paid attention, since crashing into the Pacific Ocean in a tiny floatplane was probably one of those life events I’d want to be prepared for. But I just couldn’t doit.
Picking upAmanda.
Shit, this was going to be a long fuckingweekend.
Luckily, Roni pulled out a flask before we’d even hit the air. I took a swig of her infamous home brew—blackberry vodka—then a couple more, and tried really hard not tocare.
So Brody had a date for thewedding.
