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1
Lex
Irusharoundthe corner of the street, stumbling when my heel catches in a crack on the sidewalk. Grateful I didn’t land on my face, I slow my pace and breathe out when I see the bright lights that read Monroe’s.
It’d be my luck that the day I need to leave work on time, I get caught up with a parent. I’m ecstatic about the news she had to share. I’m not ecstatic about being late for my best friend’s engagement celebration.
I stop outside of Monroe’s, the restaurant we’ve always chosen for special moments in our lives, and run my hands down my dress while I take a deep breath to slow my racing heart. I don’t want to arrive looking like I sprinted here.
When I feel myself relax a bit, I pull the heavy wooden door and enter. Deafening chatter hits me. Tables are full as I weave through them on my way to the backroom Hope reserved. I smile and wave at a few familiar faces as I pass their tables. As soon as I slip through the curtain separating the room from the rest of the restaurant, I see Hope dash toward me.
″You’re thirty minutes late.” Her eyebrows lift as she points to the clock on the opposite wall from where we stand.
″I know, I know. I’m so sorry.” My eyes round. “Forgive me?” I clutch my hands and give her my best puppy-dog face.
Hope sighs and shakes her head. “Of course, you’re forgiven. You’re my best friend, but you’ll have to make it up to me.” She swings her arm across my shoulder and smiles before leading me toward the bar.
″I’ll do anything.” I smile at her. I want nothing more than for this time in her life to be unforgettable.
We reach the bar, and she steps to the side, smiling. “Anything?” Her eyes light up as I turn to look at her.
″You’re my best friend. You know I have your back.”
″Good because—”
″You’ve got to be kidding me.” I interrupt her when my eyes land on the one person I could live the rest of my life without seeing. And he’s approaching us with Toby, Hope’s fiancé.
I scowl, my eyes dancing between Hope’s apologetic expression and the two men.
″Good to see you, too, Lex.” Hudson looks me over with his hands in his pockets and smirks.
I roll my eyes at his aggravating voice and stare at my best friend. I refuse to acknowledge him.
″Remember when you said you’d do anything for me a few minutes ago?” Worry fills her expression.
″Toby and I have been talking, and we don’t want separate bachelor and bachelorette parties. We want to combine them and have a destination event. We’ll still have girl time while the guys do their thing,” she rushes out to explain. “Since you and Hudson are maid-of-honor and best man, you’ll both be organizing this.”
My face falls. My heart pounds at the thought of having to spend any time with that man. She says it as if it were no big deal.
″Hope, please tell me this is a joke.” I don’t shy away from my reaction to the news.
″Not a joke,” Hudson says, and I shoot him a glare.
″It’s not.″ Hope widens her eyes at Hudson and looks back at me. She gingerly grabs my elbow and steers me away, looking over her shoulder with a tight smile. “I know this is hard, and I wouldn’t ask if it weren’t important.”
″I know you wouldn’t, but this goes beyond my maid-of-honor duties.″ I cross my arms.
″Planning my bachelorette party is maid-of-honor duties.” She raises an eyebrow.
″Can’t I plan our side of it, and we just show up at the same place? Where do you want to go?”
″Winford in Vermont. You know how much Toby and I love skiing. It’s where we went on our first trip, too, so it’s special to us.” She smiles wistfully.
Nodding, I can’t help but smile. “I know.” I squeeze her arm.
″So you’ll do this?”
I close my eyes for a moment and take a deep breath. Could I spend time with the man who broke my heart and pretend it doesn’t affect me? Seeing the hope in her eyes, I silently nod.
