“We have a coordinator and everything. Although, I wish we’d gone the Elvis chapel route instead of this intimate dinner thing. You guys are the only ones left now. Maybe one of you could make that happen.”
“I’m good, thanks.” Julie chuckled as she shot me a glance.
“Same,” I said. “But you enjoy.”
He flashed a tiny smile over his shoulder before shifting toward the elevators. “I’ll see you all later.”
“Please stop that,” she said when she caught me staring, shaking her head as she exhaled a long sigh.
“Stop what? Looking at you?” I joked, my stomach sinking a bit when she didn’t laugh with me.
“Stop worrying.” She nodded toward me with her chin. “I look like shit from a long flight, so try to lose the crease between your eyebrows for the moment.” She tapped the space again with her finger.
“I can’t help it if I worry about you. And you don’t look like shit. You’re beautiful as usual, Jules.”
“Right.” She let out a humorless chuckle. “I better go change before dinner.”
“You meandrinksand dinner,” I said, raising a brow.
“Yes, nag. Drinks first. What room are you in?”
I flicked the card over in my hand to read the number on the holder.
“Uh…426.”
“Ah, I’m 326. Try not to have any loud parties and keep me up.”
“No promises, babe. It’s Vegas.”
“That it is,” she sighed, dragging her suitcase toward the ding of the elevator.
All three were my oldest friends, but Julie was my family. Well, other than when my eyes traveled along her soft curves as she ambled toward the elevator. My best friend was beautiful, and I was human.
And I wouldn’t be able to leave her alone until I figured out whatever she was keeping from me.
2
JULIE
Idreaded this weekend for so many reasons.
I was thrilled to see two of my oldest friends get married, and I’d missed my best friend—especially lately. A weekend in Vegas should have been something to look forward to, but I’d almost canceled the trip a million times before revving myself up to board the plane at LaGuardia.
Keeping the plot twists in my life a secret was a lot easier across the miles, but avoiding the subject had turned into unfair lies of omission. Telling Landon the truth would make it all official in a way I wasn’t ready for.
I’d gone through enough changes to my physical appearance that he would have picked up on something, no matter how hard I tried to pretend. Hiding my face on camera for the past few months had allowed me to avoid the questions I didn’t want to answer—and the looks of pity that would mean well, but would sting all the same. I loved him and I trusted him not to judge me, but I was still embarrassed for him or anyone to see me like that.
But I couldn’t hide forever, and closing myself off from the people I cared about was the opposite of what I needed right now.
I tapped my foot as I waited for the elevator to descend to the lobby. After dodging this conversation for months, I felt my heart race as the elevator seemed to inch down floor by floor, my impatience to just get it over with making me shift back and forth on my feet.
I spotted him in less than a second, a smile sneaking across my mouth at his wide shoulders, the muscles of his back working beneath his button-down shirt as he lifted his tumbler to his mouth. His head stuck out above any crowd because he was so damn tall, but with the new bulk added to his frame, he seemed massive.
He was still gorgeous, with his big chocolate eyes, model-worthy cheekbones, and chiseled jaw. But under that large frame of a man, he was a giant mush, and I knew he’d be worried sick about me after tonight.
I glanced down at the low-heeled sandals I’d bought for this trip. My joint pain had improved overall, but my ankles still rebelled against the skyscraper heels I’d worn for most of my life. I lifted one foot, stretching out my sore arch as I drew a small circle in the air with my toes, eyeing the under-one-inch wedge heel and rhinestones on the straps.
My concession of sexy shoes felt like another loss—another piece of myself that wasn’t mine to claim anymore.
