I’m just in the middle of groaning through another tender spot when I catch movement outside. Through the spa’s one-way window, I watch as the guys walk past wearing cowboy hats.
How cute. They’re really getting into the whole scratching their balls thing with a whole getup and everything.
But then, the smile on my face falls as quickly as it bloomed, because . . .
Wait a fucking minute.
That can’t be right.
My brows furrow, and I lift my head toward my friends chatting in the hot tub nearby, silently forcing the masseuse to pause. “Uh, why is Patton here with the guys?”
Bella and Rani eye each other, and Piper follows my line of sight to the window behind her. But it’s my sister who speaks.
“Well, you did specifically ask us not to mention him.”
My mouth hangs open in disbelief before I hiss, “Sarina ‘Traitorous-Twin’ Arora. You know damn well that is not what I meant.”
“Hey! Don’t you middle name me on my special day! And it’s going to be Sarina ‘Traitorous-Twin’ Winters soon, so get it right.”
I push myself onto my elbows, addressing all my friends, “How long have you guys known he was invited today?”
Kavi winces. “For a couple of days?—”
“A couple of days?!” I shriek, making my masseuse stumble backward. Poor woman is probably wondering if her massage therapy license covers witnessing client homicides. “And you didn’t think to tell me?”
That’s it. I’m rescinding their friendship cards.
“Well, you did tell us not to mention him,” Mala repeats Sarina’s earlier words.
I glare at her, and then back at my sister and Piper, the two women who know everything about me and Patton. Thetwo women who saw first-hand how everything went down. “Seriously?”
Piper raises her hands in surrender, making the water drip around her. “Look, yes, we should have told you. But, honestly, this is Troy’s day, too.”
“And he really wanted to invite Patton,” Sarina adds. “They’ve all gotten close now that he’s in the Schlongs chat.”
“Unbelievable.” I drop my head back onto the massage table with a thud. My massage therapist sensibly moves down to my legs, probably unsure how many more times I’ll get activated. “First, he shows up in town under the guise of a new movie, then he pops up at mydojang, my doorstep, the salon on Wednesday, and now he’s here? You’ll probably tell me next that he’s also invited to the wedding.”
Sarina immediately looks guilty, shifting closer to the hot tub wall like she’s hoping it’ll swallow her whole.
“He showed up at the salon on Wednesday?” Piper asks. “I don’t remember seeing him there, but I was probably with a client.”
Ignoring her, I lift my head again and glare at my sister.Bet the masseuse is happy she stayed south of all this drama happening in my head and neck.“Tell me you’re kidding.”
The girls all shift awkwardly, avoiding eye contact with me.
“Troy really likes him,” Sarina protests. “And you know I’ve always loved Patton like a brother.”
That’s when I feel a sharp pain cut through my chest.
“Look, babe,” Piper starts as memories of the four of us laughing, chatting, and watching TV in Dad’s living room flash in front of my eyes. “I know this has all been confusing and crazy for you?—”
“Crazy? Yes. Confusing? No,” I retort, snapping back to the present. “There’s nothing confusing about my feelings for my husband.”
“Ex-husband,” Rani corrects.
I close my eyes for a beat. “Yes, my ex-husband. I’m not confused when it comes to him.”
When silence stretches over us and I crack one eye open, they’re all staring at me with similar expressions—part sympathy and part “denial is a river in Egypt”.
