“I’ve gained some weight, though, and?—”
“Well, it went to all the right places,” Mara says. “This is the dress and Lucien is the guy.”
I crinkle my brow. “Okay, I’ll get the dress, but I still don’t know if I’m even going. Don’t say anything to Carter and Leo, okay?”
“We’d never do that to you,” Suki promises. “Do you want to try on the blue dress, too?”
I shake my head. “I’ll buy the red and white ones. Then let’s go check out the shoe section.”
Suki and Mara leave the dressing room and I glance in the mirror again. I don’t even look like myself in this dress. I look like Mara—a bold, confident woman who takes no shit.
I’m not, of course. But Kyle and Audra don’t have to know that. I just have to look like I’m thriving. And it would be a lot easier with a date.
I’d rather chew on broken glass than ask Lucien to be my pity date. Maybe I’ll just show up for the wedding and skip the rest of the festivities.
Yes, I can show up for the ceremony and then return to the comfort of my room at my dad’s. I’ll spend the rest of the break with my dear friend Little Debbie.
Chapter Eight
Lucien
* * *
I brush the snowflakes from my hair and ring Carter and Suki’s doorbell. A few seconds later, their pig Darling looks at me through the sidelight windows beside the door, pressing his nose to the glass.
Carter opens the door and frowns at the pig. “Get out of the way, Darling.”
Their pet moves farther into the doorway, completely blocking my entrance as he snuffles at my feet and legs.
“Hey, big guy.” I pet his head and scratch his ears like he’s a dog.
He’s wearing a Cleveland Crush sweater, his bulk stretching the letters out. Suki has all kinds of custom clothes made for him to wear in winter when it’s cold, but he still has to go outside to do his business.
“Hallie, call Darling!” Carter calls over his shoulder.
“Darling!” his youngest niece yells. “Come here, my Darling!”
The pig looks up at me with a glance that says, You understand, don’t you? before turning to trot away.
“Come on in,” Carter says. “We’re watching football. Harry’s helping the girls bake me a birthday cake.”
I step into the house, which smells like chocolate. Suki’s good friend Harry is a chef. Their home is a hub of sorts for their friends and family. Suki loves to host, and as the wife of our team captain, she plans and hosts a lot of informal get-togethers in their home.
“Thanks for the invite,” I say, taking my boots off and putting them on the big rug next to the door.
“Glad you could come.”
He leads the way into the two-story family room, where the game is on. Bash and Lainey are sitting in an oversized chair, her on his lap and a blanket covering both of them. Leo is sitting on the massive sectional, Talia and his wife, Mara, on the other side of it, both looking at something on Talia’s phone.
Talia meets my gaze and smiles. I woke up thinking about that smile this morning.
“Hey,” I say, giving a general wave to everyone saying hi to me.
“You know where everything is, help yourself,” Carter says as he sits down in a leather recliner.
“No fucking way that was holding!” Leo cries. “These refs are on the take.”
“Hey, Lucien,” Suki calls out. “Want a drink?”
