"Helloooo? Harry?" Ruth's sweet drawl called out before she squealed. "Grace!" She bounded towards me in delight and threw her arms around my frame. One arm was strapped across my shoulder, and the other around my waist. I grinned as I gathered the petite woman in my arms.
"Ruth!" I laughed. "Gosh, you still look the same!"
We stepped back and grinned widely at each other. She was a petite little thing with big brown curls, big brown eyes, and full red lips. The only difference was that she used to wear black-framed glasses that dwarfed her face.
"Contacts?" I queried.
Ruth shook her head, curls bouncing around her shoulders. "Lasik Eye surgery. Had some money saved up from working at Bobbi's and had them done before college. I joke that that's how James ended up with me. I had a glow-up!"
A deep chuckle interrupted her rambling. "I keep telling you, woman, it was your trombone playing and those tight band pants that won me over."
I stiffened when James approached us. Facially, he looked the same, although his hair was cut shorter than I remembered. He was tall and still broad-shouldered but slightly bulkier—a sexy dad bod, as my colleague Kira would call it. He was still a handsome man with sparkly blue eyes that were lovingly staring down at his wife.
Once James glanced up at me, my smile faded. He gave me a lopsided grin that looked slightly uneasy and embarrassed. "Hey, Grace. Good to see you. How are you?"
"Fine," I curtly replied, crossing my arms.
I wouldn't start being fake and gush over how long it had been since we last saw each other. I was here to show my face and contribute God knows what to this clown show, and that was it.
Ruth's expression fell at my tone, and she turned her pretty face up and glared at her husband. I thought I heard her murmur, "Do it!" before I saw her elbow discreetly dig into his stomach.
Oh, shit. This was like some sad movie where all the townsfolk lined up to apologize to the wronged girl. Hallmark would make a killing out of my life.
James' face flushed red, and he glanced down, shuffling his feet. His wife's next elbow dig must've hurt more than it looked because he jumped and rubbed at his stomach. Ruth must be dynamite in the sack.
"Listen, Grace," he haltingly started.
Oh crap, so this was happening. He must've sensed my apprehension because he stopped and glanced down at his wife again, unsure.
So, he was still a coward.
"Are you trying to apologize for being a dick to me in high school?" I bluntly asked.
James' face recoiled in horror as I heard Harrison choke on something in the background. Ruth threw her head back and laughed heartily.
"You were never one to beat around the bush, Grace," she said, her mouth twisted in mirth. She glanced up at James and smiled sympathetically. "Honey, go on." Before James could continue, I interjected.
"James, I don't want to prolong this torture, as I'm sure you're just as horrified as I am. It's been seven years, and I have moved on." At the relief in his eyes, I continued. "In saying that, Iwouldlike an apology because I did nothing to you." I turned and looked at Harrison pointedly. "Anyof you," I stressed.
He flinched and dropped his gaze from mine. I turned back to James. "So for that, I do deserve a fucking apology." I folded my arms and waited.
James gently moved his wife aside and stepped up to me. He looked me dead in the eye unflinchingly.
"Grace, I was a complete asshole to you. Part of the reason why Ruth rejected me in high school when I asked her out was because of how myself and my friends treated you. When we heard that you were coming back for Amelia and Liam's wedding, Ruth demanded that I apologize to you. But to be honest, I was going to anyway. It's something that I've always regretted. I was immature and concerned with being popular rather than doing the right thing, and for that, I am genuinely sorry."
I blinked, stunned. Some of the anger drained out of me in the face of his genuine remorse. I dropped my arms from their defensive stance. "Damn, Fletcher. Kinda hard to keep hating you after that."
His smile was small, but I recognized the sincerity behind it. "I hope we can make amends, and you can start liking me a little. I promise I'm a lot nicer now. Ruth makes me."
I laughed, my face coloring slightly at the attention. "I don't doubt that. Look," I sighed. "Let's put it behind us now. I appreciate the apology, and if you weren't married to such a sweetheart, I wouldn't have believed you'd changed."
James grinned as he moved back to his wife, wrapping a heavy arm over her small shoulders. Ruth glanced up at her husband, a look of love and pride on her pretty face.
"Okay," I clapped my hands. "Let's never dothatagain. We have a party to plan."
I pulled one of the chairs out and sat. As they followed suit, I remarked, "Just to warn you, apart from Amelia's bachelorette party, I've never really planned any other event. But from what I understand, most details are finalized and we're just, what, chatting about any loose ends?"
"Ah, yeah." Harrison cleared his throat. I was keenly aware of his body's proximity to mine. Had he pulled his chair closer? I felt suffocated by his intoxicating scent. Clean soap with a faint hint of woodsy cologne. He had a slight stubble, and his hair was sexily tousled as if he had been running his fingers through them.
